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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Threat results in prison term
Former Honolulu police officer James Leslie Corn was sentenced to a year in prison for threatening a Waipahu tire shop owner two years ago.
Circuit Judge Steve Alm ordered that Corn serve his term after a federal sentence he is serving in a firearms and drug case.
But prosecutors and Corn's defense attorney believe he may not have to serve any additional time, given that he already served 440 days of pretrial detention.
A jury convicted Corn, 28, in June with the reduced charge of misdemeanor terroristic threatening.
Larry Woodward, owner of Larry's Discount Muffler Wheel and Tire, accused Corn of repeatedly threatening to harm him and to blow up or burn down his Waipahu tire shop after Corn complained of a defective tire. Woodward had refused to replace the tire at no cost because the damage was not covered under warranty.
Corn denied the repeated threats, contending he was guilty at most of "sticking finger" and swearing at Woodward. Corn is currently serving a 28-month federal sentence for being a drug user in possession of a firearm.
He had been a Honolulu police officer for 4 1/2-years when he was arrested in 2005 for accepting $1,000 to provide protection in a drug deal. He left the department in August 2006.
Value of school survey stressed
Parents of public school students are being reminded to complete a census survey so schools can qualify for federal money.
The annual survey, which students were scheduled to take home yesterday, can bring public schools more than $40 million in federal funds, according to the state Department of Education.
The returned surveys will determine Hawaii's share of federal support.
In the last school year, the state received nearly $46.7 million in federal impact aid, or an average of $1,587 per student.
$8M grant helps airport runways
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye announced yesterday the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the state $8 million to purchase an emergency generator for the Honolulu Airport for runway lighting.
The state already has a backup generator for the airport's runway lights, said Scott Ishikawa, state Department of Transportation spokesman. The new emergency generator will provide additional power for the runway, he said.
Not included in the federal grant is $2 million that the state is spending to test portable backup generators that can supply 60 percent of the electrical needs of the overseas terminal and all of the needs of the interisland terminal in case of a power outage, Ishikawa said.
The federal Transportation Department also gave the state a $602,595 grant to purchase a new 1,500-gallon aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle to replace the current one, which has outlived its service life.
Baggage storage service opens
Tourists who wanted to leave their luggage at Honolulu Airport during a layover or a neighbor island trip have been out of luck since Sept. 11, 2001, when security concerns shut down the baggage storage facility.
But starting this month, Honolulu Baggage Storage will pick up and store bags for a fee for visitors at the airport, Honolulu Harbor's cruise terminals and Waikiki hotels. The bags will be stored elsewhere and delivered as needed.
"We have had all these requests from people desperate for a place to leave their luggage," said Hector Euredjian, general manager of Honolulu Baggage Storage, a subsidiary of Discount Hotels Hawaii. "They would rent a room by the airport just to leave their luggage."
The service may be reached through the Travelers Information Center's courtesy phones in baggage claim areas, by calling (808) 447-9096 or visiting www.honolulubaggagestorage.com.
Students to get donated bags
A local company is donating 300 backpacks to Puuhale Elementary School students.
Heide & Cook Ltd., which does mechanical and air-conditioning work, will give students the backpacks filled with supplies during a school assembly tomorrow . Backpacks will go to all 290 students at Puuhale. In the 2005-2006 school year, 71 percent of Puuhale students were in the low-income bracket.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
Man accused of raping girl, 13
Police arrested a 43-year-old Manoa man who allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl.
The victim reported to police that she was raped about 2 a.m. Aug. 27. The suspect was arrested early yesterday on suspicion of first-degree sexual assault.
Police arrest man over ID cards
Police arrested a 40-year-old man who was found allegedly holding identification cards of four other people.
Police said that about 11 p.m. Monday, officers were sent to Kinau and Makiki streets to check on a possible car break-in. Police found the suspect sitting on a sidewalk and reaching into a backpack for a tool to repair a bicycle, police said.
Police then learned that there were three outstanding arrest warrants for the man. The suspect said he didn't own the bag, and when officers checked it, they found identification of four different people, police said.
The man was arrested on suspicion of four counts of unauthorized possession of personal information.
Liliha store owner averts robbery
Police arrested a 51-year-old man who allegedly tried to rob a Liliha store on Monday.
Police said that about 5:20 p.m., the suspect put merchandise from the store into a backpack. The suspect allegedly assaulted the store owner when he was confronted and tried to flee, but police said the store owner grabbed hold of the backpack.
After a short struggle, the suspect released the backpack and fled, police said.
Officers arrested the suspect nearby on College Walk and North Kukui Street on suspicion of second-degree robbery.
WAIKIKI
2 suspects sought in hotel robbery
Police were looking for a man who robbed two Japanese tourists at gunpoint in their Waikiki hotel room Sunday night.
Police said the man forced his way into the women's room as they were closing the door at the Hawaiiana Hotel, 260 Beach Walk.
Inside the room, he pointed a black pistol at the women, ages 20 and 24, and demanded their purses, police said. He tied their hands with a bathrobe belt and left the room, escaping with $600 in cash, credit cards and a digital camera about 10:50 p.m.
The women freed themselves and reported the incident to hotel security. Police said security reported witnessing a man fitting the suspect's description leave the hotel with another man, who might have been an accomplice.
The gunman is described as in his 50s to 60s, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 150 pounds, while the other man is in his 20s, 5 feet 4 inches tall and 120 pounds.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Big Island police ID crash fatality
Big Island police identified a 57-year-old Pahoa man killed Friday when his pickup truck hit a concrete pillar along Hawaii Belt Road north of Hilo on the Big Island.
Eldon G. Elder Jr. was driving south in the Papaikou area near Old Mamalahoa Highway about 7:50 p.m. when he ran off the right side of the road and hit the pillar that supports stairs for an old pedestrian overpass, police said.
He was taken to the Hilo Medical Center where he died at 8:46 p.m.
Elder was not wearing a seat belt, police said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call Officer Robert Pauole at 961-8119.