HAWAII BRIEFS
Guard activated in recovery effort
Advertiser Staff
About 30 Hawai'i National Guard soldiers and airmen have been activated to assist Red Cross and state Civil Defense efforts at the Red Cross Disaster Assistance and Recovery Center serving the Hale'iwa, La'ie, Waipahu and Kualoa areas, officials said.
The Guard personnel are also going to the Wai'anae Coast to help clear rain and flood debris. The Hawai'i National Guard anticipates additional service members will be called to state active duty.
Gov. Linda Lingle proclaimed a state of emergency on Dec. 12 and authorized disaster emergency relief, including the use of the National Guard, in the wake of heavy rain.
POLICE LOOK INTO INJURIES TO INFANTS
Police are investigating two separate cases involving injuries to infants.
A 20-year-old Army man was identified Wednesday as a suspect in an attempted-murder investigation concerning critical injuries suffered by a 5-month-old Wahiawa girl Dec. 8. No charges have been filed against the man, who was being held at the main police station cellblock. He was arrested at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The child is at Tripler Army Medical Center.
A second case being investigated as a second-degree assault involves a 9-month-old Waikiki boy with severe burns. The child is at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children, police said.
APARTMENT FIRE CAUSED BY CLOCK
A kitchen fire yesterday that damaged a third-floor Ala Moana apartment unit was started by a clock radio's electric malfunction, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.
Firefighters responded to the 1:35 p.m. alarm at The Commodore, a four-story walk-up at 1868 Kahakai Drive, and declared the fire under control 10 minutes later, said fire Capt. Terry Seelig. Two people live in the unit but no one was at home at the time of the fire.
KAPOLEI LIGHTS TO SHINE ON SUNDAY
The seventh annual Kapolei Hale City Lights celebration, postponed by rain last week, will be held Sunday.
The West O'ahu Electric Light Parade starts on Kealanani Avenue at 6 p.m. The parade route turns left on Farrington Highway, traveling on Kamokila Boulevard and ends on Ulu'ohia Street.
More than 15 decorated vehicles, including fire trucks, the Honolulu Police Department's mobile command center, a vector truck and parade sponsor vehicles will participate.
Following the parade, Mayor Mufi Hannemann and first lady Gail Mukaihata-Hannemann will light the city's 35-foot tree at 8 p.m. The Royal Hawaiian Band and Kapena will provide musical entertainment.
Major sponsors for the 2008 Kapolei City Lights are Seagull Schools, Friends of Kapolei Hale, Hawaiian Electric Co., First Hawaiian Bank, Aina Nui Corporation-Kapolei Property Development, Grace Pacific, Ko Olina Charities, Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union, Kalaeloa Partners, DH Horton, Schnitzer Steel and Wal-Mart Stores.