Waipahu lanes to shut

The city is advising motorists of nighttime lane and intersection closures along Farrington Highway in Waipahu for rail project soil sampling tomorrow through Aug. 29. Work will also be done on the east side of Kualakai Parkway and on the shoulder of Farrington Highway between Leeward Community College and Waipahu High School.

Isle soldier dies in Texas after illness

A 38-year-old former drill sergeant from Hawaii has died at a Texas hospital after a long illness.

Officials at Fort Hood said Sgt. 1st Class Fuatia Tia Theus of Honolulu died Tuesday at Scott and White Hospital in Temple. The Army would not say why she was hospitalized or her cause of death.

However, the Army said Theus had not been in a combat zone since she joined the Army in December 1990.

Theus, a human resources specialist, was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, at Fort Hood’s Warrior Transition Brigade, located at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, since July.

She served as a drill sergeant from 2005 to 2006.

Theus’ awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal with six oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Global War on Terrorism Medal and the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Councilman asserts Lanai residency

WAILUKU » Maui County Councilman Sol Kahoohalahala says he has always considered Lanai his home.

Kahoohalahala made the assertion Thursday in Circuit Court when he testified at the trial of a lawsuit filed by a group of 17 Lanai residents seeking his removal from office.

The suit alleges Kahoohalahala does not live on Lanai, the district he represents, but in Lahaina, in violation of the Maui County Charter.

His wife, Lynn Kahoohalahala, testified earlier that her husband stays on Lanai on his days off but resides with the family in Lahaina when he is working on Maui.

The trial before Judge Joseph Cardoza is slated to resume Tuesday.

Dad pleads guilty to tot’s assault

HILO » A young father who allegedly caused severe brain damage to his infant son has pleaded guilty to first-degree assault.

Nineteen-year-old Kainoa Poepoe-Vigil of Hilo was accused of striking the 4-month-old boy’s head against the door frame of a car on March 31, 2009.

Poepoe-Vigil and the baby’s mother, Ashley Miranda, did not seek medical attention for their child until the following day, when he became unresponsive.

A physician who treated the baby at Hilo Medical Center has testified the boy would have died had paramedics not resuscitated him.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors can seek a 10-year prison sentence, while the defense can argue for probation.

Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura set sentencing for Oct. 15 on Wednesday.