Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

OHA OKs a grant, a loan program and 10 goals

The board of the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs approved a five-year, $1.5 million grant this week to the University of Hawaii Center for Hawaiian Studies for scholarships.

The money -- $305,000 annually -- will help students study agriculture, aquaculture and oceanography, as well as allow students to conduct an inventory of ceded lands.

OHA trustees also approved spending $1.5 million to start a Hawaiian Entrepreneurial Loan Program to help businesses affected by the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks. The loans, fixed at 2 percent, would be for a maximum of $100,000 each and are for Hawaiian-owned businesses.

The board also approved the first year of a five-year strategic plan that focuses on 10 key goals. They are advocacy/native rights, culture, economic development, education, environment/natural resources, nationhood, policy, social services, land and housing, and health.

OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona said OHA now has a strategic plan that addresses 12 years of concerns raised in audit reviews. Apoliona said the plan will allow the agency to be accountable as it continues to better the conditions of native Hawaiians.

New law authorizes up to 25 charter schools

Gov. Ben Cayetano signed a bill into law Thursday that opens the doors for Kamehameha Schools to operate conversion charter schools in partnership with the state Department of Education.

The law requires Kamehameha Schools, or any other nonprofit organization that wants to participate, to match $1 per pupil toward school operations for every $4 allocated by the department.

Kamehameha Schools wants to partner with the state to reach more native Hawaiian children in grades kindergarten through 12.

The law, which was opposed by the Hawaii Government Employees Association and the Hawaii State Teachers Association, also establishes a cap for conversion charter schools at 25.

Former attorney headed for prison for tax evasion

A former Honolulu attorney was sentenced yesterday to a year and a day in prison for failing to file federal income and federal employment taxes from 1995 to 1997.

U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway also ordered that Riccio M. Tanaka serve three years of court-supervised release and cooperate with tax officials to satisfy outstanding liabilities.

Prosecutors said Tanaka owed the state and federal governments more than $137,000 for the three-year period.

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Corrections and clarifications 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

CENTRAL OAHU

Witness intimidation charged in murder case

The brother of a murder defendant was charged yesterday with intimidating a witness in the case.

Mack Fesagiga-McCormick, 20, was arrested Wednesday after police said he threatened a 21-year-old man he believe is a witness in his brother's case.

His brother, Gary McCormick-Fesagaiga, 18, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder and robbery in the fatal Feb. 11 beating of 41-year-old Mark Mehr in front of a Wahiawa apartment complex.

Mack Fesagiga-McCormick was also charged with unauthorized control of a private vehicle in an unrelated case. He remains in custody in lieu of $75,000 bail.

HONOLULU

2 teenage boys arrested in bus-stop beating

Two 16-year-old boys were arrested for robbery and attempted murder Thursday in connection with the beating last month of a man at a bus stop near downtown Honolulu.

The boys were later released to their parents. Police are looking for one more teenage boy in connection with the case.

Police arrested an 18-year-old Honolulu man Tuesday but released him without charges pending further investigation.

A 59-year-old man was taken to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition on March 22 after he was beaten at a bus stop on Vineyard Boulevard. He has since recovered from his injuries and has been released from the hospital.

Woman's arrest may help close bank robbery case

A woman wanted for questioning in connection with the robbery last month of Bank of Hawaii's main branch is in custody at Oahu Community Correctional Center.

Police arrested Monalin Rogers, 44, on Tuesday on a probation revocation warrant.

The bank's main branch at 111 S. King St. was robbed on March 11 by a woman who entered the bank, stood in line, approached a teller and lifted her shirt to display a handgun. The robber fled with an undisclosed amount of money.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Blasting caps detonated by Army bomb experts

KONA >> A U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit recovered 1,832 blasting caps this week from property in South Kona, Big Island said.

The blasting caps were discovered by a South Kona resident who called police Wednesday to report that he had found 40 to 50 bags of what he thought was demolition cord on his property, about a half-mile north of Papa Bay Estates.

Investigators determined that the explosives were actually shock tubing, more commonly referred to as blasting caps, used to ignite explosives. Police said the blasting caps appeared to have been at the location for an extended period of time, since most of the bags had ferns growing over them.

Police called for an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit to help with the recovery.The unit safely detonated the caps at the Kailua landfill on Wednesday and Thursday.

Police also called the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to help identify the source of the explosive shock cord. A police investigation is continuing.

A Police Department spokesman stressed that all explosives should be considered extremely dangerous. He cautioned anyone finding suspected explosives against touching the items and recommended contacting the police immediately.