Kalakaua medallion donated to palace
A jeweled medallion presented to King David Kalakaua by Czar Alexander III of Russia 113 years ago has returned to Iolani Palace.Abigail Kawananakoa donated the medallion to the Friends of Iolani Palace, which she heads as president. The medallion had been passed down to Kalakaua's heirs, ultimately reaching Kawananakoa.
Muriel Flanders also donated $100,000 to fund the creation of new galleries at the palace.
The medallion is embellished with diamonds and a 4-carat carbuncle, a stone very much like a ruby.
A man was charged with federal drug violations yesterday after security officers at the Prince Kuhio Building found him in possession of three ounces of crystal methamphetamine. Man caught at federal building with
three ounces of crystal methJoseph Toshio Yano also had an electric gram scale, numerous small plastic bags and $4,000 cash, which has been seized for forfeiture.
Charles Pang, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said in a criminal complaint filed in federal court that the quantity of drug "is more consistent with distribution" than personal use.
Meanwhile three people were indicted yesterday on federal charges of distributing crystal meth.
Martin Booth, Oscar Garcia and Jeffrey Desaulniers are accused of dealing up to one pound of "ice" on Jan. 13 and Feb. 4.
Architect failed to file general excise taxes
Kailua-Kona architect Hamlet C. Bennett pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of failing to file his annual general excise tax return for 1995, said state Tax Director Ray Kamikawa.Bennett was charged earlier in a complaint for failing to file the general excise return for H.C. Bennett & Associates, a sole proprietorship. This resulted in not reporting $235,080 in gross income, the state tax office said.
Bennett, fined $1,000 last week in Circuit Court, must pay the fine by Feb. 27.
He also received a deferred acceptance of no-contest plea.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffWorker allegedly swings machete at former boss
A Laie man was arrested for allegedly threatening his former boss yesterday with a machete, police said.The 39-year-old man had worked for his employer for one day, police said. The man said the employer, also 39, owed him money for that day.
The man arrived with a large machete at his employer's house in Laie at 5 p.m., police said.
He allegedly swung the machete at the former employer, who gave him $80. Police later arrested the man at his home.
Homeless man arrested in Food Bank burglary
Police arrested a homeless man for allegedly burglarizing the Food Bank yesterday.Police responded to an alarm at 8:43 p.m. at the Food Book, 2611 Kilihau St. Someone broke in through a window, police said.
Officers found the upstairs offices rifled through and a 36-year-old man behind a door. The man has no local address.
12-year-olds robbed 4 students, say police
Two 12-year-olds were arrested for allegedly robbing four fellow students at Kaimuki Intermediate School yesterday, police said.Since January the youngsters have threatened their four victims with bodily injury if they didn't give them money, police said.
The boys arrested were "larger, stronger and more aggressive" than the four students they had been robbing, police said.
The boys were released to their parents.
Visitor charged in rape of woman in hotel room
Todd Snaza of St. Paul, Minn., was charged with two counts of sexual assault yesterday for allegedly raping a woman at the Ala Moana Hotel earlier this week, police said.Snaza, 35, met the woman, also 35, at a restaurant, then convinced her to come to his hotel room where he allegedly raped her, police said. He is being held on $100,000 bail.
Elderly woman robbed in home by hooded man
HILO -- An 87-year-old woman woke up to find a burglar going through a chest of drawers in her bedroom at 10 p.m. last night, police said.The suspect was described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, of medium build, with a fair complexion.
He wore a black raincoat with a hood that partially covered his face. Anyone with any information on the case is asked to call police at (808) 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at (808) 961-8300.
In other news . . .
A Coast Guard helicopter yesterday pulled two men, ages 20 and 34, from rough surf at Tracks Beach at Kahe Point. The two men were not injured, the Coast Guard said.
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