Plaque marks locale of Cook’s demise

CAPTAIN COOK >> A new plaque memorializing the spot where British explorer Capt. James Cook was killed by Native Hawaiians in 1779 has been installed at Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park.

The granite plaque at Awili landing at Kaawaloa reads, “Near this spot Capt. James Cook met his death February 14, 1779.”

The original marker, placed in 1928, disappeared in 1956, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Another plaque, installed by the British Consulate in Hawaii, was damaged in an attempted theft in 1985. Private donations paid for a third marker which was put in place in 1990, but it was removed by state parks staff after it became dislodged in high surf, DLNR said.

Staff from DLNR’s West Hawaii Parks Division were assisted by Geoff Hand of Adventures in Paradise Boat Tours in transporting the new 260-pound plaque from the Keauhou boat ramp. The marker was bolted into an existing concrete block last week.

Police officer rescues man from fire

HONOKOWAI >> A Maui police officer rescued a 40-year-old man from an early morning fire Friday at the Sunset Terrace Apartments in Honokowai.

The fire was reported at 2:10 a.m. Firefighters from the Napili and Lahaina stations who arrived after the police officer quickly brought the blaze under control and treated the man until an ambulance arrived. He was reported to be in stable condition. A damage estimate was not available, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.