Isle airports increase security measures
Hawaii's airports are tightening security measures after the federal terrorism alert level was raised to "high" earlier this week.The changes, according to the federal Transportation Security Administration, include:
>> Random inspections of vehicles in and around the airport are being increased. If possible, travelers should be dropped off or picked up.
>> The number of law enforcement officers will be increased throughout the airport.
>> Travelers should allow extra time to make flights. Contact airlines to find out how early to arrive at the airport before a flight.
>> Air carriers are reviewing and ensuring the validity of all personnel IDs for those who have access to the secure area.
A list of travel tips are available at www.tsa.dot.gov.
Help is available for college financial aid
Students who want to get a jump-start on financial aid for college are invited to tomorrow's "College Goal Sunday," which offers free help in navigating the necessary paperwork.Two sessions will be held concurrently at 1 p.m. tomorrow, one at Kapolei Middle School cafeteria and the other at McKinley High School cafeteria.
Counselors will offer help in completing the federal application form that is required by most universities, colleges and technical schools in the country. Students and families should bring their 2002 IRS 1040 Tax Return, which does not need to be complete, their W-2 Form, or other income and benefits information.
College Goal Sunday is sponsored by the Pacific Financial Aid Association, Hawaii Community Foundation, University of Hawaii and others. Contact Lorraine Teniya at 593-2262 or Frank Green at 591-2708.
Deadline nearing for school transfers
Public school students should apply now for geographic exceptions to attend schools other than their home schools next school year, the state Department of Education said yesterday.Students at Title I schools that are under "status" can apply to transfer next school year to a higher-performing school on the same island, the DOE said.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, schools that are under "status" have failed to achieve adequate yearly progress for two or more consecutive years.
Transfer application forms are available at any public school. The application deadline is March 3.
Due to a lack of space, certain schools are accepting applications on a waiting-list basis only, the department said.
Child health care to be discussed
"Every Child Deserves a Medical Home" is the theme for a meeting of physicians, families and health professionals next Saturday that hopes to develop a comprehensive strategy to care for special-needs children.The Shriners Hospital for Children will host the meeting from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in its meeting rooms. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. in the front courtyard.
Hamilton McCubbin, CEO of Kamehameha Schools, will give a luncheon address.
The purpose of the meeting, a joint effort of the Shriners Hospital and Hawaii chapter of the American Academy Pediatrics, is to ensure that every child with special needs has access to a "medical home." That is defined as "a place where health care services are accessible, family-centered, continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate and culturally effective."
Discussions will include strategies and resources for pediatricians, family physicians and other health professionals and families to provide care for special-needs children.
Educators, managed-care professionals, policy-makers and others concerned about care for these children are invited, as well as pediatricians and staff and families.
Registration fees will be $50 for Oahu physicians, nurses, educators and other health professionals; and $25 for neighbor island physicians and allied health professionals. Admission is free for families, students, and caregivers of children with special needs.
For more information, go to www.medicalhomeinfo.org; call Amy Brin, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 800- 433-9016, ext. 7081; or e-mail mhtraining@aap.org.
ACLU briefing will focus on dangers to freedom
The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii is holding a briefing on the nation's war on terrorism and its impact on civil liberties.ACLU Legal Director Steven Shapiro will be the keynote speaker at the event on Wednesday.
The briefing is part of the ACLU's annual membership meeting and is open to the public.
"Raising concerns about abuses of civil liberties has resulted in an unprecedented surge in ACLU membership nationwide. We think this is a direct result of passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, which greatly expanded government surveillance powers and other government actions," said Executive Director Vanessa Chong. "The surge indicates that there are growing numbers of the American public that are concerned about the negative effects of the war on terrorism on core civil liberties and basic American values."
The event will be held at Neal Blaisdell Center from 5 to 7 p.m. Reservations are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Refreshments will be served, and there will be a no-host bar.
Reservations are available for people with low incomes.
To make a reservation, call the ACLU office at 522-5900 or e-mail office@acluhawaii.org.
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
Grants
>> The Hawaiian Humane Society has received grants from the following:Ellen M. Koenig Memorial Fund, of the Hawaii Community Foundation, $20,000 for the 2003 Love-a-Cat Month (June) media campaign.
McInerny Foundation, $13,500, for a media campaign promoting adoptions during Love-a-Dog Month (October).
Okumura Family Fund, of the Hawaii Community Foundation, $10,000, for an education video.
Elinor Patterson Baker Trust, $5,000, for the shelter animal behavior program.
Patterson Family Foundation, $3,600, to maintain and promote McInerny Dog Park and other off-leash dog park projects.
Bernice Barbour Foundation, $3,000, for pet spay/neuter surgery supplies.
G.N. Wilcox Trust, $3,500, for classroom renovations.
James & Patricia Schuler Foundation, $2,500, an unrestricted grant.
Hawaii Hotel Association's Visitor Industry Charity Walk, $2,000, for the pet visitation program.
Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, $1,000, for spay/neuter surgeries.
Promotions
>> The state Board of Education has approved two former principals to Department of Education positions: Claudia Chun as assistant superintendent of the Office of Human Resources and Mamo Carreira as supervisor of the Campbell/Kapolei and Waianae complexes.
Officers
>> The Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii recently elected these officers for 2003:Dr. Jeff Okamoto, president; Charlene Young, president-elect; Fay Nakamoto, vice president; Susan Webber, secretary; Evaon Wong-Kim, treasurer; and Angela Doi, David Ellis, Dr. Sylvia Pager and Melissa Lewis, board members.
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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. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
HONOLULU
Police seek suspects in Diamond Head theft Honolulu police are looking for two male suspects who beat two other men with a baseball bat and robbed them early yesterday morning at Diamond Head Lookout.The victims told police they were at the lookout at 1:45 a.m. when the suspects pulled up in a car. They said the suspect in the passenger seat exited and hit one of them in the head with a baseball bat.
Police said the suspect then went after the other victim, demanded money and struck him several times. Both suspects then got into a 1980s model Toyota and fled the scene.
Two forgery suspects have charges pending
Honolulu police said charges are pending for two suspects in separate forgery cases.The first suspect, a 58-year-old male, allegedly stole a check out of a mailbox at 4211 Waialae Ave. on Oct. 2 and used it to pay for a $3,000 business loan. The second suspect, a 44-year-old male, allegedly stole a $1,140 rent check from his landlord's mailbox on Liliha Street on Dec. 6 and cashed it.
Police said the second suspect also opened up a credit card account in the name of the victim, signed on as a secondary cardholder, then purchased a stereo at Comp USA.
Both men were arrested for second-degree forgery.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Hilo man wanted in sex assault case
Big Island police are looking for a 61-year-old man wanted in connection with a juvenile sexual assault case.
Police identified him as Sione Vaka, of Hilo. Vaka is described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 210 pounds, with brown eyes and salt-and-pepper-colored wavy hair. Police also said Vaka is a diabetic, requires medication and may have fled to Oahu.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call Detective Glenn Uehana, of the Hilo Juvenile Aid Section's Sex Crimes Unit, at 961-8839 or the police nonemergency number at 935-3311.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
HPD officer accused of stealing from felon
A Honolulu police officer indicted Wednesday for second-degree theft is expected to be arraigned in Circuit Court on Thursday.Robert Fu, 44, with the Narcotics-Vice Division for the past four of his 10 years on the force, surrendered to police yesterday and was released after posting $1,000 bail.
Fu is accused of taking property belonging to convicted felon Robert Nix, valued at more than $300, on Aug. 9. That was the same day Nix and a female companion were arrested at a Waikiki hotel after police discovered cocaine, heroin and smoking pipes in the room they were occupying. Police were sent to the hotel to investigate a complaint of people taking drugs in a room with an infant, according to court records.
Nix was subsequently charged with seven counts, including third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, unlawful use of drug paraphernalia and fourth-degree promotion of a harmful drug.
Tim Rakieten, the public defender who represents Nix on the drug charges, said he has filed a motion to compel the prosecutor's office to turn over the complaint history of the police officers involved in the Aug. 9 investigation. At a hearing Thursday, Rakieten learned Fu was one of the officers whose name had not been disclosed earlier.
Rakieten said he filed the motion after Nix filed a complaint with Honolulu Police Internal Affairs about his money, which did not turn up as evidence seized during his arrest.
Suit filed to let Kahala lessees buy land
The city filed condemnation proceedings in Circuit Court yesterday to enable lessees at the Kahala Beach apartments to purchase the land under their buildings.The action follows the vote by the City Council in December to approve mandatory lease-to-fee conversion for the Kahala Beach apartments as well as two other condominium projects. Mayor Jeremy Harris allowed the conversion of the three condominium projects to proceed without his signature.
Kamehameha Schools, which owns the leased fee interest in the land under the Kahala Beach apartments, had opposed the proposed conversion and called the condemnation "illegal and invalid."
The trustees filed suit in December against the city and the Department of Community Services alleging that the City Council failed to consider the public purpose for the condemnation.
The trustees could not be reached for comment on yesterday's filing.
