The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency will test siren installations today at Kawaikui Beach Park and Kapiolani Beach Park on Oahu.

The tests will be conducted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and will sound intermittently during that period to test for proper functioning.

The sirens were installed as part of HI-EMA’s ongoing siren repair and upgrade program. Other sirens will be updated, and new sirens installed, at various locations across the state over the coming months.

Residents with concerns about the sirens or their operations, or with reports of siren malfunctions, may contact the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management at 723-8960.

State gets $3.1M in funding to help families

Hawaii is receiving more than $3.1 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support families on Oahu and Maui, according to U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Approximately $1 million will be awarded to the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children to fund training for medical residents, while $2.1 million will go to Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. to support its Head Start program, which promotes school readiness for children from low-income families.

“This funding will go a long way in supporting Hawaii’s families,” said Schatz in a news release. “It will help ensure that doctors and dentists are prepared to care for women and children, and make sure that no matter how much money a family has, our children have the education foundation they need to succeed.”

Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children is being awarded the funds through the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Payment Program, which helps children’s hospitals maintain their graduate medical education programs. The Maui Economic Opportunity, a nonprofit founded in 1965, operates 13 Head Start centers serving more than 250 children on Maui and Molokai.

Aiea bowling tournament to aid homeless

Salem Media is sponsoring an inaugural “Strike Out Homelessness” benefit bowling tournament at Aiea Bowl on June 11, with proceeds to go to Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association-selected charities that serve the homeless. Sign-in begins at 4:30 p.m. and the bowling is from 5:30-8 p.m.

Cost is $1,000 for each six-member team. Registration information is available at: www.hawaiilodging.org.

The money received will be added to the more than $2.5 million raised earlier this month as part of the 40th annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk held on islands throughout the state.

Central Pacific picks new marketing firm

Central Pacific Bank has hired Honolulu-based Olomana Loomis ISC as its agency of record for marketing and advertising services. The contract includes strategy, messaging, creative services and media buying.

Alan Tang founded Olomana Marketing 22 years ago and in 2012 acquired the Loomis-ISC agency to form Olomana Loomis ISC.

Maui

Woman dies while snorkeling

A 67-year-old woman vacationing from Michigan died Wednesday at Hookipa Beach Park in Paia, Maui, after running into trouble while snorkeling.

At around 1 p.m. a lifeguard noticed a snorkeler having trouble getting back to the beach 150 yards from shore. The lifeguard swam out to assist the woman, but when he reached her the woman was unresponsive. The lifeguard pulled the woman to shore about 1:08 p.m. and began CPR. Paramedics and firefighters from Paia arrived to continue lifesaving measures, however, despite all efforts the woman could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim had been snorkeling with another woman at the beach, but was by herself when lifeguards noticed her. The woman was still actively swimming when the lifeguard entered the water to make his way out to her.

The woman had been using a traditional two-piece mask and snorkel.

The incident marks the 20th water related fatality in Maui County this year.

Hawaii island

Man in Pahoa crash identified

The man who died Monday in a single-vehicle crash in Pahoa has been identified as Kenneth “Key” Mepham Jr. of Kalapana.

Police said a 1998 Isuzu SUV operated by Mepham was traveling northeast on Kaimu Chain of Craters Road and onto Highway 130 when he lost control of the vehicle.

The SUV rolled over several times near the 21-mile marker in Kalapana. Police said Mepham was thrown from the SUV.

Medics transported him to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

This is the 11th traffic-related fatality in Hawaii County compared to 15 at the same time last year.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call officer Keith Nacis of the Hawaii Police Department at 961-2339 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.