Hawaiian flight safe after lightning strike
A Hawaiian Airlines flight landed safety after being struck by lightning en route from Honolulu to Hilo on Friday evening.
Hawaiian Flight 380 was struck as it passed a storm system off Honokaa. The flight veered northeast to avoid the storm before heading south for a safe landing at Hilo Airport. No injuries were reported.
The aircraft, a Boeing 717-200, is designed to withstand lightning strikes.
The plane was scheduled for a return flight to Honolulu on Friday at 6:47 p.m. That flight was slated to be delayed to 11:17 p.m., according to Hawaiian Airlines’ website.
Panel to take testimony on Hoopili project
West Oahu residents will have the chance to weigh in on the 11,750-home Hoopili project at a special meeting of the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday at Kapolei Hale.
Council Zoning Chairman Ikaika Anderson said he is intending to take testimony from interested people that day and then continue the meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday, at which time the committee is expected to take a vote. The public can testify Monday or Thursday, Anderson said.
If approved by the Zoning Committee, Bill 3 still needs two more approvals of the full Council and another visit to the committee.
Hoopili’s developer is D.R. Horton-Schuler Homes.
Supporters argue that there is a dire need for homes and jobs in the growing West Oahu region. Opponents, however, object to the project due to traffic concerns and the loss of prime agricultural land.
Suspect in theft of donation jar to be arraigned
A 57-year-old Pahoa man will be arraigned in Hilo District Court next month for allegedly stealing about $200 from a donation jar set aside to rise funds for an 8-year-old girl who needs a heart transplant.
Jeffrey W. Kleinschmidt was charged Wednesday with third-degree theft. His bail was set at $1,000, and he is scheduled to enter a plea March 10. Jose Miranda, manager of Irie Hawaii Smoke Shop, told Hawaii News Now that customers already had contributed at least $200 for Madisyn Tamaki, a third-grade student at Pahoa Elementary School.
Surveillance footage at the store shows a man grabbing the jar from a counter and stuffing it into his pants Monday.
Diagnosed with acute fulminant myocarditis, an inflammatory disease that attacks the heart muscle, Madisyn has been transferred to the Seattle Children’s Hospital, where she is awaiting a heart transplant, family members said.
Observatory chief to resume research work
HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii » The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s chief scientist will step aside next month to focus on research.
Jim Kauahikaua has been the observatory’s scientist-in-charge for 11 years. That’s the third-longest tenure in the observatory’s century-long history.
He is the first person of Hawaiian ancestry to serve in the role. He will remain on staff as a research geophysicist. Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb said Thursday that Kauahikaua wants to return to research.
Babb says the observatory will announce his successor next week.
