Gusty winds to last until Christmas
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory Friday that will be in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday.
A high-pressure system passing north of Hawaii will bring strong, gusty winds to the islands, peaking today.
The weather service forecasts northeasterly winds of 20 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph.
Winds will be strongest over mountains and leeward slopes.
The winds can make for difficult driving conditions for motorists with vans, SUVs and trucks, the weather service said.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Lawyer tapped for judgeship
Hawaii Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald appointed Mimi DesJardins on Friday to be a District Court judge on Maui.
DesJardins is a lawyer in private practice, specializing in family law and criminal defense, and has served as a part-time district judge since 2006, the state Judiciary said. She is a former Maui County deputy corporation counsel, deputy public defender and deputy prosecuting attorney.
DesJardins received her law degree from the University of Puget Sound law school in 1989.
If confirmed by the state Senate, DesJardins will serve a six-year term. The chief justice has the discretion to assign district judges to District Court or Family Court.
Drivers asked to yield to nene
The National Park Service is asking visitors to Haleakala National Park to drive with care, following the killing of a nene on the park road Thursday.
The adult nene was part of a breeding pair, the park service said.
Park staff have installed permanent signs along the park’s road to inform motorists of nene crossings, and other signs have been placed in areas where nene have been seen recently.
Unlike other birds, nene do not flee when approached by cars, the park service said. Some visitors feed the nene from their cars, creating a dangerous association for the birds of food and automobiles. The National Park Service reminds people to not feed nene.
Motorists traveling to Haleakala are asked to be aware of nene on the road, especially during bad weather when road visibility is compromised.
