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Police ID bicyclist killed in crash
Maui police have identified the 62-year-old Lahaina man killed in a crash on June 6 as Bryan Harnden.
Harnden was riding an electric bike when he attempted to travel east across the Lahaina Bypass and Honoapiilani Highway intersection and was hit by a Toyota Tacoma traveling southbound, according to a preliminary investigation by police.
The Toyota driver, a 28-year-old Lahaina woman, immediately stopped and remained on the scene, police said.
Life-saving measures were performed on Harnden, but he died of his injuries at the scene.
Police said speed was not a factor in the crash and that the involvement of alcohol and drugs was still pending toxicology results as of Tuesday.
This was Maui County's sixth traffic fatality this year, compared to 11 at the same time last year.
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Light tower concerns close park facilities
Keopuolani Park facilities, including two softball fields, a soccer field and portions of walking paths and a parking lot, are being closed until further notice due to a structural assessment that determined some of the light towers used to illuminate the field facilities are unsafe, the Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation said Tuesday.
Ball Field 2, Ball Field 3, Soccer Field 5, a section of the Soccer Field 5 parking lot and sections of the lower walking path closed to the general public starting Tuesday. The department said it is seeking immediate solutions to the situation and hopes to reopen these areas for public access as soon as possible.
For more information, call the department at (808) 270-7980 or email Tara.Sabado@mauicounty.gov.
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Molokini snorkeler is medevaced
A 70-year-old woman snorkeling off Molokini Crater was medevaced by the U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday morning.
At about 10:51 a.m., Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a distress call regarding an injured passenger onboard the Ocean Odyssey during a snorkel tour, according to the Coast Guard.
The woman, who was found unresponsive while snorkeling, was quickly brought back onboard the vessel and regained consciousness. Station Maui immediately diverted one of its Response Boat-Medium crews and transferred the patient within a 15-minute timeframe, the Coast Guard said. The passenger was then handed over to local medical professionals at the Kihei Boat Ramp.
"The U.S. Coast Guard remains committed to safeguarding the maritime community and responding promptly to emergencies at sea," said Lt. Kristen Kam, the public affairs officer for Coast Guard District 14, which covers Hawaii and the Pacific. "We extend our gratitude to the maritime community and personnel onboard the Ocean Odyssey for their swift and effective actions during this incident."
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Public Works head to be on radio show
Jordan Molina, the director of the Maui County Department of Public Works, will appear on the county's weekly radio show at 7 a.m. Thursday.
Molina will discuss East Maui cliffside rock scaling at Alelele Point, how residents can use the county's SeeClickFix program and other Public Works Department highlights.
The radio program features Mayor Richard Bissen once a month and other local leaders on the remaining weeks. To listen, tune in to KAOI AM 1110, 96.7 FM, 98.7 FM or KAOI110.com.
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Meeting to be held on mosquito plan
Farmers Voice Hawai'i will host an informational meeting in Hana on Thursday to discuss concerns over the state's plans to introduce incompatible mosquitoes on Maui to combat the spread of avian malaria.
The meeting will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Wananalua Congregational Church Mother Alice Hall. The two key speakers will be tropical disease expert Dr. Lorrin Pang, a state health official who will be speaking as a private citizen, and Tina Lia, founder of the nonprofit organization Hawai'i Unites, according to a news release.
State officials and partner agencies have previously announced plans to release male mosquitoes with incompatible strains of a bacteria known as Wolbachia in order to curb the population of mosquitoes that are spreading avian malaria to endangered forest birds.
The state Board of Land and Natural Resources recently approved a final environmental assessment for the project, but Farmers Voice Hawai'i raised concerns that a more extensive environmental impact statement was not conducted. Hawai'i Unites is challenging the decision in court.
The public is invited to ask questions at the meeting. Questions also can be sent to info@farmersvoicehawaii.com.