Kaaawa man drowns at beach park

A Kaaawa man was found dead in the water off Kaaawa Beach Park last night about an hour after his family reported him missing.

The family called the Honolulu Fire Department at 4:47 p.m. to report the swimmer overdue from a snorkeling expedition.

The body was spotted about 100 yards offshore by the Fire Department helicopter crew, said Fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

The body was brought ashore by a city lifeguard using a motorized watercraft.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The name of the man, in his late 40s, was not released.

Solar heaters required for new homes

With the new year, Hawaii became the first state requiring solar water heaters in new homes.

Legislation signed by Gov. Linda Lingle in 2008 requires the energy-saving systems installed in homes starting this year.

Environmentalist Jeff Mikulina said the policy will define Hawaii's clean-energy future. The executive director of the Blue Planet Foundation said the law will bring the benefit of free sunshine to new homeowners across the islands.

The new law prohibits issuing building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar water heaters. Some exceptions are allowed, such as forested areas with little sunshine.

Hawaii relies on imported fossil fuels more than any other state, with about 90 percent of its energy sources coming from foreign countries.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

First fatal crash in state linked to alcohol use

A 28-year-old Pahala man was Hawaii's first traffic fatality of 2010 after a one-car crash in which speed and alcohol were factors, Big Island police said yesterday.

Police identified the victim as Darcy Aguil. Kau patrol officers responded to a 12:02 a.m. call for a one-car accident on Pikake Street, between Kamani and Huapala streets in Pahala.

Police said Aguil was speeding in the 1994 Nissan sedan when he lost control of the car, struck a parked vehicle, and was ejected from the automobile. He was not wearing a seat belt, and alcohol was a factor in the crash, they said.

Emergency personnel responded and took Aguil to Kau Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:43 a.m., police said.

Big Island fire department officials said the car flipped over and the ejected driver suffered severe head trauma.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death. Anyone with information on the crash may call officer Joshua Lewis at (808) 326-4646, ext. 229.