HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Arson suspected in two Big Island incidents
Advertiser Staff
KEALAKEHE — Police said fires that destroyed a car and forced the evacuation of an apartment complex early yesterday appear to have been intentionally set.
The first fire was reported at 2:16 a.m. just off Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, near the 88-mile marker, in Makalawena. It burned a vehicle and a small area of brush about 200 feet away.
Less than a half-hour later, a second fire was reported in the area south of Hualalai Road, between Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway and Kuakini Highway. Residents of the easternmost units of the Kama'aina Hale Apartment Complex were evacuated, although no damage occurred. A portion of Hualalai Road was closed from about 3 to 6:45 a.m. while the Hawai'i Fire Department put out the blaze.
Police said witnesses reported seeing three juveniles in the area of both fires, and a blue vehicle in the area of the Makalawena fire. Anyone with information should call Kona police at (808) 326-4646, ext. 253; the nonemergency telephone number at (808) 935-3311; or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in Hilo or (808) 329-8181 in Kona.
KAUA'I
LIBRARY DESIGN MONEY RELEASED
LIHU'E — State officials released $352,000 for the design of an expansion of the 6,300-square-foot Hanapepe Public Library. The money is the first step toward an estimated $1.66 million project that will see a bigger library built with an auditorium and more parking. The project is to be competed by December 2008.
HONOLULU
CONSTRUCTION WILL CLOSE TWO LIBRARIES
The Manoa Public Library will be closed until Jan. 28 for renovation of the parking lot and installation of a fire alarm system.
A partial phone-in service will be available Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for renewal of books. Reopening is tentatively planned for Jan. 30. An announcement will be made to confirm or extend that date, library staff said.
The Kalihi-Palama Public Library will be closed from Dec. 19 for disability accessibility upgrades to the parking lot. Patrons may return books to either the Liliha Public Library or Salt Lake-Moanalua Public Library. The library is tentatively scheduled to reopen Jan. 17.
