Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Hilton time-share on verge of approval

The City Council is poised to approve Hilton Hotels' 350-unit Waikikian time-share tower at a meeting next Wednesday.

The Zoning Committee voted 5-0 yesterday to move the $80 million project out despite objections by Hilton workers and union officials who said the hotel company should not be building another tower until it can resolve its mold problems at two of its towers that surfaced last week.

Neighboring property owners also raised questions about the project's effect on area traffic and view.

The project calls for construction of a 350-foot-tall tower that Hilton is envisioning for time-share use. A 120-stall parking garage is also planned.

The project would share a lobby with the 164-unit Hilton Lagoon Apartments.

Hilton is the first developer to seek special considerations under the planned development resort process. The company also wants a special management area use permit from the Council.

Waianae pair indicted for welfare fraud

An Oahu grand jury indicted two Waianae residents for fraudulently obtaining more than $20,300 in welfare benefits from 1994 to 2001, state Attorney General Earl Anzai announced yesterday.

Charity Willing, 30, and George Willing Jr., 32, were indicted June 19 on first- and second-degree theft charges.

The Criminal Justice Division of the Department of the Attorney General and county prosecutors have successfully prosecuted 112 people during the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, on welfare fraud involving theft of more than $2.23 million in public-assistance benefits, according to a news release.

An additional $868,000 in welfare benefits were unlawfully obtained by 806 others who received administrative sanctions and termination of public-assistance benefits, the news release said.

Anyone with information concerning possible welfare fraud is urged to call the Welfare Fraud Hotline at 587-4444.

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Corrections and clarifications >> The Wahiawa woman who was stabbed to death was Ruby Mabanag. Her last name was spelled incorrectly in a Sunday article on Page A13. Also, a photo caption with the story incorrectly identified the house shown as the cottage where the stabbing occurred. The cottage, which is on the same property, is actually behind the house shown. >> Swimming champion Richard Cleveland was 6 feet tall. An obituary article on Page A10 yesterday incorrectly reported that he was 6 feet 8 inches. >> A news conference Monday by Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 5 was held at the union's Waikiki headquarters. An article yesterday on Page C1 incorrectly said the news conference was at Hilton Hawaiian Village. 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

HONOLULU

Hit-and-run accident seriously injures man

A hit-and-run traffic accident this morning left a 38-year-old Pauoa man seriously injured, police said.

Police were searching for a 21-year-old Palolo man for questioning. Police said speed and alcohol may be factors.

The victim was a passenger in a car traveling east on Kaimuki Avenue about 1:40 a.m. when a pickup truck traveling north on 10th Avenue ran a stop sign and struck the car broadside.

The driver of the truck and his three male passengers, all from Palolo, got out of the truck and ran off, police said. While officers were investigating at the scene, two passengers returned and provided the identify of the driver. The victim was taken to Queen's Medical Center where his condition improved to fair from critical. The victim's sister, who was driving the car, also was injured but apparently not seriously, police said.

Safe falls off pickup as burglars flee store

Two would-be burglars left empty handed this morning when a safe they stole fell off the back of their pickup truck.

Police said the safe was stolen from Village Market at 1249 Wilder Ave. in Makiki sometime before 1:47 a.m. by two men who entered through the roof.

Witnesses told police they saw the men load the safe onto a truck. But when they fled, the safe fell off the pickup onto the roadway near the corner of Wilder Avenue and Kewalo Street. Police recovered the safe.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police investigating Big Isle slaying report

HILO >> Big Island detectives this morning were investigating report of a homicide in Onomea, north of Hilo.

Detectives had worked through the night looking for clues in the death of a 27-year-old woman. Details of the homicide were not available.

Hilo motorcyclist killed in car collision

HILO >> A motorcyclist was killed yesterday after he collided with a car in Hilo, police said.

Tompkins Williams, of Hilo, was going uphill on Waianuenue Avenue near Ululani Street about 12:30 p.m. when his Harley Davidson collided with a sedan driven by John Iswan, 64, police said. Williams was taken to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Iswan also was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.

Diver found dead off Maui beach park

KIHEI >> A diver was found dead yesterday about 150 yards off Mai Poina Oe Lau Beach Park on Maui.

Firefighters recovered the body of Emiliano Famatau, 48, shortly after 3 a.m., fire officials said. An autopsy was pending to determine the cause of death.