Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
THE MAIN MAN
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Nature Conservancy to manage Kauai forest
The Nature Conservancy has signed an agreement with Kamehameha Schools to manage the native forest in the back of Lumahai Valley on Kauai's North Shore.The Kamehameha Schools-owned property contains some of the best remaining lowland forest in the state, the conservancy said yesterday in announcing the agreement.
"Lumahai Valley is incredibly beautiful and worthy of serious conservation efforts," said Suzanne Case, the conservancy's executive director in Hawaii. "Our shared goal is to ensure the long-term survival of this natural and cultural treasure."
Neil Hannahs, director of land assets for Kamehameha Schools, said the agreement gives both entities "a chance to demonstrate how conservation and culture overlap."
Lumahai is one of the large windward valleys, extending far into Kauai's undeveloped central region, the Alakai Plateau.
Drugs found in stereo lead to woman's arrest
Honolulu police and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested and charged a woman with trying to smuggle more than three pounds of crystal methamphetamine in a stereo last week.According to an affidavit filed in federal court, Jacqueline Silveyra, also known as "Shorty," was arrested after she tried to pick up the stereo, which arrived by parcel mail via Airborne Express. Employees became suspicious about the parcel for several reasons, including that the address for the recipient did not exist, and the people whose phone number was listed for the sender said they did not know about it.
Airborne Express employees also became suspicious when Silveyra arrived to pick up the parcel on Thursday and offered to pay $126 for it, according to the affidavit.
Hawaii Airport Task Force officials later searched the parcel and discovered 3.18 pounds of "ice" in 10 taped bundles within the stereo, the affidavit said.
Silveyra was arrested for attempt to possess and distribute methamphetamine. She later admitted that she had been paid $1,000 to receive the package, which she knew contained illegal drugs, according to the affidavit.
Environmental leader to give talk Thursday
The public is invited to hear Patrick Moore, a co-founder of Greenpeace, speak Thursday at a meeting of the Hawaii Lumber Products Association at the Ala Moana Hotel.Moore, considered a leader in the environmental movement, has focused in recent years on promoting sustainability and consensus-building among competing concerns. His book, "Green Spirit -- Trees Are the Answer," tells how forests work and how they can help solve many environmental problems.
Reservations for Moore's talk can be made by calling 541-WOOD or online at www.hawaiilumber.com. The $25 tickets include a meal.
[Taking Notice]
» Dwayne Priester became assistant headmaster at Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island beginning in July. He succeeded Marc Rice, who is now overseeing the expansion of the school's science outreach program. Priester was most recently principal at Fremont Junior High School in Mesa, Ariz., and adjunct professor at Northern Arizona University.» Through a $10,000 grant from the Weinberg Friends Program, the Pali Lions Club donated 250 feet of benches to Enchanted Lake Elementary School. Led by longtime Lions member Robert Hiramatsu, the club installed the benches with the help of the Koolaupoko and Kahaluu Lions Clubs and the school's PTA.
The Weinberg program provides donations through service clubs in exchange for community service.
» Kuakini Health System has received a $5,000 donation from the Friends of Hawaii Charities Inc. to help cover the cost of its "Healthful Lifestyle Promotions," a year-round program of community health events featuring health education activities, bro-chures and free health screenings.
Hawaii Charities donated the funds from a partnership with the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
» Habilitat, a nonprofit residential substance abuse treatment program, has been awarded $2,500 from First Hawaiian Foundation, the charitable arm of First Hawaiian Bank. The grant will be used for Habilitat's on-site high school.
» The Honolulu Korean Junior Chamber's 26 members repaved the ground surface of the Korean Care Home to make it safer for elderly residents in exchange for $10,000 from the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation's Friends Program.
» ASSETS School has received $52,000 in grants to support its tuition assistance program and teacher training and outreach program. The McInerny Foundation contributed $20,000; the Frear Eleemosynary Trust, $12,000; the G.N. Wilcox Trust, $7,500; Friends of Hawaii Charities, $7,500; and Verizon Foundation, $5,000.
» Montessori Community School has received $5,000 from the McInerny Foundation and $4,000 from the Mary D. and Walter F. Frear Eleemosynary Trust. The grants will be used for financial aid tuition for the 2004-2005 school year.
By Star-Bulletin staff
WAIKIKI
HPD seeks limping male robbery suspect
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Two robberies took place this weekend. The first was at about 2 a.m. Saturday when a cabdriver picked up a fare at Kuhio and Ohua avenues. The suspect pulled out a box cutter and demanded money from the driver, then fled and was last seen running with a limp on Ala Wai Boulevard, police said yesterday.
The second robbery occurred Sunday about 1 a.m. after a cabdriver picked up a limping man along Kalakaua Avenue and Beach Walk. Police said that once inside the cab, the suspect demanded money and cut the driver on the finger with a box cutter. After grabbing some money, the suspect fled, police said.
In both cases the suspect was described as between 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 8 inches tall, between 140 to 160 pounds, with black neck-length hair, brown eyes, a brown complexion and armed with a silver or gray box cutter.
On Saturday the suspect was described as wearing a blue long-sleeved, hooded sweat shirt and blue jeans. On Sunday he was wearing a white T-shirt and white painter's pants.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Detective Derrick Kiyotoki at 529-3436 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
HONOLULU
Masked man robs workers in Kaimuki
Police are investigating the robbery Sunday morning of a business at Harding and Koko Head avenues in Kaimuki.A man wearing a black ski mask and a plaid long-sleeved shirt went into the business at 5:15 a.m., armed with what appeared to be a black handgun, workers told police.
The man demanded money from two workers, who told him the business had no money because it had just opened for the day, police said.
The workers then gave the man money from their wallets, and the suspect fled, police said.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Fugitive off front page is caught on Kauai
Kauai police have arrested another fugitive who was featured on the front page of MidWeek earlier this month.Gary Jellings, 45, is the fifth fugitive to be caught since the issue came out.
On Sept. 15, patrol officers in the Poipu area recognized Jellings' vehicle and arrested him after CrimeStoppers received information that he had been hiding out on Kauai.
Police also discovered $8,600 in cash, $6,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine and two handguns after searching his vehicle. Jellings had been wanted on a $100,000 bench warrant after he failed to appear in court last month.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers