Navy says sonar lawsuit is settled

The Navy has settled a lawsuit filed by environmentalists challenging its use of sonar in hundreds of exercises in Hawaii and around the world.

The Navy said yesterday the deal reached with the Natural Resources Defense Council and other groups requires it to continue to research how sonar affects whales and other marine mammals.

It doesn't require sailors to adopt additional measures to protect the animals when they use sonar.

The agreement comes one month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Navy in another sonar lawsuit the NRDC filed.

NRDC officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Kenoi to visit D.C. but not for Obama

HILO » Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi will be in Washington, D.C., at around the same time as President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration next month.

But County Managing Director Bill Takaba says Kenoi might not be able to watch the swearing-in of the first Hawaii-born president because he doesn't have tickets.

Kenoi is due to be in the nation's capital on Jan. 17 through 19 to attend a U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting. The inauguration is Jan. 20.

Kenoi says he plans to lobby for federal money during the mayors conference. He isn't optimistic he'll obtain inauguration tickets.

Kenoi says he wants to “;secure more than”; the Big Island's fair share of federal funding for local projects expected to be included in a national economic stimulus package.

Road closure to send traffic to H-1

Motorists will be rerouted from the bypass between Kunia and Makakilo to the H-1 freeway this week, the Department of Transportation said yesterday.

Honolulu-bound traffic will be rerouted from 8:30 p.m. tomorrow to 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, the department said. During the transition, two Honolulu-bound lanes will be closed.

Waianae-bound traffic will be rerouted 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Two Waianae-bound lanes will be closed during the transition, the department said.

The bypass has been in use since June 21. It was built to flow traffic around the construction site of the future North-South Road Overpass.

Driver acquitted in traffic fatality

KEKAHA, Kauai » An 81-year-old man has been found not guilty of negligent homicide more than a year after a motorcyclist collided with his station wagon and died.

Defense attorney Al Castillo said a jury acquitted Louis Parraga Jr. after about an hour of deliberations.

A county incident report shows that 20-year-old Stetson Furtado died Sept. 14, 2007, when his Suzuki motorcycle collided with Parraga's Dodge station wagon as it slowly merged onto Kaumualii Highway. Furtado slid across a highway and onto the eastbound shoulder.

Castillo said Furtado was speeding.

Parraga was found not guilty Dec. 18. He was facing up to five years imprisonment if he had been convicted.

Hilo library closes for repairs

Hilo Public Library will close Jan. 4 for renovations and accessibility improvements.

The book drops will be open on most days except when renovation work is being done in that area.

The project includes reroofing, replacement of windows, other repairs and handicapped accessibility upgrades to ramps and the children's rest rooms. It's unclear when the library will reopen.

Patrons may visit nearby libraries such as Keaau Public and School Library, Mountain View Public and School Library, Pahoa Public and School Library and Laupahoehoe Public and School Library.