Freeway patrol changes number

The Department of Transportation's Freeway Service Patrol has a new number.

For roadside assistance and towing of stalled vehicles, motorists can call 841-HELP (841-4357). The dedicated number will free up the 911 number for other types of emergencies.

The new number is for use during the service patrol's hours of operation, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., except holidays. The service, which began June 16, covers 36 miles along the H-1 and Moanalua freeways.

Meanwhile, the eastbound H-1 offramp to Farrington Highway in Kapolei will be closed from Wednesday until the end of 2010, the department said. Motorists can take the Kalaeloa Boulevard offramp as an alternate route and drive down Kapolei Parkway or Kamokila Boulevard.

The closure comes as Phase I of the new Kapolei Interchange Complex starts construction.

Church is sued over human remains

Hawaiian royalty descendant Abigail Kawananakoa is suing the state and Kawaiaha'o Church to protect human remains unearthed during construction of a multipurpose center on church grounds.

Construction crews dug up at least 68 sets of remains, most beneath a service road, as they started construction on the $18 million center.

The lawsuit, filed in state court Wednesday, names as defendants Laura Thielen, director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Dr. Chiyome Fukino, state Department of Health director, Alvin Onaka, chief of the Office of Health Status Monitoring, state Historic Preservation Division Administrator Puaalaokalani Aiu and the church.

In a written news release, the church said Kawananakoa's lawsuit contains “;numerous errors of fact and law,”; but said it has halted work on the center and is complying with all state and city requirements.

Body of isle man is found in river

A body found in a river near Fort Collins, Colo., has been identified as a Hawaii man who has been missing since Wednesday when he crashed his motorcycle into the river.

The Larimer County sheriff's office says the body is of 63-year-old Dennis M. Schultz of Kailua-Kona. Schultz's body was found Saturday about a mile downriver from where witnesses reported seeing him crash and go under a guardrail and into the river. The cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma, an accident.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

State seeks comment on reserve

The public is invited to comment on a draft management plan for Molokai Forest Reserve until Wednesday, according to the state.

The plan will help to implement management actions, support the Department of Forestry and Wildlife to secure funding, and solicit requests for proposals to implement plan objectives, said the state.

Molokai Forest reserve was established in 1912 to protect and maintain the mountain forests to ensure a continued stream flow.

The draft plan will be listed in the announcements section on the forestry division Web site at hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw.