Transportation official moves to new division
State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Marilyn Kali will be transferred next month to the Airports Division to fill a new administrative assistant position."Marilyn will help us out with customer service at the airport," said Transportation Director Rod Haraga. "Because of the impending war and because of long lines at the airport, we needed someone with the PIO (public information officer) mentality to help with that responsibility there."
Haraga said the Airports Division requested the new position.
Kali was criticized early last year for her lack of understanding of the public's objections in the traffic-cam controversy.
Haraga said Kali's move is not punitive.
$2 million bail set for alleged hostage-taker
HILO >> Circuit Judge Riki May Amano set bail yesterday for Hawaii Naniloa Resort hostage-taker David Robert Field at $2 million.Field, 33, was indicted this week on nine felony counts, including kidnapping, and a single petty misdemeanor related to breaking a hotel window during the 14-hour standoff Feb. 20 to 21.
Field allegedly held a 51-year-old Maui hotel guest at gunpoint during six of those hours before letting him go.
Field's attorney, Michael Ebesugawa, argued that bail should be set at $28,050. Deputy Prosecutor Darien Ching said Field, who has been held without bail, should continue to be denied bail because of a criminal record in Colorado, Illinois, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Amano accepted Ching's alternate proposal of $2 million bail. Trial was set for Aug. 4.
Isle Democrats to vote for new chairperson
The Democratic Party of Hawaii's central committee will vote on a permanent party chairperson to replace Lorraine Akiba at a meeting April 12, according to central committee member Marsha Joyner.The party last Saturday named Mark Forman as interim chairman of the state party.
Akiba stepped down as party chairwoman last month. Foreman is the executive director of the Hawaii Medical Service Association Foundation.
20 Schofield soldiers join Persian Gulf force
Twenty soldiers, specialists in combat engineering, chemical specialists and aviators, will leave Schofield Barracks tonight to join the possible war against Iraq.Those are the only soldiers so far from the 25th Infantry Division who are part of the military buildup in the Persian Gulf.
However, another 100 Schofield barracks soldiers are deployed elsewhere to participate in the continuing war against terrorism, said Army spokesman Bob Warner.
St. Patrick proceeds aid Special Olympics
Don Murphy, owner of Murphy's Bar & Grill downtown, will donate proceeds from his St. Patrick's Day Festival March 14 through 17 to help send local Special Olympics athletes to Ireland.Thirteen athletes are going to Dublin in June to participate in the 2003 World Summer Games, according to Nancy Bottelo, president and CEO of Special Olympics Hawaii.
Murphy's is donating $1 per pound of corned beef sold from 11 a.m. Friday through Monday.
Compadres restaurant in Ward Centre will also be serving at the festival and donating a portion of its proceeds to the travel fund.
Special Olympics will have a booth with St. Patrick's Day goodies to sell fronting Murphy's, on the corner of Nuuanu and Merchant streets, and at the Bank of Hawaii parking lot across the street.
City urges seniors to attend health event
Residents 50 or older are encouraged by the City and County of Honolulu and the Hawaii Medical Service Association to participate in the second annual Try-Fest event from 8:30 a.m. to noon tomorrow at Manoa District Park.Activities will include health and fitness classes and healthy cooking with Dr. Terry Shintani.
Registration forms for the free event are available at all First Hawaiian Bank branches on Oahu or by calling 973-7258.
Volunteers sought to help with food drive
The Hawaii Foodbank needs volunteers to help with its 14th Annual Food Drive on April 19 on Oahu. Call 836-3600, ext. 239, to help with the collection of food and funds.|
>> The "Hawaii Value Pass" was the name of the unsuccessful discount program for tourists following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. An editorial yesterday incorrectly referred to it as the "Hawaii Value Tax." [Corrections]
>> The Speech-to-Speech phone service for hearing- and speech-impaired people is part of the overall Telephone Relay Service provided by Verizon Hawaii. The STS service is provided though a third party. A Verizon Hawaii spokeswoman said the company is getting out of the overall Telephone Relay Service business because its equipment cannot accommodate federal requirements. A Page A5 story Monday was unclear on these points. [Clarifications]
>> Capt. John Singley, spokesman for U.S. Pacific forces commander Adm. Thomas Fargo, said he told the Star-Bulletin, in part, "CINCPAC does not care to comment about anything reported in the Washington Times," in regard to a story about an alleged terrorist threat to attack nuclear submarines at Pearl Harbor. In a story on Page A1 on March 3, Singley was quoted as saying, "CINCPAC does not care about anything reported in the Washington Times."
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
Police arrest Ewa man in alleged sex taping
A 22-year-old Ewa Beach man was arrested yesterday for allegedly videotaping him and his former girlfriend having sex and later showing the tape to his new girlfriend.The former girlfriend, 22, told police that she did not consent to the videotaping.
The man was arrested for investigation of violation of privacy, a felony offense, and later released pending further investigation.
WAIKIKI
Marine arrested after woman's jaw is broken
A 23-year-old Marine was arrested for allegedly punching a woman in the face outside The Red Lion at 240 Lewers St. about 3:30 a.m. yesterday.Police said the woman, also 23, was knocked unconscious and her jaw was broken. She was taken to Queen's Medical Center for treatment.
Police officers, who happened to be nearby, said the Marine seemed to be agitated when he came out of the bar.
He punched the woman when she told him to calm down, officers said.
Man arrested in hotel room burglary, assault
A 34-year-old man was arrested this morning for allegedly burglarizing a Waikiki hotel room on March 3 and assaulting an occupant when he walked in during the burglary.The suspect was arrested without incident at the corner of Hobron Lane and Ena Road, police said.
HONOLULU
Woman turns herself in on theft charges
A 57-year-old California woman accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her ill mother turned herself in to police yesterday and was released after posting $100,000 bail.Letitia McKee Cooper was indicted last month for first-degree theft and second-degree forgery.
She allegedly used power of attorney to systematically empty all of her 89-year-old mother's accounts and safe deposit boxes, which contained stocks, bonds, jewelry and coins, between Jan. 1 and June 1, 2000.
Cooper also allegedly transferred title of two burial plots at Diamond Head Memorial Park to her from her mother.
Cooper was arrested at Honolulu Police Department headquarters at 9:15 a.m. and released less than an hour later.
She is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Circuit Court.
Cooper's mother, Ella McKee, is a longtime Hawaii resident.
She was recently hospitalized for an undisclosed illness.
Prosecutors said a caregiver was provided for her for two months, but continued to care for McKee after payments stopped.
The caregiver then moved McKee to Southern California to live with family members.
3 masked men sought in attack and car theft
Police are looking for three masked men who attacked a 25-year-old man and stole his car in the parking lot at Zippy's Restaurant in Makiki yesterday.Two of the suspects had guns and accosted the victim as he returned to his car about 1:15 a.m., police said.
The men came out of a dark van parked next to the victim's car.
He fought them off and returned to the restaurant to call police.
The van is blue, possibly a Ford Astro, police said.
The victim's car is a silver, 2000 BMW, two-door coupe.
2 suspects wanted in Moiliili home robbery
Police are looking for two suspects who broke into a residence along Kamoku Street in Moiliili about 2:20 a.m. yesterday and robbed the woman who lived there.Police said one of the suspects was wearing a black ski mask and demanded money from the 24-year-old victim. The suspect searched the room and, later, the victim.
Although the victim did not see the second suspect, she told police that she could hear another person searching other parts of her home.
A witness later saw a red van leaving the scene.
Obscene caller ID'd as 51-year-old man
Honolulu police said they have identified a man who has been making obscene phone calls to minors since January.Police said the suspect is 51 years old and has been calling juveniles, telling them that he is a doctor and having them perform physical examinations on themselves.
Police did not say how many calls were made or where.
However, one case was reported from an Aiea Heights Drive residence.
As of last night, police had not arrested the suspect.
BACK TO TOP |
The Courts
Trial to be expedited for Wal-Mart project
Circuit Judge Gary Chang has agreed to hold an expedited hearing and trial on the merits of a nuisance claim by a group of Keeaumoku-area residents and union members who hope to stop the Wal-Mart/Sam's Club project.The jury-waived trial, expected to last about five days, will begin Sept. 8.
A hearing on a motion by Citizens Against Reckless Development and Local 480 of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union for a preliminary injunction set for March 13 has been canceled.
The plaintiffs are seeking a permanent injunction, so it didn't make sense to ask for a preliminary injunction on a single nuisance claim, said K. Bartlett Durand Jr., attorney for the plaintiffs.
Honolulu firefighter admits to sex assault
A Honolulu firefighter has pleaded guilty to reduced charges of sexual contact involving two teen girls he corresponded with over the Internet.Kevin Uhrle, 32, faces up to a year in prison when sentenced May 28 on four counts of fourth-degree sexual assault -- misdemeanors.
Uhrle admitted to touching the two girls, ages 13 and 14, at the younger girl's Kailua home in June 2002.
One of the girls was under 14; the other was 14.
Victor Bakke, attorney for Uhrle, said the reduced charges were appropriate.
"Based on their representations that they were older, this was the proper resolution," Bakke said.
