Rising water strands hikers

Kauai County fire rescue personnel assisted 37 hikers on the Na Pali Coast Tuesday after they became stranded by rising stream water.

The group made a 911 call to say they were trapped in Hanakapiai Valley because Hanakapiai Stream was rising. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, rescue personnel aboard a Fire Department helicopter responded and found 37 people trapped on the far side of the stream.

Seven people were flown to Kee Beach, including a man from Virginia who suffered from asthma, a pregnant woman and her husband from Idaho, a woman from Texas and a couple from Utah with their 10-week-old baby, the county said.

As the water receded, rescue personnel monitored the remaining 30 hikers as they crossed the stream with a rope line and returned to the trailhead.

Agency to honor senior citizens

The Kauai County Agency on Elderly Affairs is accepting nominations for its 2012 Outstanding Male and Female Older American awards.

The program is designed to honor seniors age 65 and older who have made exceptional contributions to their community.

Nomination forms are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at the Agency on Elderly Affairs office in the Lihue Civic Center, Piikoi Building, Suite 330.

The deadline to submit a nomination is March 2.

All nominees will be honored at an awards ceremony in May, and the Outstanding Male and Female Older Americans will be announced at the event.

For information call the agency at 241-4470.