Only rain expected from weakening storm
Tropical Storm Fausto is on a path toward Hawaii and might bring some rain to the islands Monday, forecasters said.
But the storm is expected to weaken significantly by the time it nears the state and is not expected to strengthen into a hurricane.
The five-day track of Fausto shows it as a tropical storm when it moves into the Central Pacific by Friday, but it is expected to quickly weaken over the weekend.
Fausto is still more than 2,000 miles east-southeast of Hawaii. Forecasters said because the storm is still several days away, it’s hard to accurately predict the effect it will have on the state’s weather.
"Fausto is a tap on the shoulder to remind us that we will soon be entering primetime hurricane season and we encourage everyone to be prepared," National Weather Service forecasters in Honolulu said.
Council drops planned rental lease vote
Two measures tied to the city’s attempt to sell the leases on its affordable rental units are off the agenda for the Honolulu City Council’s Wednesday meeting in Kaneohe. The measures, which were scheduled for final votes, were pulled in response to Chinatown-downtown residents who say they can’t make it to the meeting at Windward Community College.
The Council’s third-floor chambers at Honolulu Hale have been unavailable due to renovations.
Bill 6 gives the city administration the authority to issue a request for proposals for up to 12 city housing developments, while Resolution 14-121 spells out the criteria for prospective purchasers of the leases. A plan to lease HAHPI (Honolulu Affordable Housing Preservation Initiative) units for $142 million collapsed in January due to financing problems of the prospective buyer.
Residents, many of whom are seniors or disabled, expressed worry about being able to make it to the meeting, said Bob Nakata of Faith Action for Community.
Suspect enters home in Puna, robs resident
Hawaii island police are investigating a home invasion robbery at the residence of an 80-year-old man in Puna.
The early morning robbery occurred in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision, where patrol officers responded to a report at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Police said a man whose face was obscured with fabric entered a house on 1st Avenue off Maku‘u Street, brandished what appeared to be a firearm and threatened the 80-year-old male occupant. The robber fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The suspect is described as Caucasian, 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with brown eyes and a long, thin face. He was wearing baggy brown pants and a short-sleeved multicolor shirt.
UH-Hilo College of Pharmacy gets accredited
The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo has been accredited as the only pharmacy school in the Pacific region, reversing an earlier noncompliance finding, the university reported.
The American Council for Pharmacy Education has found the pharmacy college compliant with all of the 30 standards used to evaluate colleges of pharmacy, the university said in a news release.
The main issue considered by the ACPE was compliance with the standard concerning physical facilities. In May the state Legislature agreed to fund a building.
Founding UH-Hilo Dean John Pezzuto, who will be leaving this year, said probation could have signaled the end of the college. "It is heartening that our accreditation is once again secure, but we all must remain diligent and prepare for the next steps," he said.
