Honolulu Star-Bulletin News /2005/05/05/

CHARITABLE INCARCERATION

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kuhio School Principal Evelyn Hao, surrounded by first-graders, took part in a Muscular Dystrophy Association Jailathon yesterday. Her students, teachers and friends raised $2,896.41 of "bail money" in the fund-raising effort.

Hawaii has front-row seat to meteor show

Hawaii residents have a good chance of seeing "a mild but beautiful shower of meteors" today and tomorrow before dawn, says Carolyn Kaichi, Bishop Museum Planetarium manager.

The shower of meteors, called the Eta Aquarids, occurs as Earth glides through a stream of space dust trailing Halley's Comet, she said.

It is most intense over the Southern Hemisphere, where observers might see one meteor every few minutes or so in the dark sky, she said.

The meteors emerge from a point in the Aquarius constellation that is close to the planet Mars, which is approaching Earth for a close encounter later this year, Kaichi said.

"Already, it's one of the brightest objects in the pre-dawn sky. So, if you wake up early in the days ahead to look for meteors, you can see Mars, too -- a nice bonus."

Aquarius rises after midnight in Hawaii, she said, and Mars rises about 2:30 a.m.

2 isle students named Presidential Scholars

High school seniors Kimberly Reinhold of Hilo and Christian Ling of Wailuku have been selected as Hawaii's Presidential Scholars for 2005.

Reinhold, who attends St. Joseph's High School, and Ling, of Maui High, will travel to Washington, D.C., on June 25 for a four-day program of events culminating with receipt of the Presidential Scholars Medallion in a ceremony sponsored by the White House.

In January, Reinhold won first place in the state Science and Engineering Fair for the fourth straight year. That same month, Ling's Maui High team won the state Science Bowl.

The award is given to one male and one female from each state, who may bring along a "most influential teacher" of their choosing.

Reinhold chose David DeCleene of Hilo, and Ling selected Edwin Ginoza of Kihei.

Mother Marianne Cope ascends near sainthood

Mother Marianne Cope will be beatified in a May 14 ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The Sisters of St. Francis and Archbishop James Moynihan of Syracuse, N.Y., received confirmation yesterday that the ceremony is on the Vatican schedule. About 50 Hawaii residents will attend the 5 p.m. ceremony and will join 250 pilgrims from Syracuse at a special audience with Pope Benedict XVI, according to an announcement from the Syracuse diocese.

Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, will preside at the ceremony raising the Franciscan nun, who served leprosy victims in Kalaupapa, to the second of three steps to sainthood.

Taking Notice

» The Hawaii State Bar Association has elected new officers and directors for 2005. Richard Turbin is president; Wayne D. Parsons, vice president/president elect; Margaret K. Masunaga, treasurer; and Jodi L. Kimura Yi, secretary.

The board of directors includes Alfred B. Castillo Jr., Steven J.T. Chow, Thomas E. Crowley III, P. Gregory Frey, John P. Gillmor, Geraldine N. Hasegawa, Hugh R. Jones, Corianne W. Lau, Howard K.K. Luke, Carol K. Muranaka, Steven B. Songstad, Trudy Burns Stone, Elizabeth A. Strance, Suzanne T. Terada, Lynne T. Toyofuku and Roxann C. Bulman.

» The Hawaii State Theatre Council's board of directors has named Deena Dray of Diamond Head Theatre its 2004-05 president; Dwight Martin of Manoa Valley Theatre, vice president; Andrew Meader of Hawaii Pacific University Theatre, secretary; and Francie von Tempsky of Maui Academy of Performing Arts, treasurer.

» Goodwill Industries of Hawaii has received $5,000 from the Cades Foundation to purchase and implement a Wide Area Network System for phone and network connections between the program's various locations on three islands.

Goodwill also was awarded $5,000 from the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association to purchase an automated Point of Sale system to support its donation and retail division.

» The Rev. Joel Hulu Mahoe Resource Center received $25,000 from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to fund its Napapahanaokalololo Project. The grant will educate some 200 native Hawaiians on information access and research at the Hawaii State Archives and Bureau of Conveyances.

"Taking Notice" also runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU

2 suspects are arrested in alleged rape at apartment

Police arrested two men who allegedly raped a 29-year-old woman Monday night.

The victim told police that between 9 and 11:30 p.m. Monday, she had gone to visit two male acquaintances, 24 and 36, at a downtown apartment on North King Street. While there, she said, she had a few drinks and then suddenly felt weak and unable to move.

Police said the suspects then sexually assaulted her. During the assault the victim regained some strength and fought off the suspects, police said. Police arrested each suspect for investigation of first-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree sex assault and kidnapping.

3 sought in robbery of woman at her home

Police were looking for three men who allegedly forced their way into a Honolulu home and robbed a 52-year-old woman.

The home invasion and robbery happened about 5 a.m. Monday. Police said the suspects, identified as being between 27 and 32 years old, forcibly entered the victim's house, threatened her and demanded property from her, then fled the scene.

Police are investigating the case as a burglary and robbery.

EAST OAHU

Help ID man who drew graffiti at Kahala Mall

Police want help identifying a man whose image was recorded by security cameras while writing graffiti on a wall at Kahala Mall last month.

About 1:30 p.m. April 6, the suspect was seen writing on a wall in the basement corridor and then leaving the area. The suspect allegedly wrote the word "RIOT" and the letter "e." He is described as 18 to 22 years old, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 175 pounds, with a medium build, blond hair and a fair complexion.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Felon flees after trial, caught 2 blocks away

Shortly after being sentenced in Circuit Court yesterday, a 48-year-old felon escaped from the state Judiciary Building in Hilo but was quickly recaptured just two blocks away.

About 10:05 a.m., William Kamoku walked out of the courthouse after being sentenced to 10 years in prison on eight felony counts, most of them drug offenses.

Kamoku was left unguarded when the judge left the chambers to complete paperwork on the case, Big Island police said.

He was arrested about two hours later near the Green Onion nightclub about two blocks away.

During his escape, nearby Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School was locked down. Kamoku is being held at Hawaii Community Correctional Center on a no-bail warrant for contempt of court. The escape case has been turned over to East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives.