Lunalilo Home to reopen after 4-year renovation
Lunalilo Home, the oldest adult residential care home in Hawaii, plans to reopen this summer after completion of renovations costing nearly $4.5 million.The home, at 501 Kekauluohi St. in Hawaii Kai, was closed for four years while the renovations were conducted.
Lunalilo Home was established in 1883 under the will of King William Charles Lunalilo. It is the only facility providing around-the-clock care services exclusively for Hawaiian elderly.
More than 40 residents can be accommodated in single or multiparty rooms.
Re-licensing of the home is under way, and applications are being sought for residency. Informational packets may be obtained by calling Lunalilo Home at 395-1000.
Lost German hikers return unharmed
VOLCANO, Hawaii >> Two hikers from Germany, who spent Tuesday night at the 11,000-foot elevation of Mauna Loa after becoming lost, walked to safety uninjured yesterday, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park officials said.Dr. Joachim Hentze, 60, and Erwin Irmer, 66, both of Hannover, Germany, began their climb Tuesday on a trail from the Mauna Loa Observatory.
They took a wrong turn coming back and started down the Red Hill trail before being halted by nightfall. The two experienced hikers slept on the mountain and continued down yesterday until they reached an emergency phone and told searchers they were safe.
[THE COURTS] California man who sold 'ice' in isles gets 40 years
LOS ANGELES >> A federal judge sentenced a 69-year-old man who ran a San Fernando Valley drug ring that distributed crystal methamphetamine in Hawaii to 40 years in prison, prosecutors said Tuesday.U.S. District Judge Carlos R. Moreno sentenced Ronald Holmes on Monday.
Holmes, of Canoga Park, Calif., pleaded guilty in June 1999 to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute "ice," a crystallized form of methamphetamine. Prosecutors said Holmes oversaw the operation of two methamphetamine labs in the valley, a sprawling suburb of Los Angeles. The drug was distributed in California and Hawaii for up to $35,000 a pound.
Prosecutors said Holmes had an arsenal of weapons to protect his valuable drug stash and also obstructed justice by threatening a government witness.
Holmes' son, 30-year-old Kenneth Holmes, also of Canoga Park, was involved in the ring and was sentenced in federal court in Hawaii to eight years in prison.
Grand jury indicts pair that escaped from prison
An Oahu grand jury has indicted two prisoners, Kerbert Silva and Eric Vance, who escaped from the Oahu Community Correctional Center on March 21 but were later captured.Another inmate, Paul Damas, 43, who unsuccessfully tried to escape, was also indicted for first-degree attempted escape.
Bail for each of them has been set at $200,000. Silva, 37, was charged with kidnapping, escape and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle.
Vance, 31, who is facing trial for the murder of a Kaneohe storekeeper, was charged with kidnapping and escape.
Two youths will face trial as adults in crime spree
A state Family Court judge has waived jurisdiction over a 17-year-old boy so he can be charged as an adult in connection with a crime spree in November.John Victor Talo is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and is expected to make his first court appearance today in District Court. A preliminary hearing was set for April 2. Bail was set at $25,000.
Indicted earlier with three counts of first-degree robbery were Jason Deere and Lelauti Sakaria. Sakaria is also charged with kidnapping.
Another youth, Dustie Liupaono, was waived in January and will also be tried as an adult, for kidnapping and three counts of first-degree robbery.
The four are accused of attacking people, smashing car windows and brandishing weapons at a Jack-in-the-Box in Kalihi, a 7-Eleven store in Kailua and a Chevron station in Pearl City.
[ CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS ] >> A story Saturday on the Hokulia and Keopuka projects in Kona incorrectly described Pacific Star LLC as the developer of Hokulia. The company is proposing to develop Keopuka.>> The state's chief negotiator, Davis Yogi, testified Tuesday before the Hawaii Labor Relations Board that he did not have the authority to settle the state's contract with the teachers union for more than $67 million. His testimony was incorrectly reported in a story yesterday.
[ CORRECTIONS ] 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.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
State Hospital patient breaks window to escape
A state hospital escapee made his own exit from the hospital yesterday morning by throwing a table through a window. Honolulu Police are looking for Leonard Moore, who they said escaped at 3:45 a.m. from a common room.State hospital administrator Barbara Peterson said Moore was being housed in a locked unit where patients are allowed to roam freely. Peterson also said there was no indication that Moore had been agitated or angry based on mental health evaluations done over the past several days.
Moore was admitted to the State Hospital for evaluation on March 20. According to court documents, Judge Rey Graulty ordered Moore be examined to see if he is fit to stand trial for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle stemming from incident on Oct. 13.
Police said Moore goes by the following aliases: Anthony Moore, Anthony Downs, Anthony Mitchell, Anthony Cook, London Anthony Wright, Leonard Anthony Mitchell, Calvin Michaels and Anthonio.
He is described as 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, has a medium build, shaved head and a dark complexion. Police say Moore has a 6-inch scar on his left forearm and is known to frequent Hawaii Kai, Kahala, Chinatown, Aiea, Waipahu, Kaneohe and Campbell Industrial Park.
Peterson said Moore does not pose a threat to himself or others and that the hospital is evaluating its security after the incident.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on your cellular phone.
Man dies in fall from hotel balcony
A 58-year-old visitor plunged 28 floors to his death in a freak accident last night at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.The man and his wife were having dinner on the lanai of their room on the 32nd floor at 9:50 p.m. when the man stood up on his chair after getting a leg cramp and fell over the railing, police said. He landed on the hotel's fourth floor deck.
A hotel room service waiter witnessed the incident.
Injury to infant under investigation
Honolulu police have opened an assault investigation after an examination of a 2-month-old child revealed it had a fractured rib. The child was taken to Kapiolani Medical Center on Monday for a cold.A chest X ray revealed the injury. No arrests have been made.
FBI makes 3 arrests for alleged bank fraud
FBI agents arrested three people who allegedly defrauded a Maui bank of more than $91,000. Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents assisted in the arrest of 32-year-old Patrick Hokana, 26-year-old Michael Christian and 30-year-old Lilia Chong.The criminal complaint filed in the case alleges that all three attempted to defraud the Wailuku branch of American Savings Bank. Hokana and Christian were arrested on Oahu, while Chong was arrested at her Maui home.
Body found at Pokai; cause of death unknown
A fisherman spotted the body of 19-year-old Alika K.K. Apela at Pokai Bay Beach Park yesterday afternoon. Apela was last seen at the park at 1 p.m. Monday. His body was recovered by Waianae firefighters.Honolulu police detectives said there seemed to be no visible injuries on Apela's body and are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine how he died. The case has been classified an unattended death.
Police capture furlough escapee
Honolulu Police have caught a Laumaka work furlough escapee who ran off last week when he was trying to provide a false urine sample to public safety officials. Patrol officers chased Arnold "Bully" Willets on foot near Miller Street and Iolani Avenue in the Punchbowl area after determining that the Honda Willets was driving was involved in an auto theft.Police arrested him for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. Willets has eight felony convictions, including robbery, kidnapping and auto theft.
Big Isle residents warned of pellet-gun shootings
HILO >> Big Island police are warning residents that two people have been shot with a pellet gun at Kehena Beach in Puna during the past week. Neither victim was seriously injured, although one, a 43-year-old Volcano man, was treated for a pellet lodged in his neck.Kehena Beach, 25 miles south of Hilo, is at the base of a cliff.
