No new dengue cases; number remains at 59
The number of confirmed dengue fever cases in Hawaii remains at 59 after no new cases were received yesterday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the state Department of Health said.No new cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been reported since Wednesday. Of the 59 cases, 49 are on Maui, six on Oahu and four on Kauai.
One additional case has tested positive in preliminary screenings, although the agency has not said where. Additionally, 299 possible cases are being investigated, up from 262 on Wednesday.
UH Sea Grant program receives $200,000 grant
The US. Department of Commerce has awarded the University of Hawaii a $200,000 grant for the Hawaii Sea Grant College Program."This funding supports academic studies so vital to the Hawaiian environment and way of life," said U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink (D-Hawaii).
The Hawaii Sea Grant College Program supports a summer immersion course in earth system science at the University of Hawaii.
Firm hired to design UH medical complex
Two big landowners are teaming up to attract the University of Hawaii's proposed $300 million medical complex to Kakaako and redevelop almost 100 acres of their waterfront lands.Kamehameha Schools, Victoria Ward Ltd. and the university said they have hired the New York architecture and design firm of Cooper, Robertson & Partners to develop a general plan for their underused Kakaako properties.
Cooper, Robertson & Partners conducted the master-planning work for the massive Celebration Florida complex next to Florida's DisneyWorld and Trinity College.
UH President Evan Dobelle was president of Trinity prior to accepting the same post at the Manoa school.
Both the Kamehameha Schools and Victoria Ward have announced plans for redeveloping their Kakaako lands. On Wednesday the Kamehameha Schools announced that it planned to build a $100 million, high-tech office complex in an effort to jump start its 20-year, multibillion-dollar Kakaako master plan.
MAKUA VALLEY TRAINING ENDS SAFELY
Debt manager admits fraud
The former owner of a debt management agency has pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder drug proceeds through his business in exchange for heroin.Under a plea agreement, Michael Haxton, former president of the nonprofit Hawaii Credit Counseling Service, agreed yesterday to testify against his remaining co-defendants.
He faces no more than 20 years' imprisonment when sentenced March 4.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Thomas, Haxton and his wife, Yvonne, who was a treasurer for the agency, agreed to accept small bills on at least nine occasions between September 2000 and April 2001 from co-defendants Jose Nunez-Curiel and others and exchange them for larger denominations in the same amount.
Haxton said he knew the small bills were drug proceeds and that they were assisting co-defendants in transporting large amounts of cash for heroin from Mexico.
Yvonne Haxton pleaded guilty earlier to money laundering and is awaiting sentencing.
Nunez-Curiel, who ran a heroin drug ring in Kaneohe and Kailua and supplied the Haxtons with heroin, was sentenced this week to seven years and one month in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, illegally remaining in the United States, and money laundering.
Man pleads guilty to luring minor on Internet
A 30-year-old library assistant pleaded guilty to a felony charge of luring a 14-year-old Oregon girl over the Internet to come to Hawaii for sex.Under a plea agreement with the government, Lando Millare of Kalihi faces maximum penalties of up to 15 years in prison, fines of up to $250,000 and no more than three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced March 4.
Millare admitted to meeting the girl on the Internet through a friend of hers and that their relationship progressed to talk about having sex. He said he knew she was 14.
Millare said they planned for her to come to Hawaii by tricking her parents into thinking she would be staying with a female friend and her parents.
He said he sent her a round-trip ticket to Honolulu and intended for her to stay with his grandparents. He met her in Los Angeles, and both arrived in Honolulu on June 19. Honolulu police located her within a half-hour of their arrival at his Kalihi apartment, he said.
The girl's father had contacted police and given the address where she apparently was going to be staying after she failed to call him on her arrival here.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said Millare told the girl he was 17 and of his intention that they have sex when they met.
In exchange for his guilty plea, Millare will not be charged with receiving or possession of pornography. FBI agents discovered the pornography on his home computer.
Corrections and clarifications
> > The University of Hawaii will rename the Student Services Center the Queen Liliuokalani Center for Student Services. A story on Page A3 yesterday said incorrectly that it would be named the Queen Liliuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies.> > The Ballet Stars from San Francisco concert starts at 7:30 tonight. A story in yesterday's Star Weekend section said it would begin at 8 p.m. Amanda Schull also danced with Ballet Hawaii, not Hawaii Ballet, as noted in the story.
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
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Slaying of Big Isle man classified as murder case
HILO >> A 51-year-old man shot by his ex-wife died Thursday in Hilo Medical Center, police said.Authorities continued holding the 50-year-old woman and classified the case as a murder investigation rather than attempted murder, police said. The woman was arrested Thursday morning.
Following the 5:14 a.m. incident Thursday, in which the man was shot in the abdomen, he walked to a neighbor's house in the Keaukaha area of Hilo, where his ex-wife lived, and asked them to call an ambulance. He died later at the hospital.
Police have not disclosed a motive for the shooting.
East Hawaii drug sweep nets 4,981 pot plants
HILO >> A five-day drug sweep across East Hawaii resulted in the confiscation of 4,981 marijuana plants, police said. No unusual incidents were reported.
The eradication mission ended yesterday.
HONOLULU
Driver arrested for escape after leaving police car
A 30-year-old Honolulu woman was arrested for escape this week after she climbed out the window of a moving police car.The woman initially was arrested Thursday in Kailua for allegedly driving without a license, a probation violation and contempt of court warrants, police said.
As she was being transported to the Kailua Police Station, police said, the woman was able to slip out of her handcuffs. The arresting officer stopped the car when he noticed the woman climbing out the rear-seat window.
Police said the woman fell to the ground and ran but was caught a short distance away.
