Wind dies down but the waves are up
National Weather Service forecasters canceled a wind advisory for Oahu and Kauai after gusty tradewinds that knocked down trees and utility poles over the weekend diminished Tuesday.
Winds on Oahu dropped to about 20 mph with higher gusts in some areas, forecasters said. Parts of Maui County and Hawaii island remain under a wind advisory until this evening.
A high-surf advisory for east shores of most islands is in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday. Waves are expected to have 7- to 10-foot faces, with some higher sets.
On Molokai, firefighters responded to a report of a roof that blew off a home in the Kapuaiwa Grove in Kalamaula shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Rep. Tokioka wants official state microbe
Hawaii has several official state symbols, including a flower, a song and a flag, but some say that’s not enough.
“Missing from this group of symbols is an official state microbe,” Rep. James Tokioka (D, Wailua-Hanamaulu-Lihue) wrote in a bill proposing to add a microbe to the list.
Hawaii House members considered the bill Tuesday after it gained the approval of the House committee on culture last week. Hawaii could be the first state in the nation to adopt an official microbe, University of Hawaii professor Stuart Donachie said.
The organism in question was discovered in Donachie’s lab by Iris Kuo, a student from ‘Iolani School, with help from Donachie and several other scientists. The microbe is called Flavobacterium akiainvivens and can be found on a Hawaii shrub called akia.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Moth to help fight toxic plant
State agriculture officials plan to release about 1,000 fireweed moths from Madagascar on Hawaii island today to try to control the fireweed plant, which is damaging large tracts of pastureland.
Entomologists from the state Department of Agriculture will release the moths, Secusio extensa, at Kahua Ranch in Waimea, the department said.
Since the late 1980s, fireweed has been a growing problem for Hawaii ranchers, especially on Maui and Hawaii island. The plant contains alkaloids that are toxic to cattle and horses.
The department said the caterpillar stage of the moth will eat the fireweed and control its spread, though it might not eliminate it.
Overnight water outage planned
The Kauai Department of Water has scheduled a water outage for the Koloa area from 8:30 p.m.
Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday to allow contractor Pacific Trenchless to connect a new building to the water system.
Customers along Koloa Road from Maluhia Road to Poipu Road will have no water service during those periods. Customers along Poipu Road from Koloa Road to Waikomo Road, and those on Smith and Malino roads, also will have no service.
A water outage also was scheduled for 3 to 5 a.m. today.
A map of the affected streets is at www.kauaiwater.org. For more information, call the Department of Water at 245-5461 during business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
