A shot at fortune
Ceded-land talks begin with new OHA team
Negotiations have resumed between the state and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to reach a settlement over ceded-land revenues.Administration Chief of Staff Sam Callejo, executive assistant Joe Blanco and Janet Kawelo, the new deputy director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, met with OHA trustees Rowena Akana, Clayton Hee, Mililani Trask and their staffs for about an hour and a half yesterday.
The negotiators are trying to reach agreement over what OHA is owed for the state's use of ceded lands. By law, OHA is paid 20 percent of the revenue derived from ceded lands.
It was the first formal meeting between the two sides since OHA was reorganized after the November elections and a new negotiating team was appointed.
Akana last month said she was ready to meet with state negotiators every Friday until the issue is resolved.
Man accused of trying to poison Kakaako cats
Stray cats are a problem in Kakaako, but a prosecutor said attempting to poison their food is not the way to deal with them.Steven Sakai of Aiea is accused of spraying poison on food left for stray cats in Kakaako last Sept. 28. A complaint about the alleged poisoning was called into the Hawaiian Humane Society, according to city Deputy Prosecutor Douglas Chin.
"Obviously, it's a problem, but there are humane alternatives to be able to deal with stray cats rather than poison," Chin said.
Sakai's jury-waived trial will start Feb. 5 in state District Court.
He is accused of attempted cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Blood donors needed to supply surgeries
Roll up your sleeves -- the Blood Bank of Hawaii still needs donors.Even with generous donor activity in recent days, the state blood supply remains critical, the blood bank said. As of yesterday morning, only a three-day supply was on hand. A four- to five-day cushion is viewed as normal.
"We are pleased with the response we have been getting so far, but it's going to take a few more days before we will be able to see a significant rise in our supply," said Dr. Julia Frohlich, president of Blood Bank of Hawaii.
Hospital demands statewide are substantial, Frohlich said.
Unless 300 donors a day show up for the next few days, the supply could reach such a low level that surgeries will be delayed, she said.
The Dillingham Donor Center at 2043 Dillingham Blvd. will be open until 5 p.m. today.
Call 845-9966 to make an appointment.
Aloha Festivals banquet greets new chief, theme
The new president and board of directors for the 1999 Aloha Festivals will be installed at a banquet Friday at the Dole Ballrooms.This year's president will be Kimo Keawe, a five-year volunteer with the festivals and chief executive officer of Kimo Keawe Television Presentation Inc.
Other executive board members will be Lurline Kawainui, Gilbert Butson, Mark Polivka, Valery O'Brien, Brandt Farias, Patrick Leonard and Manu Boyd.
At the banquet, Keawe will announce the theme for the 1999 festivals and unveil the logo.
He also will present the Floral Parade's grand marshal and the people who will serve as the ambassadors of aloha this year.
Tickets for the event, which will be from 6 to 9 p.m., are on sale until Monday at the Aloha Festivals headquarters.
The cost is $35 per person for nonmembers and $30 per person for members.
Roadwork will close Likelike lanes Monday
Work on Likelike Highway traffic improvements from Valley View Drive to the H-1 freeway will start Monday, the state Transportation Department said.One lane of Likelike's Kaneohe-bound offramp to Makuahine Street will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Jan. 19-22. The southbound right lane at the intersection of Makuahine and Kalihi streets also will be closed during those times.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffTeen driver slams pole, hydrant near Punaluu
A 17-year-old boy was arrested for drunken driving today after he slammed into a utility pole and fire hydrant near Punaluu Beach Park.The youth struck the pole at 4:13 a.m., police said. He was treated for minor injuries at Kahuku Hospital and released.
The makai lane of Kamehameha Highway was closed for several hours while crews worked on the pole, police said.
Fire scorches shops at Maui shopping mall
WAILUKU -- A fire destroyed one business and did substantial damage to at least two others this morning at the Kahului Shopping Center.No one was injured, but the fire destroyed the building and contents of Kahului Carpet & Drapery, said Assistant Fire Chief Richard Fernandez.
Fernandez said the fire also damaged part of the structure and contents at Maui Stamps and Kahului Discount Wheel & Tire.
Fire officials were still trying to determine the amount of damage and the cause of the blaze, which was reported about 1:47 a.m., Fernandez said.
He said fire officials were waiting for adjacent businesses to open to determine if there was any other smoke or water damage.
Suspect, 18, arrested in bus stop robbery
Police yesterday charged an 18-year-old man in connection with Wednesday's bus stop robbery on University Avenue.Andrew J. Arakaki was charged with first-degree robbery and is being held on $15,000 bail, police said.
Arakaki and another suspect allegedly demanded money from a man sitting at the South King Street and University Avenue bus stop at 2:11 a.m., police said.
When the man said he had no money, he was struck with a bottle and his bag was searched.
Makaha man is held in Waianae break-in
A 36-year-old Makaha man was charged yesterday for allegedly breaking into a Waianae home on Thursday.Alan Mara, of Jade Street, was charged with first-degree burglary, police said. He is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.
A 70-year-old woman heard her dog barking at about 4:47 a.m. Thursday and looked out the kitchen window of her Lihue Street home to see Mara standing there, police said. She asked Mara what he was doing, and he didn't respond.
Mara then started to remove louvers from her window, according to police.
The woman ran, locked herself in a room and called 911.
Mara was apprehended while fleeing from the house at 5:10 a.m.
Suspect facing charges of armed store theft
LIHUE -- Police said they are holding a 33-year-old Kapaa man for the suspected armed robbery of the Kapaa Cost-U-Less store.The robbery took place shortly after the store's closing time at 8:30 p.m. yesterday when the suspect, believed to be armed with a handgun, obtained an undisclosed amount of cash and fled.
He was captured a short time later, and charges are pending.
School dorm fire today prompts arson inquiry
HILO -- Police are investigating a case of arson in which a 30-gallon plastic trash container was set on fire at a boys' dormitory at Hawaii Preparatory Academy at about 2 a.m. today.Students were able to put out the fire before it damaged the building, but a carpet valued at $2,000 was burned, fire officials said.
Police seek Mililani girl missing since December
Police are trying to locate a 15-year-old Mililani girl who has not been seen since Dec. 15.Shannon Fletcher left her home at about 6:45 a.m. that day and told her mother she was catching a ride to school. The school later informed her parents that Shannon had not attended classes.
On Christmas Day, her parents found a handwritten letter from Fletcher indicating she was going to end her life at "Sharks Cove" in Waimea.
She is described as 6 feet tall and weighing 130 pounds, with red hair and hazel eyes. She also has braces on her teeth.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers (955-8300) or the police missing-persons detail (529-3384).
Hilo police ask for help in gunfire, auto incidents
HILO -- Police are asking for the public's help with two cases.Anyone with information about the person who shot four rounds into a truck parked in a garage in Mountain View on Jan. 5 or Jan. 6 is asked to call Puna Police at 966-5835 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
Anyone who saw a blue Geo hit a gray Dodge van at the corner of Mohouli Street and Kilauea Avenue on Oct. 30 is asked to call Hilo police at 961-2311.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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