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Minimum wage will increase $1 by '07

A bill to increase the minimum wage in Hawaii by $1 an hour over two years became law yesterday without Gov. Linda Lingle's signature.

Under the measure, the state's current hourly minimum wage of $6.25 will increase to $6.75 on Jan. 1, 2006, and to $7.25 on Jan. 1, 2007.

A job should be "a bridge out of poverty, an opportunity to make a living by working," the bill said. "But for minimum-wage workers, especially those with families, it is not."

The inflation-adjusted value of the state's minimum wage is 24 percent lower today than it was in 1979, and recent increases in the minimum wage have not restored the lost value, the measure said.

"A key goal of my administration has been and continues to be ensuring the recovery, growth and vitality of Hawaii's economy in order to guarantee our citizens the ability to earn a livable wage," Lingle said in a letter to lawmakers explaining her decision not to sign the bill. "Our minimum wage law is one component in providing a balance between the needs of employees and those who employ them."

She said she was disappointed the measure didn't contain any relief for the business community.

Team hopes to find WWII remains

A recovery team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command will deploy to Washington state this week in hopes of finding remains at two World War II plane crash sites, officials said yesterday.

The first such mission in the continental United States since 1996 was recommended by an investigation team that visited the sites in the northern Cascades last year, the command said.

One site, in the Wenatchee National Forest, is associated with an SBD-5 Dauntless reported missing Feb. 15, 1945. Two men were on board when it departed from the U.S. Naval Air Station in Seattle.

The second excavation site is in the Okanogan National Forest. It concerns the loss of a P-38 that went missing in 1942. The pilot from the 54th Fighter Squadron, 343rd Fighter Group took off from Elmendorf Air Base, Alaska, on a maintenance flight, but failed to arrive in Plain Field, Wash.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

WINDWARD OAHU

Pair allegedly rob man at Waimanalo

Police are looking for two men who allegedly robbed a 44-year-old man at a Waimanalo beach early yesterday morning.

One suspect was armed with a baseball bat and the other with a knife.

Police said the unknown suspects accosted the victim in a beach right-of-way on Laumilo Street and demanded money at 5:45 a.m. yesterday.

The suspects fled, one in a white pickup truck, the other on foot.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Couple charged over alleged bad checks

Big Island police have charged a couple wanted for allegedly passing $13,500 worth of bad checks around the island.

Michael W. Mara, 29, and his girlfriend Natasha Catriz, 19, were each charged with three counts of negotiating worthless instruments and three counts of theft. They were each being held in lieu of $6,000 bail.

Police arrested Mara Saturday in Hilo and Catriz turned herself in at the Hilo police station Sunday.

WAIKIKI

Japanese ATM cards help dodge robbery

A suspected mugger failed to get any money from a Japanese tourist because the visitor's bank cards did not work, police said.

The suspect, a 24-year-old homeless man, allegedly took four bank cards from the wallet of a 19-year-old man from Japan in Waikiki at 6:15 a.m. Monday and told him he would beat him up if he did not cooperate.

Police said the suspect then took the victim to five automated teller machines and tried to withdraw money, but was unsuccessful because the cards are only usable in Japan.

The suspect then told the victim he wanted to go to his hotel room to get money or he would kill him, police said. The tourist said no and the suspect punched him, police said.

The victim left and got help from security at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider hotel, who found the suspect and detained him. Police later arrested the suspect for investigation of second-degree robbery.

HONOLULU

Makiki man allegedly misuses 911 service

A 53-year-old Makiki man Monday became the first in Honolulu to be arrested and charged on suspicion of misuse of 911 telephone service, causing a false alarm or making a false complaint or report.

Kurt Lance Nelson of 1560 Thurston St. allegedly made 14 or more 911 calls within a 24-hour period.

Nelson also called 911 more than two dozen times between July 3 and July 11.