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The local panel that advises the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hold a public meeting next week to discuss the Rice vs. Cayetano decision. Committee to meet
on Rice rulingThe commission's Hawaii Advisory Committee will meet next Friday to discuss the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
The meeting, which will be at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Rainbow Suite 3, will include an open afternoon session.
The public can comment on the Supreme Court decision that lifted the Hawaiians-only voting restriction for the OHA election.
The advisory panel will hear from Hawaiian kupuna, or elderly, on Sept. 28.
The 10-member committee is one of 51 that advises the commission on matters regarding discrimination or denials of equal protection of laws because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or the administration of justice.
The chairman is Charles K. Maxwell Sr.
Call Maxwell at 572-8038 or Thomas V. Pilla, civil rights analyst, at (213) 894-3437 for more information.
Foodland Super Market Ltd. is offering people a way to double the money they give to their favorite charities. Foodland offers matching funds
for donations to charitiesThe grocery retailer will match donations up to $249 from each giver. The money will go to any of the 742 schools, churches, athletic teams and other nonprofit organizations registered for participation in the Give Aloha program.
The company will donate a total of $200,000 matching funds.
Sept. 30 is the deadline for donations to be made at Foodland and Sack N Save stores. The customer need only tell a store cashier the contribution and the name of the charity, and the amount will be added to the purchase total.
The contributions are tax deductible.
In its first year, customer donations to Give Aloha organizations totaled $842,225.97. If customer donations exceed $200,000 again this year, Foodland's matching money will be divided proportionately among all participating organizations, according to a company release.
Whitney Houston to be charged in pot incident
HILO -- Singer and movie star Whitney Houston will be charged with petty misdemeanor possession of marijuana next week, according to Hawaii County Deputy Prosecutor Charlene Iboshi.Police and prosecutors have been considering charges against Houston since January, when Kona Airport security personnel found about half an ounce of marijuana in a handbag believed to belong to Houston.
Houston did not have the bag in her possession at the time and boarded a plane without it.
Iboshi said Houston's attorney, Brook Hart, has agreed to an Oct. 26 arraignment in Kona District Court. If Houston agrees to plead guilty, she could do so via paperwork without having to appear in person, Iboshi said.
Ed board OKs school construction budgets
The Board of Education approved two versions of a proposed school construction budget and a six-year plan for such projects last night at its meeting on Molokai.The board voted in favor of two proposed biennium capital improvement budgets -- one with a $45 million limit per year, and the other with a $90 million limit per year which the Department of Education will seek from the state administration for the 2001-2003 fiscal years.
The board also approved two plans of school construction priorities during the next six years that coincide with the budget scenarios. While the smaller budget is closer to what might be appropriated, DOE officials say the larger budget is needed to complete more construction projects.
Schools chief to speak Tuesday at Aiea school
Paul LeMahieu, state education superintendent, will speak on his vision of the Department of Education role and related concerns and issues at a 7 p.m. Aiea Town Meeting Tuesday at Pearl Ridge Elementary School.He also will be available to answer questions.
The town meeting is co-sponsored by Sens. Ige and Norman Mizuguchi and Reps. Tom Okamura and K. Mark Takai.
Tomorrow
Some events of interestPrimary Election, various locations: Vote from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Corrections
A story Wednesday about documents involving Hawaiian artifacts and the Bishop Museum said incorrectly that museum spokesperson Ruth Ann Becker said the museum has apologized for being misled by a Hawaiian organization. In fact, she said, "Sorry, but the museum doesn't know anything about this document."
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Montana man feared lost hiking in Kahana Valley
Police and fire rescue crews were searching the mountains and waters near Kahana Valley this morning for a missing Montana man.The search for 35-year-old George Wilke was initiated after his rental car was discovered parked along Kamehameha Highway near the park for the last two days.
Police traced the car to Wilke's hotel room where his belongings appeared to be untouched, they said.
It is unclear whether Wilke went hiking or into the water, said Fire Capt. Richard Soo.
Wilke is described as Caucasian, 6 feet 2, 230 pounds, with hazel eyes. He has a clean-shaven head and a full beard.
Raid nabs lab tools, two accused of making drugs
Two men suspected of manufacturing crystal methamphetamine at a Kailua home were arrested yesterday.A 42-year-old man, who lives at the Ulupaina Street home, and a 48-year-old Honolulu man were expected to be charged today on various drug offenses including promoting dangerous drugs in the third and fourth degrees and possession of drug paraphernalia, said state Narcotics Enforcement agents.
Police and state drug agents raided the garage of the home and recovered chemicals, glassware and flasks used to manufacture crystal methamphetamines or "ice." Some illicit and prescription drugs also were recovered.
The raid stemmed from the arrest of a 28-year-old man Monday, agents said. An undercover police officer sold the man the chemicals to make crystal meth.
Thieves hit 16 Army sites -- losses top $200,000
Police and Army investigators are asking for the public's assistance in identifying the people who stole more than $200,000 worth of computers and other equipment from several buildings at Fort Shafter.Since August, 16 buildings on the military base have been broken into on 11 different occasions, said Letha DeCaires, CrimeStoppers coordinator.
The thieves forced their way through the doors and took several laptop computers, Dell desktop computers, power generators and various technical tools valued at from $200,000 to $500,000. Most of the equipment was new.
The buildings were all broken into at night, between Wednesday and Saturday. The last burglary was reported last Friday.
Two or three men have been seen in the area following the burglaries, and some evidence has been recovered at the scene, police said. But no one has been positively identified.
The base has since beefed up its security with military and Department of Defense police, said a spokeswoman on behalf of Lt. Col. Vida Longmire, commander of the Fort Shafter military police.
Fort Shafter said there was one break-in at the base's youth center last month which resulted in the loss of two big-screen television sets, two computers, a karaoke machine and a camcorder.
If anyone has information, call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Convict out on bail flees, suspected to be in Puna
Police are seeking help apprehending a convicted murderer considered armed and dangerous.John Jay Bondaug Jr. was released after posting bail for burglary, possession of a deadly weapon and criminal property damage charges earlier this month. He failed to make his court appearance yesterday and was still at large as of this morning, police said.
Bondaug is a career criminal who was released from prison last April for a 1980 murder.
Police believe Bondaug, 39, may be in Puna, where he was born and raised. He is Filipino, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 180 pounds, with salt-and-pepper hair and brown eyes.
If anyone has information about Bondaug's whereabouts, call the Hilo CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
The Courts
Baby's mom faces fraud, drug-related charges
A Kailua woman awaiting sentencing for assault by omission for failing to tell doctors that her 3-year-old son had ingested crystal methamphetamine faces additional unrelated charges.An Oahu grand jury indicted Brandie Leong, 26, yesterday with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug and fraudulent use of a credit card.
She has been free on bail after pleading no contest in May to attempted first-degree assault. She faces 10 years in prison when sentenced Jan. 10 before Judge Wilfred Watanabe. She will be asking the court to set aside her plea if she abides by conditions similar to probation.
According to the indictment, Leong attempted to use a credit card belonging to another person to make purchases in excess of $300 on May 20. On that same day, she allegedly had drugs, including marijuana and drug paraphernalia in her possession.
Her attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.
Man pleads no contest in slaying of transvestite
A man accused of murdering a transvestite in 1993 has pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of manslaughter under a plea agreement.Demian O. McGuire, 28, who would have faced a life term with parole if convicted as charged now faces 20 years in prison when sentenced Dec. 4.
Dinh Van Vo, 51, an unemployed hairdresser, was found dead in his Kapiolani Manor apartment Sept. 6, 1993.
An Oahu grand jury indicted McGuire on a second-degree murder charge in 1996 after a three-year investigation. The break in the investigation came when an informant told police that McGuire confessed to him on two occasions to killing a Vietnamese man. Police have since acquired DNA evidence and reached mainland witnesses to close the investigation.
After McGuire was arrested, he told police that he strangled the transvestite after watching a pornographic video that showed strangulation scenes, according to court documents.
Defense attorney Cliff Hunt declined comment on the change of plea other than to note that it took a lot of work to reach an agreement with the state.
Judge won't let Kahapea attorney withdraw
Sentencing for convicted housing official Michael Kahapea will go on as scheduled Thursday, whether or not his attorney is ready.A state judge yesterday denied a motion by Kahapea's court-appointed attorney to withdraw as counsel, agreeing with the state's contention that Don Wilkerson has had ample time to prepare and has been provided with additional resources.
For him to come in at the 11th hour seeking to withdraw is "unreasonable," said Judge Reynaldo Graulty, who presided over the 8-week trial into the Ewa Villages relocation fraud.
Wilkerson had argued that if the court went forward with sentencing, he would be ineffective in representing Kahapea, who is eligible for probation.
Graulty said there's no way new counsel can step into Wilkerson's shoes and know the case inside out like he has for the past year while preparing and proceeding to trial.
A jury on Aug. 2 found Kahapea guilty of theft and numerous other charges involving the theft of nearly $6 million in Ewa Villages relocation funds. The state is asking that he spend 100 years in prison.
