Charge reduced in Ewa Beach standoff
A preliminary hearing for an Ewa Beach man arrested Saturday after a four-hour hostage standoff with police will be conducted Wednesday in District Court.
Abraham Primacio, 30, made his initial appearance in District Court on Monday. A charge of second-degree attempted murder was reduced to first-degree terroristic threatening. Bail is set at $75,000.
Primacio allegedly pointed a handgun at his 28-year-old girlfriend early Saturday morning. The woman told police that Primacio pulled the trigger but that the gun did not fire.
He reloaded and pointed the weapon at his head but did not fire it, police said. The girlfriend escaped with her 4-year-old daughter, leaving her 7-year-old daughter with Primacio still in his home. She called police at about 12:50 a.m.
A crisis negotiating team went to the scene, but Primacio surrendered at 4:44 a.m., before negotiations began.
Divers report shark off Sans Souci Beach
Three skin divers encountered a 12-foot tiger shark off Sans Souci Beach in Waikiki on Sunday.
The divers came in near the natatorium and reported to lifeguards that the shark was just outside the reef, about 400 to 500 yards offshore in 15 feet of water.
"That’s close to where there’s a lot of activity," Ocean Safety Division Chief of Operations Jim Howe said.
Lifeguards put up shark warning signs until sunset and told swimmers in the ocean and on the beach of the report.
There were no further sightings Sunday or Monday.
Howe said the shark was eating the fish on one of the divers’ stringer lines.
"When they feed, they leave," he said. "They don’t hang around."
As for sharks, "They’re always around," Howe said.
Early last week an 8-foot tiger was reportedly seen in Kailua at Castle and Kalama beach parks, Howe said.
The first alert, he said, was "turtles crawling up onto the beach."
Maui residents discuss future of Wailuku town
Maui residents are talking about what the old town of Wailuku should look like in the future.
About 500 community members have participated in workshops under the rubric reWailuku that are part of an effort to envision the town in coming years. Participants recalled the days when Wailuku was the hub of activity on Maui, with hotels, grocery stores and other places for shopping.
County Planner Erin Wade told The Maui News that participants are most interested in having a grocery store in the heart of town. She said many are interested in the overall concept of revitalizing Wailuku, although some don’t want the town to change at all.
High-tech jobs on Valley Island rise to 2,300
The number of Maui County residents working in technology jobs is about 15 times higher today than 30 years ago.
The Maui Economic Development Board estimates about 2,300 people work in the high-technology sector now, up from about 150 to 175 in 1982. Workers in the industry earn an average of $70,000 annually.
Coast Guard, Kauai work out rescue compact
The Coast Guard and Kauai County signed an agreement Monday outlining how their crews will coordinate search and rescue missions.
The Honolulu-based commander of the 14th Coast Guard District, Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray, and Kauai Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho approved the pact in Lihue.
The agreement deals with how Kauai’s fire department and ocean safety bureau will coordinate search and rescue support with the Coast Guard.
