State tax collections drop by 5.4 percent

The state government's tax collections continued their slide for the first seven months of fiscal year 2010.

The Department of Taxation reported yesterday that the state took in $2.457 billion, down 5.4 percent from the first seven months of the last fiscal year.

General excise tax collections dropped 6.7 percent to $1.326 billion in the first seven months of fiscal 2010 compared with $1.421 billion in 2009.

Corporate income tax receipts fell 67 percent to $8.268 million in the first seven months of fiscal 2010 from $25.077 million the year before.

Individual income tax collections went down 6.7 percent to $864.52 million in the first seven months of fiscal 2010 from $926.617 million the year before.

Borrowing at libraries reach a 10-year high

The number of books borrowed from Hawaii public libraries reached a 10-year high in 2009, State Librarian Richard Burns reported to the Board of Education.

Borrowed books totaled more than 7.228 million, Burns said.

Libraries continue to be important institutions in the communities, he told the board.

“;This once again demonstrates that people are turning to libraries in difficult economic times,”; he said.

Suspects re-indicted after woman, 85, dies

An Oahu grand jury re-indicted two men yesterday in the Jan. 21 home invasion and beating of an 85-year-old woman and her 40-year-old caregiver in a Waialae Nui home.

The 85-year-old woman, Mary Lee Koskinen, died Feb. 2 of head injuries, so the initial charges against Zachary Robinson, 19, and Cody Mikami, 21, were changed.

The two men were re-indicted yesterday on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder and attempted second-degree murder.

Robinson's bail was set at $1 million, and Mikami's is $500,000.

Aiea man is recharged in grandmother's death

An Oahu grand jury re-indicted a 49-year-old Aiea Heights man yesterday for allegedly beating his 85-year-old grandmother, who has died since he was first indicted.

Darrel Wright was indicted yesterday on a second-degree murder charge.

Wright had called 911, and police found him standing over his grandmother, who was slumped in a reclining chair covered in blood.

He was under a doctor's care for psychiatric problems, police said.

His bail remains at $500,000.

Aiona's sports proposal gets a legislative punt

Lt. Gov. James “;Duke”; Aiona's proposal to create a volunteer Hawaii Sports Commission has died in the state Legislature.

The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technology deferred Senate Bill 2743 indefinitely Wednesday.

The proposed commission's purpose was to attract, develop, manage and promote sports and sporting events in Hawaii.

“;It's a shame the public voice was not heard today,”; Aiona said in a written statement. “;Since the moment we introduced this bill, residents from across the state have stepped forward to actively support a Hawaii Sports Commission.”;