Newswatch

Week will kick off with windy conditions

Resurgent tradewinds are expected to strengthen through the day today, bringing light rainfall to windward areas ahead of a weak cold front that will cross the state tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters predict breezy trades will continue through Monday and Tuesday, clearing out any remaining vog, before diminishing during the latter half of the week.

Today’s Honolulu forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before noon. Skies will be partly sunny, with a high near 79.

Northeast winds will be light, 9 to 11 mph, increasing to 15 mph in the evening, with possible gusts of 22 mph, the weather service said. Monday again will be breezy, with northeast winds of 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Kauai college debuts educational kitchen

Kauai Community College has opened a new kitchen to teach students fundamental culinary skills.

The facility has six commercial kitchen learning stations with grills, stoves, sinks and refrigerators. The project, estimated at more than $2.2 million, is at the site of the former campus bookstore.

Chef instructors at the community college said the facility was necessary to allow students a larger site to learn basic cooking methods for meats, stocks, soups, seafoods, vegetables and starches. Students also will learn how to properly use and maintain equipment and tools.

The new kitchen is twice as big as the simulated fine-dining kitchen at the campus cafeteria, where instructors previously taught students. About 15 to 35 students participate in the culinary arts program each semester.

Home in Kihei damaged in morning fire

Maui firefighters on Saturday responded to a house fire on Waileia Place in Kihei that started in a kitchen, fire officials said.

No one in the home was injured or displaced as a result of the fire that started just before 7:30 a.m.

Investigators later determined the cause was accidental.

Crews arrived to find smoke and fire in the front of the home, officials said. The fire was brought under control at 7:33 a.m. and extinguished at 8:42 a.m.

Officials estimated damage to the structure at $8,500 and said about $1,300 worth of contents was lost.

Hikers rescued after losing trail near volcano

Firefighters rescued two hikers Friday night near the summit of Mauna Loa after they became separated from the trail, Hawaii island fire officials said.

A 50-year-old man from Australia and a 29-year-old woman from Germany called for help around 6:45 p.m. Friday. Officials arrived on scene at 8:05 p.m. and found the hikers about two miles from the summit of the volcano.

Both were uninjured and did not need medical treatment.

Arson blamed for minor blaze at Big Isle house

A Pahoa house sustained minor damage after Hawaii island firefighters put out an intentionally set fire Thursday.

The fire occurred at 4:07 p.m. and firefighters extinguished the fire within 17 minutes.

Volunteer firefighters arrived first at the abandoned home at 16-2541 Ainaloa Drive and traced the fire to a closet and bathroom, fire officials said. Damage to the house and its contents was estimated at $8,000.