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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
>> Dr. Herbert Y.H. Chinn has been named the 2003 Physician of the Year by the Hawaii Medical Association. In practice for more than 50 years, Chinn's biggest contribution was obtaining federal funding for creating an ambulance service as president of the HMA and helping to make the University of Hawaii medical school a reality.He was president of St. Francis Medical Center and the Honolulu County Medical Society, and chairman of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and "EMCRO" in Hawaii.
The United Chinese Society honored him as Father of the Year in Medicine in 1966, and he has also been honored as Chinese Model Father of the Year. Chinn and his wife, Una, have six children, three of whom are surgeons.
>> Keikilani Kainoa has received the fourth annual Naupaka Award from the Waikoloa Foundation for her role in perpetuating the aloha spirit and preserving the Hawaiian culture. The director of guest services at Waikoloa Beach Marriott was given a trophy and a $3,000 grant. She has played a vital role in promoting the Aloha Festivities and has been a pa'u princess in the annual Aloha Week, Merrie Monarch and King Kamehameha Day parades.
>> Honolulu business leader Stanley Hong has been chairman of the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii's Corporate Council for the Environment. Hong, president of Waste Management of Hawaii Inc. and past president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, has served on the Nature Conservancy board since 1992.
>> Peter Young, chairman of the state Department of Land & Natural Resources, was named chairman of the Coastal States Organization Island Affairs Committee. The organization promotes the protection of coastal and ocean resources.
"Taking Notice" runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Listings also appear online at www.starbulletin.com. Please send items to City Desk, Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Illegal-donations trial is postponed until April
A criminal trial that was to have started yesterday on illegal political donations linked to the R.M. Towill Corp. engineering firm has been postponed until the week of April 12.Circuit Judge Steven Alm granted a defense request to continue the trial for 10 weeks due to a back injury suffered by defense attorney Reginald Minn.
In November an Oahu grand jury indicted Towill executives Roy Tsutsui, Nancy Matsuno and Kenneth Sakai and former Towill comptroller Robert Ko, building materials supplier Daniel Rosario and Towill subcontractor John Adversalo on charges that they made contributions in excess of the state's $4,000 limit and gave money under false names.
The grand jury also indicted on similar charges Towill business associate Donn Mende, his mother, Masae Mende, and his brother Jay Mende, who is a deputy county clerk on the Big Island.
Scammer must repay takings and go to jail
A 65-year-old man found guilty of welfare fraud was sentenced to six months in jail and five months' probation and ordered to pay $77,745 in restitution, according to the state attorney general's office.The state Department of Human Services found Van Khamkhay failed to report a retirement fund and an IRA that totaled more than $33,000 while he was receiving public assistance over 4 1/2 years.
He also failed to report more than $27,000 deposited into his checking account from October 1995 to the end of May 2000. A Circuit Court judge ordered Khamkhay on Jan. 12 to repay the full amount he received in welfare during that time.
Repaving set for part of Kalakaua Avenue
The city will resurface Kalakaua Avenue from King Street to Ena Road starting tomorrow through next Tuesday to fix potholes caused by the December and January rains.Weather permitting, work will be done from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.
The city has already done emergency roadwork on Beretania Street and Kapiolani Boulevard.
State ponders salary raises for OHA board
A state commission is considering raises for Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees.The seven-member commission appointed by Gov. Linda Lingle is working to make a recommendation to the state Legislature on OHA salaries.
Since their salaries were established in 1993, trustees have earned $32,000 annually.
The board chairman makes $37,000 a year.
The commission includes Ann Nathaniel; Andrew Poepoe, U.S. Small Business Administration district director and former state representative and city councilman; Charles Rose Jr.; Alan Yee; Dr. Claire Hughes; Michael Chun, Kamehameha Schools headmaster; and Mona Kapaku.
They are expected to meet two more times before mak- ing their recommendation to legislators.
Public relations students eligible for scholarship
The Hawaii chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is now accepting applications for its scholarship fund from students who intend to pursue a career in public relations.The application deadline is March 1.
Applicants must be Hawaii residents who are juniors, seniors or graduate students majoring in public relations, journalism or communications.
The PRSA-Hawaii/Roy Leffingwell Public Relations Scholarship Fund is being administered by the Hawaii Community Foundation.
Students may apply online at www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.
For more information, contact Duke Gonzales, PRSA president, at 951-3606.
Senator would use hotel tax to fight crime
A state senator has proposed funding to increase security at parks and beaches that have been home to crime.Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, chairwoman of the Tourism Committee, called for the creation of the Aloha Aina Patrol, to consist of police cadets and police service officers who would patrol popular state tourism sites.
Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa) said the three-year pilot program would be funded by transient accommodations taxes.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffNEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Forgery suspect also held on drug counts Big Island police arrested a 32-year-old Kona man for forgery Friday after he allegedly tried to withdraw money from another person's bank account.
Omar A. Cordeiro was also arrested and charged with several drug offenses after officers searched his vehicle.
Cordeiro was charged with nine counts of forgery, eight counts of second-degree theft, one count of attempted second-degree theft, eight counts of identity theft, two counts of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia and promotion of a harmful drug.
Cordeiro was arrested after a bank teller in Lanihau Shopping Center told officers he was using a forged signature to try to withdraw money from the account of an 82-year-old man.
Police said that between Jan. 26 and 29, Cordeiro had withdrawn $7,000 from the man's account.
Cordeiro was being held in the Kona police cellblock in lieu of $40,050 bail.
WAIKIKI
Police have questions for man in custody Allen Tagatac, who was wanted for questioning in a recent domestic-violence and robbery investigation, was arrested by Waikiki police officers yesterday afternoon.
Tagatac, also known as Allen Kalamadi, "Sketso" and Allen Nakamoto, was also wanted for an outstanding parole revocation warrant.
[ THE COURTS ]
Suspect in custody in isle teacher's death
A former Hawaii Kai man charged with causing the death of a 58-year-old schoolteacher while allegedly racing his car turned himself in yesterday and is expected to be arraigned Thursday in Circuit Court.Nicholas Tudisco, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., was indicted by an Oahu grand jury Jan. 28 for manslaughter in the death of popular Holy Trinity teacher Elizabeth Kekoa.
Tudisco is accused of driving more than 100 mph on the H-1 freeway Koko Head-bound when he lost control of his modified Honda Prelude near the 6th Avenue offramp and slammed into the van carrying Kekoa. Prosecutors said Tudisco later made statements to police that he had been racing.
Tudisco, who plays baseball at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, was suspended from the team last week after the criminal charge was made public.
State Supreme Court affirms rapist's guilt
The Hawaii Supreme Court has confirmed the April 2002 conviction of Albert Ian Schweitzer for second-degree murder, kidnapping and rape in the death of 23-year-old Dana Ireland.The high court affirmed last week Circuit Judge Riki May Amano's decision to deny Schweitzer's request to move his trial to a different jurisdiction and allow the jury to view a Volkswagen and other evidence.
The court also rejected Schweitzer's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, saying he had not sustained his burden of showing that trial counsel ineffectively questioned a defense expert or explained that defense was withdrawn or impaired.
Schweitzer is currently serving a 130-year minimum prison term for Ireland's death.
Ireland, of Virginia, was visiting relatives on the Big Island when she was deliberately run down while riding a bicycle in Kapoho, beaten, raped and left to die in an isolated area on Christmas Eve 1991. She died the next day.
Besides Schweitzer, younger brother Shawn and Frank Pauline Jr. were also convicted in her death.
Pauline was sentenced to two life terms and received a 180-year prison term from the parole board for murder, kidnapping and rape.
Shawn Schweitzer pleaded guilty to lesser charges of manslaughter and kidnapping. He was sentenced to a year in jail, plus five years' probation.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
