CENTER>Police arrest couple in
By Jaymes K. Song, Star-Bulletin
$1.2 million swindleA Diamond Head couple were arrested yesterday in connection with the theft of $1.2 million, police said.
A 65-year-old man from Nagoya, Japan, was introduced to the couple in September 1997 in hopes of establishing a business on Oahu, said police.
The couple -- a 46-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman -- persuaded the investor to buy an Aina Haina wedding chapel for $1.2 million, police said.
After a month of negotiating, the investor bought into the deal, police said.
According to a report by the Honolulu Police Department's white-collar crime detail, the investor returned here in July and "discovered the chapel was never purchased and found the $1.2 million was depleated." Through the investigation, police said they learned that the money was allegedly used for the couple's Kapahulu wedding business and their posh Diamond Head home.
The couple were booked on first-degree theft, money laundering, second-degree forgery and racketeering, police said.
They were released pending further investigation. More arrests are expected.
'Successful Aging' author to speak here
Robert L. Kahn, University of Michigan professor emeritus of psychology and public health and co-author of "Successful Aging," will speak at a conference at 9 a.m. Nov. 7 in the Ilikai Hotel.Kahn's book reports findings of a 10-year study of aging in America conducted by a team of research scientists.
He and co-author Dr. John Rowe, gerontologist at Johns Hopkins University, led the team that revolutionized research into aging and debunked many myths about growing older.
The conference, "A Journey to Successful Aging," is in honor of the International Year of Older Persons 1999.
Kahn's talk will be followed by a "Dialog on Creating Hawaii's Formula for Successful Aging," moderated by Jack Kellner.
Also, a special event from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Ilikai will have Kahn discussing "Leadership and Organizational Change -- Successful Organizations in the Next Millenium."
For more information, call 586-0100.
Habitat video may aid in saving bottomfish
Study of videotape of deep-sea bottomfish breeding grounds could help find ways for recovery of depleted stocks of the state bottomfish population, scientists and state officials say.Bottomfish nursery grounds were captured on tape recently in waters off Molokai and Oahu during a number of deep-water dives by a research submersible.
Biologists from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii and National Marine Fisheries Service last night unveiled videotape highlights, the first such footage ever taken of juvenile bottomfish nursery grounds in Hawaiian waters.
The research dives took place as part of scientific cruises in August and September, sponsored in part by the state Bottomfish Research Project.
"We are excited about the cooperative deep-sea, lab and hatchery research being done as part of the state's Bottomfish Project because it will directly apply cutting-edge technology to improvements in ocean resource management," said Michael Wilson, state DLNR director.
"We believe the research, combined with new rules already established this year to protect onaga and ehu, will help us restore bottomfish numbers in order to sustain these fisheries."
More than 200 hours of video was collected during 12 eight-hour dives. Onaga and ehu were seen in small, scattered numbers. Researchers said onaga and ehu were never abundant at any survey site.
Wife killer sentenced to mandatory 15 years
A 50-year-old man convicted of murder in the 1995 fatal shooting of his 21-year-old wife will have to serve at least 15 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.Circuit Judge Michael Town today sentenced James C. Kendrick as part of a mandatory term of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
A jury in August found Kendrick guilty of second-degree murder for killing Nika Hulejova on Nov. 4, 1995, at the Marco Polo Condominium the couple had just leased.
Deputy Prosecutor Randy Oyama today asked Town for the 15-year mandatory minimum because of Kendrick's deliberate actions and because a gun was used. Kendrick's lawyer, Myles Breiner, argued that Kendrick should have been convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about Nika," Kendrick said today. "I did not mean for it to happen."
Breiner said he hopes the Hawaii Supreme Court overturns Kendrick's conviction because jurors considered TV comments by city Prosecutor Peter Carlisle on an unrelated situation on what constituted murder, when they were deliberating this case.
Girl charged in murder remains free until trial
A 17-year-old girl charged with murdering a Waialua woman on Aug. 13 will remain free on supervised release at least until her January trial, Circuit Judge Victoria Marks ruled this morning.Lovisa Rauch pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder before Marks, who set trial for the week of Jan. 11.
Rauch is accused of firing a gunshot that struck and killed retired bus driver Julia Alameida, 62, during a fight involving Alameida's son and Rauch's family.
Marks also denied the prosecution's motion to reinstate $100,000 bail, ordering Rauch to remain on full house arrest and abide by the same conditions she has followed to date.
Maui woman indicted in OHA voter fraud case
A Maui resident who allegedly falsified her eligibility to vote in the November 1996 Office of Hawaiian Affairs election has been indicted for voter fraud and attempted voter fraud.Attorney General Margery Bronster today said a Maui County grand jury on Oct. 16 indicted Julia C. Villegas, also known as Julia C. Nickell, on a count of voter fraud and a count of attempted voter fraud. Bronster said Villegas allegedly made a false statement about her eligibility to vote in the OHA election, then tried to vote when she knew she was not entitled to.
To vote for OHA candidates, one must be a Hawaii resident, at least age 18 and of Hawaiian ancestry. Voters sign an affidavit.
Villegas, if convicted, faces five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each count.
601,404 voters eligible to vote on Tuesday
The state Office of Elections reports a record number of people are registered to vote in Tuesday's general election.Since the Sept. 19 primary election, an additional 18,846 residents have signed up to vote, bringing the statewide total to 601,404.
The office reminds voters that the polls will be open on election day from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those with questions should call the Hawaii Voter Hotline at 453-8683. Neighbor islanders can call toll-free at 1-800-442-8683.
Defense chief to visit Kaneohe Marine base
Defense Secretary William Cohen will briefly visit with Marines training at the Kaneohe rifle range tomorrow afternoon during his overnight stay in Hawaii on his way to Japan and South Korea.Cohen also will visit the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Waikiki tomorrow. He leaves for Asia on Saturday for a weeklong visit.
Gail Makuakane-Lundin is interim dean of Student Services at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, where the most recent student loan default rate, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education, is 13.2 percent. An article Tuesday misidentified her school. CORRECTION
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Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffMan arrested for beating roommate
Police yesterday arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly beating his roommate with a two-by-four.Officers were called to a fight at the Self Lane home at 8:15 p.m., police said. A 27-year-old man was found with head injuries and the suspect was located in a nearby room.
The man reported that the suspect struck him with the wooden board.
18-year-old caught in neighbor's house
KAILUA-KONA -- Police are holding a Kailua-Kona man after he allegedly entered a neighbor's house around midnight and attempted to sexually assault a girl there.Family members caught Herson Jackson, 18, at the Alii Kai home and held him for police, who charged him with burglary and attempted sexual assault, they said.
He is being held in lieu of $3,000 bail.
Checkpoints target Halloween drunks
Honolulu police will have sobriety check points set up through the Halloween weekend in an effort to deter drunken driving. The roadblocks will be set up tomorrow through Monday/According to the Center on Alcohol Advertising, Halloween ranks third behind New Year's Eve and Super Bowl Sunday in alcohol sales.
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