Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Rooftop fund-raiser collects $70,000-plus
Law enforcement officials participating in the weekend "Cop on Top" fund-raiser collected more than $70,000 for Special Olympics Hawaii while spending three days on rooftops at six Safeway stores on Oahu and Maui."These officers who volunteered on the ground and on the roof have the biggest hearts in the whole world," said Nancy Bottelo, president and chief executive for Special Olympics Hawaii.
"They give so generously of their time to Special Olympics all year ... and to agree to come and spend three days and nights of their personal time to help our program ... you can't find more dedication and generosity than that," she said.
Honolulu police and sheriff officers at the Beretania store were the first to reach its $10,000 goal at 6 p.m. Friday. The Kaneohe team was the second team to reach its mark, followed by officers at Waimalu, Hawaii Kai, Kailua and Maui.
Special Olympics Hawaii provides sports competition for 1,600 athletes with mental retardation.
Sexual assault group receives federal grant
The Hawaii State Coalition Against Sexual Assault received a federal grant for $84,878.The grant from the Office on Violence Against Women will go toward developing the coalition's infrastructure and to increase awareness of sexual assault prevention and treatment programs.
The grant will also be used to hire a consultant, update the group's Web site and start educational events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Coalition members said they also hope to strengthen their collaboration with agencies, departments and organizations that deal with sexual assault, including women's organizations, faith-based services and the state Health Department.
Environmental issues forum is this Saturday
State Rep. Cynthia Thielen will speak on "Environmental Issues: The Legislative Response" Saturday at a meeting of the Windward Oahu Branch of American Association of University Women.The public is invited to the 10:30 a.m. program at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 780 Keolu Drive in Kailua. Regular business will open the meeting at 9:30 a.m.
Thielen (R, Kaneohe-Kailua) is a 13-year member of the state House, the assistant minority floor Leader and co-chairwoman of the women's Legislative Caucus. She serves on the Judiciary, Consumer Protection & Commerce, Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land Use & Hawaiian Affairs committees.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU
HPD suspects foul play in man's disappearance Friday Honolulu police said they suspect foul play in the disappearance of a 28-year-old Oahu man, who was last seen Friday night.
Yorck K. Woita, who had been staying at a Waikiki hotel, was last seen driving his Nissan X-Terra in Kailua at 5:15 p.m. Friday, police said. Later that night, his car was found abandoned and on fire on Mokulama Street in Waimanalo.
Detective Phil Camero, of HPD's missing-persons detail, said police are "very concerned" because of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.
Woita is described as 6 feet 2 inches tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt, bluejeans and white tennis shoes.
Anyone with information can call Camero at 529-3394.
Man brandishing knife allegedly issues threat
Police arrested a 37-year-old man after he allegedly threatened another man with a knife Saturday at Kmart in Iwilei.Security agents at the 500 N. Nimitz Highway store saw the suspect leaving the store without paying for some items about 8 p.m., police said.
Police said the guards detained the suspect and took him to the security office. But the 37-year-old man fled. A security agent caught the suspect, who then allegedly pulled out a knife and held it in a threatening manner, police said.
Several security guards and police responded and subdued the suspect. The 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening.
LEEWARD OAHU
Waianae hit-and-run prompts investigation A 33-year-old Waianae woman suffered two broken legs after a vehicle struck her car in Waianae.
Police said the woman was sleeping in her car on private property at 81-601 Farrington Highway about 3:30 a.m. when another vehicle rammed into her car and fled. The woman was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in stable condition.
Police initiated a failure-to-render-aid investigation. Anyone with information on the accident is asked to call the Traffic Division at the Honolulu Police Department at 529-3499.
BIG ISLAND
Single-car accident kills Puna woman, 52 A 52-year-old Puna woman died after a single-car accident in the South Hilo district Saturday night.
Police said the woman was traveling south in a sedan near the intersection of Kilauea Avenue and Route 11 about 7 p.m. Police said the woman lost control when her sedan ran off the road and struck a large boulder. The victim was taken to Hilo Medical Center where she died at 11:55 p.m.
The woman's identification was being withheld yesterday pending notification of family members. An autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death.
This is the 20th Big Island traffic-related fatality compared with 18 at the same time last year, police said.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
