Big Isle homeland parcel up for lease
HILO >> The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands put 11 commercial acres up for bid for a long-term lease after home improvement giant Home Depot expressed interest in leasing the property.The department will award a lease of between 25 and 65 years to the highest bidder for the parcel behind Prince Kuhio Plaza.
It was Home Depot's interest in the land that prompted the department to seek bids for a lease, said Manny Nova, DHHL income property manager. No other bidders have come forward so far, he said. The deadline to bid is March 10.
Bearded dragon lizard is captured
A bearded dragon, the first lizard of its kind found in the wild in Hawaii, was captured yesterday by a tree-trimming crew in upper Waialae and turned in to the Plant Quarantine Branch.The illegal 10-inch lizard was found in a stack of branches by the crew while trimming a monkeypod tree, said Plant Quarantine spokeswoman Janelle Saneishi.
The owner of the property held the lizard overnight and called the Hawaiian Humane Society yesterday, which had the reptile picked up. Quarantine officials then picked up the lizard from the humane society.
The bearded dragon, a common pet on the mainland, is on the state's "A" list of restricted animals and is prohibited for possession by individuals.
The bearded dragon is mottled gray-brown in color, with a triangular head. A spiny jaw pouch, forming a sort of shield around its snout, resembles a beard when swollen, Saneishi said. A native to Australia, it eats insects and small rodents, fruits, vegetables and flowers.
The Plant Quarantine Branch may keep the lizard for educational purposes or ship it to a reptile farm in Florida. Anyone seeing an illegal alien species is asked to call the pest hot line at 586-PEST (586-7378).
Entrepreneur to speak at UH
Prominent entrepreneur Richard Heckmann, founder of USFilter, the world's largest water treatment company, which was acquired by Vivendi S.A., will be in Honolulu on Thursday to discuss challenges facing entrepreneurs building a company in today's economy.Heckmann, who attended classes at the University of Hawaii, will speak on "Then and Now: Growing a Company in the Post-bubble, Post-Enron Environment."
The hour lecture begins at 5:30 p.m. at the UH School of Architecture Auditorium. To RSVP, e-mail ttaira@cba.hawaii.edu. Parking is available on campus for $3.
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[ TAKING NOTICE ]
>> The Arthritis Foundation, Hawaii Branch, has appointed Cynthia Haranda as chair of the board of the directors. Others on the board include immediate past chair Karen J. Lee, incoming chair Rowen Young, secretary Richard Paskalik, treasurer Kim Huber and board directors Fran Azeka, Sally Blanchard, Kathryn Chung, Wesley Fong, Lisa Halvorsen, Sharon Hicks, Patti Hoffman, Marcia and Leonard Klompus, Pudding Lassiter, Brian Macnish, Dr. James McKoy, Suzzana Neufeldt, Dr. Donald Person, John Sutton and Dr. Kara Yamamoto.
>> Jose Racasa, a waiter at the Radisson Waikiki Prince Kuhio's Trellisses Restaurant, was named Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year by the Hawaii Hotel Association.
>> Duke's Canoe Club Kauai has named James Rocha its 2002 Employee of the Year. The restaurant also gave its third- and fourth-quarter Mea Ho'okipa Quarterly Award for 2002 to Tyrene Kauahine and Erwin Vidal, respectively.
>> In its third year of helping the Lokahi Tree Giving Project, sponsored by the Salvation Army and KHON 2 Fox, Starbucks Coffee collected more than 5,300 toys statewide to give to underprivileged children. Starbucks gave a free beverage to every customer who donated a toy.
"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 Japanese Cultural Center will use the $500,000 donated by the First Hawaiian Foundation -- the charitable arm of First Hawaiian Bank -- to help pay off debts aside from the $9 million owed to four banks. An item on Page A3 yesterday said incorrectly that the donation would go toward the $9 million debt. Corrections and clarifications
>> The total amount of auto thefts in 2001 in Honolulu was 5,597, according to Honolulu Police Department statistics. A Page A1 story Friday incorrectly reported that the number was 5,997.
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
LEEWARD OAHU
HPD arrests 2 men in Nanakuli beating
Honolulu police have arrested two men for beating up another man in Nanakuli last November.Police said that on Nov. 10 the victim was confronted by a group of males while picking up a friend at a beach park. The victim said he did not want to fight and was attacked from the back and wrestled to the ground by one of the suspects, according to police.
A second suspect then repeatedly punched and kicked the victim in the head and body while the first suspect held him down, said police. As a result the victim suffered head and rib injuries as well as a hairline fracture to his nasal bone.
The victim later identified both men, and police arrested and charged them both on Thursday for second-degree assault.
HONOLULU
Drunk-driver checks set up for Super Bowl
Honolulu police will be conducting drunken-driver checkpoints this Super Bowl weekend. They will be set up through Monday.So far this year, five people have died on Oahu in traffic collisions. Traffic investigators determined one of the fatalities was due to alcohol or drug use.
