Reptile killed near airport was bullsnake

A snake that highway maintenance workers killed near Honolulu Airport was identified Thursday as a juvenile male bullsnake.

The bullsnake, known as Pituophis catenifer sayi, is nonvenomous and can grow to about 6 feet, said Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Janelle Saneishi. She said bullsnakes have been seized in Hawaii before, but authorities do not know how this snake arrived in Hawaii.

Bullsnakes, a subspecies of the gopher snake, are usually found in North America and eat small rodents, young rabbits, lizards, birds and bird eggs.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

$1.5M bequest will benefit care facilities

The estate of two longtime Waimea residents has created a $1.5 million endowment that will benefit North Hawaii Community Hospital and North Hawaii Hospice.

The Jacqueline and Alcy Johnson Memorial Fund, held by the Hawaii Community Foundation, will distribute proceeds annually, with 60 percent directed to the hospital and 40 percent to the hospice, the hospital said.

Alcy “Shorty” Johnson, a former manager of the Kawaihae shipping terminal, died June 12 at age 89. His will directed the creation of the memorial fund. Jacqueline Johnson died in 1993.