One of seven men who face trial next month in the Ewa Villages relocation fraud will remain free until his arraignment and trial on charges filed against him in a similar scheme. Ewa Villages suspect still free
By Debra Barayuga, Star-BulletinOver prosecutors' objections, Circuit Judge Michael Town yesterday granted supervised release to Claude Hebaru of Mililani.
Hebaru, who did business as Titan Moving and Hauling, had been indicted Feb. 16 on one count of first- and second-degree theft, four counts of second-degree forgery, illegal ownership of a business and money laundering. Also indicted were fired city housing official Michael Kahapea and Keith Ringler, a part-time Hawaii resident doing business as Reliable Trucking.
Hebaru now is also accused of falsely billing the city for moving Hawaii Meat Co. and cleaning up the Consumer Auto and Tire Service Center site on Middle Street.
The charges grew from the city's investigation into the Ewa Villages revitalization project, in which the city allegedly was billed for moving costs that were inflated or for work never done.
The probe now includes additional criminal charges against Kahapea, Ringler and two others for billing the city $600,000 for work clearing West Loch for development.
Mom arrested after toddler swallows 'ice'
A 25-year-old Kailua woman was arrested yesterday after her 3-year-old son was found to have swallowed crystal meth-amphetamine he found in her bedroom.On Feb. 6, the woman brought the toddler to the emergency room at Castle Hospital at 11 p.m., police said.
She told the hospital staff the boy accidentally ingested the solvent and paint remover acetone, which was left in a glass on top of a surfboard at their Uluhaku Place home.
The doctor was suspicious and ordered a urine analysis, which confirmed the child had swallowed crystal methamphetamine, or "ice."
The woman later admitted that her son had ingested drugs found in her bedroom, according to police reports.
She was booked for endangering the welfare of a minor and is being held by police.
Redondo's sausages recalled from shelves
WASHINGTON -- Redondo's Inc. of Waipahu is voluntarily recalling about 9,620 pounds of sausages that could be contaminated with a deadly bacteria, the U.S. Agriculture Department said today.Redondo's is recalling its 16-ounce packages of "Hawaiian Winners."
The packages each contain 10 sausages and have a "sell by" date of July 22.
The product was distributed only in Hawaii.
U.S. Army officials alerted the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service that product could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Based on tests done by the Army, Redondo's began recalling its product from the market.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease.
IN our own back yard stands the world's tallest mountain: Mauna Kea on the Big Island. Natural high-rises
Measuring 33,476 feet from its undersea base to its in-the-clouds peak, Mauna Kea ("White Mountain") reaches 13,796 feet above sea level. It is followed closely in height by another Big Isle mount, Mauna Loa, which stands 13,679 feet above sea level.
Compare those majestic giants with these other prominent peaks statewide:
On Maui: Haleakala, at 10,023 feet elevation; Iao Needle, 2,250 feet elevation.
Parade, bike race will tie up traffic
A parade and a bike race will affect traffic tomorrow.The Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade will go from Ala Moana Park to the Waikiki Shell parking lot at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Parking will be prohibited from 6:30 a.m. on Kalakaua Boulevard, Kapahulu Avenue, Lewers Street, Kalia Road and Leahi Avenue.
In the Kapahulu area, a bike race will affect traffic starting 2 p.m. The race will go along Kapahulu and Campbell avenues and Herbert Street. One lane will be coned off until 6:30 p.m.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffWoman sought in man's stabbing at airport bar
Police are searching for a woman who stabbed a man twice at an airport area bar yesterday.The man, 23, and the unknown woman got into an argument inside Gussie L'amour's on Nimitz Highway before the stabbing, police said.
When the man left the bar, the woman confronted him in the parking lot, police said. They said she stabbed him twice and fled in a sports-utility vehicle at 3:15 a.m.
She is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall and 150 pounds.
Police arrest suspect in pilfering of parrots
Police yesterday arrested a 52-year-old man in connection with the theft of two parrots.The man reportedly stole the parrots, valued at $1,700, from his employer on May 20, police said. The business specializes in taking pictures with tourists.
Yesterday, the employer saw the man walking around with one of the parrots and called police.
Restroom purse snatcher targets older women
Police are seeking information about a series of purse thefts occurring in women's restrooms at Ala Moana Center.Older Asian women are being targeted, say police.
One purse off a door hook was taken when a woman inside a stall turned to flush the toilet. Another was stolen while a woman was washing her hands.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Big Isle police bust burglary and fencing ring
HILO -- Police have broken a burglary ring responsible for at least 41 burglaries and 17 thefts, they said.The ring is implicated in a fencing operation that traded crystal methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana for stolen property, police said.
Among the stolen items were three cars, which were recovered and returned to their owners
The investigation identified seven suspects, one of whom is in custody. The burglary ring, which included two girls, operated from early 1998 to January of this year, mostly in Hilo but also in Puna and South Kohala, police said.
As a result of the investigation, police raided four homes on June 13 and arrested 13 people for drug offenses.
Police have 42 others cases pending in relation to that raid, they said. They also made arrests on June 3 at homes in Ainaloa, Paradise Park and Hilo, which were believed to be used in the fencing operation.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
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