Teen suspect is charged as adult

Authorities charged an 18-year-old man yesterday in connection with an Aug. 11 Aliamanu home-invasion robbery in which a 19-year-old man was shot and critically wounded.

Kerry Khamsouk was 17 when the robbery occurred. Family Court waived jurisdiction over his case yesterday, and he was arrested, a spokesman from the city prosecutor's office said.

Khamsouk was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, three counts of kidnapping, first-degree burglary and six counts of use of a firearm in a felony. He is being held on $250,000 bail.

Khamsouk was allegedly one of five males, dressed in black and wearing masks or bandannas over their faces, who broke into a home at 1256 Hulakui Drive.

The intruders were allegedly armed with what appeared to be handguns and removed several items of personal property from the home.

During the home invasion, one of the suspects shot and critically injured Timothy Lapitan, whose condition has since improved.

Khamsouk's older brother, Kevin Khamsouk, 19, was charged Aug. 28 with the same crimes in the home-invasion robbery.

Harbor parking fees take effect

Diamond Parking will manage parking at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor beginning tomorrow, a Department of Land and Natural Resources news release said.

Over the next year, the company will provide 24-hour surveillance, collect fees, provide signs and striping for parking, and pay a flat-fee percentage of its gross revenue to the state's Boating Special Fund, which is used for improving harbor facilities, the release said.

Parking will be available 24 hours a day, by permit, through pay stations for 25 cents an hour, or at metered stalls for 40 cents an hour.

In addition to paid parking, there are 300 free parking stalls in the helipad area near Hilton Lagoon and along the 660/700 row. Those stalls have signs limiting parking to ocean recreational users.

Free parking areas will close from 10:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., and parked vehicles will be towed.

Meeting on Kahana is postponed

A meeting between six families facing eviction from Kahana Valley and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources was postponed yesterday after several families were absent because of sickness or work, a state spokeswoman said.

Director Laura Thielen postponed the private meeting until sometime this weekend, said spokeswoman Deborah Ward. Thielen hopes to meet face to face with the families to hear their side and because she worries that they are receiving inaccurate information about the state's position, Ward said.

Japanese ship tracks missile

A Japanese destroyer successfully tracked a ballistic missile fired yesterday from Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility, officials with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said yesterday.

The Japanese ship Chokai, the second of four Japanese destroyers to be equipped with the Aegis ballistic missile defense system, was successfully able to track the missile and ready the system to fire, defense officials added.

Yesterday's test will be followed by an attempt to shoot down a target launched from PMRF next month. A successful similar test was performed in December by the Japanese ship Kongo, the first ship of a U.S. ally fully equipped with the Aegis system and able to shoot down a ballistic missile.

Fest for Hawaii quarter planned

The U.S. Mint will celebrate the launch of the Hawaii quarter in Honolulu next month by tossing the commemorative coins to children.

Mint Director Ed Moy will join Gov. Linda Lingle during a ceremony at Bishop Square at noon Nov. 10. Hawaii's quarter-dollar, which will be handed out to children under 18 at the event, is the final coin to be produced in the Mint's 50 State Quarters Program. The event will feature a children's hula performance and Hawaiian music, and people will be allowed to exchange money for $10 rolls of Hawaii quarters. Banks across the state also will have the new quarters available that afternoon. The Hawaii quarter goes into circulation Monday, but most Americans are not expected to see it in their change until some two weeks later.

The public is also invited to a Public Coin Forum from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Kanaina Building on the Iolani Palace grounds to learn more about the Mint program.