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INDEX
VOL. 47, NO. 223
18 PAGES
HISTORIC
FIRST DAY
AT HIBT
SPORTS, 1B
Strong vertical wind shear will
continue to weaken Hurricane
Hilda as the storm tracks toward
the Big Island.
“We are expecting Hilda to weak-
en to a low-end tropical storm as it
is just southeast of the Big Island
Thursday,” said Central Pacific
Hurricane Center Meteorologist
Chris Brenchley. “So, if it were to
impact the Big Island it may be
still a tropical storm or it could be
a tropical depression.”
Hilda weakened to a Category
1 storm and was packing 90
mph winds as of Monday eve-
ning, according to the Central
Pacific Hurricane Center in
Honolulu. Located about 415 miles
south-southeast of Kailua-Kona,
the storm was traveling toward the
west-northwest at 6 mph.
Hurricane-force winds extended
outward up to 25 miles from the
center of the storm while tropical
storm-force winds extend outward
up to 90 miles.
Slow, but steady weakening is
forecast during the coming 48
hours thanks to the wind shear,
as well as dry mid-level air, fore-
casters said. Hilda is expected to
be downgraded to a tropical storm
Tuesday and a tropical depression
by Friday.
Currently, forecast models are
providing differing tracks for the
storm, the center said Monday.
One model calls for Hilda to pass
south of the Big Island while the
other has the storm moving north
of the island before eventually
heading toward Kauai around the
end of the week.
“Each model has a little different
interpretation of where wind shear
will be strongest and where Hilda
will interact with that. Some are
saying it’s going to be stronger and
go farther north, some say it will
weaken fast and go south,” said
Brenchley. “Models are still very
diverging, and, so, probably what’s
best to focus on is the larger cone
that still encircles the entire state.”
A tropical storm watch could be
issued as early as Monday night or
Tuesday for the island, Brenchley
said. A tropical storm watch is
issued when tropical storm condi-
tions are possible within the spec-
ified coastal area within 48 hours.
Hawaii County Civil Defense
Kawaihae fire continues
up Kohala Mountains
“We’re making headway”
against a fire in Kawaihae,
said fire Capt. Paul Austria on
Monday.
The fire remains in a similar
situation as on Sunday, con-
tinuing to burn mauka on the
Kohala Mountains.
Firefighters are focusing on
the northeast and southeast
corners of the fire, Austria
said, as they are the most
active areas of the fire. He said
they were helped by the fact
the wind did not drive the fire
uphill.
The area north of the Akuni
Pule Highway is inaccessible,
said Austria, limiting firefight-
ing in the region to water drops
from helicopters. Two coun-
ty helicopters and one private
machine worked together to
make sure there was a drop
every one to two minutes.
During the day crews limited
its direction and helicopters
continued dropping water.
At nightfall, firefighters left a
night watch to monitor the
blaze and prevent breakouts.
There have been some
flareups near the Mauna
Kea Beach Resort area and
Kawaihae Village, but all have
been controlled, firefighters
said.
All roads are open and there
are no active evacuation orders
as of press time.
One of the supporting agen-
cies has been the Division of
Forestry and Wildlife, which
sent 22 firefighters, four
engines, three water tanks and
BY GRAHAM MILLDRUM
WEST HAWAII TODAY
Unidentified corpse found in Capt. Cook
A man’s body was found in a
coffee field on Keopuka Mauka
Road in Captain Cook and
police are investigating.
Patrol officers were dis-
patched to the scene at 7:22
a.m. Sunday after a call from
a woman walking her dogs.
One left the roadway and went
to where the body was lying,
police said. The area is current
and active coffee fields, along
with several homes.
The body had suspicious
head injuries and was trans-
ported to Kona Community
Hospital. The man was offi-
cially declared dead at 3:50
p.m.
Investigators believe foul
play was involved. An autopsy
was ordered to determine the
exact cause of death. Officers
are attempting to use finger-
prints to identify the man, who
was in his mid-to-late 60s,
was 5 feet, 4 inches tall and
weighed 160 pounds. He had
brown eyes and graying black
hair and was wearing black
pants and a gray T-shirt.
Police asked that anyone
who knows his identity or has
any information to call the
department’s nonemergency
line at 935-3311.
Those who want to be anon-
ymous may call the islandwide
Crime Stoppers number at
961-8300 and may be eligible
for a reward of up to $1,000.
Crime Stoppers doesn’t record
calls or subscribe to caller ID.
All Crime Stoppers informa-
tion is kept confidential.
BY GRAHAM MILLDRUM
WEST HAWAII TODAY
Hurricane
Hilda
weakening
BY CHELSEA JENSEN
WEST HAWAII TODAY
Oneo Lane connector moving forward
Hawaii County is mulling
two possible routes for the
first phase of the Nani Kailua
road extension, a makai-mau-
ka connector road between
Alii Drive and Hualalai Road.
In a draft environmental
assessment and finding of
no significant environmental
impact published Monday,
planners envision a two-lane
roadway with a center turn
lane, bike lanes and sidewalks.
The first phase, a 600-foot
makai section known as Oneo
Lane, will be constructed
between Kuakini Highway
and Alii Drive. This phase, at
an estimated cost of $4.5 mil-
lion, should be able to go out
for bid late next year and begin
construction in early 2017,
said Ben Ishii, Engineering
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
A view of the burned land around the main heiau at Puukohola Heiau National Historic
Site. The National Park Service said the building suffered no apparent damage.
NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE PHOTO
SEE
HILDA
PAGE 8A
Alternatives being considered for Oneo Lane.
SEE
ROAD
PAGE 5A
SEE
FIRE
PAGE 8A
