Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, June 26, 1997

Military experts see no
reason for carrier in isles

WASHINGTON -- As Gov. Ben Cayetano labors to convince Pentagon and congressional leaders an aircraft carrier should be based in Hawaii, some military experts here are questioning the strategic wisdom of such a move.

"There's no particularly military reason that I could think of to do it, and it's a clear negative in terms of cost for value," said Daniel Goure, deputy director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies here.

"The issue is, how many bullets do you want the military to have less of in order to get jobs for Hawaii?"

Cayetano is in Washington leading a delegation of political and business leaders lobbying to have more ships stationed in Hawaii. At the head of his wish list is an aircraft carrier, which, with its crew of about 3,000 and support staff of almost the same size, is a prized economic plum.

The Navy is currently evaluating different locations as it decides where to place carriers. A decision is not due until next year.

Kauai youth crime
program wins honors

LIHUE -- A youth crime prevention program developed by Mayor Maryanne Kusaka's administration has been named one of the 15 most innovative programs in the country.

The U.S. Department of Justice selected Kauai's three-year project in part because it includes broad community collaboration in both assessing needs and creating programs, said Sharon Agnew, youth programs coordinator for Kauai County.

"The long-term goal is community mobilization," Agnew said. "It is a grass-roots solution to crime. It's proactive and includes consensus-building, partnerships, planning, working with the police and connecting with people in local communities."

The project is targeting truancy and areas of the island that have large populations and few youth services, such as the north shore, Kapaa, Wailua and Anahola. Many of the programs are geared to third- through fifth-grade students as part of an early prevention effort.

The county will be awarded $50,000 from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for the next phase of its program.

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Police/Fire


By Star-Bulletin staff

Collision near Punchbowl
injures mo-ped rider

A 29-year-old man remains in critical condition this morning after his mo-ped was hit by a van near Punchbowl yesterday.

Police said the man was hit shortly before 5 p.m. on Iolani Avenue.

Police said cars traveling in the westbound direction of Iolani Avenue, stopped about 60 feet from Pele Street for a Volkswagen van, traveling eastbound, to make a left turn.

Police said the mo-ped rider drove alongside the stopped cars and was hit as the van made the turn.

The moped rider was not wearing a helmet, police said.

The driver of the van is a 43-year-old Makiki man, police said.

Waipahu man arrested
on suspicion of robbery

Police arrested a 38-year-old Waipahu man for suspected armed robbery yesterday.

Police said shortly before 3 p.m. the man pushed his way through a line at 7-Eleven store on South King Street, near Puck's Alley.

The man demanded money as he put his hand in his backpack and told the clerk that he had a gun.

The clerk emptied the cash register giving the man $5 and $10 bills. Police said the man told the clerk he had enough, before the clerk had taken out the $1 bills.

The man then took off running. Police spotted and arrested him on the University of Hawaii's Lower Campus Road.

Police said they are seeking a search warrant to open the backpack and look for evidence of the gun and money.

Other Police/Fire headlines
in today’s Star-Bulletin:

• Big Isle man charged with threatening, assault
• Kona hotel guest beaten
• Officers will be honored

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.