Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Honolulu population up 8,500 in 3 years
It's getting cramped in Honolulu where the population has jumped 2.3 percent since 2000, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates to be released today.Honolulu's population increased by nearly 8,500 to about 380,000 between April 2000 and July 2003.
Since July 2002 there has been an increase of 3,000 people living in Honolulu.
The city ranked 100th in the nation for population growth for places with more than 100,000 residents.
Honolulu is the nation's 45th most populated city.
New York City holds the top spot with 8.1 million residents. Los Angeles and Chicago take second and third, respectively.
Audit criticizes city building permit service
The city is falling short in running a center to streamline the building permit approval process, according to an audit released yesterday.City auditor Les Tanaka's analysis, covering the Department of Planning and Permitting's one-stop permitting center, says staffing and operational problems hampered effective service. According to the audit, the department did not give applicants clear instructions, which resulted in tying up staff time to process the applications.
But department Director Eric Crispin, in his response letter, said the audit was inaccurate, biased, unbalanced and has no value in helping to improve efficiency, effectiveness and customer service.
"We believe that the tone and the characterization of your findings is hurtful and demoralizing to the hardworking and dedicated staff of the department," Crispin wrote.
Governor appoints 3 to East-West board
Gov. Linda Lingle has appointed a hotel executive, an economist and the owner of an investment and consulting firm to the East-West Center Board of Governors.Lingle appointed Jean Rolles, vice president of community affairs at Outrigger Enterprises and a member of the East-West Center Foundation board of directors; Puongpun Sananikone, president of Pacific Management Resources; and Paul Smith, owner of Tyrolian Investments LLC.
Hawaii's governor appoints five of the 18 members of the East-West Center board.
The other members include five appointed by the U.S. secretary of state, five members from Asia and the Pacific who are elected by the full board, and three ex-officio members who include the governor; Patricia Harrison, assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs; and acting University of Hawaii President David McClain.
The center was established by Congress in 1960 to strengthen understanding and relations between the United States and countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Diet tips on the menu for lupus sufferers
Lupus patients are invited to learn how to eat healthier at a Nutrition for Lupus class from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Ohia Auditorium, Kapiolani Community College.University of Hawaii nutrition professor Amy Brown will teach the class, sponsored by the Hawaii Lupus Foundation. She will discuss foods that can affect people with lupus and how to prepare healthy meals.
Free food samples will be prepared by KCC students from the "Power Nutrition for Your Chronic Illness" cookbook.
Lupus erythematosus is a disorder of the immune system that causes production of abnormal antibodies, which attack the body's own healthy tissue.
For more information, call Alicia Kawamura at 538-1522.
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[Taking Notice]
>> Mona Abadir, chairwoman of the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, was elected to the board of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. She is one of the founders and currently the chief operating officer of Honu Group Inc., a Honolulu development company.
>> Honolulu Symphony's principal timpanist Stuart Chafetz has been named one of the year's Emerging Artists in the conductor category by Symphony Magazine. He has been a guest conductor in several states, most recently with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
>> District Court Judge Joseph P. Florendo Jr., of the 3rd Circuit in Kealakekua, Hawaii, has completed a course on substance abuse issues at the National Judicial College. He also received a Certificate in Judicial Development in special court trial skills.
>> Samantha Dacanay, a fourth-grader at Iolani School, is the grand prize winner of the Aloha Festivals Poster Contest. Her artwork was featured on children's T-shirts and custom note cards, which were sold during the event. She received a $100 gift certificate to Pearlridge Center and other prizes.
Honorable-mention awards went to John Sakamoto and Kelsey Kato, of Iolani; Chelsey Choy, of Momilani Elementary School in Pearl City; Shelly Totori, of Kalaheo School on Kauai; and Alana Aluli, of Laie Elementary School.
>> The Hawaii Ecotourism Association has named Michele Kayal, of Honolulu, as Travel Writer of the Year 2004. She writes for numerous national and local travel publications, mostly about the high-end educational tourism market and environmental tourism.
>> Danny Boren, of Maui's Skyline Eco-Adventures, has been honored as Ecotour Operator of the Year 2004.
>> Kamaaina Kids has received $25,000 from the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation to support playground renovations for its two Windward preschools in Aikahi and Enchanted Lake. The money will also be used to increase educational materials.
>> Lahainaluna High School will be able to hold its first football game on its own home field in 50 years this fall, thanks to a $9,000 contribution from Starwood Vacation Ownership to "The Bleachers for Lahainaluna Project." The fund was started in November to buy 24 high-quality aluminum bleachers by April.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffCHASE ENDS IN GRAVEYARD SUICIDE
Police investigators inspected a sport utility vehicle in which a man shot himself to death yesterday. The chain of events began about 1:30 p.m. when, after being served with an eviction notice, the man ordered his landlord, a process server and a locksmith at gunpoint into a bathroom of his rented house in the 3900 block of Kaimuki Avenue. A brief police chase then ended at this Kapiolani Boulevard graveyard. Two lanes of Kapiolani Boulevard were closed during the investigation, slowing traffic.
HONOLULU
Police seek 4 men in Ala Moana-area armed robbery
Police are looking for four men in their 20s who allegedly robbed two 19-year-old men early yesterday morning in the Ala Moana area.One suspect brandishing a handgun and another armed with a butterfly knife demanded money, police said.
Police said the suspect with the gun and an unarmed suspect took cash from the victims. A fourth suspect stood by doing nothing, police said.
The suspects fled in a greenish-blue, four-door Toyota sedan. The incident occurred at about 12:30 a.m. at Makaloa and Keeaumoku streets, police said.
Man sought in alleged sex assault on teen
Police are looking for a man who allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old boy in a downtown restroom.Police said the suspect approached the boy in the restroom of a Bishop Street building at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and then sexually assaulted him.
Moiliili man charged in bank robbery case
The Honolulu Police Department-FBI Task Force charged a 37-year-old man with a Moiliili bank robbery June 14.Ryan Piiohia, wanted in three other bank robberies, was charged with a federal count of robbing the Moiliili Branch of Central Pacific Bank at 2615 S. King St.
In that case the suspect handed the teller a demand note and left in a getaway car driven by another male.
Piiohia is under investigation for robberies of Hawaii National Bank's Kailua Branch Monday, American Savings Bank Kalihi Branch May 26 and City Bank's Kaneohe Branch June 1.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
