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[ TAKING NOTICE ]

» Good Beginnings Alliance has given its Ho'olaulima No Na Keiki (Working together for Children) Award to five Outstanding Early Childhood Professionals of the Year. They are Julie Kalakau and Margarette Keegan of Sunshine Preschool in Kailua, Kasey Molina of KC's Keiki Care in Wailuku, Charmaine Nabor of Aunty Maine's Place in Waipahu and Francine "Cookie" Su'a-Filo of Kamehameha Paukukalo Preschool in Wailuku.

» Hawaii Literacy has honored Macy's as one of its volunteers of the Year for its Partners in Time initiative, which helps children with reading and other educational programs at the Mayor Wright Housing project in Kalihi.

» The 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment has awarded a certificate of appreciation to Grace Blodgett, vice president and director of the University of Phoenix, Hawaii Campus, who spearheaded a support program during the unit's past year of deployment. The efforts of the university, through the Army's Adopt-a-Platoon program, had a direct impact on the morale and readiness of the battalion, according to unit commander Lt. Col. Michael Lundy.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Robbery of tourists at Rainbow Falls results in 2 arrests

Big Island police arrested two male suspects for their alleged role in the robbery of four visitors at the popular tourist attraction Rainbow Falls.

Police said that at about 6 p.m. Monday, three men robbed a couple from Arizona who were visiting the falls. Police said two of the suspects hit and kicked the 31-year-old male visitor and stole his camera while a third suspect ripped the 33-year-old female victim's purse from her.

During the robbery, a family from California was videotaping the scenery at the falls and recorded the attack, police said. One of the suspects saw the 52-year-old man with the video camera, ran up to him, punched him in his face and stole the camera, police said. His 45-year-old wife was threatened by a second suspect and gave her camera to that suspect, police said.

The suspects were last seen running from the falls parking lot. A witness saw a light-blue foreign-model hatchback leaving the area and called the license plate number in to 911.

A patrol officer spotted the vehicle in downtown Hilo, and police stopped it at the end of Kauhane Avenue. All three occupants fled toward Hilo Airport, and police caught one of them after a brief foot chase. Spenser Feary, 18, of Hilo was later charged with a variety of felony offenses stemming from the robbery.

A second male suspect, 17, was later arrested and transferred to the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility on Oahu for detention. Police launched an extensive air and ground search for the third suspect but did not find him.

During the pursuit an officer saw one of the suspects throw a video camera from the vehicle, police said. The camera was later identified as belonging to one of the victims.

All the victims were treated at Hilo Medical Center and released.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the robbery to call Detective Lucille Melemai at 961-2377, the police non-emergency number at 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

Police look for man missing since 1998

Big Island police said they are still looking for a Puna man missing since Nov. 27, 1998.

Police said Surya Sabaratnam, 67, of a Leilani Estates subdivision address suffers from memory loss and is also referred to as Bob Sabaratnam, Bob Goode, Brock Goode and Robert Webb.

Sabaratnam was last seen in the Waikii area of Saddle Road.

Police said he is 6 feet tall and weighs about 155 pounds with a thin build and fair complexion. He has grayish brown hair, blue eyes and a gray goatee. He is also missing several teeth and has a tattoo and large circular scar on his back.

Anyone with information on Sabaratnam's whereabouts is asked to call the police non-emergency number at 935-3311. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers in Kona at 329-8181 or in Hilo at 961-8300.

Citizen informants contribute to drug bust

LIHUE » Kauai police concluded a month-long drug investigation this week by arresting a Wailua woman at Lihue Airport who was carrying drugs with an estimated street value of more than $35,000.

Police seized about one-half pound of crystal methamphetamine and 12.6 grams of cocaine from Faith Michelle Nelson, 32, who was arrested on charges of first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said many citizens provided information on the case leading up to her arrest, and ask anyone with information about illegal drug activities to call the Kauai Police Department's Narcotics Enforcement Unit at 241-1703 or CrimeStoppers at 241-1887.

Arson is suspected in Maui brush fire

LAHAINA » The cause of a brush fire that burned 80 acres in Lahaina was "suspicious in origin," Deputy Fire Chief Neal Bal said.

He said fire officials were investigating for evidence of arson.

The brush fire mauka of Honoapiilani Highway between Wahikuli and Keawe roads was contained less than four hours after firefighters received the call at 9 a.m. yesterday.

No injuries or burned structures were reported, and the firefighters received help from a county helicopter and public works employees along with workers from Goodfellow Brothers and REI, the county said.

Several major brush fires have occurred on Maui within the last few weeks, including some that fire officials say were caused by arson.

CENTRAL OAHU

Police investigating 12 suspicious fires

Police are looking for suspects who started at least 12 brush fires between Wahiawa and Sunset Beach from June 24 through July 20.

The blazes burned a total of about 600 acres, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Kenison Tejada said.

Anyone with information regarding these cases should call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME from a cell phone.

WAIKIKI

3 arrested in attack with nailed sticks

Police arrested three men in Waikiki after they allegedly attacked a 35-year-old man with sticks with nails Tuesday night.

The victim told officers that the suspects, two age 19 and one 21, assaulted him for no apparent reason using large sticks with nails and using racial slurs against him at about 10:45 p.m. The victim suffered minor injuries, police said.

Police arrested the suspects for investigation of second- and third-degree assault, and first-degree terroristic threatening.

WINDWARD OAHU

14-year-old allegedly brandishes a knife

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy Tuesday after he allegedly chased around an older teenager with a knife.

Police said the victim, an 18-year-old man, and the suspect were arguing at their Kaneohe school. The argument escalated, and the suspect left but returned with a knife and chased the victim, police said. The suspect fled but was found at home at about 4:30 p.m. and arrested for investigation of first-degree terroristic threatening.

Police arrest man who threatened son, wife

Police arrested a Kaneohe man after he allegedly chased his 14-year-old son down the street with a pocketknife and threatened his wife with a brick.

Police said the first incident occurred Monday at about 10:15 p.m. in front of the family's Likeke Place home. Police said the suspect and his son were arguing when the father pulled out a pocketknife and chased his son down the street, threatening to kill him.

Police said that the suspect's wife reported the incident to police the next morning. As she was leaving the house in her car, her husband allegedly approached her with a broken hollow tile raised above his head and yelled at her as she fled. Police arrived and arrested the husband for investigation of first-degree terroristic threatening.

NORTH SHORE

Home burglarized during fumigation

Police are investigating the burglary of a Waialua home while it was being fumigated last weekend.

The burglary happened between 2 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday.

Police said someone tore a hole in the fumigation tent and then stole a safe and a suitcase full of jewelry and other personal property.

HONOLULU

Police find car stolen from Las Vegas

Police arrested a man Tuesday for allegedly driving a vehicle that had been stolen from Las Vegas.

An officer stopped the suspect near Keawe and Auahi streets in Kakaako at 9:19 a.m. because he was driving a vehicle with Utah license plates that were not registered in Hawaii.

A check revealed the vehicle was stolen from Las Vegas, but attempts to contact the owner were unsuccessful.

The suspect driving the vehicle was arrested for investigation of auto theft along with several traffic offenses and released pending an investigation.