Man drives off cliff, into ocean ADVERTISING Man drives off cliff, into ocean HONOLULU (AP) — Maui authorities say the body of a 50-year-old Kihei man has been recovered from a vehicle that was submerged in the ocean. Donald Craig
Man drives off cliff, into ocean
HONOLULU (AP) — Maui authorities say the body of a 50-year-old Kihei man has been recovered from a vehicle that was submerged in the ocean.
Donald Craig Clary was pronounced dead at the scene Saturday morning off the scenic lookout of the Honoapiilani Highway.
Authorities say the vehicle went off the cliff and was submerged in about 10 feet of water.
Maui hospital, Kaiser in talks
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — Maui Memorial Medical Center is in talks with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii about a possible partnership.
The talks began this summer. The state-funded hospital has been in similar discussions with Hawaii Pacific Health since July.
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii President Mary Ann Barnes says the nonprofit health care system would keep Maui’s only acute care hospital open to the community and not limit its usage to Kaiser members.
The state Legislature must first pass a bill allowing such a public-private partnership before Maui Memorial may team up with either party.
Attempts to pass such legislation ended with bills mired in committee during the past two years.
Hawaii’s public hospitals are struggling as state funding shrinks even as salaries and other expenses rise.
Turtle hatching season peaking
WAILEA, Maui (AP) — Maui is “just entering the peak” of the turtle nesting/hatching season with 19 nests discovered across the island this year, said an official with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund.
“Nesting is over for the season, so we’re now at the middle of hatching season,” Hannah Bernard, president of Hawaii Wildlife Fund, said.
Of the nests that have been discovered, three female green sea turtles have been identified. One mother has laid four in Lahaina, another has laid six at Hookipa Beach Park and the final one has nested at least twice on a beach near Stable Road in Paia.
“The Lahaina female can lay as many as seven nests,” Bernard said last week of the prolific turtle mother known as Maui Girl. “She’s like supermom.”
Two hawksbill turtles have nested on Maui as well, with one laying four nests in Kihei and another laying three nests on the beach near the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge.
The nesting period, which is typically at night, can occur as early as May and end as late as November, Bernard said.
“We’re seeing the green sea turtles nesting on the main Hawaiian Islands more than in the past,” she said. “But it’s not a lot. We’re only talking about a handful of turtles.”
