---

Judge who closed court garners dubious honor

HILO » Big Island District Judge Matthew Pyun has been named the recipient of the 2004 Lava Tube Award of the Big Island Press Club for closing his court to the public.

The club gives the award annually for notable offenses against government openness. It refers to a lava cave where sunshine cannot reach.

Pyun ordered the doors to his court locked during a bail hearing in December despite the objection of a deputy public defender that the action violated "the basic precepts of the Constitution of the United States of America."

For 7 1/2 weeks Pyun left in effect a policy that could have closed the court to at least some members of the public, finally withdrawing it after his action was appealed to the state Supreme Court.

Pyun said the closure was for security reasons, without giving any details. A state lawyer representing him at the Supreme Court refused to explain Pyun's actions.

The press club also gave a Torch of Light award to retired Circuit Judge Paul de Silva. As a Hawaii County police commissioner, de Silva called for more openness and independence on the commission, which the club called "one of the most secretive of public agencies."

New signs of snake in Kona prove elusive

KAILUA-KONA » A second week of searching by state officials has passed with no sign of a snake seen on March 3 near a Kona subdivision, said Miles Nakahara, of the state Forestry and Wildlife Division.

Officials initially thought the reptile, seen on vacant land next to the Kona Palisades subdivision, might be a brown tree snake, the kind that has devastated bird species on Guam.

But the Kona snake is the wrong shape and was seen during the day, whereas the brown tree snake comes out at night, Nakahara said.

The daytime activity is a good sign because birds can see the snake coming and could escape. The brown tree snake has been successful in Guam because it hunts at night when birds are sleeping, Nakahara said.

Officials are speculating that the Kona snake could have arrived in one of two shipping containers recently brought to the Palisades area from California. However, homeowners who brought the containers said they did not see a snake.

If the Kona snake had eaten at the time it was spotted, it might not need to eat for three to four weeks, Nakahara said. But officials continue checking 42 baited traps in the area in hopes of catching it, he said.

---

» United Church of Christ on Judd Street has received $15,000 from Cooke Foundation Ltd. for capital renovation projects and its Pali Preschool.

» Bob Rapoza, postmaster of Honokaa on the Big Island, began serving a two-year term in January as secretary-treasurer of the National Association of Postmasters of the United States. He is the first person to get elected to this office from outside the continental United States. Rapoza previously served in Pahoa and Kailua-Kona.

The 42,000-member organization is 100 years old and comprised of active and retired postmasters.

» Karen Huffman has been named founding president of the Hawaii Theater Stars, a new support group established to help with fund-raising events for the historic theater. She is the past recipient of the "Small Business Person of the Year Award" from Small Business Hawaii as a franchise owner of McDonald's.

Other members include Jeffrie Jones of Straub Clinic; Barbara Wong of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists, Honolulu Chapter; Iris Iwana of First Hawaiian Bank; and Mele Pochereva, owner of a public relations firm.

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU
Man robs primary branch of Hawaii National Bank

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect who robbed the main branch of Hawaii National Bank at 45 N. King St. yesterday.

The man approached a teller at about 9:30 a.m. and demanded money, police said. He was last seen walking on North King Street in the Koko Head direction.

The suspect is described as between 45 and 50 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 200 pounds, with a husky build. He also has neck-length white hair and a thin white mustache and was seen wearing a white shirt, pants and slippers, and carrying an over-the-shoulder bag.

This is Oahu's second bank robbery of the year. Anyone with information can call Detective Taro Nakamura at 529-3382. Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

Break in water main affects 40 apartments

A 12-inch water main break at 1525 Wilder Ave. left more than 40 Honolulu apartment units without water last night.

A water wagon was stationed in the area to provide residents with water until the problem was fixed, which was expected to take about seven to eight hours.

Board of Water Supply crews were investigating the cause of the 8:30 p.m. break.

NORTH SHORE
Mental health facility escapee is arrested

Police arrested a 30-year-old convicted felon on Thursday who escaped from a mental health facility and was also wanted for violating probation.

Jake Paikai was arrested at about 8 p.m. at Pupukea Beach Park, at 59-727 Kamehameha Highway.

Paikai was convicted of robbery in August 2002. He was placed on probation and failed to meet with his case manager. He was arrested in June 2003 for reckless endangering and criminal property damage.

Paikai has prior convictions for robbery, abuse, assault and violation of a protective order and temporary restraining order.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Suspect in string of burglaries charged

A 27-year-old man faces 18 charges, including identity theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, stemming from a series of alleged burglaries and thefts on the Big Island.

Blane Apostadiro of Waimea was charged yesterday and is being held at the Kona police cellblock. His bail was set at $50,000.

He was also charged with two firearm offenses, three counts of unauthorized control of a motor vehicle, unauthorized entry into a vehicle, theft and eight traffic offenses.

Apostadiro was arrested Wednesday after a two-month investigation into a series of burglary and theft cases in South Kohala and Kona, police said.

Man allegedly holds up and robs food shop

Big Island police are looking for a gunman who robbed the 5-Spice food shop in the Puainako Shopping Center yesterday.

The robbery happened about 11:30 a.m. when a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt walked into the store, showed a handgun and demanded money, police said. He reached across the counter, grabbed money from the cash register and fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to police.

The suspect is described as in his early 20s, 5 feet 4 inches tall and between 130 and 150 pounds.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.

Calls can also be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.