Maui singer’s album nominated for Grammy

A debut album by a little-known Maui singer-songwriter is Hawaii’s lone entry in the regional roots album category of the 59th annual Grammy Awards.

“E Walea,” by Kalani Pe‘a, was among the nominees announced Tuesday by the Recording Academy.

A Hawaiian album has never won in the regional roots category, which was established in 2011 by combining traditional genres such as Hawaiian, Native American, polka, zydeco and Cajun in a move to streamline the number of Grammy categories.

The album by Pe‘a, who was born on the Big Island, features seven original Hawaiian-language songs that he wrote or co-wrote as well as remakes of two pop hits, “You Are So Beautiful” and “Always and Forever,” with Pe‘a adding Hawaiian lyrics to both.

The other nominees — which once again favor Louisiana artists — are: “Broken Promised Land,” by Cajun musicians Barry Jean Ancelet and Sam Broussard; “It’s A Cree Thing,” by Native American artists Northern Cree; “Gulfstream,” by Cajun and Creole band Roddie Romero and The Hub City All-Stars; and Cajun album “I Wanna Sing Right: Rediscovering Lomax in the Evangeline Country,” by various artists.

The 59th annual Grammy Awards will air Feb. 12 on CBS from Staples Center in Los Angeles. James Corden will be the host.

MAUI

Suspect in fatal hit-and-run in Kihei arrested; truck seized

A 20-year-old Kihei man was arrested Monday in connection with the fatal hit-and-run crash that killed 16-year-old Hannah Simmons.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of accidents involving serious bodily injury or death and second-degree negligent homicide. He was released pending further investigation, according to a news release from the Maui Police Department.

Police seized a blue 2007 Ford F250 pickup.

On the night of Nov. 27, police said, the suspect was traveling on Kaiwahine Street and made a left turn onto Piilani Highway, where the vehicle struck Simmons, of Kihei, who was in a marked crosswalk.

The driver fled the scene. Simmons was taken in critical condition to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where she died from her injuries.

HAWAII ISLAND

Papaikou man is charged in construction site theft

Police credit neighbors with the arrest of a 28-year-old Papaikou man who allegedly burglarized a Puna home-construction site.

Neighbors, including an off-duty police officer, on Friday confronted a man who allegedly took an estimated $2,000 worth of building materials and tools over a two-day period at a Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision construction site, police said.

Police arrested Chas Akiona and recovered $1,000 worth of the stolen items.

He was charged at 7 p.m. Friday with second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and two counts of contempt of court.

His bail was set at $20,650.