A 54-year-old woman was taken to Straub Clinic and Hospital in critical condition after she was pulled from waters at Hanauma Bay at about 10 a.m. yesterday.

Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Emergency Services Department, said the woman was found floating face-down. He said lifeguards brought the woman to shore and administered CPR.

"They were able to get a pulse and she was taken to Straub" for further treatment, Cheplic said.

SUSPECT IN 24 SEX ASSAULTS ARRESTED

Police arrested a Village Park man yesterday and said he is suspected of more than 20 counts of sexual assault.

The 38-year-old man was arrested at a Kauweke Place address at 4:05 p.m. yesterday, according to a police report. Police said they believe there are at least three victims — a 33-year-old woman and two girls, ages 10 and 5.

The man was being held last night at the main police station pending investigation. He was booked for investigation of 24 counts of sexual assault, including four counts of continuous sexual assault of a minor.

AIRPORT ADDS 2ND CELL PHONE AREA

Honolulu International Airport has added a second waiting area where people can park for free while they wait for a cell phone call from arriving passengers.

The state Department of Transportation said the 'ewa cell phone waiting area is on Service Road A near the Airport Post Office. The waiting area will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

The diamondhead waiting area has been open since last November. It is on Aolele Street between the Delta Airlines and United Airlines cargo areas.

LOCAL FIRM CHOSEN FOR SCHOFIELD WORK

A Wahiawa firm has been awarded a $2 million contract for building construction and renovation at Schofield Barracks.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District recently awarded the design-build contract for four separate projects totaling $2,309,678 to Niking Corporation. The company will renovate an existing building, and design and build three other facilities on Schofield Barracks' East Range.

The work includes the design and renovation of Building 6017; design and construction of a water blasting facility; design and construction of an allied trades facility; and design and construction of a compressed gas storage facility.

LINGLE SETS ASIDE LAND IN WAIAKEA

HILO, Hawai'i — Gov. Linda Lingle has signed executive orders setting aside two parcels of land in Waiakea in South Hilo to be developed by the county into affordable rental housing for the elderly and facilities for the fire department.

Big Island Mayor Harry Kim asked for the transfer so that 16 acres at Komohana and Mohouli streets can be developed into a 250-unit affordable rental housing project. The county plans to work with the nonprofit Hawai'i Island Community Development Corporation to develop the senior residences.

The second parcel, of about five acres, would be used for a new Hawai'i County Fire Department administration and support facility. Those functions are now divided between the Central Fire Station, which is in the tsunami inundation zone, and the county building. Another fire stations may also be built at the site later.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has approved setting aside the parcels for the county projects.

RESCUERS FIND STRANDED HIKER

Honolulu Fire Department rescue specialists yesterday brought out a stranded male hiker from Colorado on the Kuli'ou'ou Trail.

The hiker, who was stranded on a ledge, was not injured. It took the rescue specialists four hours to reach the man on foot Thursday night and they brought him out early yesterday morning.

Fire Capt. Earle Kealoha said the man began his hike at 12:15 p.m. and called for help at 3:40 p.m.

The department's helicopter could not bring the hiker out safely due to windy conditions and a larger Coast Guard helicopter ran into the same problem, Kealoha said. So a rescue crew went in on foot at 6:45 p.m.