Maui County officials yesterday closed the Moloka'i landfill after workers discovered a large number of what appears to be unexploded ordnance.

The landfill will be closed until further notice, county spokeswoman Mahina Martin said.

Workers for Schnitzer Steel Hawaii, which handles recycling at the dump, yesterday discovered more than 100 items of what appeared to be explosive ordnance, Martin said.

Some were as long as 2 feet, she said. The items were found near the back of the landfill, near the recycling area.

"There's no indication how long (they've been there) or how old" they are, Martin said.

Police secured the area, and a military explosive ordnance disposal team is scheduled to examine the items today, Martin said.

BURGLARY CHARGE FOR SLEEPY MAN

Prosecutors have charged a suspected burglar who was arrested after falling asleep inside a Kailua home he had allegedly broken into Sunday.

Kainoa Z.N. Almeida, 21, who has no permanent local address, was charged with first-degree burglary and is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Almeida allegedly broke into a Ka'apuni Road residence, took a camcorder from the bedroom and fell asleep. He was awakened by police at 6 a.m. and arrested.

PAIR ALLEGEDLY HAD GUN, DRUGS

Police yesterday arrested a man and woman on Mill Street in Wai'anae for allegedly being in possession of a firearm and drugs.

The arrests occurred at 8:30 a.m. on the 85-900 block of Mill Street.

Police responded to an anonymous tip about a man sitting in a vehicle with a gun.

The man, 28, and woman, 26, were booked for investigation of firearm offenses, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug.

AIR CONDITIONER STARTED 'EWA FIRE

A fire that damaged a four-bedroom home in 'Ewa Beach Thursday started in an air-conditioning unit, Fire Department investigators said.

"There was some kind of a failure in the AC unit," Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Frank Johnson said yesterday.

The air-conditioning unit was in the bedroom of 96-year-old Epifanio Pacquing, who escaped with minor injuries.

The fire, at 91-952 Fort Weaver Road, caused an estimated $240,000 damage to the structure and resulted in loss of contents valued at about $40,000, said Johnson.

HEALTH CENTER FUNDING RELEASED

Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday released $217,000 for improvements to the Ala Moana Health Center.

The project will include replacing the building's 20-year-old air-conditioning units and cooling tower. The present air-conditioning system doesn't adequately cool the second floor.

Construction is scheduled to start in November and end in May 2008. The project's estimated cost is $287,000.