Tropical disturbances stall advance of Karina in Pacific

Karina remained a weak tropical storm Sunday, meandering in the eastern Pacific far from land.

As of 5 p.m., Karina had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, and was 1,616 miles east-southeast of Hilo, moving west-southwest at 12 mph. Little change in strength is expected over the next two days, forecasters say.

The forecast has Karina as a stronger tropical storm with 50 mph winds Tuesday, when it will still be hundreds of miles from the central Pacific.

Tropical disturbances ahead and behind Karina are stalling the storm’s direction and causing Karina to move erratically, forecasters said Sunday morning.

The storm system ahead of Karina, about 900 miles east-southeast of Hilo, was disorganized and nearly stationary. Forecasters say it has a 40 percent chance of strengthening into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours.

OCCC visitation is canceled for fifth time in 7 weeks

The Department of Public Safety canceled regularly scheduled visitation to the Oahu Community Correctional Center on Sunday.

Such cancellations have become a regular occurrence this year as the department grapples with ongoing staffing shortages at facilities on Oahu, Hawaii island, Maui and Kauai.

Sunday marked the fifth time in the past seven weeks that visitation to OCCC was canceled.

Man suspected in vandalism is due in court

A 22-year-old Puna man will appear in court Monday on charges relating to a burglary and vandalism at the Alii Ice Co. on Banyan Drive in Hilo.

Clinton Ronald Souza of Volcano, on supervised release in a robbery case, was charged Thursday with burglary during a civil defense emergency, five counts of unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, two counts of criminal property damage and theft, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports.

Burglary during a civil defense emergency is a Class A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. The break-in happened as the island was dealing with Tropical Storm Iselle.

Souza was being held at the Hilo police cellblock in lieu of $152,000 bail, pending his initial appearance in Hilo District Court.

In a written statement, Police Chief Harry Kubojiri said: "The Hawaii Police Department is committed to investigate all reported criminal activity affecting storm victims and to identify and arrest the responsible persons."

Fire destroys 2-story house in Lahaina

A house fire in Lahaina caused $700,000 in damage to the structure and $200,000 to the contents, the Maui Fire Department reported Sunday.

The cause remains under investigation.

Fire broke out Saturday evening at the two-story, single-family house at 908 Kana Place. It was brought under control at 7:28 p.m. and extinguished at 11:28 p.m., department spokesman Lee Mainaga said.

The residents escaped the flames and were uninjured, he said.