Advertiser Staff and News Services
MAUI
Harbor agent reassigned
LAHAINA, Maui — A 47-year-old harbor agent was arrested at Lahaina Harbor yesterday morning on suspicion of first-degree theft. The state employee was released without being charged.
Officials with the attorney general’s office or the Maui Police Department wouldn’t say specifically what the man was arrested for, only that it was part of an investigation that has been under way for a couple of months. A first-degree theft charge is for the theft of cash or items valued in excess of $20,000.
State Department of Land and Natural Resources Chairman Gilbert Coloma-Agaran said the agent was reassigned to another harbor pending an investigation. He said Maui District Manager Chuck Penque would decide whether to put the man on administrative leave. Penque could not be reached for comment.
HONOLULU
Rain eases O‘ahu drought
Rainfall over the 24-hour period ending at 8 a.m. yesterday was a welcome relief after two dry months on O‘ahu.
The heaviest downpour, at 3.52 inches, was measured at the Honolulu side of the Wilson Tunnel station, said National Weather Service lead forecaster Hans Rosendal. Most of that fell within a two-hour period. Generally the rain fell heaviest on or near the mountain.
In Windward O‘ahu, rainfall totals ranged from 2.56 inches at Waihe‘e pump to 2.15 inches at Maunawili and 1.06 inches in Kahuku.
In Honolulu, Lyon Arboretum in Manoa Valley recorded 2.5 inches of rain and Aloha Tower listed 1.07 inches.
Elsewhere, Moanalua reported 1.88 inches, Palolo fire station 1.18 inches and Pacific Palisades .64 inches.
The Islands have slipped back into the grip of a drought, building on drier-than-normal conditions for the past couple of years. On O‘ahu, Honolulu International Airport matched the 1986 record low of .18 of an inch of rain in January.
Teen in beating gets 10 years
A 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty to first-degree assault in a fatal 1999 beating was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday.
Tali Fai initially was charged with murder in the Aug. 6, 1999, beating of Vaovai Faateleupu outside a Waipahu 7-Eleven store. As part of the plea agreement, Fai also was to be sentenced to a concurrent term of 10 years for an unrelated robbery charge.
"That was something that he accepted and was expecting," Fai’s attorney, Keith Shigetomi, said of the sentence. "I guess in his mind he believed that was an appropriate punishment."
Shigetomi said Fai took responsibility for the beating, admitting his involvement to police.
Matthew Palaita, 18, previously pleaded guilty to man-slaughter for his role in the case.
LEEWARD O‘AHU
Landfill plan hearing set
A meeting for Wai‘anae Coast residents to discuss plans to expand the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the ‘Ihilani Resort, Lurline Room.
The city-sponsored discussion group is designed to address public concerns about the landfill expansion raised after the city filed its draft environmental impact statement with the state last fall, said the city’s representative, Herb Lee.
The 60.5-acre expansion to the landfill in Kahe Valley would provide space for rubbish though 2017, according to the city. The landfill is operated by Waste Management of Hawai‘i Inc. and now uses 86.5 acres at the 200-acre site. That site will be filled by 2002.
Water service to be halted
Water service in Wai‘anae and Makaha will be shut off from 8 p.m. Friday until early Saturday morning while a contractor for the Board of Water Supply replaces a 20-inch transmission main in the area.
The contractor will connect a new section of pipe to replace an older main that has broken several times. The work will be done at the intersection of Pa‘akea Street and Hakimo Road.
Area reservoirs will be filled in advance to maximum storage capacity in the event construction work causes a larger water problem, according to the board.
Residents are asked to use water for essential needs only, such as drinking and hygiene, until service is restored Saturday.
EAST HONOLULU
900 offer to count whales
More than 900 people have volunteered to count humpback whales off O‘ahu on Feb. 24.
The census will be conducted at 44 sites, said Chris Brammer, administrative assistant and project coordinator for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine sanctuary.
The census will be taken from 9 a.m. to noon.
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