June 5, 2015
Weekly Friday news summary for East Oahu and Hawaii Kai. Full text of these excerpts is available through the web. Where access is granted to the public, there is a link. Due to the quantity of news stories, there is also a Tuesday June 2, 2015 supplement to this week’s news.
Suspect in stabbing of Kaimuki newspaper vendor released
Gregg K. Kakesako Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, Hawaii] 04 June 2015.
A 30-year-old man arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 70-year-old man who sold newspapers in Kaimuki was released, pending further investigation. Honolulu police arrested Gary Lee Landis Tuesday on suspicion of murder in the death of Thaddeus “Ted” Pirga Jr., of Hawaii Kai, in November. Police released Landis Wednesday, He was not charged.
Brush fire closes kalanianaole near makapuu in afternoon hours
KHON2 [Honolulu, Hawaii] 03 June 2015.
The initial call came in at 2:43 p.m. Ten [fire] companies with 32 personnel responded. The closure was in effect between Alan Davis Beach and Sea Life Park until about 5:15 p.m. Wednesday. It was 100 percent contained by 6:30 p.m. No one was injured and no damage was reported.
PV Panels to go up again at Aina Haina Library
KITV4 [Honolulu, Hawaii] 02 June 2015.
Paying for solar — twice! It may not sound very book-smart, but that is what the state has done at one of its libraries.
. . .it seemed like a bright idea four years ago to put photovoltaic panels on the library roof until windy weather blew in last year. “We had an accident where a couple of panels flew off the roof. Luckily no one got hurt, but it led to an inspection and they deemed the system to be unsafe,” said [Keith] Fujio, [assistant to the state librarian].
Some of the rack mounting materials were found to be defective, and the panels came down. They have stayed down for more than a year because there has also been a problem getting them fixed.
“We tried to go back to the original contractor, and they are no longer in business,” said Fujio.
While the state waits to recover what it can from the contractor’s insurer, it has decided to put PV panels back up at the library.
A whole new system will cost an $280,000. That is on top of the $590,000 the state paid back in 2011 for roof repairs and the initial photovoltaic system.
Police arrest man, 30, in Kaimuki fatal stabbing
Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, Hawaii] 02 June 2015.
A 30-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 70-year-old man who sold newspapers in Kaimuki.
Honolulu police arrested Gary Lee Landis at 11:15 a.m. on suspicion of murder in the death of Thaddeus “Ted” Pirga Jr., of Hawaii Kai, according to a news release from CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department. Charges against Landis are pending.
Pirga, a retired welder and popular seller of the Sunday Honolulu Star-Advertiser in Kaimuki, died Nov. 9 after he was stabbed while at his post in front of Cafe Miro on Waialae Avenue.
Chef Ed Kenney’s Mud Hen Water restaurant opens in Honolulu’s Kaimuki neighborhooD
Darin Moriki Pacific Business News [Honolulu, Hawaii] 02 June 2015.
Hawaii chef Ed Kenney, the owner of Kaimuki Superette and Town, open[ed] his third restaurant in Honolulu’s Kaimuki neighborhood, Mud Hen Water, on Tuesday night following months of extensive renovations.
. . .Mud Hen Water, [is] across the street from Town and next door to Kaimuki Superette at 3452 Waialae Avenue,
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