Power problems shut Bank of Hawaii ATMs
Bank of Hawaii officials said electrical problems shut down all of their automated teller machines across the state yesterday. Hawaiian Electric Co. officials said the problem stemmed from their Waiakamilo substation in Kalihi where they had problems with equipment that regulates voltage."The problem affected three-phase power users," said HECO spokesman Fred Kobashikawa yesterday. Kobashikawa explained that while most residents use "single phase power," businesses use different voltages to run things like elevator motors and building air-conditioning systems.
Bank of Hawaii spokeswoman Carole Tang said the problem hit the bank's data center, which in turn affected ATMs, which could not verify account information. However, Tang said the HECO problem did not affect any other bank functions and that backup systems got ATMs back online by 2 p.m.
Kobashikawa did not know how many other Kalihi businesses were affected but said the boundaries of the affected area included Kalihi Street, Hanai Loop, and Aupuni Street.
Suspicious substance forces flight to turn back
LOS ANGELES >> A United Airlines flight bound for Hawaii returned to Los Angeles International Airport about 90 minutes after takeoff yesterday when someone noticed a suspicious substance, an airport spokeswoman said.Flight 51 with 164 to 172 people aboard departed the airport for Kona about 4:20 p.m.
It was ordered to return about one hour later, said airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles. The Boeing 757-200 landed about 90 minutes after it left the airport, she said.
Airport police officers, federal agents, firefighters and hazardous materials units helped passengers off the aircraft, and the plane was isolated at a remote terminal in the west section of the airport, Castles said.
The aircraft originated at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.
According to Los Angeles International Airport police, the substance proved to be nothing hazardous.
The flight was deemed safe and departed Los Angeles again at 9:15 p.m. (7:15 p.m. Hawaii time) yesterday.
ACCIDENT SNAGS TRUCK ON A POWER LINE
Agencies to be partly repaid for ADB conference expenses
U.S. House and Senate conferees on Thursday approved spending $1.6 million to reimburse Hawaii law enforcement agencies for expenses incurred during the Asian Development Bank Conference in May.Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye said the Honolulu Police Department and the state Department of Public Safety had reported about $3.3 million in expenses associated with the conference.
Inouye said lawmakers followed the precedent of the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle and last year's International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington, D.C., in agreeing to reimburse half of Hawaii's law enforcement costs.
Senate conferees faced a difficult debate with their House counterparts, who believed there should be no reimbursement because Hawaii volunteered to host the conference, Inouye said.
"They were also concerned that such action would provide further precedent for a 50 percent reimbursable rate," Inouye said in a statement. "In the end, I was pleased that the Senate conferees prevailed."
The funds were approved as part of the House-Senate Conference Report of the 2002 Treasury Department budget that passed the Senate late Thursday. The measure now must be approved by the White House.
Also approved, Inouye said, was $1.92 million for the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program. The money will be used to gather, analyze and disseminate drug-trafficking and money-laundering intelligence for use by law enforcement agencies, he said.
Congress approved an additional $750,000 to add staff at the Honolulu Customs District and pay the salaries of part-time and temporary customs inspectors at the Honolulu Airport, he said.
Castle Foundation donates $250,000 to help isle victims of downturn
The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation board of directors has presented $50,000 checks to five local charities that help local residents who have been affected by the economic downturn caused by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks."The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation feels that these emergency grants, as a result of the economic strain on our community, is a good way for funders -- large and small, as well as individuals -- to do something to effectively help our families in Hawaii," said Kate Braden, foundation vice president .
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Honolulu, Hawaii Foodbank Inc., Helping Hands Hawaii, Institute for Human Services and The Salvation Army were each awarded $50,000 from the foundation to provide rent subsidies, food and other emergency family support services to those affected by the economic downturn.
>> The Hawaii Association of Broadcasters has awarded $57,000 in academic scholarships to the following students: Carrie Brown, Northwestern University; Daniel Cup Choy, Loyola Marymount University; Dava Della, Hawaii Pacific University; Sara K. Eckhart, University of Nevada-Reno; Kelsey T. Ho, University of Hawaii-Manoa; Tracy Ignacio, Leeward Community College; Errin Kealoha, UH-Manoa; Erin Kinoshita, Arizona State University; Sheena Kipu, Menlo College; Kimberly Kobayashi, Chapman University; Jaime Kuntemeyer, UH-Hilo; Kasia Makahanaloa, Marymount College; Rosalinda Massler, Mesa State; Ryan Ng, University of Southern California; Daniel Nunes, UH-Manoa; Jeannie Pinpin, Chaminade University; Paulette Reyes, UH-Manoa; Peony Sojot, UH-Manoa; Dominique Stafford, University of Nevada-Las Vegas; Sheri Takara, HPU; Ann Tsukano, University of Tampa; David Wei, Chaminade University; Esther You, American University; and Mark Younge, HPU. The students were awarded scholarships based on academic achievement and the desire to work in the broadcast industry. [TAKING NOTICE]
>> The Institute for Human Services has named William S. Chee, Barbara Ching, Bruce Coppa, Denis Isono, Peter Nottage, Patricia Schnack and Patricia Spiegelberg, RN to the organization's board of directors. In addition, the following individuals were named as officers for 2001-2002: Ellen Godbey Carson, Esq., president; Philip Ching, vice president; Keith Steiner, Esq., treasurer; and Sherman Hee, Esq., secretary.
>> Honolulu resident Hilary Son was selected to attend the Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation 2001 Summer Seminar Program held June 10-23 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Son, a student at Lutheran High School, received a full-tuition, room and board scholarship to attend the national program designed as an intensive visual arts institute for gifted high-school juniors. She is one of 63 students selected from around the United States to participate in the program.
>> Tanya Ah Sue and Michelle Yoshida have been named as recipients of the Golden Callus Award, presented by the Hon Chew Hee Estate Foundation. Ah Sue and Yoshida were awarded $1,000 each to further their art education. Ah Sue attends Windward Community College. Yoshida is a student at Kapiolani Community College.
>> The Hawaii Council for the Humanities recently awarded $24,793 in grants to nonprofit organizations in support of humanities projects for the public. Pili Productions Inc. and the University of Hawaii Center for Pacific Island Studies received $10,000 to produce a Web site and hold workshops on the relationship between the environment, society and history. A $9,793 grant was awarded to the Biographical Research Center and the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center to hold life history forums on individuals who made lasting impacts on Hawaii's history, culture and society. The Vegetarian Society of Hawaii, Animal Rights-Hawaii and Leeward Community College were awarded $2,500 to hold a presentation and discussion on animal rights. The Friends of Waipahu Cultural Garden Park and the Puerto Rican Heritage Group also were awarded $2,500. The two groups plan to use the money to print an interpretive brochure on the Puerto Rican house at Hawaii's Plantation Village, focusing on the first group of Puerto Ricans to arrive in Hawaii during the early 20th century. The HCH awarded the grants in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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
HONOLULU
Oct. 29 murder suspect arrested in Waikiki
Honolulu police arrested a suspect in an attempted murder case that happened earlier this week.Police said that on Oct. 29 the suspect, a 41-year-old male, shot the 29-year-old male victim at a Moiliili 7-Eleven parking lot. Police said both men apparently got into an argument while the victim was parked near gasoline pumps.
Police said the suspect shot the victim in the face and he was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition. Queen's officials last night said they had no information about the victim.
Police said they located and arrested the suspect yesterday in Waikiki.
Wife tries to knife hubby caught in affair, police say
Honolulu police said a woman who arrived home to find her husband in bed with another woman attacked both with a kitchen knife yesterday. Police said the incident took place at 9:50 a.m. at a Honolulu address.Police said the 36-year-old suspect found her husband and the other woman in the master bedroom after returning home from work.
Police said the suspect then grabbed a knife from the kitchen and hit the other woman in the head with the knife's blunt side.
Police said the suspect then cut her husband and bit his right middle finger as both struggled for the weapon.
The husband finally got hold of the weapon and police arrested the suspect for attempted murder.
Barricade situation delays after-school pickup
Lunalilo Elementary School parents said they were delayed from picking up their children yesterday because of a barricade situation near the school.Lunalilo Elementary is located at 810 Pumehana St. in Pawaa and Honolulu police said the barricade situation took place at a Nanea Street address, which is located across from the school.
Parents said the situation kept children in their classrooms after school was supposed to be let out at 2:15 p.m. One woman said she was able to pick up her 5-year-old son at 3:15 p.m., though she was unsure if all students were let out at the same time.
Lunalilo school officials were not available for comment after hours yesterday.
LEEWARD OAHU
Juvenile who escaped earlier is rearrested
Honolulu police arrested a juvenile male yesterday who had escaped from police last month. Police originally arrested the suspect on Oct. 19 for abuse of household member at an Aiea apartment complex. However, police said, the suspect ran off while still bound by handcuffs.Police located and rearrested the suspect yesterday at a Pearl City address.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Anthrax test of worker at Maui school is negative
WAILUKU >> Lokelani Intermediate School is scheduled to reopen Monday, after results of anthrax testing on one of the counselors turned out negative.The school was closed all day yesterday while school officials awaited the test results.
School Principal Marion Mueller said a school counselor told a physician Thursday that he had flu-like symptoms and recalled receiving a mailed catalogue from Washington, D.C. last week. Muller said the test results were negative for anthrax.
Big Isle police seek help in solving student robbery
Big Island police are seeking the public's help in solving a robbery that occurred Oct. 24, at Hilo Intermediate School.The victim, a seventh-grade student, was on the school campus about 8 a.m. waiting for the morning bell to ring when he was approached from behind by two young males who demanded his watch.
Police say one of the suspects punched the juvenile in the face and stomach, causing him to fall, then whipped him with a belt and removed his wristwatch. Police say the suspect's companion also punched the victim.
Both suspects then fled in a brown Honda Accord, described as a 1980s model with numerous dents and scratches and having "smaller" wheels.
The suspect who took the watch was described as 5-feet-7 in height, weighing 150 to 160 pounds, having brown eyes and black, spiky hair bleached blond on top, and having a dragon tattoo on his upper back. The other assailant was described only as Caucasian or part-Caucasian.
Anyone with information about the robbery or the identities of the suspects is asked to call Officer Vince Sivankeo of the South Hilo Patrol at 961-2311 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
