Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin Staff
State budget shortfall is less than predicted
A surge in state tax collections in June pushed total revenues in the just-ended fiscal year to about 2.5 percent over the year before, Tax Director Kurt Kawafuchi announced yesterday.It means the $152 million revenue shortfall projected by the Lingle administration in the two-year, $7.5 billion general fund budget drops to about $92 million.
After accounting for several technical factors, the income during June was 15.3 percent over June of last year, Kawafuchi said.
In May the state Council on Revenues forecast revenue growth of 1.8 percent for the year ending June 30.
The Governor's Office said that despite the reduced revenue shortfall, the governor probably will not relax a current round of spending restrictions until the Council on Revenues meets in September to review its forecast.
Gov. Linda Lingle used the projected $152 million shortfall as justification for vetoing several legislative measures, including one trimming $3.6 million in "rainy day fund" grants to 17 nonprofit social service and health agencies.
Lawmakers overrode her line-item veto of those cuts on Tuesday, although she still has authority to restrict that spending.
Maui mayor withdraws plan to buy building
WAILUKU >> Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa has withdrawn from an agreement to buy the Wailuku Business Plaza.Arakawa said yesterday the pre-World War II building, also known as the old Kress Building, had long-term tenants and that it would be inappropriate for the county to become a commercial landlord.
He said the County Council also had not reviewed the agreement.
The county Water Board entered into the agreement in the waning days of its semiautonomous authority last year.
Under a revised County Charter approved by voters, the Water Board became an advisory body this year, and the mayor has the administrative authority over the Water Department.
Arakawa said the building's seller, Main Street Partners, has agreed to end the transaction and asked the county to pay $2,088 in escrow and associated fees.
Likelike to be closed to allow tunnel work
Likelike Highway in the Honolulu-bound direction will be closed from 7 p.m. today to 7 a.m. tomorrow for maintenance work in the Wilson Tunnel.The town-bound lane of Likelike Highway will be closed beginning at Kahekili Highway.
Motorists are advised to take Pali Highway or the H-3 freeway.
On the weekend of July 26-27, Likelike Highway in the Kaneohe-bound direction will be closed during the same times for tunnel cleaning.
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
Valerie D'Amato named DOE Employee of the Year
The state Department of Education has named Valerie D'Amato its Employee of the Year. D'Amato, a 12-year DOE employee, is a Parent/Community Networking Center coordinator at Waikiki Elementary School. She received $200 cash. She is also the DOE's nominee for the Governor's Award for Distinguished State Service.Other DOE award recipients are:
>> Sustained Superior Performance Awards: June Char, administrative services assistant at Kalaheo High; Esther Gandeza, custodian in the Kauai Complex Area Office; Don Okuno, power mower operator on Kauai; Gertrude Oshiro, clerk typist at Moanalua High; Jennifer Watanabe, administrative services assistant at Pearl City High; and Kathryn Yanagisawa, secretary of the Hawaii Complex Area Office.
>> Certificates of Achievement: Judy Belisario, school baker and temporary cafeteria manager at Haleiwa Elementary; Valerie Daoang, administrative services assistant at Kapolei High; Wayne Goto, accountant in the Office of Administrative Services; Peggy Heisman, clerk typist at Volcano School of Arts & Sciences Public Charter School in Keaau; Catherine Pang, food services manager at Mokulele Elementary; Mel Seo, auxiliary services specialist in the Office of Administrative Services; and Gayle Sugita, principal at Kaiser High.
>> Positive Behavior System Team: Maunaloa Elementary, Molokai.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU
Police arrested a Honolulu woman yesterday for allegedly striking her daughter repeatedly with a steel folding chair after they argued over a Nintendo Game Boy.
Game Boy argument escalates into assaultPolice said the suspect borrowed her 32-year-old daughter's Game Boy and refused to give it back. After arguing, the suspect beat and punched her daughter, according to police.
Police said the suspect left the room and returned with a steel folding chair. She allegedly struck her daughter with the chair five to six times and left the room again. When she returned, she continued to beat her daughter with the chair, possibly fracturing her forearm, according to police.
Police arrested the woman for suspicion of second-degree assault.
Teen allegedly robs 2 boys, pushes senior
Police arrested a 17-year-old male who allegedly robbed two 15-year-old boys and shoved an elderly man at a Palama bus stop yesterday morning.According to police, the suspect approached the boys and hit one of them in the head about 6:40 a.m. He allegedly struck the second boy and stole his backpack and lunch pail. As the suspect fled, he shoved a 64-year-old man who was waiting at the bus stop. As the suspect fled into Palama Settlement on Vineyard Boulevard, one of the two boys chased him and demanded his possessions back, police said. The suspect allegedly punched him again and tried to steal his cellular phone, police said.
Police arrested the suspect for suspicion of robbery, assault, theft and harassment.
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Man sues golf course, cart driver for injury
A man who was impaled by a fence railing while riding a golf cart has filed suit against the New Ewa Beach Golf Course, claiming it failed to maintain safe conditions for users.Also named as a defendant in the complaint filed yesterday by Harry Noguchi in Circuit Court was Dexter Moon, who was driving the golf cart.
The two golfers had just completed a round of golf during an amateur golf tournament on May 15, 2002. They were riding back to the clubhouse and were passing a fence when Noguchi, without warning, was impaled in the abdomen "by one end of a rusty top railing of the fence," the suit said.
Moon failed to exercise due care in driving the golf cart, Noguchi claimed.
The suit seeks damages in an amount to be determined at trial.
Neither Moon nor the officials of New Ewa Beach Golf Club could be reached for comment.
Sri Lankan in federal custody after hearing
U.S. immigration officials have taken custody of a Sri Lankan man who assaulted a flight attendant on March 15.Porastus Chanda Sri Dissanayake was turned over to immigration officials yesterday after a U.S. District Court judge sentenced him to three months and 26 days -- time already served. Dissanayake had pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of the flight crew and interfering with the crew's duties.
Visiting U.S. District Judge Edward Rafeedie also sentenced Dissanayake to three years of supervised release.
Immigration officials said an immigration judge will determine whether Dissanayake should be removed from the United States.
Officials will detain Dissanayake until that hearing, the date of which has not yet been set.
Dissanayake was arrested March 15 after he struck a Philippine Airlines flight attendant in the back and face after he said he was dissatisfied with a headset. He was on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
Dissanayake entered the United States as a student in November 2000.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
