Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff
NEIGHBOR ISLAND
Accidents kill 2 on Big Island
HILO, Hawai'i — A Kona pedestrian and a motorist on the Saddle Road on the Big Island were killed in separate accidents this week.
Charles McCall of Captain Cook died Wednesday of injuries received when he was struck by a truck on Mamalahoa Highway in Pu'uanahulu, North Kona.
Police said McCall, 51, was changing a tire shortly before 3:50 p.m. about four-tenths of a mile south of the 23-mile marker when he was struck by a dump truck driven by Patrick Close, 40, of Kailua, Kona. McCall was pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital at 4:56 p.m., police said.
In a separate accident, Hilo resident Kevin Kukona, 31, was killed Monday morning after he lost control of his pickup truck near the 33-mile marker of Saddle Road.
The truck was headed west when it ran off the roadway and overturned, police said. Kukona was pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 7:55 a.m.
The deaths of Kukona and McCall were the 32nd and 33rd traffic fatalities on the Big Island so far this year.
Drugs, guns found in raid
HILO, Hawai'i — Kona vice officers seized drugs, 20 firearms and some blasting caps in a raid on a Keauhou home Wednesday.
Police said they served a search warrant on the farm home after receiving a report that someone was growing marijuana there. Officers seized 13 rifles and seven handguns as well as ammunition and eight blasting caps, police said.
Officers also discovered more than $17,000 in cash as well as almost two pounds of marijuana, and more than five grams of cocaine. They also seized 43 marijuana plants, police said.
Police arrested a 45-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy in the case. The 17-year-old was released to relatives, and the adults remained in custody.
NORTH SHORE
Hale'iwa parade starts at 6 p.m.
Hale'iwa will officially kick off its holiday celebrations today at 6 p.m. with the North Shore Community Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade featuring floats, the Waialua High School Marching Band, horses, Quiksilver surfers, and, of course, Santa, riding on a float sponsored by the Dole Plantation.
The parade will begins at the Weed Circle roundabout, continue through Hale'iwa Town and end at Hale'iwa Beach Park.
HONOLULU
Beaches open after spill
Public beaches from Point Panic to Sand Island to Ke'ehi Lagoon reopened yesterday after being contaminated last week following one of the largest Honolulu sewage spills ever.
A total of 7.5 million gallons of sewage spilled into Honolulu Harbor, Nu'uanu Stream and Kapalama Canal on Dec. 4, and the state Department of Health prohibited swimming from Kaka'ako Waterfront Park to the reef runway at Honolulu Airport.
