O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
EAST HONOLULU
Arson likely in building fire
An early morning fire yesterday at a city maintenance building near Koko Head District Park, which caused $200,000 in damage, appears to have been deliberately set, firefighters said.
Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said fire investigators found evidence of a flammable liquid that appeared to have been used to ignite the blaze.
The building was used to house riding lawn mowers and trucks.
A room below the burning building contained more than a dozen 5-gallon cans of gasoline but was not ignited.
The building was half burned when firefighters arrived, Tejada said.
Kahala seawall addition sought
The owners of a Kahala Avenue home are seeking permission from the state to allow them to keep a two-foot-high masonry wall addition that has been built atop an existing seawall.
The property has a 121-foot-long seawall that follows the shoreline.
The existing seawall is 7.3 feet high.
The owners need a shoreline setback variance to keep the addition to the seawall.
The state is seeking comments from the public by June 22.
Letters should be sent to Morita Company Inc., at 1580 Makaloa St., Suite 790, Honolulu, HI 96814.
HONOLULU
Principals take top honors
Two O'ahu educators have been named Hawai'i's secondary principals of the year.
Kalaheo High School Principal James Schlosser, who joined Kalaheo in 1997 and helped the school improve its writing curriculum and WASC accreditation, was named high school principal of the year.
Annette Nishikawa, who has overseen the opening and population growth at Kapolei Middle School, was named middle school principal of the year.
The State Principal of the Year program is sponsored by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Hawai'i winners were selected by the Hawai'i Association of Secondary School Administrators.
Schlosser and Nishikawa will represent Hawai'i in the MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year program and will be honored at the Principals' Institute in October in Washington, D.C.
Sewage spills into stream
About 1,190 gallons of raw wastewater spilled into Nu'uanu Stream yesterday, and officials said the spill was caused by roots clogging a 12-inch sewer line.
The Department of Environmental Services responded to the spill at 9:40 a.m. near the intersection of Country Club Road and Pali Highway in Nu'uanu.
The sewage spill was halted by 1:35 p.m.
City crews disinfected and cleaned the affected areas and posted warning signs.
The waters will be tested for contamination.
The state Department of Health was notified about the spill, officials said.
