WAILUKU -- A man who said he dispensed marijuana as a religious sacrament was sentenced to one year in prison today in Maui Circuit Court. Man gets year for
'religious' marijuanaRaymond Christl, 45, pastor of the Religion of Jesus Church, was also placed on 10 years probation by Judge Shackley Raffetto.
As part of the sentencing, the prosecution indicated it would not oppose allowing Christl to move to California during his probation.
Christl apologized for any problems he may have caused the court but continued to maintain his belief in the use of marijuana.
"I believe strongly in medical marijuana," he said.
Christl pleaded no contest to several charges, including first-
degree promotion of a dangerous drug and commercial promotion of marijuana.
He was indicted by a Maui grand jury after police raided his home in Paukukalo on Oct. 22, 1997, and seized more than 100 marijuana plants that were being grown in his house.
"Most of them were seedlings," said Deputy Prosecutor John Calma. Calma said he was pleased with the sentence.
Christl's attorney Michael Green described Christl and people associated with the same beliefs as "flower children" who feel they're doing no harm by using marijuana. "They can't ever conceive they're doing anything wrong," Green said.
Old naval vessels sunk to expand artificial reefs
Three landing craft donated by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard will be sunk this week to add to artificial reefs off Oahu.With favorable weather, the Navy plan is to tow the three landing craft to selected locations at Waianae and Maunalua Bay reefs and sink the craft at depths between 80 and 90 feet, a mile offshore within the designated artificial reef boundary.
Two landing craft utility vessels were to be sunk today if all goes as planned at the Waianae reef, the other tomorrow at Maunalua Bay reef.
"We appreciate the kokua of the U.S. Navy in contributing these vessels to our artificial reefs," said Michael Wilson, director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
"On the structures we have placed on the ocean floor, we now have coral growing, and reef fish thriving where before there was only a barren limestone hardbottom. Artificial reefs give us another opportunity to increase the sustainability of our marine species, such as weke, damselfish, kumu and menpachi. We're seeing increased populations of fish, which are a good sign that our efforts are succeeding to ensure fish for the future."
The landing craft, built in the 1950s, are no longer seaworthy. Each landing craft measures 115 feet long, 34 feet wide and 36 feet high.
Hearings set to discuss hiking-trail rules
Public hearings on hiking trails throughout the state begin at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Department of Land and Natural Resources Board Room, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 132.Proposed rules for the Na Ala Hele Hawaii Statewide Trail and Access Program will be discussed.
"The basic purpose of the trail rules is to preserve and perpetuate the sustainability of our trails," said Michael Wilson, director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
"We do this by protecting the integrity, condition, naturalness and beauty of the trails or accesses and surrounding areas," Wilson said.
Copies of the proposed draft administrative rules are available at Division of Forest and Wildlife offices on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island.
The other hearings, all at 7 p.m., will be at the following dates and locations:
Oct. 19, Lihue, State Office Building, 3060 Eiwa St., 2nd floor, Rooms A, B and C.
Free program for women on 'ice' to begin
Women in Hawaii who use crystal methamphetamine, or "ice," can receive free treatment at St. Francis Women's Addiction Treatment Center of Hawaii beginning next spring.The U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment recently awarded St. Francis Medical Center in Honolulu a $900,000 grant to duplicate California's Matrix Institute model for methamphetamine treatment.
The outpatient program, offered in two tracks of eight weeks or 16 weeks, will tentatively begin March 1.
The model uses skill-building techniques, psychological education and group counseling tailored to methamphetamine addicts, and after care and follow up. The model emphasizes the developmental stages of recovery, using current behavioral research on ice.
The three-year project also will provide research on treating chemically dependent women.
Women who qualify for the free ice treatment must be 18 years or older and an appropriate candidate for out-patient treatment.
For more information, call 547-6490.
Projects aim to celebrate Halloween alcohol-free
Hands Off Halloween, a community effort against alcohol advertisements that lure youngsters with popular images, will be one of the projects discussed at a conference Monday about the dangerous mix of alcohol and youngsters.Sessions on what the community, parents and youth are doing will be held during Ho'akamai, Alcohol and Young People: A Community Response, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the state Capitol auditorium. Several government agencies and private organizations are sponsoring the conference for parents, clergy, youth workers and government officials.
Linda Elliott of Parent Party Patrol, a Washington state organization that stress a "get tough" parent empowerment approach to teen-age drinking, will be one of the speakers.
Local programs to be discussed include "Hallelujah Night," a church-sponsored alternative to holiday drinking in Waianae, and the Youth in Action Program of the Department of Education.
Reservations, at $6 per person, may be made by calling Ray Gagner, 586-8156, or Ken Smith at 261-2232.
U.S. Senate approves Hawaii park expansion
A measure that would permit expansion of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been approved by the U.S. Senate.The bill introduced by Sen. Daniel Akaka establishes new boundaries for the park to allow the secretary of the Interior to use appropriated funds to buy a 1,951-acre parcel of private land south of the park.
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Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffMan accused of trying to run down another
Police are searching for a 35-year-old Kaneohe man accused of trying to run over a motorcyclist yesterday at Waiahole Beach Park.According to police reports, there had been friction between the two men because the motorcyclist is dating the suspect's former girlfriend.
The suspect yelled that he was going to kill motorcyclist just before driving a car toward the man at 3:15 a.m., police said. The motorcyclist jumped off his bike, avoiding injury, and the suspect rammed the motorcycle before driving away, police said.
Blaze damages Kaneohe home, occupants flee
Fire investigators this morning were trying to determine the cause of the blaze that damaged a Kaneohe home.The blaze started at the home at 45-107 Seabury Place at about 11:03 p.m., fire officials said. It was under control in about 10 minutes and was extinguished at 11:55 p.m.
A woman and a 17-year-old boy escaped from the home safely, police said. No injuries were reported.
Police officer bitten while arresting suspect
A police officer was bitten on his arm last night while arresting an assault suspect at Sunset Beach, police said.The 6:45 p.m. incident occurred at 59-680 Kamehameha Highway. A 35-year-old man was arrested for two cases of misdemeanor assault, the felony assault against the officer and resisting arrest.
City receives $996,934 law enforcement grant
Mayor Jeremy Harris announced yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice awarded a law enforcement block grant of $996,934 to the city.A public hearing on how to use the grant will take place at a time to be announced later this month.
This is the third year the grant has been awarded. The previous two years the city received allocations of $858,542 and $937,520.
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