Vessel thought to be debris from tsunami pulled from beach
State Department of Land and Natural Resources officials removed a barnacle-covered boat Sunday from Malaekahana Beach in Laie that is believed to be debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan.
"It does appear to be very similar to other vessels that we’ve retrieved on the windward shore that have been confirmed as coming from the Japan tsunami," department spokeswoman Deborah Ward said.
The boat was first reported Friday.
The department plans to send a photo of the vessel identification number to the Japanese government through the local consul general to see whether the owner wants the boat returned, Ward said.
Large amounts of marine debris can be reported to the department by calling 587-0400 or emailing a photo of the debris to DLNR.marine.debris@hawaii.gov and DisasterDebris@noaa.gov.
Woman dies at firing range
Police are investigating the shooting death of a Lahaina woman Sunday afternoon at Ukumehame Firing Range, the Maui News reports.
Police said that the woman was part of a handgun class that Burt Swink, president of the Valley Isle Sport Shooters Club, said was being conducted by Central Guns & Ammo at the shooting range. The shooting happened in the afternoon, police said.
Body of man found at cliff
Hawaii County firefighters recovered the body of a man in his 30s or 40s at the bottom of an 80-foot cliff along the North Kohala coast Friday evening.
Firefighters responded just before 7 p.m. after shoreline fishers saw the body in an area called "Hapu," near Kapanaia Beach, an area accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles.
An unattended vehicle was found on the cliff above the rocky shoreline.
Police are investigating.
Assault lands woman in jail
A woman charged with assaulting a man with a hammer at a homeless encampment in Kihei has been sentenced to a year in jail, the Maui News reports.
Amanda Blizzard, 35, was also placed on five years’ probation.
Blizzard was arrested in February and accused of striking the man in the back with the hammer as he bent over to pick up a piece of wood. Blizzard pleaded no contest to second-degree assault.
During Wednesday’s sentencing Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo told Blizzard her "hot-headedness" needs to stop.
