Victim of apparent drowning is identified
The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the 42-year-old woman who apparently drowned while swimming at Hanauma Bay as Alexa Digiorgio of Westfield, N.J.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
Digiorgio was taken in critical condition to a hospital after she was pulled from the water at 9:57 a.m. Sunday at Hanauma Bay, where she had been snorkeling. She died at the hospital.
Body of missing free-diver is recovered
U.S. Coast Guard personnel have recovered the body of a free-diver missing since Saturday.
The body of Nicholas Spotkaeff was discovered Monday by a boater about 10 miles off of Turtle Bay.
Coast Guard personnel recovered Spotkaeff’s body and transported it to Haleiwa Harbor.
Spotkaeff was last seen by his son at 2:44 p.m. Saturday swimming about 100 yards north of Kaena Point.
Search and rescue workers from the Coast Guard, Honolulu Fire Department and Ocean Safety had conducted extensive air, land and sea searches before the body was recovered Monday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members during this extremely difficult time," said Capt. Shannon Gilreath, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. "Our gratitude goes out to all those involved in the search who helped bring it to closure."
Puna duo is charged with pot promotion
A Puna couple was charged with multiple drug offenses after 674 marijuana plants and nearly 7 pounds of marijuana were confiscated in Hilo on Friday.
Cyra Kalama-Lopez, 62, and David Lopez, 52, were charged Friday after police recovered 674 marijuana plants ranging in height from 6 inches to 4 feet, as well as 80 clones and 6.94 pounds of dried marijuana from their home on the 15-1900 block of 31st Avenue in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision.
Hawaii County officials charged Kalama-Lopez with first-degree promotion of marijuana, second-degree promotion of marijuana and two counts of possessing paraphernalia. Her bail was set at $19,000.
Lopez was charged with first-degree promotion of marijuana, two counts of second-degree promotion of marijuana and three counts of paraphernalia. His bail was set at $26,000.
Both were released after posting bail.
