---

Hurricane Jova heads away from islands

Hurricane Jova took a northerly turn away from the islands yesterday, and is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by Saturday.

Hawaii will likely see few weather effects from the storm, save a little more moisture in the atmosphere and a decrease in tradewinds, said National Weather Service senior forecaster Victor Proton.

The hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, was about 705 miles east-southeast of Honolulu last night.

On Saturday the storm's strong winds will come within 170 miles of the Big Island. "That's the closest that we are currently forecasting the tropical storm-force winds," Proton said.

There is a chance the hurricane's outer moisture bands could bring rain to the islands, but only if the system breaks up sooner than expected.

Kauai initiates hurricane relief drive

LIHUE » Kauai County has joined with First Hawaiian Bank and the American Red Cross to support Hurricane Katrina victims on the Gulf Coast and to prepare for a disaster at home.

The Kauai Katrina Relief Fund will give 90 percent to the national office of the Red Cross, with the remaining 10 percent going to Kauai's chapter of the Red Cross to bolster emergency preparedness, county Mayor Bryan Baptiste announced yesterday.

"I feel so sorry for them," especially with Hurricane Rita bearing down on the Gulf area, Baptiste added. "We were blessed to have been supported so generously during past disasters."

The fund began Tuesday with a $10,000 donation by McCloskey & Co., a real estate development firm, and the goal is to raise another $10,000 by Oct. 10.

Donations can be dropped off at any Kauai branch of First Hawaiian Bank, with checks made out to the American Red Cross, with "Kauai Katrina Relief Fund" noted in the memo portion of the check. Donations are tax-deductible.

Baptiste said he will give periodic updates on the fund-raising effort on his weekly radio shows and on his weekly television show.

Food donations being taken in Kaneohe

The Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center is teaming up with local schools for a food drive Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The public is invited to drop off donations of nonperishable food, which will be given to the Hawaii Food Bank. King Intermediate and local elementary schools as well as stores at the center have already been collecting canned goods.

Saturday's drop-off site is on Kamehameha Highway fronting the shopping center. If it rains, goods will be collected in front of Longs Drug Store. Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center is at 46-047 Kamehameha Highway, at the corner of Lilipuna Road.

Seized property to be auctioned Saturday

A public auction of property ranging from pickup trucks to jewelry will be held Saturday at the Neal Blaisdell Center.

The property was seized or forfeited in connection with law enforcement efforts. Included are two 2001 Ford pickup trucks, a 1998 Honda Accord, other vehicles, stereo equipment and tools, among other items.

Property may be inspected starting at 11 a.m., with the auction to begin at noon. For a list of the property, visit www.rosenauctions.com.

---

[ TAKING NOTICE ]

» Walt Disney World Co., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation have awarded a $5,000 scholarship to Dawn Reding, a zoology graduate student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

» Maria Gotay of Kailua attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts summer camp in Michigan, a premier summer arts program for students from grades three through 12. The students are taught by celebrity alumni. Gotay studied poetry, narrative and verse.

» The Rotary Club of Kapolei awarded 67 scholarships totaling $100,000 to Leeward and Kapolei area high school seniors. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $3,500. The funds were generated by the club's 2004 Taste at Kapolei, an event featuring the finest chefs, entertainment and a silent auction.

» Kaytt Kojima of Maui High School won first place in U.S. Rep. Ed Case's annual congressional arts contest. She and her art teacher, Rondy Shimizu, received round trips to Washington, D.C., to attend the presentation ceremony in the U.S. Capitol. Second-place winner was Angelica Cortez of Baldwin High, whose teacher is Janet Sato. Third was Kyle Takiguchi of Castle, taught by Alicia Rogan.

» First-place entries of the Hawaii Education Association's 27th Annual Public School Haiku Writing Contest were Curt Moriguchi, second grade, Aina Haina Elementary School; Kyler Kameok, fourth grade, Pearl Ridge Elementary; Jun Li Zhong, seventh grade, Kawananakoa Middle; and Weston Lee, 12th grade, Moanalua High. Students also received monetary prizes from the Helen E. Dalton Memorial Fund.

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

LEEWARD OAHU

Acid spill in garbage truck brings HFD

A Honolulu Fire Department hazardous materials team was called early yesterday to a small chemical spill in Waipahu.

A private refuse truck had picked up some rubbish near Leonui and Leokane streets about 6:30 a.m.

As the rubbish was being compacted in the truck, workers noticed about a pint of a greenish-yellow fluid leaking out, said HFD spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada.

The fluid, later determined to be some type of acid, was smoking for a little while, Tejada said. The refuse truck workers were evacuated to a safe distance as fire officials secured the scene.

The hazmat team left about 8:45 a.m. State health officials were investigating.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police seek teen girl missing on Big Island

Big Island police are looking for a 14-year-old girl reported missing since Aug. 17.

She was identified as Nicole Joto, who is Japanese, about 5 feet tall, weighing about 100 pounds, having a fair complexion, with a thin build, brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call officer Walter Ah Mow of the West Hawaii Juvenile Aid Section at 326-4646, ext. 302, or the non-emergency number at 935-3311.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

---

[ THE COURTS ]

'Ice' ring suspect faces federal charge

Federal prosecutors have charged a man with conspiring with others to distribute nearly 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine from an unknown date until May 5.

Lawrence Rivera Alcasid was charged yesterday in U.S. District Court as conspiring with at least five other individuals. Alleged co-conspirators Regan Vongrachanh, Vihn Sivongxay, Sanny P. Pacis, Henry Roe and Alberto Gonzalez have been charged in other districts.

If convicted, they each face imprisonment of 10 years to life.

2 women indicted on cocaine charges

A federal grand jury has indicted two women with possession of, and conspiring to distribute, nearly five pounds of cocaine.

Charged in a four-count indictment yesterday were Fatima Liaina and Margot Hoffman. Both were arrested Sept. 7 after Hoffman accepted an Express Mail parcel at a Hala Drive residence in Kalihi from an undercover agent posing as a U.S. postal carrier.

According to the indictment, Hoffman had agreed to accept the parcel containing drugs in exchange for money. Hoffman allegedly intended to hand over the drugs to Liaina, who was to deliver them to an unnamed individual.

Liaina, who was also at the Hala Drive home when the parcel arrived, followed Hoffman in her car to Nuuanu Avenue where both were arrested.

Liaina is also charged with possessing with intent to distribute 1 1/2 pounds of methamphetamine.