Posted on: Saturday, November 23, 2002
Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff
Power failure affects 10,000
HILO, Hawai'i — More than 10,000 Big Island residents were without power yesterday after Hamakua Energy Partners disconnected a 32-megawatt power plant from the island's electricity grid.
The plant in Hamakua shut down at 8:04 a.m., knocking 3,300 customers offline. The cause of the failure was still being investigated late yesterday.
Hawaiian Electric Light Co. was able to start other generators and get the island back on by 8:17 a.m., but increasing load outpaced the supply of power in the early afternoon, and the utility started rolling blackouts at 12:45 p.m. that continued until 2:43 p.m.
The facility was repaired and back on line at 3:27 p.m.
O'ahu man charged with sexual assault
HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island police have charged a 34-year-old O'ahu man with two counts of fourth-degree attempted sexual assault after he allegedly tried to molest two young women.
Christopher David Coloma of 'Ewa Beach was charged Thursday afternoon and was being held in lieu of $2,000 bail.
Hawai'i County Police Department Detective Randal Ishii said Coloma met the women about 11:20 p.m. Wednesday and took them to a Banyan Drive hotel room. There, he allegedly removed most of his clothes, repeatedly grabbed one of the women and kept her from leaving the room.
The two women eventually escaped and called for help.
Traffic restricted on Maui bridge
HA'IKU, Maui — Traffic on Uaoa Bridge on the Hana Highway is being restricted to one lane only due to structural damage.
The state Department of Transportation said a vehicle weight limit of 10 tons is in effect for the bridge, located at milepost 15.5.
Motorists are advised to allow for extra travel time or take an alternate route to Hana via Ulumalu or Kaupakalua roads.
Equipment stolen from mac nut farm
KEA'AU, Hawai'i — Big Island farmers continue to be plagued by thefts. One of the latest occurred late Thursday night or early yesterday at the Island Princess Macadamia Nut Co. in Kea'au.
Thieves stole a John Deere all-terrain vehicle, tools, herbicides and chainsaws valued at $12,000, according to Puna patrol officer Iris McGuire.
Anyone with information may call McGuire or officer Jason Tominaga at (808) 966-5835, the police non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311, or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in Hilo or (808) 329-8181 in Kona. Island Princess also is offering its own reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen items.
Flash-Bang helps end home standoff
Police Specialized Services Division officers used a nonlethal Flash-Bang distraction cartridge early yesterday to enter a Wahiawa home and end a nine-hour standoff without serious injuries.
Jordan Balcita, 26, who barricaded himself inside his former girlfriend's residence at 82 Kaliponi St., was taken into custody at 2:30 a.m. today and charged with violating a temporary restraining order. His bail is set at $2,000.
An officer responding to the complaint at 5:30 p.m. yesterday saw Balcita standing in the doorway armed with two knives, one about 15 inches long, police said. He allegedly told the officer, "Kill me, I want to die," police said.
Motorcyclist's passenger injured
A 20-year-old man who was a passenger on a motorcycle that veered into the path of a car last night in La'ie was in critical condition yesterday at The Queen's Medical Center.
The motorcycle operator, 22, was in guarded condition.
The 1994 Kawasaki motorcycle veered into the path of a 1989 Honda Accord on Kaupau Place after turning right off Kamehameha Highway at 10:55 p.m. Two men in the car, 25 and 20, escaped serious injury.
KHNL will switch to 'clock time'
KHNL, the NBC affiliate in Hawai'i, will begin airing its 10 o'clock news on "clock time," or actual time, on Dec. 30, rather than five to seven minutes later.
KHNL is the last of four stations to adopt clock time. The decision comes as KHNL's 10 p.m. newscast gains favor among viewers. In May, KHNL was No. 2 at 10 p.m.
