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State: Tax revenues show better economy
State tax revenues for the first eight months of the current fiscal year have increased 3.2 percent -- $60.7 million -- from a year before, a sign that the economy is improving, the state Department of Taxation said today.The state Council on Revenues had projected a 1.1 percent decrease in deposits for the entire fiscal year, which began last July 1.
However, the Tax Department said $227.6 million in total tax revenue came in last month, an increase of $14.6 million, or 6.9 percent, from February 1999.
Between July 1, 1999, and last month, $1.981 billion was deposited into the general fund; that was $60.7 million, or 3.2 percent, more than in the year-earlier period.
Overall, general excise and use tax deposits -- the state's largest sources of revenue -- rose $12.1 million. That pushed up total deposits so far this fiscal year to $66.6 million, or 7.1 percent more than last year.
Leukemia patient Osby finds marrow donor
Willie "Maurice" Osby has a new opportunity for life.The 31-year-old father, diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in June 1998, has found a bone marrow donor. "I feel like a great weight has been lifted in terms of finding a match," Osby said this morning.
Osby won't get a chance to meet the donor for at least a year, and the donor may decide to remain anonymous. "I would really like to thank them and let them know how this has impacted my life, my wife, my family," Osby said.
Osby, his wife, Shelly, and his 22-month-old son will leave May 3 for Seattle. Osby will begin preparing for the process the next day, and the transplant will be done on May 25 and 26.
Now the family must find a way to support themselves when both husband and wife will be on leave from work for 130 days, Shelly said. But regardless, "we feel hopeful. It's finally over. I think that's what my husband and I both said when we got the news."
The family is accepting donations at P.O. Box 204, Kailua, HI 96734.
Conviction for sexual assault is thrown out
The Intermediate Court of Appeals has thrown out the conviction of a man found guilty of sexually assaulting a girl in his care on Molokai in 1993.
Lloyd West contended that the court violated his constitutional right to question the victim about an allegation she had made about being sexually molested by another man.
West, who was on probation for another sexual assault conviction when the 1993 allegation surfaced, argued that this false allegation should have been introduced at trial because it raised questions about the credibility of the allegations against him.
The appellate court found yesterday that the trial court "erroneously excluded" the evidence.
West, then 75, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in July 1998 for assaulting the girl when she and her mother were living with him at his home.
Census undercount may cost state federal funds
Hawaii residents should know that if they fail to fill out census forms, it could cost the state about $272 million in federal benefits in the next 10 years, says John Chambers, with the Census Monitoring Board in Washington, D.C.If there is an undercount similar to the one in the 1990 census, he said, a number of states, metropolitan areas and counties will lose funds, according to a study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
The overall loss could total at least $9.1 billion, the study showed.
Hawaii's net funding loss from 2002-2012 was estimated using a projected undercount of 24,512 people, including 11,485 children.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Bust in Vancouver leads to marijuana arrests here
An Oahu man and a Canadian man are in federal custody today after being charged with transporting several pounds of marijuana into Hawaii.Kenneth Williams, of Vancouver, British Columbia, was arrested by U.S. Customs agents in Danville, Wash. with 21 pounds of marijuana in his car. Williams, 34, agreed to cooperate with federal agents and lead them to the marijuana's final destination of Oahu.
The U.S. Customs Service said the delivery was made to Bradley Endrizal, of Kahala, at a Waikiki hotel on Tuesday where agents made the arrest.
The potent indoor-grown marijuana, known as "BC Bud," was vacuumed sealed and could fit in a large duffel bag, the customs service said. The "BC Bud" is known for its high content of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the principal active ingredient in marijuana, an agent said.
Public asked to help find man with Alzheimer's
Police are asking the public's assistance in locating an 86-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer's disease.Masato Sonoda was last seen at 11 a.m. Sunday at an Apii Place home in Waipahu.
Sonoda has been diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease and requires heart medication.
He is described as a 5-feet tall, thin Japanese man with a dark complexion and short-white hair. He was wearing a white T-shirt and khaki shorts.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts can call police at 529-3115.
Thieves don't get much from bank in Kahului
WAILUKU -- Maui police detectives have no suspects but are continuing to investigate a break-in at the Kahului branch of First Hawaiian Bank yesterday, police Lt. Joseph Higgins said.The burglary was discovered at about 7 a.m. when an employee arrived at the branch on Kaahumanu Avenue.
Higgins said thieves, who had entered through a broken window, were unable to open the vault and no major amount of money was reported missing.
"They didn't get into any of the cash," Higgins said.
Officers had responded to a 1:44 a.m. alarm activated at the bank but found no problem, Higgins said.
He said police are conducting an internal investigation to find out if the responding officers specifically checked the area where the window was broken.
Air Force sergeant charged with stealing
A sergeant at Hickam Air Force Base, accused of stealing thousand of dollars worth of automobile parts, faces being court-martialed on May 1.Staff Sgt. Alphonso C. Palmer, assigned to Pacific Air Forces Computer Systems Squadron, was charged with two counts each of conspiracy, larceny and receiving stolen property, said the Air Force. The thefts occurred at the Pearl Harbor Naval Exchange.
Alphonso allegedly stole tires, automobile accessories and superchargers on two separate occasions. The items were valued at $10,000.
He also knowingly received $6,000 worth of stolen parts and car stereo components.
