Kia‘aina named deputy in land department
Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed former congressional candidate Esther Kia‘aina to be deputy director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The Governor’s Office said Monday that Kia‘aina will start work at her new position next week.
Kia‘aina most recently competed in the race to be the Democratic Party’s nominee to represent Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District. She lost the primary election to former City Council member Tulsi Gabbard.
Kia‘aina replaces Guy Kaulukukui, who resigned in August.
Kia‘aina has served as chief advocate of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and a land asset manager for Kamehameha Schools.
Warning signs on sharks go up, then down
Lifeguards posted warning signs at Maili Beach on Monday afternoon after two "aggressive" sharks were sighted in the water, a spokeswoman for the city Department of Emergency Services said.
After assessing the situation, lifeguards took down the signs at 3 p.m.
It’s not clear what kind of sharks they were.
Man rescued after slide down embankment
A 78-year-old man was taken by medics to Maui Memorial Medical Center a little after 11 a.m. Monday after he slid 15 feet down a stream embankment in Iao Valley.
The man was taken on a backboard and carried out by rescue personnel who took 10 minutes to hike into an area upstream of the Iao Valley State Park.
Fire spokesman Lee Mainaga said the injuries sustained by the man were not life-threatening.
2 men wanted in robbery on Hawaii isle
Hawaii island police are investigating a reported robbery of a 67-year-old Volcano man who was filling water containers at the county water spigots in Kurtistown on Saturday.
At about 3 a.m. a man struck up a conversation with the man filling containers, assaulted him and took the victim’s wallet.
A second male suspect appeared and was seen rummaging through the victim’s parked vehicle. Both suspects fled the area on foot. The victim was taken to Hilo Medical Center and released after treatment.
One of the suspects was described as a Caucasian male in his late teens or early 20s, about 5 feet 9 inches tall with a medium build. He may have been wearing light-colored board shorts and a T-shirt.
Detectives are continuing the investigation, which is classified as a second-degree robbery and first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle.
Police ask that anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has any other information about it contact Detective Joel Field at 961-2381 or jfield@ co.hawaii.hi.us. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
