Community to pitch in to help renovate schools
Four Hawaii public schools will receive as much as $25,000 each for repair and renovation projects.Baldwin High School in Wailuku and Kapunahala Elementary School in Kaneohe will have electrical repairs completed with the funds. Roosevelt High School in Makiki will renovate locker rooms. Wahiawa Middle School will have classrooms repainted.
The initiative, called Hawaii 3Rs (Repair, Remodel and Restore Hawaii's public schools), brings private contributions and professional volunteers to help with the $640 million repair and maintenance backlog.
Trade unions, businesses, military, community leaders, parents, teachers and students work together to provide skilled and unskilled labor.
The state Legislature passed a law providing $1 million in funding and tax credits for qualified professionals who participate. The Department of Defense also provided $100,000 for the program.
The state saves thousands with this program, estimating the Wahiawa Middle School project would save $147,000 in repairs.
Hawaii 3Rs will award grants of up to $25,000 to public schools with private contributions and professional volunteerism of equal or greater value than the amount requested.
The next deadline for applications is Feb. 2002. Call Ann Yamasaki, executive director of Hawaii 3Rs, at 440-3876.
Mindanao to be topic of 3-part lecture series
The University of Hawaii-Manoa Center for Philippine Studies is offering a three-part lecture series on Mindanao.Michael Mastura, a Muslim historian and president of the Sultan Kudarat Islamic Academy Foundation, will discuss "Islam and Political Forces in Mindanao" in the Korean Studies Auditorium from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. today.
Tomorrow he will discuss "The Roots of the Mindanao Crisis" in the Korean Studies auditorium from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Thursday he will discuss "The Future of Mindanao: Autonomy, Secession, Federalism" in Webster 116 from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.
Due to space limitations, reservations should be made at 956-2682 or by e-mail at cps@hawaii.edu.
HPD food service worker strikes plea deal
The last defendant in the food scandal at the police cellblock entered a not guilty plea today in Circuit Court.Ernest Villanueva, a civilian food service worker in charge of heating and ordering food, is the fourth person to be charged with diverting funds intended for buying food for prisoners. The money was used instead to feed police officers, including high-ranking officials.
Although Villanueva pleaded not guilty before Circuit Judge Gail Nakatani, he is expected to enter a change of plea next week under an agreement with prosecutors.
"There was a plea agreement in this case where defendant Villanueva is going to testify in the HPD central receiving division," said deputy prosecutor Randal Lee. "He was the cook at the time who was ordering the food at the police department under the impression-- the false impression -- that the food was going to the prisoners when it wasn't."
Two high-ranking HPD officers -- Assistant Chief Rafael Fajardo Jr. and Maj. Jeffrey Owens -- were indicted in August for second-degree theft for allegedly diverting the funds. Both have pled not guilty and are awaiting trial in March.
Villanueva was released on his own recognizance until his trial on Jan. 7, set before Circuit Judge Michael Town.
No charges will be filed against another cook, Myron Lee, who had been arrested at the same time as Villanueva.
Lee was present at today's hearing and will voluntarily testify in the trial.
Attorney Scott Collins said Lee was thankful to be vindicated. "He is cooperating, he is a witness in this case," Collins said.
Free flu shots for neuromuscular disorder sufferers
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is offering free flu shots to residents affected by any of the more than 40 neuromuscular disorders in the association's program."Respiratory infections caused by the flu can mean big trouble for children and adults with neuromuscular disorders," said the association president, Robert Ross.
"A simple flu shot can reduce their chances of getting a life-threatening illness, and MDA is happy to provide this protection at no cost."
Influenza is particularly dangerous for people with muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) or other neuromuscular disorders, the association said.
That is because such diseases can damage all muscles, including those responsible for breathing.
Funds raised during the Labor Day Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon help MDA to provide thousands of free flu shots annually as part of its clinical service program.
The MDA clinic in Hawaii is administered through Castle Medical Center and held once a month on Oahu. The clinic team goes to Kauai, Maui, Hilo and Kona twice a year to visit with clients.
For more information on the flu shots, call the MDA office in Honolulu, 548-0588, or MDA headquarters, 800-572-1717, or visit www.mdausa.org.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
HONOLULU
Man, 22, faces 16 counts of sex assault on girl, 15
A 22-year-old man has been charged with 16 counts of sexual assault stemming from an apparent ongoing consensual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, police said.Jose Rendon of Honolulu was charged Friday with eight counts each of first-degree and third-degree assault. He remains in custody in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Rendon is being charged under the state's new age of consent law that makes it illegal for an adult to have consensual sex with a minor under 16 when the adult is at least five years older. The previous age of consent was 14. The Class C felony is punishable by up to 20 years in jail. The case stemmed from an Oct. 22 incident in which a sexual encounter allegedly occurred in Rendon's downtown apartment, police said.
Woman killed by tour bus ID'd as Waialae resident
The medical examiner's office has identified a 67-year-old woman killed by a tour bus Saturday morning as Betty S. Koga of 20th Avenue in Waialae. Koga was struck while crossing the street when the bus made a right turn from Sumner Street onto Iwilei Road behind Kmart at about 9:42 a.m. Police said Koga was not in a crosswalk.
Windward Oahu
Ex-convict forces his way into woman's home
A 44-year-old man who was recently released from prison was arrested yesterday after allegedly forcing his way into his ex-girlfriend's Kailua home and physically assaulting her in front of their two children, police said.The suspect left the scene before police arrived, but was arrested on suspicion of first degree burglary upon his return to the Kailua home at 2 p.m. The case is pending investigation.
Central Oahu
Police looking for robber of Payless in Waipahu
Police are looking for a man who robbed a Payless ShoeSource in Waipahu Town Center just before 5 p.m. yesterday.Police said the robbery at 94-050 Farrington Highway occurred as employees were closing for the day. The suspect approached an employee, demanded money and struck the employee on the head with a metal pole after apparently getting impatient, police said. The employee, who handed over an undetermined amount of money, was treated at the scene.
The suspect was last seen running through the parking lot. He is described as being 30 to 35 years old, 5-foot-8-inches to 5-foot-10-inches tall, 160 pounds, with a tan complexion and dark, wavy hair.
WAIKIKI
Suspect accused of trying to push cop off balcony
Police arrested a 24-year-old man who allegedly attempted to push a police officer off a second-floor balcony Saturday afternoon.Christopher Hodge initially was arrested for first-degree attempted murder, but was charged yesterday with third-degree assault on a police officer. Officers responded to an argument at an apartment where Hodge allegedly stood on the second-floor walkway and yelled at police as they arrived.
Hodge then grabbed the shirt of an approaching officer and shoved him against a railing, almost causing him to fall over the balcony, police said. Other officers subdued and arrested Hodge. He was released after posting $250 bail yesterday.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
South Kona man charged with attempted robbery
KAILUA-KONA >> A 25-year-old man was charged yesterday with attempted robbery and terroristic threatening after allegedly trying to rob the Lanihau branch of First Hawaiian Bank in Kona, police said.Sheridan Kuhl, of Captain Cook in South Kona, was charged with one count of first-degree attempted robbery and two counts of terroristic threatening. He was being held yesterday in lieu of $70,000 bail. The attempted robbery occurred before noon Saturday. Police said a suspect entered the bank, brandished a dagger, jumped onto the customer counter and demanded money from the tellers. When his attempt failed, the suspect then ran out the door, where he was confronted by officers and arrested.
Maui moped driver killed in Wailea crash with car
WAILUKU >> A 20-year-old Maui man died after the moped he was riding was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Wailea.A car pulling out of the Wailea Renaissance Resort collided into the moped driven by Daniel T. Terwin as he traveled south on Wailea Alanui Drive at 3:46 p.m. yesterday, said police investigator Lawrence Becraft. The driver of the car was a 48-year-old Illinois woman. Becraft said police are still investigating the cause of the crash, including whether speed drugs, or alcohol were contributing factors.
