Police seek two for questioning
Big Island police are asking for the public’s help in locating two men wanted for questioning in connection with an “incident” Wednesday fronting a Hilo business.
On Thursday, a 20-year-old man reported to police that shortly before midnight on Wednesday he was contacted outside a restaurant on Kamehameha Avenue by one man known to him and subsequently entered a vehicle that stopped in front of the restaurant. Once inside the vehicle, the 20-year-old was reportedly restrained by another man and then assaulted by both men, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
The 20-year-old managed to escape from the vehicle, which was last seen leaving the parking lot onto Kamehameha Avenue, according to police.
Police have identified the driver as Waylen Keone Carenio Jr., a 21-year-old who was last known to reside in Waimea. He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 150 pounds with a medium build, fair complexion, short brown hair and brown eyes. Carenio has multiple tattoos including both arms tattooed from the shoulder to the wrist, “KEONE” on his abdomen, and “FBI” in cursive on his lower back.
He was last seen operating a light-colored four-door sedan that may be an import. The license plate number is unknown.
The second man was identified as Turner Kaimana Au, 24, of Hilo. Au is described as part Hawaiian, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds with green eyes and short brown hair that is sometimes dyed blond, according to police. He may also have a mustache and goatee.
Au also has several tattoos, including a scantily clad woman on his back, “Harley Jane” on his left chest, intertwined black strands and a skull on his right forearm and Polynesian designs on his left forearm, according to police.
Police warned the men may be armed and therefore should not be approached. Anyone who sees them should call 911 or the department’s nonemergency line.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident should call Detective Robert Almeida at 961-2386 or the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
Judge: State not liable in case of rocks crushing car
HILO — A judge has ruled that the state is not liable for injuries to an Ocean View couple whose car was crushed by a 160-ton rockfall on Highway 11 on March 8, 2007, in Ka’u.
Pahala attorney Ron Self said that his clients, Michael Patrick O’Grady and Leiloni O’Grady, would appeal the decision made following a non-jury trial by 3rd Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura.
In his written decision dated Jan. 23, Nakamura wrote that the plaintiffs “failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence. … It was reasonably foreseeable that rockfall at (mileposts) 72.6 to 73 was so imminent that it was necessary to immediately address the rockfall potential.”
He wrote that the state “owes a duty to maintain it’s highways so they are reasonably safe for their intended uses” including “the duty to exercise ordinary care to maintain the areas adjacent to the highways and shoulders so that they are reasonably safe from rockfalls.”
Nakamura concluded, however, that the “plaintiffs failed to prove … that any breach of duty on the part of the state was a proximate cause of the harm suffered by plaintiffs.”
Self said Friday that he and co-counsel Peter Bersin were “shocked and stunned” by the judge’s decision “not to hold the state liable for the serious and permanent injuries suffered by the O’Gradys.” He said his clients are “devastated.”
“The decision has caused a true feeling of injustice and helplessness,” Self said. He said his clients “have the overwhelming feelings that the powerful state was treated differently in court than they were.”
Since the state was the only defendant, the O’Gradys were not entitled by law to a jury trial. Self said he believes the law should be changed to allow a jury trial in those cases.
Senators to hear about impact of hospital closures
HONOLULU — State senators want to know how the medical services have been affected by the closure of two Oahu hospitals.
The Hawaii Medical Center’s bankruptcy forced the closure of its Ewa and Liliha hospitals in January. The Senate Health Committee plans to also the impact on health care access since services have been diverted.
Committee members also want to hear about potential acquisition of the facilities.
An informational briefing Tuesday will include representatives from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, the state Department of Health, the Queens Medical Center, Hawaii Pacific Health, Kaiser, HMSA and Honolulu’s Emergency Medical Services Department.
Sen. Josh Green, who chairs the Health Committee, said the health community’s input will help lawmakers assess the direction they’re heading in reard to healthcare issues.
Kauai leaders question police chief’s leave
LIHUE, Kauai — A Kauai county councilman and the chair of the county’s Charter Review Commission are questioning whether the mayor has the authority to put Kauai’s police chief on leave as he did this week.
Councilman Mel Rapozo told The Garden Island newspaper that, in general, county boards and commissions are appointed to take the politics out of the daily operations of departments such as police, fire, planning and personnel.
He says it would defeat the purpose if the administration is allowed to place commission-appointed department heads on leave.
Patrick Stack, the new chair of Kauai’s Charter Review Commission, says he’s been told the mayor has the authority, but he’s not sure it’s true. He says he will study the issue and send questions to the county attorney.
Volunteers offering free tax help Saturday
HONOLULU — Low-to-moderate income residents who need help filing federal and state income tax returns can find help at the state Capitol Saturday.
State lawmakers are kicking off the 2012 filing season with a free tax clinic that connects taxpayers with IRS-certified volunteers. The clinic includes free filing services and assistance in claiming credits from trained volunteers.
The event is a partnership with the Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development.
The clinic will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in conference room 325. Call 381-0881 for more information or to make an appointment.
To find out about other free tax assistance sites, call Aloha United Way’s Helpline at 211, visit www.hawaiitaxhelp.org or email info@hawaiitaxhelp.org.
Cayetano: Use rail funds for aging sewers
HONOLULU — Honolulu mayoral candidate and former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano says taxes earmarked for a planned commuter rail line on Oahu would be better spent on the city’s aging sewer and waste-water systems.
Cayetano says he will approach the governor and Legislature about using some of the tax revenue for other city projects instead of the rail line.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Cayetano made his remarks at a Downtown Exchange Club of Honolulu luncheon on Thursday.
The general excise tax surcharge for rail is expected to raise more than $3 billion before it expires in 10 years. Nearly $280 million has already been spent.
Cayetano’s two opponents in the mayoral race — incumbent Mayor Peter Carlisle and former acting mayor Kirk Caldwell — both support rail.
OHA donates $100K to Habitat for Humanity
HONOLULU — The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has donated $100,000 to the Honolulu Habitat for Humanity to support the construction of seven homes for Hawaiian families in Waimanalo.
Honolulu Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Genie Brown says the group plans to install solar power and energy efficient appliances and lighting in the homes.
The organization said Thursday it expects to break ground on the Kumuhau project this summer and aims to finish the work by fall of next year.
Habitat for Humanity builds homes in a partnership with families who buy the homes with a no-profit, non-interest loan. The families help volunteers with the construction.
Operations Manager Linda Masuda says six of the seven families have been selected.
Rescue team looking for entangled whale
HONOLULU — A humpback whale rescue team is looking for a whale off Hawaii that is caught in fishing lines.
Jeff Walters, the marine mammal branch chief at the National Marine Fisheries Service, said Friday the gear could kill the whale. He says the lines are caught in the whale’s mouth, which will eventually make it hard for the animal to eat.
A tour boat first saw the whale Thursday off Maui’s south coast.
Officials from the large whale disentanglement network — which includes people from federal and state agencies — went to the scene and followed the whale in a boat. They hoped to cut the whale free of the line.
But they lost sight of the animal because they weren’t able to tag it.
By local and wire sources