Sirens to be tested

State Civil Defense officials will test 13 warning sirens on Oahu today and tomorrow. Residents might hear a steady siren tone and should not be alarmed. Sirens will be tested today from Makaha to Hono­uli­uli, and from Sandy Beach to Mau­na­lua Bay. Tomorrow, sirens will be tested from Aikahi to Wai­ahole, and at Turtle Bay. Residents may call state Civil Defense at 733-4300 with questions or concerns.

Sentence is changed in fatal accident

A Circuit Court judge withdrew yesterday a one-year jail term imposed on Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Wyck­lendt in the fatal 2008 collision in Hau­ula between a minivan and a troop transport vehicle driven by the then-19-year-old infantryman.

Circuit Judge Michael Wilson granted Wyck­lendt a deferral of his plea and the opportunity to erase the charge from his rec­ord. However, he will have to spend 30 days in jail.

Wycklendt pleaded no contest to third-degree negligent homicide.

When he imposed the original sentence in January, Wilson said he would reconsider the term if Marine Corps officials presented information regarding Wyck­lendt’s training and regulations for operating military vehicles on public roadways.

Wycklendt’s license has been permanently revoked. When he crashed into 57-year-old Vickie Norman’s minivan, killing her, it was only his third time operating the vehicle.

Panel will study visitor trespassing

The state Senate Tourism Committee has voted to create a task force to identify problem areas statewide where visitors, lured by visitor guides, trespass on private or public property.

The task force would be made up of state tourism and land use officials, private landowners and visitor guide publishers.

Senators amended a bill that would have potentially held authors and publishers of visitor guides liable when readers are injured or killed while trespassing on private or public lands.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Maui student wins State Spelling Bee

Maui Waena Intermediate eighth-grader Christopher Kim has won the Hawaii State Spelling Bee.

Kim told The Maui News that he wanted to win because it was the last year he would be eligible to enter. He will now represent Hawaii in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It begins in June in Washington, D.C.

Kim beat 13 other spellers for the state title Saturday night by correctly spelling “obfuscatory.” He is a non-native English speaker who speaks only Korean at home.

Esther Kim, who is of no relation, was the first runner-up.