Alleged bomb maker to face trial

HILO » A student at the University of Hawaii at Hilo will face trial in Circuit Court on two felony charges for allegedly building small explosive devices consisting of household chemicals in plastic jugs.

Only one of the bottle bombs allegedly built by Edward Emerson Wine II exploded, creating a loud pop shortly after 1 a.m. Dec. 18 on the university's campus. An Army explosives team was called to deal with the unexploded devices.

Wine is charged with first-degree terroristic threatening and ownership of a prohibited device such as a bomb. Both are punishable by up to five years in prison.

Deputy Prosecutor Rick Damerville said instructions for making the devices can be found in videos on the Internet.

The videos show plastic bottles bulging and bursting from gases released inside them.

Damerville said the chemical reactions create a solution of hydrochloric acid that could have injured a security guard.

A preliminary hearing in District Court was avoided yesterday when defense attorney Mirtha Oliveros said Wine would allow the case to go directly to Circuit Court.

2 more seek lieutenant governor job

Two state politicians have filed papers with the Campaign Spending Commission to explore a run for lieutenant governor in 2010: state Sen. Gary Hooser, a Democrat from Kauai, and Brian Schatz, the Democratic Party chairman.

Hooser, 55, is a former Kauai County councilman who has been a state senator representing Kauai since 2002.

He is the former owner of H&S Publishing and Waioli Properties, a real estate firm. Hooser now works for Loomis-ISC, a public affairs company. In 2006 he unsuccessfully ran for Congress as a Democrat from the 2nd District.

Schatz, 36, a former state representative from Makiki, also ran unsuccessfully for the congressional seat won by former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono.

Others who have filed with the spending commission for possible runs for lieutenant governor include Honolulu Councilmen Rod Tam and Donovan Dela Cruz.

Man gets life in prison for murder

Tyler Condon - convicted of second-degree murder - will have to take his claim of self-defense to the Hawaii Paroling Authority.

A state judge sentenced Condon, 24, yesterday to the mandatory life prison term with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder in the death of his cousin Jake Ira Hale. Condon maintains that he killed Hale, 28, on July 4, 2007, in self-defense. He said Hale tried to rape him.

A state jury found Condon guilty of murder in November.

$833,000 to build traffic alert system

The state will spend $833,000 for a system to alert motorists with message signs on the H-1, H-2 and Moanalua freeways about traffic delays and help them reduce commute times.

The money will be used to launch the first phase of an Advanced Traveler Information System with traffic detectors and sensors. They will allow the state Department of Transportation to inform motorists about vehicle speeds and travel times through road signs.

The project will lay the foundation for future enhancements such as a planned 511 travel information phone and Web service.

Gov. Linda Lingle previously released $345,000 for a consultant to begin development of the advanced traveler information system.