Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Tuesday, January 22, 2002

Forum to talk about trends in orchid trade

HILO >> Three specialists in orchid growing and marketing will report on trends in their business Saturday at the annual meeting of the Hawaii Orchid Growers Association at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

Speakers will be Lori Latta, orchid buyer for the 125 Trader Joe's stores; Walter Off, co-owner of Waldo Orchids in Lindwood, N.J.; and Robert Hunter of Waimea on the Big Island, speaking on patenting orchid plants.

For information and reservations, e-mail orchid@aloha.net or call Neal Okimoto at 808-965-9299.

Orchids are second only in sales to poinsettias in potted flowering plants in the United States, the growers association said.

Hawaii ranks third in orchid production nationwide with a wholesale value of $14.7 million in 2000.

Corrections and clarifications >> Chad Buchanan is the coordinator for the Salvation Army's Family Services Office. His last name was misspelled in a Sunday story on A12. >> Richard Soo, a candidate for the City Council 5th District seat, said he would vote "no" on Mayor Jeremy Harris' Bus Rapid Transit project as proposed. A profile of candidates yesterday on Page A6 incorrectly reported that he would vote yes on the project. 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.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

LEEWARD OAHU

Police say speed a factor in fatal Maili Point crash

Police said speed was a factor in yesterday's traffic collision at Maili Point on Farrington Highway that killed one man and injured two others.

Police said the accident occurred about 5 a.m. when a 24-year man driving his car toward Waianae on Farrington crossed the center line and struck a car heading toward Honolulu driven by a 27-year-old man.

The first car continued Waianae-bound, missed a second town-bound vehicle but struck a third head-on, killing the driver, police said.

The 24-year-old driver of the first car is in critical condition in Queen's Medical Center while the 27-year-old driver of the second car is in guarded condition.

Another town-bound vehicle avoided contact with the crashed cars but struck some debris, police said.

HONOLULU

Man arrested for alleged threats to pizza deliverer

Honolulu police arrested a 32-year-old Date Street man last night after he allegedly threatened a pizza delivery driver for arguing with his father.

Police said the victim, a 30-year-old man, was delivering pizza at a Date Street apartment building and left his moped running.

Police said at some point the suspect's father came out to confront the pizza delivery driver for leaving his moped running.

Police said during the argument the suspect came out because he heard his father arguing with someone armed with what appeared to be a rifle.

The incident was reported to police, who arrested the suspect for first-degree terroristic threatening.

Police did not recover a firearm from the scene.

CENTRAL OAHU

Man allegedly uses car to ram vehicle 3 times

Wahiawa police took a 39-year-old Haleiwa man to Castle Medical Center in Kailua for observation yesterday after police said he rammed his car three times into another vehicle for no apparent reason.

The incident took place near the intersection of Kamehameha Highway and Kilani Avenue.

Police said after the suspect rammed the victim's vehicle, his vehicle caught on fire. But police said the suspect did not make any attempt to flee the burning vehicle.

Police said though the victim was also a Haleiwa resident, neither man appeared to know the other.

No one was injured in the incident, according to police.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Thieves break in and steal Big Isle restaurant's safe

HILO >> Thieves broke into Harrington's Restaurant facing the "Ice Pond" portion of Hilo Bay early yesterday and stole the restaurant safe, owner Doreen Freiberg said.

The burglary took place sometime between midnight, when the restaurant closed, and 6 a.m., when a maintenance man arrived and found a burglar alarm still ringing despite an apparent attempt to smash it, Freiberg said.

Thieves apparently broke into the building and then broke through an interior wall, she said.

The front door of the restaurant was smashed, suggesting one or more burglars carried the safe out that way.

Despite the damage, Freiberg said she was able to open the restaurant for business later in the day.

Police are investigating.