Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
HONOLULU
Surge disrupts cable service
Service to Oceanic Time Warner's estimated 250,000 customers on O'ahu was restored last night after a power surge at 9:30 a.m. knocked out service for much of the day, a spokeswoman said.
The Roadrunner computer Internet service also was disrupted by the surge, which knocked out Oceanic's power supply as well as the backup generator, said company president Nate Smith.
Roadrunner was back up by 10:30 a.m. and islandwide cable television service was restored later, only to go out again in the evening.
Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Fred Kobashikawa said there was a momentary failure caused by one of the 46,000-kilovolt lines between Waiau and Mililani at about 9:30 a.m.
Weed & Seed to be discussed
The effort to expand the Chinatown Weed & Seed crime-fighting district into the Ala Moana and Kalihi Valley areas will be discussed at the Ala Moana/Kaka'ako Neighborhood Board meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Makiki Christian Church, 829 Pensacola St.
The board will be updated by police on the kidnapping case of a young woman who was walking on Kaheka Street near Kanunu Street around 8 p.m. Jan. 9 when a gunman forced her into a car.
Ongoing construction of the Wal-Mart/Sam's Club stores at Ke'eaumoku Street near Ala Moana Center also will be discussed.
Fire chief gets perfect review
Honolulu Fire Chief Attilio Leonardi received a perfect score in his fourth annual evaluation from the Fire Commission yesterday.
Leonardi received scores of 5.0 in areas of leadership qualities, managerial skills, dealings with the commission, and personal and professional traits.
The commission said firefighter morale remains high.
WINDWARD O'AHU
Residents favor fireworks show
A call-in poll of Kailua residents has shown that about 65 percent favor keeping the community's Fourth of July fireworks display, said David Earles, president of the Kailua Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber expects to make a decision about the event in the next few days.
People were asked to comment last week after chamber board members questioned going through the expense of putting on a show when the Marines also have a fireworks display during their Bayfest event on the Fourth of July weekend.
The chamber supports Bayfest and in recent years problems have plagued the fireworks display at Kailua Beach Park, including financial, weather and environmental issues.
About 70 people left phone messages with the chamber, Earles said.
The 10-minute show costs about $20,000. Last year five sponsors kicked in $3,000 each and the rest came from other donations, but every year, meeting the obligation has become more difficult, Earles said.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Mill fire's cause suspicious
LAHAINA, Maui — A fire Sunday burned part of the abandoned Pioneer Mill plant off Lahainaluna Road.
Deputy Fire Marshal Neal Bal of the Maui Department of Fire Control said that since the old building had no electricity, the cause of the fire is suspicious.
The blaze was reported at 10:47 a.m., and was extinguished before 2 p.m. but flared up again at 5 p.m.
The heat from the fire was hot enough to distort the steel-girder framework. About 1,100 square feet of space was burned.
Even though the place was vacant, fire officials estimated damage at $112,800, which Bal said is based on cost of replacement.
