Firefighters working to extinguish brush fires
Firefighters continued mop-up efforts Wednesday to extinguish several brush fires that consumed a combined total of 650 acres in South Kohala. Mamalahoa Highway, also known as Highway 190, remained open throughout the day.
The crews were dousing hot spots and flare-ups at three fire sites located between mile markers 14 and 23 on Mamalahoa Highway, according to the Hawaii County Fire Department.
One of the fires, reported Monday afternoon near mile marker 14, burned about 500 acres and has been deemed extinguished. The two other fires, which ignited Tuesday afternoon near mile markers 16 and 23, have been deemed suspicious in nature. The fire near mile marker 16 burned approximately 150 acres and was listed as under control. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze near mile marker 23 to about 1/4 acre.
Anyone with information or who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area is asked to call police at 935-3311 or Officer Levon Stevens at 326-4646, ext. 226.
PTA convoys slated Friday and Saturday
Oahu-based soldiers will convoy from Pohakuloa Training Area to Kawaihae Harbor between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, according to the U.S. Army Garrison, Hawaii.
Convoys will travel from PTA to Kawaihae, using the Daniel K. Inouye and Mamalahoa highways, Waikoloa Road, Queen Kaahumanu Highway and the Akoni Pule corridor. Hawaii County Police Department officers will escort the convoys.
The U.S. Army is working closely with the Hawaii County Police Department to coordinate the convoys. Motorists are advised to be alert and drive with care.
Hawaiian Airlines begins selling Beijing tickets
HONOLULU — Hawaiian Airlines is starting to sell tickets for its first-ever direct flight to China.
The airline plans to launch nonstop service from Honolulu to Beijing on April 16. It will operate the flight three times a week.
Hawaiian said Tuesday it will fly Airbus A330 airplanes on the route. The airplane seats nearly 300 passengers.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority previously estimated the new service will generate $81 million in annual visitor spending and more than $8 million in tax revenue for Hawaii.
Air China plans to be the first airline to fly nonstop between Beijing and Hawaii when it launches direct service from the Chinese capital to Honolulu in January.
Soldier charged with murder out of hospital
HONOLULU — A 40-year-old soldier charged with killing his wife in their Waikiki condominium has been released from a hospital and taken into custody by Honolulu police.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Leonardo Chavez of the Dominican Republic was jailed Tuesday with bail set at $1 million. He is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Tara Isnin, who was originally from Singapore. The Honolulu medical examiner said she died of gunshot wounds to the head.
Police said Chavez shot Isnin on Oct. 28 and then shot himself in the right cheek in an apparent suicide attempt.
An Oahu grand jury indicted Chavez on Nov. 19.
The 18-year Army veteran was stationed at Camp Smith and assigned to the Pacific Command’s Special Operations Command.
Sand replenishment to start for Poipu Beach
KOLOA, Kauai — A popular south shore Kauai beach will undergo a small-scale sand replenishment project to address erosion.
The county’s Department of Parks and Recreation said the Poipu Beach project is scheduled to begin Dec. 9 and is expected to be completed by the end of the week.
Nearly 500 cubic yards of fill sand from Kawailele Bird Sanctuary in Mana will be used. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources deems the fill sand compatible with Poipu Beach sand. The fill sand has been screened and washed to filter silt and fine grains.
Work areas will be closed to the public one section at a time. County lifeguard services will not be interrupted.
By local and wire sources