Hawaii island

Former Volcanoes Park ranger is named head of civil defense

A former chief ranger at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been tapped as Hawaii County’s next civil defense administrator.

Talmadge Magno, 58, of Volcano will start Jan. 3, taking the reins of the emergency response agency from Mayor Harry Kim, who has acted as interim director since taking office Dec. 5.

Kim, who previously served 24 years as the civil defense chief, said Magno met all of his criteria.

“You’ve got to have the passion and the commitment,” Kim told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. “That’s what I require.”

Magno, who was raised in Mountain View, said he retired from the National Park Service in January 2015. He said he was looking forward to serving Hawaii island in a different role.

“I still wanted to be active, and I still wanted to contribute to the community” after retiring, Magno said.

Kim selected Magno from a list of 14 people who applied for the job when former chief Darryl Oliveira retired last year. Ed Teixeira was brought on as interim director in May. He retired at the start of the new administration.

“I know there’s some big shoes to fill,” Magno said.

He said he has known Kim for a long time; the mayor was his football coach during his youth.

Magno officially accepted the job Friday.

Maui

Big Beach is reopened after earlier closure due to shark

Big Beach reopened around 3 p.m. Monday after a shark sighting closed the beach earlier in the day.

At 12:30 p.m. authorities closed beaches between Black Sand Beach in Makena and Secret Beach, about 200 yards south of Big Beach, Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto said by telephone.

Earlier in the day four teenagers diving near the first entrance to Big Beach noticed a 6-foot shark following them and acting aggressively, Taomoto said. Lifeguards went to investigate and found the shark still in the area. They cleared everyone out of the water and closed the beach.

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Star-Advertiser staff