Portal:Hawaii/Hawaii news/Archives

This is an archive of past Hawaii news on the Hawaii Portal. For current news click here.

May 25, 2007: Launch of ferry service delayed

Hawaii Superferry has delayed the scheduled July launch of its first vessel in Hawaiʻi for at least a month, officials said yesterday. _more

May 25, 2007: Earthquake hits Big Isle near the top of Kīlauea

A moderately large earthquake that shook parts of the Big Island yesterday did little damage but left scientists wondering what to make of it.

At magnitude 4.7, it was largest in at least 50 years in the area where it occurred, just east of Kīlauea's summit, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. _more

May 22, 2007: Kauaʻi airport gets $3.8M in federal funds for upgrades

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye today announced that Hawaiʻi will receive $3.8 million in federal funds to install new baggage conveyors and baggage claim devices for a newly expanded baggage facility at Kauaʻi's Līhuʻe Airport. _more

May 22, 2007: 72 dead, $25B damage if big storm hit Oʻahu

A new computer model designed for an annual statewide hurricane preparedness exercise showed that a fictitious Category 4 hurricane that makes landfall at Pearl Harbor, Honolulu International Airport and parts of downtown Honolulu would cause at least $25 billion in damage — mostly on Oʻahu — and 72 deaths around the Islands. _more

May 21, 2007: New Mrs. Hawaiʻi is mom of current Miss Hawaiʻi USA

Nadine Wise of East Honolulu, the mother of the current Miss Hawaiʻi USA, has been crowned Mrs. Hawaiʻi. _more

May 21, 2007: Halawa warden named Public Safety director

Clayton Frank, the warden at Halawa Correctional Facility, was named by Gov. Linda Lingle this afternoon as the interim director of the state Department of Public Safety. _more

May 20, 2007: UH softball advances to Super Regional, faces Vols

The University of Hawaiʻi women's softball team is going to where no Rainbow Wahine team has gone before -- to the NCAA Super Regional.

Kate Robinson had three hits and drove in four runs, Tyleen Tausaga added three hits and scored three runs and Justine Semthurst pitched a four-hitter as UH crushed Loyola Marymount, 9-0, today to win the UCLA Regional in Los Angeles. _more

May 20, 2007: More shelters are being built, but advocates say it's just a start

ON ANY GIVEN DAY, an estimated 6,000 people are homeless in Hawaiʻi. At least a quarter of them are children, more than a quarter are working either full-time or part-time, and more than a third are native Hawaiian. _more

May 19, 2007: Military court puts Watada trial on hold

The Army's court of appeals issued a partial stay yesterday in the planned second trial for 1st Lt. Ehren Watada of Honolulu, who refused to be deployed to Iraq and spoke out against the Bush administration.

The decision by the Army Court of Criminal Appeals in Arlington, Virginia, means the July 23 court-martial for Watada could be on hold until the court reviews arguments from both sides. _more

May 19, 2007: Man killed in car plunge off Maui cliff was from Missouri

The man who was killed when his car went off a cliff on Maui today has been identified as Kevin P. Curran, 42, from Ozark, Missouri.

The car went off a cliff on Highway 30 in the Honolua area about 3 miles north of Plantation Club Drive on the western side of Maui, officials said. _more

May 19, 2007: 1st non-Hawaiian graduates from Kamehameha on Maui

Kalani Rosell proudly accepts the distinction of being the first non-Hawaiian to graduate from Kamehameha Schools Maui, The Maui News reported.

"It's been an amazing experience, a unique experience I don't want to ever forget," said the 17-year-old, who was born on Maui with Italian and Swedish roots. _more

May 18, 2007: Kawamoto readies more charity homes

A couple of mattresses, sofas, a futon and contemporary-style dining table with chairs fill the spacious, two-story home at 4332 Kahala Ave.

Japanese billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto is readying the large mansion for a family of 10, he said, which may soon increase to 12 with the addition of two babies. _more

May 18, 2007: Hawaiian population grows but leaves isles

While native Hawaiians increased in population nationwide, their numbers have decreased in the Aloha State in the past several years.

California is beginning to rival Hawaiʻi in the total number of native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. _more

May 17, 2007: Hokuleʻa's first captain passes away

The Polynesian Voyaging Society has announced the passing of Captain Elia Kawika David Kuʻualoha Kapahulehua, who led Hōkūleʻa on her maiden voyage to Tahiti and back to Hawaiʻi in 1976.

According to a news release from the society, Kapahulehua died at The Queen's Medical Center at 7:20 a.m. today. He was 76. _more

May 15, 2007: Hunt on in Hale'iwa for shooting suspects

Residents of this tiny surf town are waking this morning to the sound of helicopters buzzing above and dozens of police officers, along with canine patrols, searching their neighborhoods for two suspects involved a drive-by shooting late last night in Kane'ohe. _more

May 14, 2007: Kamehameha Schools issues statement

Kamehameha Schools officials issued the following statement this morning on the schools' Web site:

We have reached agreement with "John Doe" to resolve Doe's lawsuit seeking to overturn our admissions policy. The terms of the settlement are confidential. By settling this case, we protect our right to offer admissions preference to Native Hawaiians. The plaintiff has withdrawn his petition for U.S. Supreme Court appeal of the 9th Circuit Court ruling upholding our preference policy as legally permissible. _more

May 14, 2007: Smoking ban isn't to blame for decline in tourism from Japan

Some bar owners are complaining about lost business caused by a smoking ban that went into effect last year, but the suggestion that the ban has resulted in reduced tourism from Japan is mistaken. Smoking is on the decline in Japan, where smoking bans are commonplace. _more

May 12, 2007: Fujikawa a step closer to U.S. Open return

Tadd Fujikawa moved a step closer to playing in his second U.S. Open when he won the lone qualifying spot at the Oʻahu qualifier yesterday. Fujikawa shot a 5-under-par 67 at Turtle Bay's Fazio Course to beat out 19 others. _more

May 12, 2007: 2 officers hurt when car rams police vehicles on H-1

A drunken driver rammed into two police vehicles on the H-1 Freeway near Makakilo early this morning, injuring the officers inside the cars, police said.

One of the officers sustained cuts and first-degree burns to his face, hands and arms when his blue-and-white patrol vehicle erupted in flames. The other sustained a cut to his hand and a strained neck.

Both were taken to Hawai'i Medical Center-West, where they were treated and released, police said. _more

May 12, 2007: 16 acres of volcanoes coastline collapses into sea

About 40 visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park witnessed an uncommon event when about 16 acres of coastline collapsed into the ocean.

The Thursday afternoon lava-bench collapse happened about two miles from the nearest public viewing spot. Park visitors saw steam and rocks shoot up from the collapse area as the coastline gave way over about four hours. _more

May 11, 2007: Child rape suspect appears in court

The lawyer for a man accused of raping a 4-year-old girl in her Kalihi backyard Monday night said his client is pleading not guilty to first- and third-degree sexual assault and burglary in the second degree this morning._more

May 11, 2007: Don Ho's daughter found dead on Oʻahu's North Shore

The late Do Ho's daughter, Dayna Ho-Henry, was found dead Friday, her brother said.

The 51-year-old's death comes less than a week after the Waikīkī Beach funeral for her father, who died April 14 of heart failure at age 76. _more

May 9, 2007: Kahuku school closed again today

Kahuku High & Intermediate School will remain closed to students and staff today.

The school has been closed to students since Thursday, when a pesticide odor sickened 13 students and two teachers. _more

May 9, 2007: Schofield troops ordered to Iraq

An entire brigade of soldiers — 3,900 to 4,000 men and women — got the official word from the Pentagon yesterday that they will deploy to Iraq later this year, possibly for as long as 15 months. _more

May 8, 2007: Shark bites swimmer in Maui waters

For the fourth time in 2 1/2 years, a shark has attacked a person off South Maui beaches.

In the latest attack, a shark bit a female swimmer's foot yesterday in waters off a Kihei beach. She underwent an operation to treat multiple lacerations to her right foot. _more