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Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, May 4, 2000

State Senate may need session to OK judges

Senate President Norman Mizuguchi has advised senators to be available for a special session the first week in August to take up at least three judicial appointments.

Mizuguchi said it will take a couple of days for the Senate to hold confirmation hearings and vote on Gov. Ben Cayetano's appointments to the Intermediate Court of Appeals and Circuit Court.

It also will take up confirmation of Chief Justice Ronald Moon's appointment of a new District Court judge.

The Appeals Court vacancy came with the confirmation of Judge Simeon Acoba to the state Supreme Court.

$7.4 million in federal grants to Hawaii

About $7.4 million in federal grants are headed here, Sen. Daniel Inouye's office said.

They include:

$323,750 to Maui Family Support Services from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The nonprofit organization plans to buy land and build a permanent home for its headquarters and an early-childhood center.

$3,089,362 to the state Attorney General's office to improve the criminal justice system, including drug control.

$1,714,000 to the University of Hawaii to construct a Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center in Hilo.

$1 million to Alu Like for a child-care assistance project.

$759,000 to the Hawaii Sea Grant College Program.

$36,593 to Kauai County to restore Waimea Theater.

Will inmates get to smoke pot in prison?

The state's pending decriminalization of marijuana for medical uses could lead to a situation where inmates jailed on drug charges can legally smoke pot behind bars.

State prisons chief Ted Sakai and state lawmakers who worked on the bill never considered how the law would affect inmates with illnesses so debilitating they would be allowed to smoke marijuana to alleviate their pain.

The issue creates numerous questions, including where inmates would be allowed to smoke it and if the state would have to contract with a pot grower to supply marijuana.

Cayetano signs 28 more bills into law

Gov. Ben Cayetano has signed 28 new bills into state law, including measures on foster care, child custody cases and high tech development.

In addition to streamlining payments, the foster care bill allows the Human Services Department to permit Family Court to consult privately with children 14 years and older instead of forcing the teen to testify in court.

Another bill would allow the state to develop high-technology projects by issuing special-purpose revenue bonds.

Police bike, moped auction set Saturday

Police will auction bicycles and mopeds Saturday in the parking lot at South Hotel and Kealamakai streets behindHonolulu police headquarters.

Items may be viewed at 8 a.m. The auction starts at 9. All items will be sold as is, cash only, and must be picked up immediately.

Corrections Larry Iverson Jr. was part of Kalaheo's winning 1,600-meter relay team at the Punahou Relays. An incorrect first name was included in results yesterday in Sports. Airline Investors Partnership, the group that controls the board of Hawaiian Airlines Inc., is the company's biggest shareholder with 44.5 percent of the common stock. A story yesterday on the possible sale of the airline had incorrect information.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Officer's car hits pole, knocks out power

A policeman was treated for minor injuries this morning after his police squad car slammed into a utility pole, knocking out power in Waialae.

The police car was traveling on Waialae Avenue when another car pulled in front of him just east of 17th Avenue at midnight, police said. The officer veered right to avoid a crash and hit the utility pole.

The officer was taken to Straub Hospital where he was treated and released for minor injuries.

About 260 homes lost power for about an hour and 10 minutes, said Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Fred Kobashikawa.

Suspect arrested in theft of male prostitute's purse

Police arrested a man this morning for allegedly robbing a male prostitute.

The suspect dropped off the 20-year-old victim near Merchant Street at 1:50 a.m., police said.

When the victim leaned into the car window for a kiss, the suspect reportedly grabbed his purse and started to drive away. The victim immediately jumped into the car, but was punched and pushed out onto the street, police said. He suffered minor injuries.

The man was arrested shortly after for second-degree robbery. The purse was recovered.

Body of man found by St. Louis Drive stream

The body of an elderly Asian man was found yesterday beside a stream off St. Louis Drive near City Mill.

Police have tentatively classified the case an unattended death but have not totally ruled out foul play. An autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death.

The man was wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt and a blue jacket.

Police charge suspect in Waikiki Beach thefts

Police charged a man yesterday for reportedly stealing bags from Waikiki Beach Tuesday afternoon.

Donald P. Rodrigues was charged with second-degree theft and is being held on $25,000 bail, police said.

Officers saw him carrying two bags wrapped in a towel, police said. He was stopped and arrested after the bags were found to have been stolen from a couple at the beach.