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Some 6,000 transactions have been completed out of the city's new one-stop permit center on the first floor of the Honolulu Municipal Building since it opened Feb. 14, city officials said. City's one-stop permit
center keeping busyThe center was dedicated yesterday by Mayor Jeremy Harris. It was built on the diamondhead side of the Municipal Building's ground level for $300,000.
Harris said the center consolidates all the review functions for six different city agencies needed to obtain a building or zoning permit.
That means anyone putting up a fence or a large-scale project can have their projects reviewed and processed at one location, Harris said.
The average residential permit application has been taking about 20 minutes to complete, he said.
Security increased at Big Island schools
HILO -- Big Island police beefed up security at schools today in response to unsubstantiated rumors about violence on today's anniversary of shooting deaths at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo.Although students, teachers, administrators and parents at various schools heard rumors about trouble, no basis was found for them, Chief Wayne Carvalho said.
"Police officers and school officials have not been able to confirm or substantiate any of the rumors," he said.
Carvalho urged parents to be sure their children don't take firearms or other weapons to school. Uniformed officers will be on campuses, he said.
Department of Education spokesman Greg Knudsen said schools took appropriate steps, working with police departments, to maintain school safety today in response to rumors generated by the Columbine anniversary.
'Hawaii Five-O' exec dies at 78 in California
The former executive producer of the television series "Hawaii Five-0" has died in Monterey. Douglas Green Sr., 78, of Carmel, died April 11.He spent more than 35 years in the motion-picture industry, starting as a second assistant director at Universal Studios.
He was also a producer of "Magnum, P.I." and worked with Bob Fosse on "Sweet Charity" and "Cabaret."
He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, and a son. His ashes will be scattered at sea off Oahu.
Pearl City house fire was intentionally set
Arson detectives determined a small house fire in Pearl City this morning was intentionally set.Someone lit a blanket cover for a gas grill on fire at about 1 a.m. at a Hoohai Street home, police said. About $6,000 damage was reported.
No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.
Haleiwa McDonald's loses drive-thru fight
The Haleiwa McDonald's lost a court battle to keep its drive-thru.In 1997, McDonald's received a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals and opened a drive-thru . Drive-thrus are banned under Haleiwa's historic district zoning.
Circuit Judge Eden Elizabeth Hifo overturned the variance on Monday after a lawsuit by the environmental group Life of the Land.
Susan Smith, owner and operator of the restaurant said she did not intend to close the drive-thru and that the majority of the community and customers enjoyed using it.
Four isle teen-agers win volunteer awards
Four Honolulu youths have been recognized for their outstanding acts of volunteerism.Awarded $1,000, a silver medal and a trip to Washington, D.C. in May to receive the Prudential Spirit of Community award were Leanne Nakamura, a 17-year-old senior at Castle High School; and Aubrie Weeding, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Moanalua Middle School.
Receiving bronze medallions were Keila Ching, 18-year-old senior at Punahou School; and Todd Nishida, 17-year-old senior at Pearl City High School.
Leanne co-created S.A.V.E. Kualoa Beach -- an effort to remove marine debris and educate the community about environmental issues. Aubrie volunteers every week at the food bank and once a month at the Institute of Human Services.
Corrections
Ming Tsai's cooking demonstration at Liberty House Ala Moana will take place at 5 p.m. today. Some editions of yesterday's Today section had an incorrect date.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Man charged in murder of daughter, 3 weeks old
Police have charged a Waimalu man in connection with the death of his 3-week-old daughter.Darren Silva, 21, was charged with second-degree murder yesterday, police said. He is being held on $100,000 bail.
He was arrested Monday after an autopsy revealed his daughter died from trauma to the head.
The infant was transported by ambulance to Pali Momi Hospital from her Moanalua Loop home on Saturday.
Stabbing victim's wife surrenders to police
A Mililani woman charged in the April 4 stabbing death of her husband has surrendered to police after being released from Queen's Hospital.Cheryl Mosier, 45, stabbed herself in the neck after allegedly killing her husband. Mosier was accompanied by her attorney, Howard Luke, when she turned herself in to police at the main station, shortly before 1 p.m. yesterday.
Shotgun blast ricochets, injuring two in Mililani
Police were investigating a shooting inside a Mililani home that caused minor injuries to two women.Two women and two men were inside a Waikalani Drive home when four people entered at 2:15 a.m., police said. The women were injured when one of the four fired a shotgun at the floor. The pellets ricocheted and hit the women.
No arrests were made.
UH athlete arrested, held after domestic argument
A University of Hawaii athlete has been arrested on a felony kidnapping charge stemming from a domestic argument this morning in Pearl City, police said.The male athlete, 21, was being held at the Pearl City Police Station. He had not been charged this morning.
Officers responded to a domestic argument call at an apartment unit on the 1000 block of Kamehameha Highway at 4 a.m., police said. The officers entered the apartment when they heard struggling noises and a woman crying inside, police said.
The athlete was arrested after the woman told police she was held against her will.
No major injuries were reported.
Police officer charged in domestic dispute case
HILO -- Police have charged fellow officer Sean C. Kobayashi with terroristic threatening and harassment in connection with a domestic dispute, they said.Kobayashi, 34, of Hawaiian Paradise Park, allegedly left threatening messages on a telephone answering machine, they said.
Kobayashi was charged yesterday and released on $10,000 bail. He is currently on leave without pay, police said.
Two men kidnap woman over her unpaid debt
Police are investigating the apparent kidnapping of a 20-year-old woman.Two men, 21 and 30, reportedly kidnapped the woman from the Waikiki area at 12:30 a.m. yesterday because of a debt she owed. They made threats to the woman's family to have the debt paid, police said.
The woman later called her mother, saying she got away, but had not returned as of this morning, police said.
Farrington teen accused of punching her teacher
A 13-year-old Farrington High School girl has been arrested for allegedly assaulting her teacher.The student was arguing with the teacher about an assignment when she punched the 62-year-old man in the chest at 9 a.m. yesterday, police said.
THE COURTS
Space limited for public at Xerox shooting trial
There will be only nine seats available for the general public at the upcoming murder trial of Byran Uyesugi, charged in Hawaii's worst multiple slaying.Family members of the seven co-workers who died in last November's shooting at the Xerox building on Nimitz will be allotted 10 seats and Uyesugi's family, three seats, Circuit Judge Marie Milks announced yesterday.
California man indicted in credit-card fraud case
About $36,000 worth of debt on a counterfeit credit card brought a federal indictment for fraud yesterday against Wai Raymond Wong, 40, of Monterey Park, Calif.Wong used the fake card over five days in March to make charges in Hawaii, the indictment says. Honolulu police arrested him April 13 at Halekulani Hotel.
A jewelry store clerk recognized Wong as the individual who had used a credit card in the name of "Sammy Chan" to buy jewelry.
