City cleanup crews hit parks, Chinatown
City maintenence crews went to Aala Park, Moiliili, Chinatown and Pawaa early Tuesday morning to clean up sidewalks and parks used by the homeless.
The latest cleanup operations began at 2:30 a.m. at In Ha Park, Aala Park, the River-Pauahi-Smith-Beretania-Kukui-Aala streets area, Sun Yat Sen Mall, College Walk Mall, Vineyard Boulevard, Kamamalu Park and Kauluwela Mall.
The city did not release figures on the items seized Tuesday.
Officials began stepping up enforcement July 1, using three city ordinances.
Gil withers as Henriette gains strength
Hurricane Henriette continued to strengthen as its winds increased to 90 mph Tuesday, while Gil regained wind speed briefly before weakening into a post-tropical cyclone.
The storms are still a little too far away to say exactly how they will affect Hawaii’s weather, but their tracks suggest Henriette will weaken and pass south of the islands, forecasters said. If Henriette holds to the forecast track, an increase in tradewinds and rain and a boost in surf may come during the weekend. Gil is also expected to pass south of the islands.
Forecasters say Henriette might bring a small east and southeast swell starting Friday.
At 8 p.m. Tuesday Henriette was about 1,450 miles east of Hilo, moving west northwest at 10 mph. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said Henriette could continue to intensify as it moves over warm and moist waters, but should start to weaken over cooler waters starting today.
The storm’s path is expected to veer west-southwest as it weakens and gets caught in the tradewind flow.
Man charged with attempted murder in fight
Maui police Tuesday charged a 55-year-old man with second-degree attempted murder in connection with a fight that injured another man Sunday at a Kahului house.
Edward R. Martin was also charged with first-degree terroristic threatening and violation of an order of protection. Bail was set at $320,000, police said.
Martin was arrested after he surrendered to police in Wailuku on Monday night. The victim, who was found covered in blood, sustained lacerations and was shot with a pellet gun, police said. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
Second hearing today on habitat for rare plants
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold a second public informational meeting today on a proposal to designate nearly 19,000 acres of land on Hawaii island as critical habitat for three endangered plant species.
The meeting will be 3 to 5 p.m. at the West Hawaii Civic Center Community Meeting Hale, Building G, in Kailua-Kona, the office of U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa said.
The plants are the kookoolau, uhiuhi and wahine noho kula.
More than one-third of the proposed lands are in private ownership, and about 12,000 acres are owned by the state.
