HAWAII BRIEFS
More parking for TheBoat riders
Advertiser Staff
City officials said yesterday that a free, temporary park-and-ride lot has been made available in Kapolei to encourage West O'ahu commuters to take TheBoat, the shuttle ferry from Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor to Aloha Tower.
The James Campbell Co. is providing the lot for 90 days.
The lot is at the corner of Kamokila Boulevard and Ulu'ohi'a Street. From there, ferry riders can take a shuttle bus to the dock.
The new lot is in addition to the 23 carpool parking stalls at the Kalaeloa harbor terminal.
For more information, call 848-5555 or visit www.trytheboat.com.
BOY CRITICAL AFTER WAIKIKI RESCUE
A 5-year-old boy was taken to Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children in critical condition yesterday after a near-drowning at Waikiki Beach.
Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Emergency Services Department, said lifeguards pulled the child from the ocean and performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
The incident happened in front of 2500 Kalakaua Ave., near Lifeguard Tower 2C.
WEATHER AGAIN STALLS HIKER SEARCH
Two swollen streams and continuing rain on Maui again prevented divers from searching for a missing hiker in Haleakala National Park, park spokesman Dominic Cardea said yesterday.
Authorities yesterday once again suspended their search for Kihei resident Edward Pedrick Jr., 27, who apparently jumped into a rain-swollen stream during a hike Saturday afternoon in 'Ohe'o Gulch.
The area is at the convergence of the Palekea and Pipiwai streams, Cardea said, and has been closed to swimmers for the last 21 days.
"It's been raining," he said, "and it's raining right now."
Pedrick is presumed dead, and his body may have been swept out to sea.
Two fellow hikers reported Pedrick missing about 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Pedrick originally was from New Jersey and moved to Maui about a year ago.
SEWER BYPASS DISMANTLING STARTS
Crews will dismantle part of the emergency sewer line bypass along Ala Wai Boulevard starting today.
One lane on the thoroughfare will be blocked off from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays so crews can unhook pipes and remove barricades between Walina Street and Seaside Avenue.
The work is expected to last several weeks. Once it is complete, on-street parking in the area will be available.
The emergency bypass project started in May 2006, after a major sewer rupture two months earlier that spilled 48 millions gallons of sewage.
For more information on the project, go to www.beachwalkbypass.com or call 543-8374.
MAUI MAN GUILTY OF ENTICING CHILD
A jury yesterday convicted a Maui man of trying to lure a minor for sex via the Internet.
Earnest Luther Roberts was convicted of first-degree electronic enticement of a child and faces a 10-year prison term when sentenced Dec. 28. He must also register as a sex offender.
Internet safety tips and information on how to report suspicious online activity involving children are available at www.hicac.com or 586-1240.
OFFICERS CATCH ROBBERY SUSPECTS
An off-duty police officer working special duty on Kapi'olani Boulevard chased down a robbery suspect last night at Pensacola and Kamaile streets across from McKinley High School.
Patrol officers responding to the robbery call arrested two other suspects on the 500 block of Pi'ikoi Street minutes later.
Police Lt. Norman Kau said a man and woman walking on Kapi'olani Boulevard about 9:30 p.m. were confronted by robbers, who fled with the woman's handbag. The off-duty officer chased down one of the male suspects and held him for police, Kau said.