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TSA: Hawaii agent mistaken on pump

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LIHUE, Kauai (AP) — An agent at a Hawaii airport was wrong to tell a nursing mother she couldn’t board a plane with her breast pump, the Transportation Security Administration said.

“We accept responsibility for the apparent misunderstanding and any inconvenience or embarrassment this incident may have caused her,” the TSA said in a statement. The agent at the Lihue airport on Kauai mistakenly told the mother she could only bring the pump onboard if it was “medically necessary,” the statement said.

Amy Strand, traveling with her 9-month-old daughter, Eva, on Wednesday, was allowed to board the plane home to Maui only after going to a bathroom to pump and then showing the agent the full bottles. She said the agent insisted that security rules required that the device could be brought onboard only if it contained milk.

“I had to stand in front of the mirrors and the sinks and pump my breast, in front of every tourist that walked into that bathroom,” Strand said, adding that the experience left her “embarrassed and humiliated.”

Sand to be hauled to Waikiki beach

HONOLULU (AP) — An ongoing project to widen an eroding section of Waikiki beach has hit a snag that will require blocking off parts of the world-famous beach for several hours a day.

State officials had planned to blow sand through a pipe along the beach but that method wasn’t effective. So state Department of Land and Natural Resources Chairman William Aila says a contractor will shift to a backup plan that entails using machines to haul the sand onto the beach.

The shoreline in the area is eroding one-to-two feet per year, allowing water to rush into seawalls and a hotel restaurant bar during south shore swells and peak high tide.

Beginning March 12, areas of the beach will be cordoned off between 7 a.m. and noon.

‘The Descendants’ author honored

HONOLULU (AP) — Days after returning from the Academy Award in Los Angeles, Kaui Hart Hemmings was recognized by the state Senate for the success of her novel “The Descendants.”

The George Clooney movie based on Hemmings’ novel won an Oscar for the Best Adapted Screenplay.

On Thursday, the Hawaii Senate gave Hemmings a certificate of recognition for her success.

Sen. Majority Leader Brickwood Galuteria said the Senate was very proud of Hemmings and the role she played in showcasing Hawaii and telling the story of life in the islands through the eyes of a ‘kamaaina.’

The film was shot in Honolulu and Kauai’s Hanalei Bay. Its soundtrack features Hawaiian music from Gabby Pahinui, Ray Kane, Keola Beamer and Lena Machado.