Police union endorses Matsunaga's House bid
The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers board of directors has voted to endorse Matt Matsunaga for Congress in the 2nd Congressional District special election.The board cited Matsunaga's vote in the state Senate against creating an employer-union trust to replace the current health fund and his record as co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
In other special-election news, a debate on Hawaiian issues featuring Republican candidates for Congress Kimo Kaloi and Bob McDermott will air on 'Olelo tomorrow through Saturday. The forum, sponsored by the Committee for the Advancement of Native Hawaiians, will air tomorrow on Channel 53 at 8:30 p.m. and on Channel 54 at 8 and 11 a.m.; Friday on Channel 53 at noon, 6 and 10 p.m. and on Channel 54 at 7:30 a.m.; and on Saturday at 10 a.m. on Channel 53. Another debate, featuring Democratic congressional candidates Ed Case, Matt Matsunaga and Colleen Hanabusa talking about foreign policy issues, will air on Channel 55 at 8 p.m. tomorrow and Friday.
The special election to fill the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink's seat will be held on Saturday.
Nesting nene force Haleakala camp limits
KULA, Maui >> Haleakala National Park officials are temporarily restricting the number of visitors at the Paliku wilderness campsite because of several nearby nesting sites of endangered nene birds.Through March 31, wilderness camping at Paliku will be limited to a maximum of three groups of campers, not to exceed a total of 10 people, park spokeswoman Jennifer Talken-Spaulding said yesterday. Park officials usually allow up to 25 campers at Paliku.
Visitors are asked not to disturb natural feeding or nesting patterns. "If nene flap their wings, move from a resting position or have to walk around or away from you, you are too close," Talken-Spaulding said.
Park officials ask the public not to feed the nene and to report sightings of injured nene to them.
Organic farmers get funds for certification
Hawaii's organic farmers are getting up to $70,000 in federal funds to help them obtain or retain certification, Gov. Linda Lingle has announced.The money stems from a cooperative agreement between the state and the federal Agriculture Department's Agricultural Marketing Service, Lingle said Monday in a news release. Certification ensures that only farmers who use qualified organic production and handling operations can use the USDA organic seal on products.
Under the expanded program, eligible farmers will be reimbursed $500 or 75 percent, whichever is less, of the cost of their initial or renewed organic certification. The reimbursements are retroactive from Oct. 21, 2002, through Sept. 30, 2004.
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>> A quote by "Hawaiian Dick" writer B. Clay Moore that appeared on Page 18 of Sunday's Mauka-Makai was inadvertently not attributed. It came from an interview by Seth Jones that appeared on the Web site www.comixtreme.com. Corrections and clarifications
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
LEEWARD OAHU
Armed robbers tie up maintenance worker
Police are looking for two men who robbed a maintenance worker Monday at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, burglarized the center and left the worker bound to a chair.Police said the 44-year-old man was cleaning at about 2 a.m. when the two robbers approached him after firefighters put out a rubbish fire and left. The man told police one robber was armed with a silver revolver. The robbers forced the man to open the center. Police said one robber held the man captive while the other searched the center's office. They then searched the worker and took his money.
The robbers taped the man to a chair using duct tape and fled. The man was still taped to the chair when other employees showed up for work at the center later in the morning.
Both suspects are believed to be in their 40s, 5 feet 9 inches tall and between 140 and 150 pounds. One has short, wavy black-and-gray hair, dark eyes and a brown complexion. He was wearing a green tank top and long blue pants.
The other suspect has straight, neck-length blond hair. He was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt and green fatigue pants.
WAIKIKI
FBI agents arrest bank burglary suspect
Two Honolulu FBI agents have arrested a 37-year-old Illinois man in Waikiki for allegedly burglarizing a bank in Illinois.The FBI tracked down Gregory Gene Waters at a Waikiki hotel room Monday and arrested him on federal charges of bank burglary.
The Clinton Police Department, Dewitt County Sheriff's Department and the FBI began the investigation Saturday after John Warner Bank in Clinton, Ill., reported a bank burglary.
The Illinois investigation led to Waters' arrest, the FBI said.
