The Kaua'i County Council will hold a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday to select one of its members to serve as mayor until Dec. 1.

Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste, 52, died June 22. He had undergone heart bypass surgery on June 13 in Honolulu.

Baptiste's administrative assistant, Gary Heu, is serving as acting mayor. A special election will be held in conjunction with the Nov. 4 general election to elect a new mayor. That person will be sworn in on Dec. 1.

For additional information on the meeting, call the county Council Services Division at 808-241-6371.

PARAGLIDER INJURED IN KOHALA CRASH

Big Island police are investigating a paragliding crash that occurred Sunday in South Kohala, injuring a 43-year-old Kailua, Kona, man.

Shortly after 12:20 p.m., officials received a report of a paraglider on Mana Road in an area known as Pu'uloa.

Rescue workers arrived on scene and located the conscious victim, who apparently suffered leg and back injuries when the paraglider he was operating crashed while descending. The victim fell from a height of about 100 feet.

A rescue helicopter was sent to the area and took the victim to Hilo Medical Center for initial treatment. He was later transferred to The Queen's Medical Center on O'ahu. He was listed in serious but stable condition upon his arrival at Queen's.

STATE HOSPITAL PROJECTS FUNDED

Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday released more than $2.8 million for improvements at Hawai'i State Hospital in Kane'ohe.

The funding includes $950,000 budgeted for security improvements, including installing security fencing around various buildings on the hospital grounds, as well as surveillance and security management enhancements at the facility.

Construction will begin in August and be completed in November 2009.

AMMO CLEANUP CONTRACT AWARDED

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $9.5 million contract to Dawson Group/Environet Joint Venture LLC, a Native Hawaiian organization, to continue unexploded ordnance cleanup work at a 137,000-acre former World War II military training area between Waikoloa Village and Waimea on the Big Island.

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye announced the contract today.

Since 2002, the Corps of Engineers has safely disposed of about 2,000 unexploded munitions, cleared more than 8,000 acres and recycled more than 250 tons of munitions and other military debris, said Inouye.

ANOTHER MAN LOST AFTER ONE IS FOUND

Police yesterday asked for the public's help in finding a missing Wahiawa man, Douglas K. Inouye.

Inouye, 34, is mentally challenged and lives in a care home, police said. He was last seen Saturday at 5 p.m. at Dave & Buster's restaurant at the Ward Entertainment Center.

Inouye was wearing a black and blue jacket, gray silk shirt, navy blue shorts and was carrying a blue Jansport backpack.

Inouye is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 145 pounds.

Anyone with information on him is asked to call Honolulu CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

In a separate case, police reported that Latsamy Douangphouxai, 31, of Whitmore Village, was found safe at 8:30 a.m. yesterday in Hale'iwa. Douangphouxai had been missing from his home since Saturday.