HONOLULU — State officials are trying to identify the species of a live bat a man was playing with at the Honolulu airport.
Live bat found
at Honolulu International Airport
HONOLULU — State officials are trying to identify the species of a live bat a man was playing with at the Honolulu airport.
Airport security saw a man tossing the bat into the air near a baggage claim at the interisland terminal on Monday. The bat was later turned over to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture but it died overnight.
It’s not known where the bat came from or how it got to the airport. Agriculture spokeswoman Janelle Saneishi says the man claims to have found it on the ground.
Authorities don’t believe the brown mammal was a Hawaiian hoary bat.
Department of Health tests were negative for the rabies virus. Hawaii is the only state and one of the few places in the world that is rabies free.
21K Hawaii students could lose school
bus service
HONOLULU — Under a proposal before the Hawaii Board of Education, 21,000 students would lose school bus service because of an expected $20 million deficit.
The plan calls for ranking routes based on community needs, with the first cuts being Oahu secondary schools outside of Waianae. The Big Island’s Kau-Pahoa area and Oahu’s Waianae would be given highest priority.
The board’s Finance and Infrastructure Committee deferred decision-making on changes until the end of the legislative session, when education officials know for certain what the student transportation shortfall will be.
Assistant Superintendent for Facilities and Support Services Randy Moore said the department is looking at savings measures including charging low-income students who currently ride for free.
Hawaii average
gas price reaches record high
HONOLULU — The average price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Hawaii has reached a record statewide high.
According to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report, Wednesday’s record-breaking average price in the Aloha State is $4.598. That’s about 5 cents higher than a week ago, about 22 cents higher than a month ago and about 28 cents higher than a year ago.
Hawaii continues to have the highest average price in the nation, followed by Alaska at $4.365 and California at $4.296.
On Saturday, Hilo’s average price reached a record high at $4.758.
Medical condition suspected in
Honolulu bus crash
HONOLULU — The president of the city bus company said a medical condition is suspected of causing a driver to plow into a stone wall surrounding a historic Honolulu church.
Oahu Transit Services President Roger Morton said it’s not known what kind of medical condition the 44-year-old driver was suffering from. The bus ran through a busy downtown intersection and crashed into the 170-year-old wall at Kawaiahao Church on Monday. There were no passengers on board but the bus narrowly missed choral singers headed to a concert.
Morton said the driver has leg injuries and knee pain. He remains hospitalized.
Morton said it is the first such accident he can recall in more than 30 years.
A section of the wall remains crumbled Wednesday.
National Guard, Hawaii Legislature honors Akaka
HONOLULU — The Hawaii Legislature has honored U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka for earning the National Guard Association of the United States’ highest recognition.
The state House presented Akaka with the 2011 Harry S. Truman Award on Tuesday. The award recognizes Akaka for his work to increase benefits, full-time manning and body armor for the National Guard. Akaka also rewrote the G.I. Bill to include more National Guard members after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Akaka, a longstanding member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs committees, was named the 2011 Truman recipient in Washington, D.C., last November.
Akaka will be retiring from the Senate when his term ends this year.
Charter commission discusses Kauai
chief authority
LIHUE, Kauai — The Kauai County Charter Review Commission has yet to take action on the controversy over whether the mayor has the authority to suspend the police chief.
Monday’s hearing focused on the mayor’s decision in February to put the police chief on leave while the county investigated an employee complaint.
Police Commissioner Charles Iona said the chief’s contract states he must report to the commission regarding administrative matters and must communicate with the mayor and county council on issues involving safety or health.
First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jake Deleplane said the mayor overstepped his authority in removing Chief Darryl Perry.
Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. did not attend the meeting. He continues to maintain he has the authority to place Perry on leave.
By wire sources