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Bishop Museum considers
By Burl Burlingame, Star-Bulletin
stricter artifact policiesConcerned over an outcry following the disappearance of valuable Hawaiian artifacts, the Bishop Museum board of directors yesterday deliberated stricter rules for the future.
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act -- commonly called NAGPRA -- normally repatriates remains and grave goods of native people to their descendants, but Bishop Museum's "loan" of the artifacts to the group Hui Malama circumvented the process. Both citizens and government officials have protested the loan, and museum officials apologized for the error.
According to suggestions by the board's Collections Committee, the museum's artifact-collections policies would have additional layers of security, including the advice of a NAGPRA Advisory Committee, plus board approval of inventory completion, intent to repatriate, recognition of claimants, the process of loans and the actual act of repatriation. The board yesterday requested a finalized package to approve in July.
Meanwhile, 12 potential claimant groups will have to wait until the policies are set before they can be approved by the board.
Car theft suspect falls for cellular phone ruse
Police used a stolen cellular phone to reach out and nab a gullible car theft suspect this morning.The 20-year-old man had allegedly stolen a 1988 Honda Prelude left running in front of a home at 1212 Nuuanu Ave. at about 2:30 a.m.
The car owner's cellular phone was still inside the car, so a quick-thinking female patrol officer called the number.
The suspect answered, and the officer, without revealing she was a cop, was able to engage him in conversation.
The suspect told her he was in Waikiki and, according to a detective's report, she was able to "influence" him to return downtown where officers were waiting to make the arrest.
Marriott strikes deal on rebuilding resort
LIHUE -- The Waiohai Hotel will rise again, quite a bit faster than its new owners, Marriott Ownership Resorts Inc., originally planned.A lengthy standoff between Marriott and neighboring resorts ended yesterday when the Kauai Planning Commission agreed to issue Marriott permits that compromise on a four-year construction schedule instead of the seven years Marriott first proposed.
Located in Poipu, Kauai's primary resort district, the Waiohai is one of only three Kauai hotels destroyed in 1992's Hurricane Iniki that has not been rebuilt. Marriott plans to rename it the Waiohai Beach Club and sell it as high-end timeshare units.
Marriott initially asked for a construction schedule with lengthy breaks between phases.
Neighboring resorts argued they would lose too much business if the area is disrupted for that long.
Yesterday, both sides settled on four years of construction, without any breaks. The approved plan includes a year of demolition of the old structure and three years of building.
Located on 12 acres, the original hotel had 461 rooms. Marriott plans to replace them with 227 to 231 two-bedroom timeshare units.
Better firefighting may bring lower premiums
Oahu fire insurance premiums could drop because the Honolulu Fire Department's capability has improved, an insurance industry report says.The city's new Public Protection Classification rating of 3 this year compared with previous scores of 4 to 7. According to Mayor Jeremy Harris, each point drop reflects a savings of about 20 percent for businesses.
Factors used to assign the rating include the department's response alarms, training, equipment and access to water.
Military med facilities to be closed on July 3
Military personnel are advised that all military medical treatment facilities on Oahu will be closed Monday, July 3.Tripler Army Medical Center's Outpatient Pharmacy will be open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. that day but will be closed July 2 and the Fourth of July. All facilities will resume normal schedules on July 5.
Kaneohe's city hall now at Windward Mall
The Kaneohe satellite city hall has moved to larger quarters at Windward Mall.Windward Mall Satellite City Hall is on the second floor of the Sears wing, across from Radio Shack.
Hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except this Saturday when it opens at 10 a.m. for a grand-opening celebration.
Corrections
Judge Michael Town was quoted incorrectly in a story Tuesday about the sentencing of Victor Valoroso. The judge called Valoroso "impulsive," not "compulsive."
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Driver rams another cab, is arrested for assault
A 30-year-old taxi driver was arrested yesterday after he rammed his 1999 Lincoln sedan into another taxi cab and attempted to run over his former boss and assault a former co-worker, police said.A driver and passenger in the taxi cab suffered minor injuries in the incident.
Police said the Waikele man returned to his former place of employment in the 700 block of Kaheka Street yesterday at 5:35 p.m., hit the taxi cab and then tried to run over his former supervisor, a 55-year-old woman. The suspect then got out of his car and allegedly assaulted another employee before being arrested by police.
Police nab a suspect in sexual assault case
Police arrested an 18-year-old Ahuimanu man yesterday in connection with a sexual assault Wednesday.The suspect is accused of entering a home in the Honolulu area and sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman who was asleep. He also reportedly stole money from her before fleeing.
Victim of Kipapa Gulch auto crash is identified
The 21-year-old motorist killed in Wednesday's head-on collision on Kamehameha Highway near Kipapa Gulch has been identified by the medical examiner's office as Lloyd Grant Galang Nerida of Mililani.Two others injured in the collision were taken to Queen's Hospital.
The 54-year-old man has been released from the hospital, while a woman, 53, who was in fair condition, was transferred yesterday to Kaiser Hospital.
Kailua bank robber flees the scene on a bicycle
Central Pacific Bank's Kailua branch was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash yesterday by a man wearing thick prescription glasses and an orange and black Harley-Davidson baseball cap.The suspect approached two tellers at 11:40 a.m. with a demand note saying he had a gun, but no weapon was seen, police said. The suspect fled on a bicycle with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The bank robbery was Hawaii's 18th this year.
Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
