Eight rescue units responded to an accident scene on the Kohala Mountain Road makai side shortly after 10 am Thursday. Units reported that three men between the ages of 16 and 19 had fallen into a ravine about 40 feet above the floor of a cliff ridge. One man was reported dead after a fall of approximately 90 feet. One man was on the bottom i serious condidtion after a fall of about 40 feet. A remaining hiker was found with no injuries.
Fire rescue units have found a missing 43-year old woman who became separated from her husband on the slopes of Mauna Kea near the observatories Wednesday afternoon. The woman used her cellphone to help dispatchers get coordinates for helicopter search teams. Rescue personnel found th missing hiker in good condition.
A relative of a girl assaulted in a Pepeekeo Church told Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara that a paroled murderer should serve out his life behind bars. Travis Sedino said that Peter Bailey should be denied any opportunity to commit another crime. A jury convicted Bailey of four counts of attempted first-degree sex assault for the July 27th, 2007 attack on a 12-year old girl at the Hamakua Coast Assembly of God Church.
Hawaii developers may soon have a new design model to test after county officials, community members, and a consulting firms spent a week drafting transit-oriented design guidelines. According to data quoted by the “Hawaii Tribune-Herald”, the idea is to create developments that mix residential, commercial, and open space together, where people can walk to work or to nearby stores. The proposed changes could be incorporated into a project surrounding the West Hawaii Civic Center and the Honokohau Village.
(AP). The U.S. Department of Energy has announ ced up to $338 million in funding to accelerate domestic geothermal energy. The grants will support 123 projects in 39 states. Geothermal power is already used in Hawaii. Puna Geotheramal Venture taps the might of Kilauea volcano to generate electricity, providing nearly one-fifth of the Big Island’s power.
(AP). Hawaii is moving forward with plans to build an undersea cable that would bring wind power from the island of Maui to Oahu. Government renewable energy officials announced yesterday they are accepting bids from contractors to do a two-to-three-year environmental study of the cable’s possible impacts on whales, the ocean floor, and coral reefs.
The Council of Neighbor Island Advisors for East Hawaii will meet on Monday, November 2nd, 5:30 pm, at the Keaau Middle School Cafeteria. Jiro A. Sumada, deputy director of highways for the Department of Transportation, will present to the council a brief overview of upcoming projects the State has planned for the Puna District. The meeting is open to everyone.
The state Department of Transportation, Airports Division, Hawaii District, will be particpating in the Keaukaha Tsunami Evacuation Exercise at the Hilo Internation Airport on Monday, November 2nd, between the hours of 11:45 am and 1 pm. The realistic exercise will test tsunami evacuation procedures for the Keaukaha Community. Approximately 700 community volunteers will simulate a mass evacuation, entering the airport through perimeter access gates. Evacuees will then be escorted across the main runway to the main terminals, and board Hawaii County transit buses for evacuation inland. Flight operations will continue during the exercise.
(AP). Close to $300,000 in financial donations have been received in American Samoa in the month following a tsunami that claimed 34 livers in the U.S. territory. The territorial government says about $30,000 came from Hawaii individuals and organizations. A magnitude 8.3 earthquke spawned the tsunami on September 29th. At least 220 people died.