Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park remained closed yesterday for a second day because of sulfur dioxide gas lingering over Kilauea volcano.

Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando ordered the closure of the park Wednesday until conditions improve. The closure included the evacuation of around 2,000 people from the park on the Big Island.

Northeast winds normally blow the gas out to sea. But the winds have died down, causing the gas to hover over the volcano.

Hawai'i County Civil Defense said wind conditions aren't forecast to change until Saturday.

The gas belching from Halema'uma'u Crater also forced a two-day closure of the park earlier this month.

AARP DONATES $10,000 TO SCHOOL

KIHEI, Maui — Kihei Charter School has received a $10,000 donation from AARP as the Hawai'i recipient of the AARP Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award for outstanding educational achievement.

Kihei Charter School was selected by a panel of retired Hawai'i educators. The school's educational programs include a K-12 Virtual Academy combining home and school-based education, a High School Academy and the state's first middle school with a core Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum.

MAN SUSPECTED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING

Police yesterday arrested a Waipahu man at an airport-area hotel on suspicion of first-degree methamphetamine trafficking.

Officers from the Kalihi Crime Reduction Unit arrested the 26-year-old suspect at 3410 North Nimitz Highway at 3:45 p.m. The man was booked for investigation on the trafficking count as well as second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. Charges were pending last night.

MAUI WILDFIRE UNDER CONTROL

Maui County firefighters declared a remote mountainside wildfire above Kihei under control at 12:30 p.m. yesterday, nearly 10 hours after it was first sighted.

The wildfire burned about 15 acres above Honoapi'ilani Highway near the Kihei junction at Kuihelani Highway, Maui County officials said.

Firefighters monitored the fire scene overnight for flareups. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

RESTORATION GROUP NAMES NEW LEADER

LAHAINA, Maui — Theo Morrison has been named executive director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation.

She replaces George "Keoki" Freeland, who is retiring.

Morrison, currently the executive director of Lahaina Bypass Now, was executive director of the LahainaTown Action Committee for 15 years. She will start her new post June 1.

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation, chartered in 1961, has restored many historic sites in Lahaina, including the Baldwin Home Museum, the Master's Reading Room, Wo Hing Museum and the Seaman's Hospital.

The organization also manages other historic buildings in town and performs grounds-keeping in parks and public spaces of the historic district.

COAST GUARD RESCUES BOATER

O'ahu- and Maui-based Coast Guard crews on Wednesday rescued a boater in trouble about three miles southeast of Kaho'olawe.

The Coast Guard was notified by a family member at 2:30 p.m. concerning a Maui man whose 21-foot boat was taking on water.

A rescue aircraft crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point and a rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Maui responded to the incident.

Rescue crews reached the boat at 3 p.m. and pumped water from the vessel while a rescue helicopter remained overhead to assist, if necessary.

The boat was towed to Maui. There were no reports of injury or pollution.