Motorcyclist and pedestrian die in Kona crash

Two Kona men were killed yesterday in a motorcycle and pedestrian accident on the Big Island.

Big Island police identified the motorcyclist as 50-year-old Dale R. Dyk and the pedestrian as 40-year-old Jaison Enriquez.

The crash was reported at 3:09 p.m. on Alii Drive in Kona.

Police said Dyk was driving a 1998 Harley-Davidson when he hit Enriquez, who was crossing the street outside of a crosswalk.

Firefighters took both men to Kona Community Hospital, where Dyk died at 4:40 p.m. and Enriquez at 5:57 p.m.

Traffic officers opened a negligent homicide investigation and ordered autopsies.

The accident brought the number of fatalities on the Big Island to three this year compared to one at this time last year.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call officer Marvin Troutman at 326-4646, ext. 229.

Jellyfish close Hanauma a second day

Ocean Safety officials closed Hanauma Bay for the second day in a row yesterday because of a box jellyfish influx and posted warning signs at Waikiki Beach.

More than 40 box jellyfish were found on the beach at Hanauma yesterday morning, with more spotted floating offshore, Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city's Emergency Services Department, said in a statement.

Cheplic said the bay was closed at 7 a.m.

At Waikiki Beach, lifeguards posted warning signs after 56 box jellyfish and 10 Portuguese men-of-war were found. Lifeguards treated one person for a jellyfish sting, Cheplic said.

At Ala Moana, six box jellyfish were found, but no one was stung.

On Saturday more than 30 people were treated for stings within an hour at Hanauma Bay, prompting lifeguards to close the bay at 9:30 a.m.

The same day, lifeguards counted more than 500 box jellyfish on Waikiki Beach and treated more than 50 people for stings.

Lifeguards will evaluate whether to open Hanauma Bay this morning.

Jellyfish usually invade some Hawaii beaches about seven to 11 days after a full moon.

For more information visit the city Web site at http://www.hawaiibeachsafety.org.

HPU will graduate 625 Wednesday

More than 625 graduates will receive their diplomas at Hawaii Pacific University's fall/winter commencement ceremony Wednesday night.

The commencement speaker will be Robert “;Skipp”; Orr, chairman of the Panasonic Foundation. Orr was president of Boeing Japan during the development of the 787 Dreamliner.

The ceremony begins at 6 p.m. at the Waikiki Shell.

Orr also will be presented with the Fellow of the Pacific Award, HPU's highest honor for leadership, research and contributions to higher education and service to the community.

Orr, who also worked for Motorola in Europe, is a former professor at Temple University, is fluent in German and Japanese and speaks French.

The valedictorians are Sara Ortiz, representing undergraduates, Cara Mizue, representing the graduate degree programs, and Marcus Lewis, for the military campus program.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Budget cuts hamper Maui court defense

WAILUKU » Public defenders in Wailuku say their office is so short-staffed they will no longer be able to defend clients in DUI, traffic, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor cases.

Judges in Wailuku District Court say the court will appoint private attorneys to handle those cases instead.

Supervising Deputy Public Defender Wendy Hudson says the state hiring freeze has forced her Maui office to take “;desperate measures.”;

Staff will focus on serving clients with family and felony cases, since those defendants typically face more severe charges and penalties.

Hawaii law gives indigent people who are arrested for or charged with a criminal offense that is punishable by jail or prison time the right to a public defender or another appointed attorney.