Waste oil spilled in Thursday’s crash
West Hawaii Battalion Chief Steve Loyola said Friday the material that spilled when a tanker truck tipped over and blocked Mamalahoa Highway Thursday was waste oil and solvent. No one was injured when the truck tipped onto its left side and blocked both travel lanes. Two fire companies used an absorbent to clean up the leaking fluids and the remaining unbroken drums of material were removed from the truck, Fire Department officials said.
Lane closures coming Monday in East Hawaii
Motorists should expect alternating single lane closures on Route 19 in both directions between mile markers 26 and 27 in the vicinity of Laupahoehoe Gulch from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, for roadway improvements. Similar single lane closures should be expected in both directions between mile markers 27 and 29 in the vicinity of Kaawalii Gulch.
There will be additional alternating lane closures on Umauma Bridge in the vicinity of Hakalau at mile marker 16 on Route 19, in both directions, 24/7 for steel bridge repairs. Travel speed on Umauma Bridge is reduced to 25 mph and vehicle weight is limited to 25 tons. Trucks heavier than 25 tons must use the detour on Kauniho Road, Old Mamalahoa Highway and Leopolino Road.
Single lanes will be closed on Route 11 in both directions between mile markers 8.6 and 13.4, from Keaau to Mountain View, between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, for pavement reconstruction.
Lawyer: ‘X-Men’ director not in Hawaii during alleged acts
HONOLULU — Credit card receipts, telephone records and production schedules show that “X-Men” franchise director Bryan Singer was not in Hawaii when a lawsuit claims he sexually abused a 17-year-old in the islands, a defense attorney said Friday.
Singer was mainly in Toronto working on the first “X-Men” movie from August through October 1999, defense attorney Marty Singer told The Associated Press.
A lawsuit filed by a former child model, Michael Egan III, says Bryan Singer abused him several times over those three months as well as earlier in California as part of a Hollywood sex ring led by another man convicted of luring minors across state lines for sex.
“This was Bryan’s first studio film,” Marty Singer said. “Clearly, he’s not going to take a break in the middle of this movie while you’re shooting and prepping it to go to Hawaii.”
Egan’s lawyer, Jeff Herman, did not immediately respond to phone calls seeking comment.
Egan said Thursday that he was abused by Bryan Singer and others starting when he was 15. He said he was given drugs and promises of a Hollywood career while being threatened and sexually abused in Los Angeles and Hawaii.
The AP does not typically name victims of sex abuse but is naming Egan because he is speaking publicly about his allegations.
Marty Singer, who said previously that he and the director are not related, declined to provide any of the personal records, saying they were private.
He said the filming records were available publicly but 20th Century Fox did not immediately return a phone call and email seeking comment.
“X-Men” was released in July 2000.
His lawyer said the director was never interviewed by any authorities about the claims by Egan, who said Thursday he reported the Los Angeles acts and doesn’t know why charges were not pursued.
The lawsuit was filed under a Hawaii law that temporarily suspends the statute of limitations in sex abuse cases. The law has led to several lawsuits against clergy members and others.
A judge in Hawaii set a July 21 scheduling hearing in Honolulu for the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday.
Military scales down, modifies Guam buildup plan
HAGATNA, Guam — The military’s revised proposal for a buildup on Guam calls for less population growth and locating a Marine Corps live-fire training range on an Air Force base instead of the site of an ancient village.
The Pacific Daily News reports the U.S. territory’s population would expand by about 10,000 residents at the peak of the buildup instead of nearly 80,000 under earlier plans.
Construction would progress more slowly, taking 13 years instead of seven.
The Navy released a draft supplemental environmental impact statement for the project on Friday.
Local leaders and residents had expressed concern the earlier plans would have negatively affected infrastructure, the environment and society on the small island.
Under the new plan, 5,000 Marines and 1,300 dependents would move to Guam from Okinawa, Japan. The old plan included 8,600 Marines and 9,000 dependents.
The leaner buildup stems from a revised agreement between the U.S. and Japan in 2012. Some of the Marines will go to Australia and Hawaii instead of Guam.
The new proposed site for the live-fire training complex is at Northwest Field in Yigo, which is part of Andersen Air Force Base. Before, the military had been eyeing more than 1,000 acres of private or local government land near the ancient village of Pagat, triggering an outcry on Guam and a lawsuit.
Marine housing would be built within the Navy base on the island, instead of civilian land in Dededo.
Legislative Minority Leader Sen. Tony Ada, a buildup supporter, said a quick review of the documents indicates “concerns expressed by our people have been given due consideration.”
Democratic Sen. Frank Aguon Jr., chairman of the Guam Legislature’s committee on the buildup, said he’s still carefully reading through the document and it was too early for him to offer his reaction. He’s inviting residents to participate in his committee’s round-table discussion on April 28.
The military also has scheduled public meetings next month to hear from residents.
By wire sources