Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Office of Planning reassigned by Lingle
Gov. Linda Lingle is shifting authority over the state Office of Planning to the Department of Land & Natural Resources, even though the Legislature rejected her proposal to do so.In a letter to Office of Planning Acting Director Mary Lou Kobayashi, Lingle said Attorney General Mark Bennett advises that she has administrative authority to make the change, although the office, "for administrative purposes," will remain under the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
The governor instructed Kobayashi and her staff to consult with and report to Peter Young, chairman of the Board of Land & Natural Resources, which oversees the land department.
Lingle said she believes the reassignment of the planning office to DLNR "would result in state land-use policies that are more enlightened, better coordinated and clearly focuses on the sustainability of Hawaii's precious natural resources."
The governor said DLNR planners and managers regularly work with the Land Board and the Commission on Water Resources Management, while the planning office staff presents the state's position on land use matters before the Land Use Commission.
Maui group gets grant to build tech facility
WAILUKU >> A Maui nonprofit group formed to encourage the development of the high-technology industry on the Valley Isle will be receiving a $2 million grant from the federal Economic Development Administration.The Maui Economic Development Board Inc. said the grant will be used to build a second technology incubator facility at the Maui Research and Technology Park in Kihei.
The first building has been operating at full capacity for the past three years.
Board President Jeanne Skog said the facility will encompass about 35,000 square feet in floor space and accommodate eight to 10 start-up technology firms. The board was scheduled to receive a symbolic check today in the mayor's lounge in the County Building.
Donations provide programs for isle kids
Hundreds of children 3 to 6 years old will receive speech therapy on Kauai and East Hawaii as a result of $44,500 from the Oscar & Rosetta Fish Speech Therapy and Forensics Fund to Easter Seals Hawaii.The speech therapy program, which began in 1996, serves about 400 children annually with various disabilities or special needs, Easter Seals said.
The Alexander Tulloch Trust also approved a $15,000 grant to provide camp opportunities for children with special needs on the four major islands.
Easter Seals Hawaii said it "believes every child should have the opportunity to go to camp," which offers fun outdoor experiences, camaraderie and help building self-confidence and independence.
For many special-needs children, the camp is their first time away from home.
For more information on Easter Seals Hawaii services and programs, see www.eastersealshawaii.org or call 538-1015.
Fertility services official is speaker
Anne Rust, of Pacific Connection Fertility Services, will speak at a RESOLVE of Hawaii meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. next Thursday at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, Conference Room A, second floor.An informal discussion session will follow her talk on "Egg Donor and Surrogacy -- Options to Family Building."
Parking will be validated. Call 528-8559 for more information.
Free skin cancer screening available
A limited number of free skin cancer screenings are available by appointment at St. Francis Medical Center-Liliha.They will be offered from 10 a.m. to noon May 24 in the Mama Lau Cancer Center. To make an appointment, call 547-6798.
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[Taking Notice]
>> The University of Hawaii at Manoa's William S. Richardson School of Law's National Environmental Law Moot Court team has captured the top legal brief award at a national competition in New York. The team consisted of Dell Au Belatti, Stanton Oishi and Summer Kupau. Coached by assistant professor Denise Antolini, the team competed against some 60 law schools teams, including those from Harvard, Yale and other Ivy League universities.>> The National Association of Secondary School Principals and McDonald's Corp. have honored Stanley Nagatani, vice principal of Kamehameha Middle Schools, as the Hawaii Assistant Principal of the Year. He has been with Kamehameha for nearly 20 years, and was nominated by Principal Sandy Young for helping students "to mend their ways and to embrace our 'Ke Ala Pono' philosophy, that is to do what is right, or pono."
>> Iolani School students captured two top divisional awards and the state championship at the 2003 National Economics Challenge, hosted by the Hawaii Council on Economic Education. Each student was awarded a $100 savings bond and a free trip to San Francisco for regional competition.
Team members of the Adam Smith Division include Patrick Morissey, Howard Zee, Ryan Sato, Chase Tajima and Hongzhe Sun; their teacher advisor is Chuck Orvis. Members of the David Ricardo Division are Christine Tasato, Yuan Gao, Jerrene Takeuchi and Christopher Iraha; their teacher advisor is Richie Kibota.
>> Tanya Davis, an architecture undergraduate at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is the recipient of a $1,000 Spouse Scholarship from the Aero-space Education Foundation, awarded to spouses of Air Force or National Guard members.
>> Madeline Soder, fiber arts graduate student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has received the 2003 Elsa Takesue Memorial Scholarship of $500 from the Fibers Hui of Hawaii.
"Taking Notice" runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Please send items to City Desk, Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813.|
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers LEEWARD OAHU
Ewa Beach woman, 31, dies after collision
A 31-year-old Ewa Beach woman died last night after an 18-year-old driver crossed the center line on Fort Weaver Road and collided with the car in which she was a passenger, police said.Police said the 18-year-old man, of Ewa Beach, was speeding, lost control and crossed over the grass median, veering into oncoming traffic.
The collision occurred about 9 p.m., just north of the Aawa Drive intersection, police said.
The woman, whose name was not released, was the front-seat passenger, police said. She was taken in critical condition to St. Francis Medical Center-West and later died.
The other occupants in the woman's car were injured. The driver, a 33-year-old Ewa Beach man, and two back-seat passengers, boys ages 9 and 2, were taken to The Queen's Medical Center, police said.
A 16-year-old boy, a passenger in the other car, also was injured and taken to Queen's.
HONOLULU
Police seek 4 men in robbery of 7-Eleven
Police are looking for four men who robbed the 7-Eleven Store on Dillingham Boulevard this morning at knifepoint.The store cashier told police four men walked into the store about 1:45 a.m. One man brandished a knife and demanded money from the cash register. After getting the money, two men went behind the counter and took bottles of liquor and cigarettes while the other two men took beer from the store's cooler. The men then left the store.
The robbers are described as in their early to late 20s.
Woman sought in theft of $4,395 turtle statue
Honolulu police are looking for a woman who allegedly stole a statue of a turtle valued at $4,395 from an Aloha Tower gallery.
CRIMESTOPPERS
This man and woman were caught on surveillance tape inside Wyland Art Gallery at Aloha Tower.
On May 2, the suspect walked into the Wyland Art Gallery around noon, spoke to a salesperson and then left, according to police. Surveillance tapes show that the suspect returned and put the 11-inch turtle sculpture, titled "Ariel's Turtle Flight," into her bag, police said.
The suspect was described as a female in her late 20s, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a thin build, long wavy black hair, a medium complexion, sunken eyes and missing teeth on the sides of her mouth.
Police said she was last seen wearing a red tank top, shorts and carrying a dark backpack.
Police are also looking for a man who initially entered the gallery with the suspect, separated from her in the store and later rejoined her outside. He was described as in his 30s, 6 feet tall, with a medium build, wavy black hair, a beard and a mustache. He was last seen wearing khaki shorts, a light-colored shirt and a visor and had a brace on his right knee. He also carried a dark backpack.
Anyone with information about this case may contact Detective Dwayne Takayama at 547-7211. Anonymous calls may also be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
2 boys, 15, arrested in false anthrax threat
HILO >> Police have arrested two 15-year-old boys in connection with a false anthrax threat at Waiakea High School on May 6, they said.The two, one from Puna and the other from Hilo, were arrested Tuesday for first-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree burglary based on information from CrimeStoppers and other sources.
They were released to the custody of their parents pending action by the prosecutor's office.
On May 6, the school principal found an envelope with the word "anthrax" written on it inside the school's administration building, Lt. Steven Guillermo said. The envelope had powder inside it. The building was closed. A hazardous-material team determined the material was not anthrax.
