Neighbor Island briefs
Advertiser Staff
Maui blackout traced to lightning
KAHULUI, Maui — Maui Electric Co. officials said yesterday that a lightning strike caused a massive power outage over a third of the island Wednesday night.
The lightning is believed to have hit a substation or transmission line in Wailuku, triggering a loss of power at the Kahului substation, said Maui Electric Co. spokeswoman Barbara Kikuchi. The 8:30 p.m. outage also affected customers in the Upcountry and Hana areas as well.
Power to essential operations, including Kahului Airport, Maui Memorial Medical Center and the Wailuku police station, was restored within 45 minutes. The remaining Maui Electric customers had electricity by midnight.
On the Big Island, power to 3,189 Hawai'i Electric Light Co. customers was cut off at 12:54 a.m. yesterday following another failure at Hamakua Energy Partners' power plant in Haina. HELCO spokesman said service to most customers was restored in about 20 minutes.
The Big Island has experienced more than a dozen power outages this year, most a result of failures at the Haina plant.
Puna home destroyed by fire
KEA'AU, Hawai'i — A Puna home burned to the ground early Tuesday in a rural area above the Kea'au Ballpark and Armory.
Hawai'i County fire officials said the cause of the 6:19 a.m. blaze was not determined. The home was owned by Island Princess Mac Nut Farm and occupied by Evangeline Carreira. Losses were estimated at $55,000.
Water conservation sought during tests
WAILUKU, Maui — The Department of Water Supply is asking Central Maui residents to conserve water for a 12-hour period this weekend while tests are conducted on the '?ao Aquifer.
To run the tests, well pumps will be shut off from 10 p.m. tomorrow to 10 a.m. Sunday. During that period, consumers may still use water for bathing, sanitation and cooking, but are being asked to try to conserve.
However, automatic sprinkler systems should be shut off and other nonessential uses of water should be postponed until after the tests are done.
Customers in the following areas will be affected: Kahului, Wailuku Waihe'e, Ma'alaea, Pa'ia, Kihei, Wailea and Makena.
The tests involve monitoring water and chloride levels in the '?ao Aquifer, which stretches from Waihe'e to Waikapu.
Coast Guard ship will be visiting Hilo
HILO, Hawai'i — One of the country's largest Coast Guard vessels will visit Hilo this weekend.
The 378-foot-long Cutter Rush and its crew of 167 has been used for drug interdiction in the waters off Central America and for duty in Vietnam.
The ship received national attention last March when it encountered a Mexican fishing vessel that was carrying 4.6 tons of cocaine valued at more than $250 million.
Free public tours will be offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow at Hilo Harbor.
At 11 a.m., the visiting Coast Guard crew will challenge the crew of the Hilo-based Cutter Kiska to a softball game at University Heights Park.
For more information, call K.T. Eger at (808) 966-8565.
Cause of whale's death still unknown
KEAHOLE, Hawai'i — An autopsy on the baby whale that died Monday evening has produced no immediate indication of a cause of death, but organs removed from the animal are being shipped to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C., for further laboratory analysis.
Sharks were coming after the whale in shallow water off Ban-
yans, a popular surfing beach south of Kailua-Kona, according to local fishermen who came to the whale's aid.
After being monitored by workers from the Dolphin Quest program at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, the whale was transported by truck to a holding tank at the Natural Energy Laboratory here where it died despite efforts to save it.
The whale had two "cookie cutter" type wounds but no other significant external or internal injuries, the National Marine Fisheries Service said.
Job training offered on Maui
KAHULUI, Maui — Ka Lima O Maui is offering job training and assistance to individuals and families starting Monday.
The free service is being financed by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Priority will be given to people recently enrolled in public assistance programs.
For more information and to register, call Ka Lima O Maui's Employment and Family Services Office at (808) 244-6519.
