Man wanted for growing pakalolo

Federal authorities are looking for a man accused of running a large-scale marijuana growing operation on Maui.

A federal grand jury returned a secret indictment last month charging Erik J. Welander with cultivating, growing and possessing to distribute more than 1,000 marijuana plants in July.

Authorities said Welander grew marijuana both indoors and outdoors. The U.S. attorney asked a federal judge to unseal the indictment last week after authorities were unable to locate Welander.

Community sets up Heeia Kea watch

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources and Kaneohe community members are forming a neighborhood watch group at Heeia Kea Small Boat Harbor on Oahu's Windward side.

Watch coordinator Anita Balch says there have been drug deals, illegal drinking, gambling, vandalism and thefts at the harbor. She hopes the neighborhood watch effort will deter these activities.

The department's Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement and the Honolulu Police Department have trained about 20 watch group members who go on patrol. Three police officers and three officers from the department's enforcement division are also members.

Lingle in California to visit with dad

Gov. Linda Lingle is in California visiting her father.

The Governor's Office says she will be in the Golden State until tomorrow. Her aides say she is using personal time for the trip. Lingle was in Las Vegas from Friday through Sunday, attending the Republican Jewish Coalition national winter leadership meeting.

Caslen in command at Kansas post

Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr. has assumed command of the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth in Kansas with his wife pinning on his third star following the ceremony.

Caslen, whose last duty assignment was as commander of the 25th Infantry Division from May 2008 to Feb. 19, replaced Lt. Gen. William Caldwell IV, who left in November to command NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.

Caslen has served in a number of command and leadership positions during his 35 years of Army service.

Arts alliance receives $110,000 grant

The Hawaii Arts Alliance has received a matching $110,000 grant from an anonymous donor to enhance arts education opportunities for students.

Most of the money will go to statewide Performing Arts Learning Centers, which teach performance skills to at least 1,000 students per year, a news release said. They include centers at Baldwin, Castle, Hilo, Nanakuli and Kaimuki high schools; the Central Theatre Arts Academy (Mililani); the Alliance for Drama Education's T-Shirt Theatre at Farrington; and on Kauai.

Each center must raise matching donations to the initial $5,000 to receive a second grant installment, or become a $2,000 Arts Angel supporter with Hawaii Arts Alliance.

Contact the Hawaii Arts Alliance at 533-2787 or visit http://www.hawaiiartsalliance.org to donate.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Thief given 25 years to pay victim

LIHUE » A 40-year-old Kauai woman will finish serving time in prison for theft and forgery in five years.

But it will take Tiffany Anne Moore 25 additional years or so to pay off about $75,000 in restitution to her victim.

Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Moore vowed to pay at least $250 a month, beginning 90 days after she is released from prison.

The Garden Island newspaper reported Saturday that Moore had considered $500 a month but decided the lower figure was more feasible.

Moore's defense attorney, state Deputy Public Defender John Calma, says in exchange for her guilty pleas to second-degree theft and second-degree forgery, other charges were dropped.