Beaches reopen after shark bite
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — Beaches off Kaanapali Beach on Maui have been reopened following a shark attack earlier this week.
Officials reopened beaches between Black Rock and Honokowai Beach Park at noon on Wednesday after no more sharks were sighted.
Lifeguards closed the beaches Tuesday after a shark bit a 58-year-old California man who was sitting on a surfboard about 100 yards off the beach fronting the Maui Kai condominium resort. The visitor from Marina Del Rey suffered two deep lacerations to his right thigh. It is believed the shark was a reef shark.
Man sentenced in sex assault
LIHUE, Kauai (AP) — A 52-year-old man has been sentenced on Kauai for sexually assaulting a minor.
Jonathan Espejo Reyes was sentenced Wednesday to two concurrent five-year prison terms as part of a plea deal.
Reyes was arraigned on Aug. 13, 2012. The original charges included two counts of sexual assault against a minor, 15 counts of first-degree sexual assault, and four counts of attempted first-degree sexual assault.
Prosecutors say the sexual assaults occurred in 2002. Reyes pleaded no contest on Jan. 2 to two counts of amended third-degree sexual assault.
WWII veterans will be honored
HONOLULU (AP) — Veterans Affairs officials say the consul general of the Phillipines plans to host a Day of Valor ceremony to honor World War II veterans.
The ceremony on Tuesday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific will honor Filipino and American soldiers.
Officials say the ceremony hosted by Julius Torres will mark the date when U.S. and Filipino soldiers were forced on the Bataan Death March. Nearly 10,000 people died during the 66-mile march.
Navy relieves 4 in ship accident
PEARL HARBOR, Oahu (AP) — Four officers of a U.S. Navy minesweeper that ran aground on a coral reef in the Philippines are being relieved of their duties.
The U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a statement Wednesday that initial findings indicate all four sailors failed to adhere to standard navigation procedures at the time of the Jan. 17 grounding of the Guardian.
The sailors are the commanding officer, the executive officer and navigator, the assistant navigator and the officer of the deck. They’ve been reassigned.
Workers recently finished dismantling and removing the minesweeper from Tubbataha National Marine Park.
The park’s superintendent has said the grounding damaged about 4,000 square meters, or nearly 5,000 square yards, of reef. The U.S. could face a fine of more than $2 million for the damage.
