Boys Scouts closer to owning own camp sites
The Boy Scouts Aloha Council is closer than it has ever been to owning the land its three Hawaii camps sit on.The Boy Scouts have been leasing the land from the state since the early 1960s and has more than 20 years left on its lease, according to Al Sakai, the Aloha Council's director of support services.
For the past decade the council has been trying to trade land with the state in exchange for Camp Pupukea on Oahu, Camp Honokaia on the Big Island, and Camp Alan Faye on Kauai.
Although there's no problem with the rent, "I think that the council just wanted to do the best things for the camps and the scouts to have the fee-simple property," Sakai said.
However, the state was not interested in land the Boy Scouts had hoped to exchange in previous years. This time, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has selected the land itself: two dozen light-industrial and urban lots at the Maui Business Park and the Mill Town Center in Waikele.
The Land Board approved the exchange in principle at its last meeting, but the issue will have to go before the board again once the land has been acquired.
But this is further than the negotiations have gone in the past. "We're getting close," he said. "Finally we're at the point where before the board."
Information meetings set for UH business college
Prospective graduate students and the community can learn about opportunities at the University of Hawaii College of Business Administration during informational meetings on March 22 and April 26.The meetings will provide an overview of the college's degree and certificate programs, which are accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business. International exchange opportunities will also be discussed. Both meetings will be held from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. at the College of Business Administration at 2404 Maile Way, Room A-301.
For more information, call 956-8266.
Hefner heads East-West alumni group officers
Carl Hefner has been elected president of the Hawaii Chapter of the East-West Center's Association for alumni.Hefner, a social science instructor at Kapiolani Community College, was an East-West Center student participant in anthropology from 1979 to 1984.
Other chapter officers include:
>> Stephen Lane, vice president for fundraising
>> Keala Losch, vice president for participant activities
>> David P. McCauley, vice president for networking
>> Ethel A. Ward, treasurer
>> Angela B. Franco, secretary
>> Amy Cardamone, Frank L. Gniffke, Chance Gusukuma, James Hall, Susan Heftel-Liquido, Paul Holtus, Itsuko Matsuda Suzuki and Maria Tan, board members.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Publisher and Editor in Chief John Flanagan at 529-4748 or email him at jflanagan@starbulletin.com. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Kapahulu fire causes over $250,000 damage
A woman in a wheelchair and her upstairs neighbors escaped without injury before fire heavily damaged their Kapahulu apartments yesterday afternoon.Firefighters say the 70-year-old woman, who lived on the bottom floor of her two-story building at 3633 Kanaina Ave., called her neighbors for help when she saw smoke coming from the rear of the building a little before 4:30 p.m.
Fire officials said the fire caused $250,000 damage to the structure and its contents. The fire also caused $5000 damage to property next door.
Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Alleged child killer found in Makaha apartment
Information given to police led to the arrest of 42-year-old Vernon E. King yesterday. King was on supervised release while awaiting trial April 2 for the alleged murder of his then-wife's 2-year-old daughter back in 1985.Police located King in a Makaha Valley Plantation apartment at 12:30 p.m., where he was arrested without incident. King had previously been extradited from Indianapolis, Ind.
Volcanoes Park ranger thwarts purse snatcher
KAILUA-KONA >> An off-duty Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ranger captured a purse-snatching suspect following a car chase in Kona, Big Island police said.Two 32-year-old women, from Villejuif, France, were walking along Kahakai Road near the Royal Kona Resort when a 1999 Chevrolet drove past them yesterday morning.
The driver grabbed the purse from one of the women and sped away, police said.
The ranger, whose name was not released because he witnessed the crime, drove after the thief's car until it went out of control, crashed into a rock wall, and overturned.
Police arrested the 20-year-old suspect, who was not injured, retrieved the woman's purse, and found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his car. He is being held without charges pending further investigation.
Police arrest man with assault rifle
Honolulu police arrested a 25-year-old male early yesterday after he was found sleeping in his car with an AK-47 assault rifle laying next to him.According to police reports, a caller said the man was parked outside a residence on Farrington Highway near Nanakuli at 6:23 a.m.
Police responded and arrested the suspect in connection with several firearms charges and outstanding warrants.
Vandals tag stores using 'ON IT' signature
Vandals spray-painted graffiti on 10 different restaurants and other businesses in the Makiki and Keeaumoku areas between Sunday and Monday.Police believe one group of "taggers" is responsible. Police say the group uses the signature "ON IT" whenever it strikes. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to call the CrimeStoppers hotline at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
