Hawaii

HONOLULU — The Fourth of July is a week away, and the Honolulu Fire Department is increasing personnel in anticipation of a busy holiday weekend.

Fire officials are also asking for the public’s help in ensuring a safe holiday as fireworks go on sale this Sunday.

The fire department said it wants the community to enjoy the holiday by being safe and responsible.

Historically, the Fourth of July is one of the two busiest days of the year in Honolulu — the other being New Year’s Eve. (Read the full post about ‘HFD Prepares For Next Weekend’…)

SAN DIEGO — In California, four of five young men originally charged in the slaying of professional surfer Emery Kauanui have pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

The men had faced up to life in prison if convicted of murder in the beating death of the 24-year-old surfer from Kauai.

Kauanui was killed outside his mother’s home in an affluent San Diego area neighborhood after a fight at a bar last year.

Eric House, Orlando Osuna and Matthew Yanke pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor battery.

Henri Hendricks pleaded guilty to a felony of being an accessory to the death.

Remaining defendant Seth Cravens, alleged to be the ringleader, re-entered a not-guilty plea after his attorney rejected a plea offer from prosecutors. (Read the full post about ‘4 Plead Guilty To Lesser Charges In Hawaii Surfers Death’…)

HONOLULU — Mililani and Hawaii Kai residents have recycled 54 percent of their cans, bottles, newspapers and green waste during the city’s six-month curbside recycling pilot project.

Officials said they are happy with the results and are moving forward with plans to provide some 160,000 Oahu homes the curbside recycling service by May 2010.

In the new plan, the city will collect garbage and recyclables each once a week. (Read the full post about ‘Officials To Expand Oahu Curbside Recycling Program’…)

LIHUE, Hawaii — The Kauai County Council is expected to hold a special meeting after Mayor Bryan Baptiste’s memorial service on July 6 to appoint a new mayor.

The new mayor would be selected among the council members and serve until one is elected in November to serve out the final two years of Baptiste’s term.

Officials said although no date has been set, the special meeting could take place as early as the week of July 7.

Gary Heu will continue serving as acting mayor until the new mayor is sworn in.

Baptiste died Sunday after going into cardiac arrest.

HONOLULU — The Bishop Museum has cut 14 employees because of Hawaii’s challenging economic climate.

The 14 employees represent about 6 percent of the staff at the 119-year-old museum. Two top executives also resigned.

Timothy Johns, the museum’s president and CEO, said before reducing staff, the museum also implemented numerous other cost-cutting measures, including reduction in programs and hours of operation.

Bishop Museum is recognized around the world as the primary repository of Polynesian artifacts and the premier Hawaiian research institution.

LOS ANGELES — A lonely little robot made millions of friends during the weekend. (Read the full post about ‘‘WALL-E’ Tops ‘Wanted’ At Box Office’…)

Queen, Leona Lewis and Amy Winehouse were among the performers due to serenade Nelson Mandela at a concert Friday honoring the South African statesman’s 90th birthday.

Winehouse, whose participation was in doubt when she was hospitalized last week after fainting, performed a rendition of the Specials’ 1984 anthem “Free Nelson Mandela” for the Hyde Park show, hosted by Will Smith.

The event marks Mandela’s birthday July 18 and comes 20 years after a 70th birthday concert at Wembley Stadium that helped press South Africa’s apartheid authorities for his freedom.

Proceeds from the show — which organizers hoped would be attended by 46,664 people — will go to 46664, the AIDS charity named for the number Mandela wore in prison.

Mandela, a frequent visitor to London, has been in the city since Monday for a week of birthday events. (Read the full post about ‘Stars Gather For Nelson Mandela’s 90th B-Day’…)

Is Madonna planning a divorce from her husband, Guy Ritchie?

The Times of London reported Friday that the pop singer has met with the divorce lawyer who represented Paul McCartney in his divorce from Heather Mills.

The paper said that the lawyer, Fiona Shackleton, is known as the “Steel Magnolia” for her “tough, but pragmatic negotiation tactics.”

Shackleton also represented Prince Charles in his divorce from Lady Diana.

Madonna and Ritchie — who directed the crime comedies “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” — married in 2000 and have one child together.

The Times estimated Madonna’s fortune at $600 million.

Madonna’s representatives did not return the paper’s request for comment. (Read the full post about ‘Report: Madonna Meets With Divorce Attorney’…)

LANCASTER, Ohio — Authorities have arrested a southeast Ohio man accused of stalking and threatening teen actress-singers Aly and AJ.

Lancaster police said 42-year-old Rex Mettler is charged with felony menacing by stalking.

Police said that he made violent threats against 19-year-old Alyson Michalka and her 17-year-old sister, Amanda Michalka.

Aly starred in the former Disney Channel series “Phil of the Future.” Both appeared in the Disney Channel’s 2006 movie “Cow Belles.”

No attorney is listed for Mettler. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Fairfield County Municipal Court.

A message left with a Disney spokeswoman wasn’t immediately returned Thursday.

Aly and AJ are scheduled to perform Friday night at National City Pavilion in Cincinnati. (Read the full post about ‘Man Accused Of Stalking Disney’s Aly, AJ’…)

The celebrity gossip site TMZ.com said it is being sued for $20 million by Verne “Mini-Me” Troyer from the “Austin Powers” movies, after the site allegedly aired portions of a sex tape featuring Troyer and a former live-in girlfriend.

Troyer filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, claiming TMZ.com and TMZ TV show violated his privacy rights and infringed on his copyright and trademark by running portions of the tape, according to the site.

TMZ said that Troyer is also claiming that the site violated his right of privacy and misappropriated his name and likeness, and is seeking an injunction to stop further dissemination of the tape.

Troyer also named Kevin Blatt as a defendant in the suit, TMZ said. (Read the full post about ‘‘Mini-Me’ Sues TMZ Over Sex Tape Clip’…)