Newswatch
Postal Service open longer for holidays
To accommodate the holiday rush, the U.S. Postal Service has announced extended holiday hours that include opening the Ala Moana and Airport post offices this Sunday and Dec. 21.In addition to neighborhood post offices, there are full-service contract post offices in the Honolulu Daiei on Kaheka Street, the Pearl City Daiei on Kamehameha Highway and at the GBC stores in Pearlridge Uptown, Ward Warehouse and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
Navy provides relief for isle homeless
Relief for the homeless this holiday season is coming by the van-loads from the U.S. Navy on Oahu.Starting today, van-loads of furniture will be transferred from the 34-unit, three-story chief petty officer's barracks near Pearl Harbor to homeless facilities on Oahu and the Valley Isle, including a new homeless shelter opening in January in West Maui.
"In the spirit of this season, this thoughtful donation will allow us to provide furniture in our homeless resource center that we might otherwise be unable to afford," said Charles Ridings, executive director of Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center on Maui.
Some of the 250 pieces of furniture, worth an estimated $96,900, will be going to Steadfast shelters on Oahu and Onemalu Transitional Shelter at Kalaeloa.
The lion's share will be donated to the Na Hale O Wainee West Side Resource Center in Lahaina, said Connie Rita, homeless program specialist for the state Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii.
The new center in Lahaina will include 32 combination studio/two-bedroom units, a dormitory for 32 single men, another dormitory for 10 single women, child care facilities, classrooms and a medical clinic.
Senior Chief Diego Calbes said he and others at the Quality of Life Department, Commander Naval Region Hawaii, were happy to organize the donation.
"It's a good cause," Calbes said. "We feel good that we can get the furniture reutilized instead of getting stored in the warehouse."
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffLEEWARD OAHU
Police arrested a 39-year-old homeless man yesterday after he allegedly stabbed a woman to death in Waianae.
Homeless man held as woman dies from stabsThe stabbing occurred about 5:55 a.m. at Ulehawa Beach Park at 87-1581 Farrington Highway, police said.
Lt. Bill Kato, of the Honolulu Police Department's Homicide Detail, said the suspect and the victim knew each other. According to police, the suspect stabbed the victim with a blunt object during an argument.
Police do not know what the two were fighting about and have yet to find the weapon, Kato said.
Peggy Savella, who also stayed overnight at the beach and knew the two, said she had heard them fighting about the tent they were using.
The woman, who was described to be in her 30s or 40s, was taken to Waianae Comprehensive Center and pronounced dead at 7:17 a.m. Kato said the victim had been living at the park for the past two days.
The 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder. Police are continuing their investigation.
Witnesses in the park's parking lot told police they heard a scream and then saw the woman staggering from the beach toward Farrington Highway, where she collapsed by the side of the road, Kato said.
WINDWARD OAHU
Police arrested a 31-year-old Kailua man Saturday after he allegedly attempted to sexually assault a 4-year-old girl.
Attempted sex assault alleged in man's arrestThe incident took place between 8:30 and 9:35 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Police said the suspect took the victim, who is a family friend, into his bedroom where he attempted to assault her.
The suspect was released pending further investigation.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
