State roundup for October 16

Absentee voter ballots are sent

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii has begun sending out absentee voting ballots for the Nov. 6 general election.

The ballots began going out Monday.

Voters are being encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure a ballot is delivered before the Oct. 30 deadline. Those wishing to submit an application for an absentee mail ballot should visit www.honoluluelections.us to download the form. Applications must be received by the city clerk by 4:30 p.m.

Absentee walk-in voting begins on October 23 and runs through November 3.

Nail salon fire
spurs evacuation

HONOLULU (AP) — A farmer’s market at Manoa Marketplace and a building were evacuated after a fire began in the lunch area of a nail salon.

The fire began Sunday morning. Fire Capt. Terry Seelig says nail salon employees were using a gas stove near bottles of acetone, which generated a huge fireball.

It took officials more than two hours to control the fire. Seelig says a female employee suffered minor, non-life threatening burns and was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment.

Damage to the nail salon was estimated at $500,000.

Body found near Yokohama Bay

HONOLULU (AP) — The body of a free diver has been recovered near Yokohama Bay.

Fire officials recovered the body Sunday from an underwater cave in the Yokohama Bay area in Waianae. The man has not been identified.

The family told authorities the man did free-diving in the area. A fire rescue diver found the body about 20 feet below the surface in a cave. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.