Woman dies after crashing motorcycle
KAUNAKAKAI - A 33-year-old Molokai woman died Saturday after she lost control of the Honda motorcycle she was riding while traveling on Kamehameha V Highway in Kaunakakai, police said Monday.
Cami Naehu of Kapaakea was transported to Molokai General Hospital's emergency room where she later died, police said. She was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Speed and alcohol are suspected to be factors in the crash, police said.
The incident occurred at 4:57 p.m. Saturday when Naehu was traveling east on Kamehameha V Highway on a yellow-and-black 2002 Honda CBR600F4i motorcycle. The motorcycle crossed left of center and traveled onto the westbound shoulder of the roadway. Once on the shoulder, Naehu traveled up a small berm and collided into a tree, causing her to be ejected from the motorcycle.
She was pronounced dead at the hospital at 7:14 p.m.
The area of the roadway where the accident occurred does not have guardrails.
This is Maui County's 15th fatality of the year compared to six at the same time last year.
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Owner IDs kayak after seeing it on TV
HONOLULU - The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday evening that it had located the owner of an unmanned kayak found adrift off Kihei near the Menehune Shores on Saturday.
The owner contacted the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu on Monday after seeing his kayak on television.
Someone had brought the vessel to Coast Guard Station Maui after the blue kayak was found Saturday afternoon.
The kayak had no identifying markings. The Coast Guard encourages mariners to label their watercraft with their name, address and phone number.
A way to label a watercraft is with a Paddle Smart weather-proof sticker.
For information, go to the websites boatsafe.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/operation-paddle-smart/ or cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=742089.
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Wailuku house fire's cause still unknown
WAILUKU - After an investigation, fire officials said Monday that the cause of a Wailuku house fire Saturday remains undetermined.
Fire gutted a vacant two-story residence on 2055 Pakahi St. on Saturday, causing an estimated $280,000 in damage to the structure and $30,000 to the contents.
The fire occurred at about 2:59 p.m. and was extinguished at 4:50 p.m.
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Crew airlifts a man from Bamboo Forest
The Fire Department's Air One chopper airlifted a Pennsylvania visitor to safety after he became trapped by rising stream flows in an area in Kailua known as Bamboo Forest on Monday afternoon.
The 31-year-old man from Franklin was assisted by fire rescue personnel, who responded to the call at 2:54 p.m. The area is also known as Commando Trail.
No medical treatment was required.
"He was just cold and very thankful of the rescue effort," fire officials said.
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Mom: Teacher took sexual photos of girl
WAILUKU (AP) - A Maui High School teacher is charged in Washington state with taking sexual pictures of a 4-year-old girl.
KITV reports that Whitman County officials say a hearing for Thomas Takeuchi is scheduled for August.
The 60-year-old social studies teacher and football referee was arrested at an Oregon airport in May. He is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor.
KITV reports that a woman in Pullman, Wash., told authorities she found sexual pictures of her 4-year-old daughter on her camera. Authorities say the girl told her mother that Takeuchi took the photos in October.
Hawaii Department of Education officials don't know why Takeuchi was away from the islands but say he wasn't on any school or education department business.
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Salvage operation for sailboat finished
LAHAINA - A salvage operation to remove a 35-foot sailboat from the reef outside the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor was completed Monday.
The Baidarka from Victoria, Canada, broke free from its mooring at the Lahaina Yacht Club either June 17 or 18 and came ashore on the reef fronting the boat harbor.
Parker Marine, a salvage company, was hired by the boat's owner, A.J. Hesford. The cost of removal will be covered by Progressive Insurance.
Department of Land and Natural Resources aquatic biologists will be surveying the grounding site to assess any possible damage to the reef.
