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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff
and wire service
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New commission to honor Mink
Gov. Linda Lingle signed into law yesterday a bill that creates a temporary commission to recognize and honor the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink. Senate Bill 3111, SD1, HD1, CD1, said Mink "made a tremendous impact on the people of Hawaii and the nation through her illustrious career as an outstanding public servant." Mink died in September 2002 of viral pneumonia. The 14 commission members will be responsible for receiving grants and donations for projects and report to the governor.
Maui woman to plead in medical fraud case
WAILUKU » A woman instrumental in getting mobile dental services for the poor on the Valley Isle is facing 36 counts of medical assistance fraud.
Wendie Schwab, 52, of Wailuku is tentatively scheduled to appear in Maui Circuit Court on May 25 for arraignment and plea, state Deputy Attorney General Gary Senaga said.
Schwab is accused of filing false claims between May 20, 2003, and August 2004, said Senaga, who works out of the state Medicaid fraud control unit. It was not known whether the charges relate to the mobile dental services.
A Maui grand jury indicted Schwab on May 1.
She was booked last week and released after posting bail.
HPU graduating class will be its largest ever
More than 750 students will receive their degrees at Hawaii Pacific University's graduation ceremonies at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Waikiki Shell.
It is the largest graduating class in HPU's history and includes 100 bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing, the largest ever for that program, the university said in a news release.
Campbell Estate trustee David Heenan will deliver the commencement speech. He will also receive the Fellow of the Pacific Award, in recognition of his contributions to the community and higher education.
Valedictory speakers are Stacy Trinh, representing the on-campus baccalaureate degree programs; Florian Rouch, representing the graduate degree programs; and Master Sgt. Jay Lewis, representing the military campus programs, who worked toward his degree at HPU online while deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sunday
TODAY
A life of children's books
Kailua artist and illustrator Martha Alexander devoted 40 years to publishing books that explored the mother-child bond and helped ease the pains, fears and jealousies of childhood. She died in January at age 85, but her stories will live on, as her books are re-released this spring.
To Mahmoud, from George
In "Honolulu Lite," Charles Memminger imagines what President Bush might have said if he'd answered the letter from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran.
BUSINESS
Catching the spirit
The state's tourism industry is looking for ways to allow visitors to learn about the Hawaiian culture and experience the aloha spirit.
Spying on the home front
Home-price voyeurism is reaching new heights as real-estate snoops use Web sites to check up on bosses and ex-wives.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
Police arrest suspect in alleged kidnapping
Police arrested a 51-year-old man who allegedly kidnapped a woman who worked at Pawaa Bar and tried to stop a good Samaritan who came to her rescue.
Police said the woman, 43, told them that the suspect, a regular at the bar near King and Keeaumoku streets, arrived at 10:49 p.m. Wednesday. She said that a short time later, she was tired and was going home.
The suspect walked outside with her and insisted that she go with him, police said. She refused, and he allegedly twisted her arm, picked her up and forced her into the front seat of his car, police said.
A witness tried to stop the man from driving away, but the suspect bumped the witness's leg with his car, police said. The witness was not injured, police said.
The woman then jumped out and ran. The witness opened another vehicle, put the woman inside and locked the doors. Police said the suspect ran up to the second vehicle and tried to open it. He eventually left.
Police found him after midnight at Club New 7 Kings at 1360 S. King St. and arrested him for investigation of kidnapping, fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle collision and attempted unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle.
Dead 23-year-old found in parking lot
The body of a 23-year-old man was found in a parked car at the Moanalua Shopping Center at 2:30 p.m. yesterday.
Honolulu police said the man was found unresponsive and unconscious.
The Navy, in a news release, said the man apparently died of natural causes.
Police and Navy security as well as emergency personnel were called to the scene.
Identification was withheld pending notification of relatives, the Navy said.
Honolulu police said there were no signs of foul play.
Police seek suspects in King Street robbery
Police are looking for two men who hid their faces with T-shirts and used a gun to rob a South King Street liquor store Wednesday night.
Police said the men entered the store at 8:55 p.m., showed a handgun and demanded money from a 67-year-old woman who owns the store. The victim complied and both suspects fled on foot, police said.
The suspects are both described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing about 200 pounds.
Auto theft suspect arrested after fleeing
A suspected auto thief allegedly ran off when stopped by police Wednesday in the Salt Lake area only to be caught later.
The officer stopped the suspect, a 23-year-old man, for a traffic violation at about 3 p.m. While the officer was making checks on the vehicle, the suspect got out of the car and ran away, police said.
The officer was later informed that the vehicle had been reported stolen. The officer was familiar with the suspect and later found him and arrested him for investigation of auto theft.
Man is arrested after alleged road rage
Police arrested a 25-year-old man after a road rage incident during which he allegedly pulled a knife on another man twice yesterday.
Police said the incident took place at 3:25 p.m. along Kona Street. Both the suspect and victim, 34, got out of their cars after the incident, and that is when the suspect pulled out a knife and threatened the victim, police said.
Police said before both men returned to their respective vehicles, the suspect threatened the victim a second time with the knife.
Police were called and arrested the suspect on two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening.
Salt Lake man, 35, charged with assault
Police charged a 35-year-old Salt Lake man with second-degree assault yesterday for allegedly injuring a man who fell into the bed of his truck.
Bail for Adrian Lucero was set at $15,000.
Police said a 41-year-old man tried to intervene in a "situation between his wife and an acquaintance of hers" on May 2.
Lucero, the acquaintance, allegedly reversed his truck into the man, hitting his knee, while on Salt Lake Boulevard, police said.
Lucero then allegedly tried to reverse toward the man a second time, but the husband then jumped onto the truck's rear bumper twice to avoid being hit, police said.
After driving forward, the husband was thrown into the truck bed and jumped out.
The husband received several fractured ribs and a bruised knee. Lucero surrendered to police Monday.
WINDWARD OAHU
Man faces charges in sex assault of girl
Police are seeking charges against a 50-year-old Kahuku man who allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl since 1998.
The man faces charges of third-degree sexual assault and continuous sexual assault of a minor.
Police said the man allegedly sexually assaulted the girl in his Kahuku home from 1998 to and including March 24 of this year.
The man allegedly has had sexual contact with the girl on three or more occasions, police said.
LEEWARD OAHU
20-year-old arrested in alleged kidnapping
Police arrested a 20-year-old man after he allegedly assaulted, threatened and kidnapped a woman Sunday.
The incident took place in Nanakuli at 12:20 a.m. in the suspect's vehicle, according to police.
The suspect and the victim, also 20, were arguing when the suspect allegedly pulled the victim's hair and slapped her face, injuring her jaw and forehead.
The suspect then allegedly held a pocketknife to her face and threatened to kill her. At that point the victim tried to get out of the vehicle, but the suspect restrained her by locking the doors and grabbing her wrist, police said.
The victim allegedly tried to get out of the car numerous times at different locations but could not. She did not report the case until yesterday morning. Police then arrested the suspect for investigation of kidnapping, first-degree terroristic threatening and abuse.
2 boys arrested in alleged robbery
Police arrested two teenage boys who were allegedly armed with a pellet gun when they tried to rob a man Tuesday.
The incident took place along Kamehameha Highway in Pearl City. The suspects, ages 17 and 18, allegedly approached the victim, 22, pointed the handgun at his face and demanded money.
The victim instead confronted the suspects, and they fled on foot, police said. Police found the boys and arrested them for investigation of first-degree robbery.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Keaau man could face federal charges
Big Island police charged a man in connection with several attacks on tourists and said he might face federal charges as well.
Police said Brandon Tisalona, 23, of Keaau assaulted a 61-year-old woman from Washington in downtown Hilo Monday and demanded money. He was arrested after a short foot chase, police said.
Officers then learned that Tisalona had approached a California couple earlier, shoving the woman and challenging the man to a fight. A Hilo man said Tisalona had also challenged him to a fight, police said.
Police charged Tisalona with second-degree robbery and two counts of harassment. He was being held in lieu of $10,500 bail.
Big Island police said they would be consulting with the U.S. attorney for possible federal prosecution.
"Under certain circumstances, including cases like this whereby an individual is suspected of targeting a particular class of people such as tourists, suspects may be prosecuted under federal law for interfering with interstate commerce," police said in a release.
