By local and wire sources
Palani Road closure still in effect
The mauka-bound lanes of Palani Road from Queen Kaahumanu Highway to Henry Street will remain closed this week.
Because of the closure, motorists cannot make a right or left turn from Queen Kaahumanu Highway to travel up Palani Road, according to the Hawaii County Department of Public Works. The closure will remain in effect through March 23.
Motorists looking to head mauka on Palani Road must use Henry Street, according to the department. There are also no left turns permitted from Henry Street onto Palani Road.
Lane closures ahead
Alternating lane closures in both directions are planned this week on Mamalahoa Highway between mile markers 27 and 31, in the vicinity of Makalei, for guardrail installation and pavement striping work, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Crews will be working from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted. Road work is weather permitting.
Waipahu woman dies after being hit by car
WAIPAHU, Oahu — A woman who died after getting hit by a car as she crossed a street has been identified as a 73-year-old Waipahu woman.
Guillerma Babilla died in a hospital after she was hit by the car around 5:30 a.m. Friday.
Police say she was not in a marked crosswalk when she was hit.
The Star Advertiser says Babilla is the fourth pedestrian killed on Oahu roads so far this year. All four pedestrians were over the age of 65.
Sub plan expected to boost Hawaii’s economy
HONOLULU — A plan by the U.S. Navy to base more submarines at Pearl Harbor is expected to bring a boost to Hawaii’s economy.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye’s office says that over the next two years, up to five submarines will be added to Hawaii’s 19-boat fleet.
About 90 percent of the work done at the Navy’s shipyard is on submarines. With a total of about 4,900 employees and an economic impact of $907 million a year, officials say each additional submarine will pump millions of dollars into the local economy in salaries, spending and repair work.
“Submarine work is good work. It’s the kind of jobs you want — well-paid, highly technical jobs,” said Robert Lillis, president of the International Association of Machinists Local 1998, which represents mechanics in Hawaii’s private ship repair industry.
Among the additions planned are two more Virginia-class attack submarines, one in fiscal year 2013 and another in 2014, Inouye’s office said.
The additional submarines will expand what is already the greatest concentration of Navy submarines in the Pacific. The Navy said no submarine retirements are planned out of Pearl Harbor over the next two fiscal years.
The planned increase in the number of submarines comes as the Navy also plans to reduce Pearl Harbor’s surface fleet to nine from 11 ships. But Inouye’s office says the additional submarines will increase the total number of ships and subs based at the harbor.
By local and wire sources