Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Tuesday, November 28, 2000

Application cutoff passes for
Big Island police chief

HILO -- The Hawaii County Police Commission will wait another 10 days to receive applications for police chief, Commissioner Phoebe Lambeth said.

Yesterday was the deadline for applications, but the commission will accept applications postmarked with yesterday's date or earlier for 10 more days, she said.

Commission secretary Josie Pelayo said she was instructed not to disclose how many applications have been received.

The County Charter gives the commission the responsibility of selecting a new chief. Former Chief Wayne Carvalho retired in October.

Lambeth said the commission will meet Dec. 11, Dec. 22 and possibly another time between those dates. Not knowing how many applicants there are, she said she didn't know if the commission could select a chief by the end of the year.

Prepare with flood insurance, FEMA says

HILO -- The floods that caused $20 million in damage to east Hawaii on Nov. 1-2 are already fading from people's minds, says Hugo Buehring of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"Just because the flood is over isn't the time to forget the floods," Buehring said.

People should be preparing with federal flood insurance for the next deluge, he said.

An average policy from the National Flood Insurance Program costs about $300 per year for $100,000 of coverage in high-risk areas, Buehring said.

In low- and moderate-risk areas, the cost is about $100 a year. As many as 25 percent of claims to the national program come from non-high-risk areas, Buehring said.

Some people think they can depend on federal disaster assistance. That is true only when the president declares a disaster, which is done in only 10 percent of natural disasters, he said.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $1.5 million in disaster loans for the island, FEMA said. The agency has issued 313 temporary housing checks totaling $748,000.

The Hilo and Pahala Disaster Recovery Centers have received visits from 891 people seeking relief from flood damage.

People wanting more information on present flood damage should call 1-800-525-0321. For information on flood insurance, dial 1-888-CALL-FLOOD.

Housing project to be dedicated tomorrow

A $13 million rental project with 84 low-income units will be dedicated by state and county officials tomorrow in Makakilo, Gov. Cayetano says.

Palehua Terrace Phase I was developed near shopping, transportation, medical services and schools by Palehua Apartments LP with financing from the state Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii.

The project, on Palahia Street, will serve families with children and physically disabled persons earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for Honolulu. It now ranges from $31,020 for a family of two to $38,760 for a family of four.

Rental rates will be $700 a month for two-bedroom units and $800 a month for three-bedroom units.

Signs of the times...even in the isles

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Jim Olson, Denise Chillingworth and Thor Minnick, front to
back, wave signs along Ala Moana yesterday in support of Vice
President Al Gore's bid to become president. Gore has filed suit
to contest the results of the vote certification in Florida, whose
25 electoral votes are key to the presidency. Texas Gov. George
W. Bush was certified as the winner in Florida on Sunday
by Secretary of State Katherine Harris.

Big Isle bridge work is topic of public meeting

The state Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting Thursday to discuss the temporary ford crossing at Keaiwa Bridge and repairs to the Kaalaala, Keaiwa and Paauau bridges on the Big Island.

The meeting will be held at the Pahala Community Center at 6 p.m.

Plans to address problems at the ford at Mile Marker 49, Kaalaala and Paauau bridges will be discussed. The plans and construction schedule for the Keaiwa Bridge also will be presented.

Road work to close Bingham Street

Bingham Street between Punahou and Alexander streets will be closed for resurfacing work Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Dec. 8.

During the closure, Kapiolani Medical Center can be accessed from Bingham Street via Alexander Street.

To get to the hospital, motorists taking the Punahou Street offramp should turn left on Young Street or King Street, left on McCully Street, left on Beretania Street, right on Alexander Street and left on Bingham. Signs will be posted to assist motorists with the detour route.

Tomorrow

Some events of interest

9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Hale Koa Hotel: The Taiwan Trilogy, presented by the Japan-America Society of Hawaii. Program focuses on basic issues affecting Taiwan-U.S.-Japan relations. Parking validation: $2. Information: 524-4450.

Correction Richard Tajiri's company is called Christmas Hawaii. An article Thursday incorrectly identified it as Christmas Trees Hawaii. Normally at a location near Victoria Ward Center, this year Tajiri moved his operation to a vacant lot on Kapiolani Boulevard across the street and makai of Blaisdell Center's parking lot. "Space junk" orbits the earth from about 186 miles to 1,100 miles above the surface and can travel at nearly 15,600 mph. A story yesterday on a NASA grant included incorrect figures.

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Police nab 3 who fled wreck
that killed man in Haleiwa

A 54-year-old man, standing in a driveway in Haleiwa, was hit and killed last night by a speeding car that apparently went out of control.

The medical examiner identified him as Isaac Kapua.

Police said Kapua was in the driveway at 66-779 Haleiwa Road near Waialua Beach Road when a green, two-door 1978 Cutlass skidded out of control at 8:33 p.m. Three occupants of the car fled the scene after it struck the man and a parked 1994 Aerostar van.

The driver, a 22-year-old Waialua man, was arrested on suspicion of neglient homicide and hit-and-run, police said. The two passengers -- a 17-year-old boy and a 42-year-old man -- also were arrested.

Police said alcohol and speed were factors in the accident.

Yesterday's traffic fatality was the 62nd this year, compared with 42 a year ago.

'Black Beard Bandit' robs again

The "Black Beard Bandit" has struck again, the FBI said.

The man, wearing a fake black beard, with his left arm in a sling and a bandage on the left side of his face, robbed the Waimalu branch of City Bank at 1:20 p.m. yesterday.

The FBI said the robber is believed to be the same man who robbed five other banks in Pearl City and Waipahu this year.

The FBI said the man presented a demand note to the teller. The robber indicated he had a weapon, but none was seen. He fled the bank at 98-1247 Kaahumanu St. on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.

The man was described in his 30s, 5-foot 7, weighing about 170 pounds, wearing a white hat and T-shirt.

He is suspected of robbing the Pearl City branch of Bank of Hawaii on Nov. 24, the Waipahu branch of First Hawaiian Bank on June 13, the Waipahu branch of Bank of Hawaii on July 26, the Pearl City branch of American Savings Bank on Sept. 15 and the Waipahu branch of American Savings on Oct. 31.

This was the 34th bank robbery of the year.

Injured hiker's condition upgraded

A 22-year-old hiker who suffered multiple back and shoulder injuries Sunday was upgraded to guarded condition yesterday.

Another hiker on the Olomana Trail heard the injured man's cries for help and found him off the trail. Fire rescue crews and a helicopter were sent to the scene at 4:45 p.m. Sunday.

The injured man had fallen off the trail. Two rescuers brought him out, and he was taken to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.