Diebling named acting city budget director
Chris Diebling will become the city's acting director of budget and fiscal services Monday following the resignation of Ben Dimond effective yesterday.Diebling, a longtime deputy corporation counsel, has been acting deputy budget director since the beginning of this month, when then-Budget Director Caroll Takahashi resigned and Dimond moved up from the deputy's post.
Dimond, a longtime budget employee, had retired from the city but came back on a personal services contract.
Diebling will administer the department until Mayor Jeremy Harris can appoint a permanent replacement, said Harris spokeswoman Carol Costa.
Kauai files opposition to electric co-op deal
LIHUE >> As expected, Kauai County yesterday filed a position paper with the state Public Utilities Commission opposing the sale by Citizens Communications Corp. of Kauai Electric to a local cooperative.The county's filing came after the state consumer advocate and the U.S. Navy, who both opposed a similar deal that was rejected by the PUC two years ago, filed papers now supporting the sale. Two years ago, the sale price was $270 million. The new package before the PUC has a $215 million price tag.
William Milks, special counsel to the county, told the PUC yesterday the price the Kauai Island Utility Co-op is willing to pay still is too high.
Alleged tax evader pleads not guilty
Royal Lamarr Hardy, founder of a Honolulu-based organization that promotes tax avoidance, pleaded not guilty yesterday to federal charges of conspiracy and failure to file income taxes.His trial was set for the week of Sept. 3.
A three-count indictment returned July 11 charged Hardy, 46, with conspiring with others to defraud the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service since 1985. He is alleged to have not filed or paid taxes since then.
Mateo sworn in as Kawano's replacement
WAILUKU >> An aide was sworn into office yesterday, succeeding the late Maui County Councilman Chairman Patrick Kawano for the five months remaining in his term.Dennis "Danny" Mateo, 50, of Molokai, a former aide to Kawano, took the oath of office administered by Maui Circuit Judge Joel August in the Maui County Council chambers.
Mateo has said he plans to represent Kawano's views and support the councilman's projects through the remaining term. Mateo is running for Kawano's Molokai seat and has the support of Kawano's family.
Federal whale group seeks 9 for its council
WAILUKU >> The federal organization that manages the reserve for endangered humpback whales in Hawaii is seeking people who want to fill nine of its advisory council seats.The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary said the available seats are for nongovernmental members and include people involved in business, conservation and ocean activities.
The council, which meets about once every two to four months, is made up of 10 government and 15 nongovernment representatives.
The nongovernment terms run for two years, and members serve without pay.
The sanctuary is managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The deadline for filing applications is Aug. 15.
For more information, call Amy Glester on Oahu at 397-2655.
Grace Corp. funds keiki scholarships
Grace Pacific Corp. donated $8,000 in scholarships to Leeward Coast fifth-grade winners of the "Outstanding Keiki of the Year Awards."The scholarships paid for an educational retreat at Camp Timberline in Makakilo in May and were given to students from Barbers Point, Kapolei, Makakilo and Mauka Lani schools.
In all, 72 elementary students were recognized as Outstanding Keiki.
Isles get $6.5 million in grants
Hawaii will receive more than $6.5 million in federal money to build low-cost housing, provide shelter for the homeless, stimulate the local economy, and help families and individuals with HIV or AIDS.The funding from the Bush administration was announced yesterday by Mel Martinez, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Martinez said the grants will help stimulate business development and job growth.
Of the $6.5 million in grants, $3 million will go to Hawaii and Kauai counties as community development block grants, to help county officials target economic development projects in their communities.
Statewide, Hawaii will receive $3 million in block grants to create affordable housing for low-income households.
The block grants have traditionally been used to rehabilitate so-called affordable housing.
Another $175,000 will help pay for the basic shelter needs of the homeless, while another $160,000 will help address the housing needs of those with HIV or AIDS.
|
>> There have been at least four child abductions in Hawaii by strangers since 1988. A Page A6 story in Friday's final edition erroneously stated that the four abductions were since 1994. 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.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Honolulu fire officials said about a dozen vehicles were involved in a traffic accident yesterday afternoon in a tunnel on the Halawa-bound side of the H-3 freeway. Fire officials said one person had to be taken by ambulance for medical treatment after the accident.
Coast Guard drops supplies to fishermen
Six Japanese fishermen who abandoned ship after their boat started taking on water were aided early yesterday by the U.S. Coast Guard, authorities said.The Katsuura Maru 28 put out a distress call about midnight Hawaii time saying the boat was taking on water about 330 miles southwest of Wake Island, Coast Guard officials said in a news release.
A Coast Guard HC-130 long-range rescue aircraft dispatched from Kalaeloa Point located the six Japanese crew members on a life raft around 2 a.m. and dropped a kit containing extra life rafts and survival gear.
A nearby vessel was en route to pick up the crew, the Coast Guard said. The Katsuura Maru sank, and the cause of the incident is being investigated, the Coast Guard said.
Wake Island is about 2,460 miles west of Honolulu.
HONOLULU
Suspect in stabbing turns self in to police
A suspect in a stabbing Monday turned himself in yesterday at the Kalihi Police Station.Police said the 41-year-old Kalihi man stabbed a 37-year-old man in front of an Ahonui Street residence in Kalihi in a dispute over money. The victim is in guarded condition at Queen's Medical Center.
Another suspect, a 38-year-old Waipahu man, who police said assaulted the victim and aided in the stabbing, turned himself in Monday and was later released pending investigation.
WINDWARD OAHU
Kaneohe boy receives second-degree burns
A 2-year-old Kaneohe boy received second-degree burns on his body in what police are so far classifying as an accident pending a medical review of the boy's injuries.The girlfriend of the boy's father told police she was awakened yesterday by the child's screaming and found the boy in the bathtub with soiled underpants. She said she picked up the boy and stood with him under a cold shower until she realized the severity of the burns.
She told police she contacted the boy's father, who took his son to the emergency room at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center.
