Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
THAT SINKING FEELING
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Cedric Kahue, left, Ford Silva and Daniel Leger of the environmental cleanup service PENCO yesterday worked to contain diesel fuel and debris left by the Sea Queen, which sank while moored at Kewalo Basin.
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Brothers sentenced to identical jail time
A man who smuggled 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine into the state was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison yesterday.James Muns received the same 11-year, three-month sentence that U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway imposed on his brother, Harold Muns, a week ago.
The brothers were charged with arranging for the transportation of the drug known as "ice" in March 1998.
Federal grants to fight neighbor isle drugs
Two neighbor island anti-drug programs each received a $100,000 federal grant from the Drug Free Communities Support Program to address problems concerning crystal methamphetamine, or "ice," in their communities.Funding for the Coalition for a Drug Free Lanai will be used to enhance public awareness, train teachers to lead drug-free programs and increase the number of students in drug prevention classes and mentor programs.
A grant that was awarded to the Power of Choice North Hawaii in Waimea will also be used to offer a series of drug awareness and intervention programs for families, community awareness events and to help implement a public information campaign.
Agreement set to fix Lanai breakwater
The state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have signed a cooperation agreement to repair the breakwater at Kaumalapau Harbor on Lanai.The project is expected to cost $15 million, with the federal government putting up $12 million, the corps said.
Storms during the 1980s and early 1990s caused significant damage to the breakwater, which continues to deteriorate, it said.
The breakwater that had been privately owned was built during the 1920s. The harbor and the breakwater were transferred from Lanai Co., a subsidiary of Castle & Cooke Inc., to the state in 2000.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, has said Lanai is dependent on the harbor for the delivery of supplies, but rough seas and surge conditions make it dangerous for barge traffic to enter and berth.
Inouye said it is essential that the problem be fixed because safety concerns have led some contractors to threaten to terminate delivery of goods and services to Lanai.
A contract for the construction is scheduled to be awarded in December, it said.
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[Taking Notice]
ACADEMIC AWARDS
>> The Big Island Press Club has divided its $1,500 Robert C. Miller Scholarship between Peter Sur, a University of Oregon journalism major, and Emma Yuen, a 2002 graduate of Hilo High School now attending Stanford University.The $500 Jack Markey Scholarship was given to Timothy O. Bryan, a freelance videographer, and the $500 Yuko Fukabori Scholarship to Raenette Marino. Both are studying communications at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
>> Karen Tumaneng, a 2003 graduate of Waipahu High School, was one of two delegates to represent Hawaii at the National Youth Science camp this summer, attended by 94 others at Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. She is studying biology at Hanover College.
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.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU
Man waiting for bus allegedly beaten
The return of city bus service yesterday also marked the return of those who prey upon bus riders.Police arrested a 38-year-old man after he allegedly beat up another man waiting for the bus at 9:20 a.m. near Hotel and Bethel streets. Police said the suspect fled, but was later caught and identified.
He was arrested for suspicion of second-degree robbery.
Police looking for 2 habitual DUI violators
Honolulu police are asking for the public's help in finding two men who have a history of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
According to police and state sheriffs, Guy Shigeo Yonamine, 43, and Charles Edward Williams II, 26, both have outstanding grand jury indictments for DUIs. Williams' indictment was for habitually driving under the influence of liquor or drugs; he has three previous DUI convictions. Yonamine was indicted for DUI and operating a vehicle after having his license revoked because of a DUI. He has four previous DUI convictions.
Police said they were having a hard time locating Williams and that Yonamine was purposely avoiding being served with his warrant. Police said Williams is known to frequent the Kailua area, while Yonamine frequents the Salt Lake area.
Williams, also known as Robert Martin and Steve Winston, is described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with a slim build, blond hair, green eyes and a fair complexion. Yonamine is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with a medium build, brown eyes, a medium complexion and a mustache.
Anyone with information about either man's whereabouts should call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *Crime on a cellular phone.
WINDWARD OAHU
8-year-old allegedly raped by family friend
Honolulu police are looking for a man who allegedly raped an 8-year-old girl early yesterday morning in Windward Oahu.Police said the assault took place at the victim's home at 2 a.m. and that the suspect is a 40-year-old male believed to be a friend of the victim's family.
The case is being investigated as a first-degree assault.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Big Isle reports spike in drunken driving
Big Island police said they have seen a 19 percent increase in drunk driving so far this year.As of Sunday, police arrested 749 motorists for drunk driving this year, compared with 629 during the same period last year
In addition, police statewide have noted a trend of highly intoxicated drunk drivers, said Sgt. Randy Apele, head of the Traffic Services Section.
"Statistics show that breath and blood-alcohol content levels have been on a continuous upswing and now average about twice the legal limit," Apele said.
To remove drunk drivers from Big Island roads, Hawaii County leads the state in the number of sobriety checkpoints conducted by police, Apele said.
Man flees scene after failed robbery attempt
WAILUKU >> A knife-wielding man attempted to rob the pharmacy at Kmart in Kahului yesterday.Police Lt. Glenn Cuomo said the man tried to push his way into the pharmacy through a rear door at 10:30 a.m.
Cuomo said the man then went to the front counter, pulled out a knife and apparently demanded drugs. Cuomo said the man fled on foot without obtaining any drugs.
Police officer injured checking on vehicle
WAILUKU >> Maui police arrested one male suspect and were still looking for another in an early morning incident in Kula yesterday that caused minor injuries to a police officer.Police Lt. Glenn Cuomo said a patrolman was checking into a vehicle suspiciously parked about two miles west of Fong Store at about 1:30 a.m., when the driver crashed through a gate and drove off into a pasture.
Cuomo said the officer sustained minor injuries to his knee. A man was arrested later by police, who were looking for the second man and investigating whether the vehicle was stolen.
No charges have been filed.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
