Kauai and Maui earn praise for land policy
WAILUKU >> A national nonprofit group has praised Kauai and Maui voters for setting aside property tax money to buy land for open space.The San Francisco-based Trust for Public Land noted Maui County voters supported a minimum of 1 percent of property taxes to establish an open-space fund, and Kauai County voters approved to set aside 0.5 percent for a public-access fund.
"I think it's a clear indication from the people in those counties that the protection of those lands is a very high priority, and it's a high priority for a vast majority of people," said trust spokeswoman Teresa McHugh.
Voters passed the open-space laws on Nov. 5 as part of an amendment to their respective county charters.
Hawaii tax revenues down by 1.2 percent
Tax revenues during the first four months of the current fiscal year fell by 1.2 percent, compared with the same period of the previous fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation said yesterday.The state Council on Revenues has projected a 6.1 percent increase in general-fund deposits this fiscal year. State lawmakers are required to consider the council's forecasts when drafting the state budget.
In all, $235.9 million was deposited into the general fund in October -- $43.8 million, or 15.7 percent, less than October 2001.
The state's largest revenue source, general excise and use taxes, fell by $28.9 million last month, with the department attributing most of the decrease to the "weekend effect" caused by the last day of September 2001 falling on a Sunday. Taxes normally due on that day were not due until the following day, inflating the October 2001 tax take, the state said.
Individual income tax revenues dropped by $5.6 million last month, primarily because of a $4.3 million jump in individual income tax refunds, the department said.
Because of large refunds, October's net corporate income taxes totaled a negative $2 million, or $6.8 million lower than October 2001, it said.
Meanwhile, the department also cited the "weekend effect" for a $3.5 million drop in transient accommodations tax collections last month. Money from the tax goes into the Convention Center Enterprise Fund, rather than the general fund.
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[ TAKING NOTICE ]
>> Maui residents Lillian Leo Asuncion, of Kula, and Jessie Jessop, of Kahului, have been awarded full scholarships by the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program. Asuncion is in a master's program for professional counseling at Argosy University's Maui campus. Jessop is in Maui Community College's registered nurse program.
>> Marriott International has presented its annual International Tourism Leadership Award for 2002 to U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye in recognition of his support of tourism for more than 40 years.
>> Clayton Agena, of Honolulu, a financial services adviser, has been selected to the new nationwide Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. As a panelist, he will help identify issues and make suggestions for improving IRS service and customer satisfaction.
>> Easter Seals Hawaii has received a $5,000 grant from Friends of Hawaii Charities Inc. to help disabled children attend camps sponsored by Easter Seals.
>> Waikiki Health Center has received a $6,616 grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation to screen and educate women about breast health at outreach clinics in Haleiwa, Kahaluu and Punaluu.
Hawaii Legal Women's Foundation has also made a $5,000 gift to provide immunizations and other services to needy and homeless children.
>> The Kona Outdoor Circle Educational Center and Sadie Seymour Botanical Gardens have received a $12,000 grant from Cook Foundation Ltd. of the Hawaii Community Foundation. The funds will be used to upgrade the irrigation system at the Seymour gardens.
>> Catholic Charities Hawaii has received two grants totaling $70,000 from the McInerny Foundation to support its Client Management System and its ongoing emergency relief to people who have lost their jobs.
HONORS
>> Michael O'Neill has been elected a trustee of Hawaii Pacific University. He is chairman, CEO and president of Bank of Hawaii Corp. and its principal subsidiary, Bank of Hawaii.>> The Muscular Dystrophy Association of Hawaii has honored Tony Masamitsu of the Tony Group with its Humanitarian Award; John Fujieki, president of Star Markets, with the Bruce Koppel Memorial Award; and Peggy Chun, renowned artist, with the Courage Award.
"Taking Notice" runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Listings also appear online at www.starbulletin.com. Please send items to City Desk, Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. |
>> The Hawai'i International Film Festival NETPAC Special Mention Award went to "Ogya." A story on Page D1 yesterday said incorrectly that the film was "Eyes of a Beauty." 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
HONOLULU
Help sought in finding felon wanted for DUI
Police are asking for the public's help in locating a felon wanted for a $25,000 contempt warrant.
The warrant for Mooch Fualaau stems from a 1996 arrest for driving under the influence. The 26-year-old Fualaau has a previous weapons conviction and should be considered dangerous. He frequents Waikiki, Aiea and Leeward Coast areas.
Fualaau is 5 feet 10, 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has tattoos of two tears near his left eye and other tattoos on his left hand, both arms, right leg and stomach.
He is also known as Daniel Fualaau.
Stolen phone cards being sold by thief
Honolulu police want to inform the public that a man has been spotted in the Chinatown area trying to sell prepaid phone cards.Police said the phone cards are a portion of 1,500 cards that were stolen Oct. 25 from a vehicle parked at Nuuanu Baptist Church, at 2010 Nuuanu Ave. Police said a suspect broke the left rear window of the vehicle, popped open the trunk and took two canvas bags containing about 1,500 prepaid phone cards valued at $20,000.
Police said that on Oct. 28 about 6 p.m., a male about 35 to 40 years old, about 5 feet 5 and weighing about 145 pounds walked into a Chinatown store and attempted to sell the phone cards back to the owner. Police said the suspect appeared to have all 1,500 cards in his backpack and was offering to sell the $10 card for $6 as a "special" deal.
The suspect was last seen wearing a white dress shirt, tie, dark pants and posing as a new phone card vendor from California. Police said about 300 to 400 of the phone cards are written in Chinese.
Anyone with information about the subject or this case is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
5 youths questioned in Big Isle burglaries
Big Island police have questioned five male juveniles who are suspected of a number of burglaries in Waimea last month.So far, police have recovered nearly $6,000 in stolen items from the burglary cases. Among the items recovered were an antique pocket watch valued at $2,500, seven gold necklaces valued at $700, a camcorder, two video cameras, a CD player and a clock.
All five suspects have since been released into the custody of their parents pending formal charges.
Man sought in robbery of Waimea restaurant
South Kohala police are looking for a male suspect who robbed the Tako Taco restaurant in Waimea on Wednesday evening.According to police, witnesses said a masked man brandishing a revolver entered the restaurant between 8 and 9 p.m. and demanded money from a 28-year-old male employee. The gunman took about $80 in cash and fled through the rear of the restaurant. No one was injured in the robbery.
The suspect was described as being 6 feet tall, about 200 pounds, with a medium build and wearing a hooded sweatshirt and latex gloves.
Anyone with information about the robbery or the suspect's identity is asked to call officer Mark Haggerty of the South Kohala Patrol at 887-3080 or the police nonemergency number at 935-3311.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
[ THE COURTS ]
Man, 21, pleads guilty in drunk-driving death
A 21-year-old Waimanalo man who drove head-on into another car near the Olomana Golf Links, killing the driver, pleaded guilty to manslaughter yesterday in Circuit Court.Kam Williams was indicted April 3 for causing the death of Lorrie-Ann Wiley, 32, on Jan. 2, 2001.
Williams had been drinking at an Ala Moana nightclub and cannot remember what happened except waking up in the hospital after the crash, said his attorney, Jonathan Burge.
Williams pleaded guilty because he wanted to take responsibility for his actions and spare the Wiley family from going through a trial, Burge said.
"He knows what he did is wrong and is trying to come to terms with that," Burge said.
Williams' blood alcohol level was 0.21, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08, when tested at the hospital after the crash.
Williams could get probation with a year in jail or the statutory maximum of 20 years when sentenced Jan. 25.
Burge said Williams also qualifies under the youthful-offender statute for an eight-year prison term because he will be under 22 at the time of sentencing and has no prior felony convictions.
At the time of the crash, Williams' license had been suspended for a November 2000 DUI petty misdemeanor conviction.
Would-be robber being deported to homeland
WAILUKU >> A man, who was reported missing only to be found trying to break into a West Maui bank vault, is being deported to his native country of Belize.Franklin W. Gonzales is being processed for deportation on Oahu, following his sentence to six months in jail and five years' probation.
The time he served while his case was pending applied to his prison time.
Gonzales pleaded no contest in Maui Circuit Court to second-degree burglary and attempted first-degree theft in an April 5 nighttime break-in at the Bank of Hawaii on Papalaua Street.
A roommate had reported Gonzales missing on Maui on Dec. 27, 2001.
Less than three months later, police responding to an alarm found him in a room above the bank vault, where he had apparently chiseled a 6-inch-wide hole about 2 inches deep.
