Library site dark; domain name expires
The Hawaii State Public Library System’s website at www.librarieshawaii.org went offline indefinitely Tuesday after library staff failed to renew the domain name.
"We’ve had some staff changes, and this is something that was inadvertently overlooked," library spokesman Paul Mark said. "We’re working hard to rectify the situation. It was an honest mistake."
Computer users trying to access the site were redirected to a godaddy.com webpage that said the certificate for the domain expired Monday.
Some online library services are available at hawaii.sdp.sirsi.net, including the public access catalog, e-books and digital audiobooks.
The website receives about 4,000 visits a day and provides access to the library’s resources and public-access catalog, officials said.
Mark said other library services are not affected.
Academy to screen ‘Race to Nowhere’
Pacific Buddhist Academy will host today a free screening of the documentary "Race to Nowhere," followed by a panel discussion.
The film takes at look at the price paid by some students who are pushed to chase perfection, including stress-related illness, cheating, depression and burnout. It calls on the community to re-examine how best to prepare young people for healthy and bright futures.
The screening will be at the Honpa Hongwanji Betsuin Annex Temple from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and is co-sponsored by the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools. The panel includes Dr. Lynn Yanagihara, a pediatrician; Lyla Berg, an educator and former state representative; parent Ann Sueoka; and Pieper Toyama, the head of school.
Fire department defibrillators malfunction
A brand of defibrillator used by the Honolulu Fire Department has been plagued with problems.
Hawaii News Now reported that the lifesaving equipment on all of the department’s trucks has failed in recent years and been the subject of a manufacturer’s recall.
The defibrillator units are carried on firetrucks to administer an electric shock to save lives when a person’s heart has stopped beating.
The department uses the Cardiac Science brand of defibrillators. Hawaii News Now said the department has acknowledged its machines malfunctioned while on emergency calls five times in the last six years. It said in each case firefighters administered CPR and the faulty unit was immediately replaced. The department said the faulty units did not affect patient outcome in the five cases.
Canadian is fifth tourist to drown off Garden Isle
A 51-year-old male visitor from Sechelt, British Columbia, drowned in waters off Wainiha on Kauai’s North Shore on Tuesday afternoon — the fifth person to drown this year.
He also was the fifth tourist to drown off Kauai’s shores this year.
A bystander called police dispatch at 4:26 p.m. after noticing the man’s body lying face down in the Wainiha River, fronting a vacation rental near the Wainiha General Store.
Firefighters from the Kaiakea fire station responded to the scene and immediately began performing CPR until paramedics arrived and transported the man to Wilcox Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Beware of fake tax worker, warn Big Island police
Hawaii County police are warning the public of someone who is impersonating a county tax office employee.
A woman reportedly in an unmarked white vehicle told residents she was a contract worker for the tax office and was checking on properties for tax purposes, police said.
The woman could not produce any county employee identification card or any other type of identification when asked.
Police want residents to know all county Real Property Tax Office personnel doing field work have photo ID and business cards, and use vehicles with the county seal.
Residents should not give personal information to anyone who does not show proper identification.
Police urge anyone seeing suspicious behavior to call police at 935-3311.
