Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
O'AHU'S NORTH SHORE
Skydivers rescued off Hale'iwa
Four windblown skydivers caught a break yesterday off the North Shore when they were rescued by two fishing-boat crews and two women on personal watercraft.
North Shore lifeguard Lt. John Hoogsteden said four skydivers who had jumped in tandem using two chutes from Dillingham Airfield drifted off course and landed a mile or two off Pua'ena Point at 4:39 p.m.
The three men and one woman had jumped with the Drop Zone company, Hoogsteden said.
After landing in the ocean off Hale'iwa Harbor, the skydivers were rescued by the fishing boats Alissa's Pelican, captained by Ed Ebisui, and the Moana Kai, captained by Ron Cordeiro, and two women on personal watercraft — junior lifeguard Tiana Ahue and Kristin Kirk.
There were no serious injuries to the skydivers.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Stolen car crashes; six hurt
Six people were hurt, two seriously, when a stolen car driven by an 18-year-old girl veered off the roadway, climbed an embankment, and flipped upside down yesterday morning on Moloka'i.
Speed and alcohol may have been factors in the crash, police Sgt. Eugene Santiago said. The 2001 Chevrolet veered off Maunaloa Highway near Na'iwa and Kalama'ula at about 7:13 a.m., he said.
Two of the passengers, both 16-year-old girls, were thrown from the car. They were taken by air ambulance to The Queen's Medical Center. One girl was in critical condition last night, and the other was in fair condition, a Queen's spokeswoman said.
The driver, who sustained only minor injuries, was the only person in the car wearing a seat belt. She was arrested when it was learned that the car was stolen, Santiago said.
The passengers included four other girls riding in the back seat and a 20-year-old man in the front passenger seat, he said.
Tour operators affected by fire
KAHULUI, Maui — Maui firefighters battling a smoky brush fire near the Kahului Airport heliport Saturday ordered the evacuation of air-tour hangars as a precaution.
Dave Bohn, services manager at Bradley Pacific Aviation, said flames driven by gusty winds crept to within 50 feet of parked helicopters.
Fred Adler, Sunshine Helicopters' operations manager, said one or two of the company's flights had to be rescheduled, in part, because passengers weren't allowed through police lines to get to the heliport.
Airport tower officials said heavy smoke from the burning brush and grass reduced visibility at one point to 1 1/2 miles. The fire burned six acres before being brought under control less than 90 minutes after the alarm sounded.
The blaze may have started in an area where a brushfire charred three acres Friday night, Assistant Fire Chief Alan Cordeiro said.
No injuries were reported.
HONOLULU
Honolulu-bound flight turned back
A United Airlines jet bound for Honolulu from Los Angeles landed safely at San Francisco International Airport after a warning light indicated a fire was burning in the rear cargo pit.
Officials kept the Boeing 777 away from the airport's terminals yesterday until officials confirmed no fire existed and a mechanical malfunction had triggered the indicator light, said Jeff Green, a United Airlines spokesman. None of the 363 passengers and crew aboard were injured.
The crew of Flight 55 activated fire extinguishers in the aircraft's cargo section as a safety measure before landing just before 3 p.m., Green said. United Airlines is investigating the incident.
Green said passengers would be bound for Honolulu on another flight last night.
Fire destroys Ke'ehi houseboat
A man lost his houseboat and one of his two cats yesterday after a fire at Ke'ehi Lagoon.
The man, a 53-year-old fire protection systems inspector, awoke from a nap at about 4:30 p.m. and discovered the back of his houseboat was on fire, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Richard Soo.
The man ran to another part of the boat and grabbed a fire extinguisher, but by then the rear of the boat was engulfed.
The man suffered third-degree burns trying to fight the fire, then grabbed a cat and got into a 14-foot boat he kept tied to the houseboat. He was unable to find the second cat. Soo said it died in the fire.
The Fire Department had the fire under control by 5:10 p.m. and extinguished by 6:30, but the houseboat was reduced to a blackened hull.
The Red Cross was called to assist the man and his employer came to offer help as well.
Library hosts weekly stories
The Kaimuki Public Library will have a free toddler storytime program at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays for children and accompanying adults.
Children's librarian Sandra Hall conducts the programs, which include read-alouds, finger plays and action rhymes. Each program will last about 20 minutes and may be followed by sharing time or craft work.
To request a sign language interpreter, call the library at least seven days before the program at 733-8422.
Terrorism discussion set
A nonpartisan congressional candidates forum will be held 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the SGI-USA Culture Center at 2729 Pali Highway.
U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Patsy Mink will attend, along with several congressional district candidates, to discuss "Global Response to Terrorism: The Role of the United Nations in the Asia Pacific Basin."
The event is organized by the United Nations Association of the United States of America Hawai'i Division, a 175-member organization that works to bring the United Nations to the community through educational forums, and seminars.
For more information, call coordinator Adria Estribou at 944-7783 or e-mail at hspaac@aloha.net.
LEEWARD O'AHU
Donation to benefit habitat
Honolulu Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit group that helps lower-income families build and own homes on O'ahu, will accept a $50,000 donation from Marriott and Renaissance Resorts today.
The 11 a.m. ceremony will be at the Villages of Kapolei Malu'ohai subdivision, where Habitat for Humanity has partnered with Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to build a 45-unit self-help housing project.
Marriott International vice president Stan Brown will present a check to Jose Villa, Honolulu Habitat for Humanity executive director. The money will go to sponsor one of the homes at the Kapolei project, Villa said.
The organization has built 43 houses on the island since being founded in 1988.
WINDWARD O'AHU
Hiker rescued on Olomana
A Fire Department helicopter crew rescued a 57-year-old tourist who suffered a broken ankle yesterday while hiking a trail on Mount Olomana.
The woman was about 20 minutes away from the trail head when she tripped on tree roots, HFD Capt. Richard Soo said.
Firefighters hiked up to the woman and put her in a stokes basket, and Air 1 lifted her to a nearby park where an ambulance waited to take her to Castle Medical Center.
Water main break in Lanikai
A water main break last night in Lanikai closed roads and left 20 homes without water.
The main broke shortly before 6 p.m., according to the Board of Water Supply.
Repairs may continue into this morning, officials said. If so, a water truck will be on hand to deliver potable water to residents.
Diabetes focus of workshop
The Kahuku Diabetes Coalition will have a free diabetes workshop for Ko'olauloa residents from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at Brigham Young University, Hawai'i General Classroom Building, Room 185.
The workshop is primarily for people with Type 2 diabetes, their caregivers and families.
Participants will learn about foot care, blood-sugar monitoring, traditional healing, nutrition and exercise, and community resources. A free lunch will be served and T-shirts will be given away.
Workshops will take place in the morning and a drop-in session is scheduled from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in which people can talk to doctors, pharmacists and experts.
To attend, call Didi Alo or Moana Allen at 232-2222 by Aug 22.
