Neighbor Island briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
MAUI
Maui diver likely drowned
KIHEI, Maui — A diver is believed to have drowned yesterday morning off Mai Poina 'Oe Ia'u Beach Park in Kihei.
The body of Emiliano Fametau, 48, of Kihei, was recovered shortly before 3 a.m. after his diving partner reported him missing at 1:10 a.m., said Lt. Glenn Cuomo of the Maui Police Department.
A Department of Fire Control helicopter spotted Fametau about 100 yards from the beach and brought his body to shore.
An autopsy will be done to confirm the cause of death.
Service center opens Friday
KAHULUI, Maui — The new County of Maui Service Center, located in the former Woolworth space at the Maui Mall, will have a grand opening at 8 a.m. Friday.
The county spent about $1 million in improvements on the 13,000-square-foot center.
The service center houses the Real Property Tax Office, the Division of Motor Vehicles and Licensing, and the Department of Finance's billing and collection operations.
Customer service hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. On Fridays, the DMV office is open until 6 p.m. for vehicle registration renewals and transfers, license plate and emblem replacements, and driver's license renewals.
Maui teachers' paychecks overdue
The state Department of Education yesterday said it is fixing a payroll problem that delayed paychecks to approximately 200 special education summer school teachers and educational assistants on Maui.
The affected employees, which started teaching June 19 and expected their first paychecks on July 20, can expect payment on Aug. 20, with some to be paid Aug. 5.
The use of an invalid code and other clerical errors resulted in the rejection of electronic timesheet entries that authorized payment, officials said.
Any employees facing financial hardship because of the delay can apply at their schools for a priority pay advance, but because the DOE's capacity to issue paychecks is limited, such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
"The Department of Education values its summer school employees and regrets this delay in payroll processing,'' state Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto said.
BIG ISLAND
Fire destroys house in Pahoa
Big Island police and fire officials are investigating a blaze that destroyed a small house in Pahoa early yesterday.
Firefighters were called to 13-1266 Leilani Blvd. in Leilani Estates, at 1:10 a.m. By the time the fire was out at 1:42 a.m., the 12-by-24-foot structure had collapsed. Nobody was in the dwelling when firefighters arrived.
Damage was estimated at $17,500, fire officials said.
