USS O’Kane destroys missile in test

Officials say the U.S. military’s sea-based missile defense system successfully intercepted an intermediate-range missile for the first time during a test Thursday night more than 2,000 miles from Hawaii.

The Missile Defense Agency said the destroyer USS O’Kane equipped with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system radar tracked the target, which was launched from a Marshall Islands atoll about 2,300 miles south of Hawaii. The O’Kane, west of Hawaii, launched an SM-3 Block IA intercept missile based on tracking data about 11 minutes after the target’s launch. The SM-3 successfully hit the target and destroyed it just before 8 p.m. Hawaii time, the agency said.

The test was the first time the Aegis system shot down an intermediate-range ballistic missile. It was also the first time the system used remote radar data.

Aegis is the sea-based midcourse component of the nation’s ballistic missile defense system, designed to intercept and destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The Missile Defense Agency said it was the 21st successful intercept in 25 attempts for the Aegis BMD program since flight testing began in 2002.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Deadline set for changes in refuse collection

Kauai County residents have through May 16 to make changes to their residential ref­use collection service and fee.

Under the residential refuse collection assessment, all residents pay a base fee of $6 per month to cover operating expenses at ref­use transfer stations.

People pay an additional $6 per month for curbside collection of three 32-gallon receptacles or one 96-gallon receptacle, and an additional $12 for increased collection.

Changes must be made by completing the RRCA change form that was mailed last month to all property owners along with notices about the implementation of the RRCA on July 1.

The change form is available at www.kauai.gov/rrca or at the Solid Waste Division office at the Lihue Civic Center, Moi­keha Building, Suite 295.

For more information, call the Solid Waste Division at 241-4091.

UH-Maui fair to offer help to students

Maui college students interested in transferring to a school to earn a bachelor’s degree or learning about career opportunities can get information at a University of Hawaii fair in Kahu­lui.

UH-Maui College will host a college transfer and career fair on April 27. It will be the first joint college transfer and career fair held at the school.

Organizers say the fair will feature representatives from the University of Hawaii system and mainland colleges to provide students with information on admissions, transfers and baccalaureate degrees. Employers from the public and private sectors are also expected to recruit recent graduates.