Carpenters union endorses Hirono

The Hawaii Carpenters Union on Wednesday endorsed U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

Hirono is facing former U.S. Rep. Ed Case in next year’s primary to replace U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, who is not seeking another term. Former Gov. Linda Lingle and attorney and former state lawmaker John Carroll are competing in the Republican primary.

The 6,500-member carpenters union is the state’s largest private-sector construction union.

"There is really no other candidate for us than Mazie," Ron Taketa, the financial secretary and business representative for the carpenters union, said in a statement. "Her ideals and concern for the issues that most affect not just our union members, but working people throughout the state, promise the kind of progressive service and cooperation that Hawaii has greatly benefited from through the years with Senator Akaka on Capitol Hill."

Hirono had previously picked up labor endorsements from the Hawaii State AFL-CIO and the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Maui man dies from injuries from Sept. 23 crash 

A Haiku, Maui, man died Saturday of injuries suffered in a mo-ped accident Sept. 23 in Paia, the Maui County Police Department said Wednesday.

Ricky C. Hughes, 58, was driving a mo-ped west on Hana Highway when it crashed about 3:20 p.m. Sept. 23 about one-tenth of a mile west of Kaiholo Place.

Police said the mo-ped went off the right side of the road and hit a metal guardrail. Hughes, who was not wearing a helmet, was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition.

It was Maui County’s 17th traffic fatality this year, compared with 10 at this time last year.

Search ends for California man who vanished last week

The search for a California man missing since leaving his condo on Kauai last week has ended without an explanation of what happened to him.

Members of the Coast Guard, Kauai police and fire departments and the Civil Air Patrol searched for three days for 67-year-old Charles Slezak of Canoga Park.

He was reported missing by his wife on Oct. 3, prompting the search in Poipu. Kauai police announced Tuesday that the active search was over but urged anyone who knows what happened to Slezak to contact them.

County spokeswoman Mary Daubert said Wednesday that Slezak told his wife he was going for a swim and left wearing surf shorts and carrying swim fins.

Authorities do not know for sure if Slezak made it to the beach.