HILO — A second elderly woman has died of injuries she suffered in a two-vehicle collision Saturday in Hilo.

Hilo resident Bessie Tatsuno, 81, died at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu from injuries she suffered in the crash at the intersection of Mohouli Street and Kukuau Street.

Tatsuno was a passenger in a 1989 Toyota four-door sedan being driven by her sister-in-law, Yasuko Tatsuno, 75, who also died of her injuries, police said.

Police said Yasuko Tatsuno was driving the Toyota south on Kukuau Street when she ran a stop sign and collided with a 1998 Dodge pickup truck traveling west on Mohouli Street shortly before 11 a.m. The impact knocked the truck over.

Yasuko Tatsuno was pronounced dead at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Hilo Medical Center.

The driver of the truck, Michael Ignacio, 59, and his 17-year-old son were treated at the medical center and released.

Police said everyone in both vehicles was wearing seatbelts, and speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash.

Bessie Tatsuno was the 19th person to die on the Big Island this year because of a vehicle accident, compared with 25 at the same time last year.

O'AHU MAN HELD IN HILO HIT-RUN

HILO — Police have arrested a 52-year-old Honolulu man accused of fleeing the scene of an accident that left a pedestrian in critical condition.

Police said the pedestrian, a 39-year-old man, was struck by a pickup truck Tuesday while trying to cross Ali'i Drive in Kailua, Kona.

Police said the man was struck in front of the Kona Sea Ridge condominium about 8:03 p.m. by a white Chevrolet pickup truck heading north on Ali'i Drive. The truck left the scene.

The pedestrian was taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was reported in critical condition.

Police later found the truck and arrested the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent injury and other traffic offenses.

MAN APPARENTLY DROWNS IN KOHALA

A 40-year-old Honoka'a man apparently drowned Tuesday off 'Anaeho'omalu Bay in South Kohala.

Houman Emami was found floating face down in water near the shore shortly before 7:15 p.m., police said. Beachgoers administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until police and fire rescue personnel arrived, but Emami was pronounced dead at North Hawaii Community Hospital at 8:22 p.m.

Police have ordered an autopsy.

O'AHU

TRAINING SET FOR VOLUNTEER TUTORS

Hawai'i Literacy is looking for volunteer tutors to help in its Adult Literacy Program by attending an orientation July 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hawai'i State Library.

The program says that one in five adults in Hawai'i has difficulty reading. To sign up, call 537-6706.

KAUA'I

STATE REOPENS POLIHALE PARK

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has reopened Polihale State Park on the west coast of Kaua'i, officials announced Tuesday. The park was closed in mid-May after a malfunctioning water pump motor stopped supplying drinking water and water for restrooms.

The park was reopened over the weekend after the State Parks Division installed another pump motor, officials said. The old pump motor is to be repaired and used as an emergency backup.

WAIKIKI

LIBRARY TO CLOSE UNTIL MONDAY

Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library will be closed at least through Saturday while repair work is completed on the roof. The library's bookdrop will remain open. The library, at 400 Kapahulu Ave., is expected to reopen Monday if the work is done and the building is safe.

CLASS OFFERED ON PORTUGUESE

A class on Portuguese genealogy and heritage in Hawai'i will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Waikiki Community Center, 310 Paoakalani Ave. Doris Naumu, president of the Hawaiian Portuguese Genealogical Society, will lead the class, which costs $8.

The class will include lists of family names, ships and when they came to the Islands.

For reservations, call 923-1802.

STATEWIDE

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR NAMED

Gov. Linda Lingle has appointed Marie Laderta to be interim director of the state Department of Human Resources Development, replacing Kathleen Watanabe who will become Circuit Court judge for Kaua'i.

Pending senate confirmation, Laderta will begin her new position on Aug. 17 — the same day Watanabe, who has been confirmed, will be sworn in as judge of the 5th Circuit Court.

Laderta has served as deputy tax director since June 2003 and is a graduate of John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

KAIMUKI

PARKING PROJECT TO BE DETAILED

City plans to convert the municipal parking lots in Kaimuki from metered to attended lots will be discussed at a public meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the Queen Lili'uokalani Elementary School cafeteria, 3633 Wai'alae Ave.

City Council member Charles Djou is organizing the meeting to detail the $200,000 improvement project, which could begin next month. The Kaimuki business district has two municipal lots with metered parking stalls between Wai'alae and Harding avenues. Kenneth Hamayasu, chief engineer at the city Department of Transportation Services, is expected to attend the public meeting on the project.

MIDWAY

INJURED BOY FLOWN TO QUEEN'S

A 3-year-old boy who injured his ankle while aboard his parents' boat in Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge was flown by Coast Guard airplane to The Queen's Medical Center.

No other information was available about the child's condition.

Coast Guard officials said the boy and his family were en route to Alaska when the boy was injured.

His family took him for medical care to Midway, where he was examined by a physician's assistant who requested medevac.