HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Governor honors former legislator
Advertiser Staff
Gov. Linda Lingle has ordered state flags at all state and county buildings to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Tuesday in honor of former state Senate president John Takeji Ushijima.
Ushijima died Sunday at Hilo Medical Center at the age of 82. Ushijima represented the Big Island in the state Senate from 1959 to 1982, including four years as Senate president.
NAACP TO OFFER SCHOOLS BRIEFING
Board of Education first vice-chairwoman Karen Knudsen and Department of Education spokesman Greg Knudsen will present a briefing tomorrow on the state of education in Hawai'i public schools. The 1-3 p.m. presentation is part of the NAACP's community outreach program.
The meeting will be at Harris United Methodist Church, 20 S. Vineyard Ave. A question-and-answer period will follow the briefing.
JELLYFISH INFLUX LIKELY TODAY
Beachgoers should be prepared for a box jellyfish advisory today. The presence of jellyfish was light yesterday, but is expected to increase today.
"It's very minimal compared to last month. But (today) you could get a drastic change," said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city's Ocean Safety Division. The most commonly affected area is Waikiki Beach, especially the "pond" areas 'ewa of the Kapahulu Groin.
Other places that might have the stinging ocean creatures include Hanauma Bay, Pokai Bay, Makaha Surfing Beach and Waimea Bay. The Ocean Safety Division said those who are allergic or do not wish to be stung should stay out of the water.
EAST HONOLULU
SEWAGE SPILLAGE CLEARED AT MARINA
Warning signs posted along the upper part of the Hawai'i Kai Marina, where 2,500 gallons of raw sewage spilled Sunday, have been removed after water samples showed the water quality had returned to normal.
The state Department of Health Clean Water Branch has given the all-clear sign for water quality following a spill caused when a car crashed into the above-ground sewer pipes placed down the middle of Lunalilo Home Road while Hawaii-American Water Co. was working on the underground sewer lines.
The company will go door-to-door notifying residents in the area affected that the water can be used for recreational use, said Lee Mansfield, Hawaii-American Water Co. manager. Swimming is not allowed in the privately owned marina. The waterways are used by boaters, kayakers and canoe paddlers. The accident occurred in front of a home at 770 Kalanipu'u St., Mansfield said.
MANOA
UH-MANOA RANKS AMONG TOP 300
The University of Hawai'i-Manoa is listed in the third tier of U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges 2007 survey. That places Manoa in the top 300 of the national universities surveyed by the publication.
The magazine also lists UH-Manoa among the universities whose students complete studies with the lowest debt. About one-third of the students graduating have student loan balances when they graduate, with average indebtedness at about $12,500. For more information about the rankings, visit www.usnews.com.
KAPOLEI
LIBRARY PRESENTS 'BIRD GUY,' STORIES
Kapolei Public Library will present "Bruce McGonigal: The Bird Guy — Have Birds will Travel" at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow and "Stories in the Circle of Life" by Karen Yamamoto-Hackler at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Both free one-hour programs for children of all ages are sponsored by the James and Abigail Campbell Foundation.
McGonigal's presentation is on various types of birds and bird care, while Yamamoto-Hackler, the executive director and artistic director of Lo'i Theatre, will share tales from cultures around the world, and personal stories.
Kapolei Library is at 1020 Manawai St. For information, call 693-7050.
MAKAHA
REPAIRED BRIDGE REOPENS TO TRAFFIC
The state Department of Transportation has completed repairs and reopened a wooden bridge near Makaha Surfing Beach that was damaged July 27 by a deliberately set fire.
The bridge, on Farrington Highway near Kili Drive, was reopened Wednesday to all traffic. It had been closed for the past several weeks to all but light vehicles while repairs were being made.
Additional work to remove debris and excess soil is expected to be completed by next week.
WAIPI'O
NEW POSTAL UNIT OPEN FOR BUSINESS
A grand opening ceremony will be held Sept. 29, but the Hawaii Plantation Store contract postal unit at Waipi'o Industrial Court is already open. The 400-square-foot contract postal unit is at 94-547 Uke'e St. in Waipi'o Gentry.
BIG ISLAND
MOTORCYCLIST DIES FROM INJURIES
Joseph K. Ferreira Jr., 25, of Hawaiian Beaches, was pronounced dead yesterday morning after the miniature motorcycle he was riding collided with a vehicle Wednesday night in Hawaiian Beaches.
Police in Puna responded to a 9:41 p.m. call that a 63-year-old Hawaiian Beaches man driving a 1997 Toyota multipurpose vehicle failed to yield the right of way and made a left turn from Kahakai Boulevard onto Niuhi Street. The Toyota collided with Ferreira, who was riding west on Kahakai.
Ferreira was not wearing a helmet, police said. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m. yesterday. It is unknown if alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, but speed may have been a factor.
The accident was the 23rd traffic fatality on the Big Island this year, compared with 21 at this time last year.
THEFT OF BOWS, ARROWS PROBED
HILO — Big Island police are investigating the theft of bows and arrows from the Hawai'i Island Police Athletic League office on Ululani Street. The office was broken into between Aug. 8 and 13.
The bows were found Aug. 13 on Hema Street. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Officer Mark Arnold at 961-2213 or the police nonemergency number at 935-3311.
