Shoreline fall kills teenager

A 14-year-old boy apparently drowned yesterday after falling at a surf spot in Nanakuli known as Depots.

The teen apparently slipped on rocks, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the Honolulu Emergency Services Department.

Police said the boy was fishing alone when he fell, and family members found him partly submerged in the water at about 11:30 a.m. Lifeguards performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until paramedics arrived, Cheplic said.

Paramedics took the boy in critical condition to the hospital, where he later died.

Donated flower garlands adorn Punchbowl graves

Honolulu came through.

All of the grave markers at the National Cemetery of the Pacific—about 33,000—are adorned with lei in time for this morning's annual Memorial Day tribute hosted by Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

Duane Vachon, a worker at the cemetery in Punchbowl crater, said “;they came in all day.”;

“;We were nervous, but Honolulu is great—a city with a heart.”;

City officials were concerned throughout last week that there would not be enough lei for all the graves because of a shortage of flowers and because public schools closed for the year before Memorial Day.

Vachon said more than 33,500 lei were collected this year—more than enough—for the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts who spent early yesterday afternoon decorating each of the grave markers with a lei and small American flag at Punchbowl.

However, there did not appear to be enough lei to decorate all the graves at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe.

A shortage of flowers this year and the end of the public school year before Memorial Day contributed to the lei shortage.

Health Department issues fines to pair of Oahu firms

The state Department of Health Clean Air Branch issued a notice of violation against Goodfellow Bros. Inc.

The company has mobile crushing and screening plants throughout the state. It was cited last week for failing to conduct monthly visible emissions observations, incurring a penalty of $7,100.

Glenn Imanaka, Goodfellow director of safety, risk management and human resources, said, “;We at Goodfellow Bros. Inc. take this citation very seriously. This isolated incident was immediately addressed, and we are in complete compliance with our air permit.”;

The Health Department also cited the PVT Land Co. Ltd., which operates a construction and demolition landfill in Nanakuli, for submitting last year's semiannual monitoring report more than three months late, the agency said. A penalty of $1,600 was imposed.

Asian environmentalists visit Oahu

The East-West Center is hosting a group of environmental leaders from Southeast Asia.

Twenty undergraduates from Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand are participating in the program that began last week. The group is due to visit Hanauma Bay and Lyon Arboretum and sail aboard the Hokule'a.

The five-week program is focused on developing sustainable systems for natural resource and agricultural management; food, energy and water security; and eco-tourism.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Kupuna care program ends on Valley Isle

A Maui program that provides health care and support, enabling frail older people to remain in their communities, will close by Aug. 31 because of “;ongoing financial losses.”;

Connie Miller, director of Maui PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), said in a news release: “;It is with great regret that Hale Makua Health Services will be closing Maui PACE.

“;We still believe that PACE plans provide a valuable and desirable alternative to nursing home placement.”;

The Maui PACE staff works closely with each participant and family members to select a primary care doctor and sign up with a Medicare and/or Medicaid QUEST Expanded Access health plan.

However, Miller said the program, which began Oct. 1, 2008, “;was in a hole every month”; because state and federal payments do not cover costs. “;We really tried to make a go of it. We're disappointed.”;

Before it stopped taking enrollments, the program had 27 participants.