Hilo robber pleads guilty Hilo robber pleads guilty ADVERTISING Tia Menino, 23, of Hilo, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree robbery, use of a firearm in commission of a separate felony, first-degree terroristic threatening, third-degree theft, two counts of
Hilo robber pleads guilty
Tia Menino, 23, of Hilo, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree robbery, use of a firearm in commission of a separate felony, first-degree terroristic threatening, third-degree theft, two counts of fourth-degree theft, and three other firearms violations. Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura ordered Menino to stand trial on June 17 at 9 a.m.
First-degree robbery and use of a firearm in a felony are both Class A felonies punishable by a 20-year prison term.
Menino, who is free on $18,750 bail, was accompanied in court by numerous family members. All declined to speak to the Tribune-Herald.
Menino is accused of robbing Rainbow-Jo women’s clothing boutique and Tiny Bubbles baby clothing boutique on Jan. 31 at about 11:50 a.m. The stores are separate businesses with different owners at the same location, 291 Keawe St.
Documents state that the store clerk, Rachel Conder, told officers that a woman entered the store alone, walked up to a cash register, threw a reddish-brown purse on the glass counter, brandished a handgun and demanded all the money from Rainbow-Jo’s cash register. Conder said she took $137 from the cash register and gave the money to the suspect. Conder reported that the suspect then demanded money from Conder’s purse behind the counter and “wanted to know who she was.” Conder reportedly refused to give the suspect her name but gave her another $100 from Tiny Bubbles’ cash register.
Conder reportedly used her cell phone to photograph the pickup truck Menino was allegedly driving as it turned right from Furneaux Lane onto Keawe Street, and got the truck’s license plate number. She also later identified Menino from a photographic lineup, documents state.
Documents state a civilian listening to a police scanner saw a pickup truck matching the description on Makaala Street and called police. An officer then spotted the truck and the suspect at Hilo Propane on Makaala, arrested Menino at about 12:30 p.m. and seized the truck as evidence. Police say an unloaded .22 caliber revolver was in plain sight in an infant seat on the rear passenger seat and that a red leather-like purse was also recovered as evidence.
Trial set for hit-and-run
Trial has been set for a 40-year-old Volcano woman facing charges stemming from an April 2012 traffic collision in Hilo that killed a 20-year-old bicyclist.
Psychiatrists Drs. Henry Yang and Alex Bisset and psychologist Olaf Gitter have all found Alison Taylor fit to stand trial. Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura on Friday set trial for May 20 at 9 a.m.
Taylor has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, first-degree negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an accident involving death, driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving and driving with a suspended license. According to police, on April 11 at about 7:30 a.m., Taylor was driving a 2005 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck south on Kinoole Street between Ohea and Puainako streets when she struck Brody Winslow, a Hawaii Community College psychology student, who was riding a bicycle in the same direction.
Police say Taylor then hit a utility pole, severing it, and fled south on Kinoole before being pulled over at the intersection of West Palai Street by Assistant Chief Marshall Kanehailua.
Winslow, originally from North Carolina, was pronounced dead less than an hour later at Hilo Medical Center.
Bill to get more docs on Big Island passes committee
A bill that backers claim will bring more physicians to Hawaii County passed easily through the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday.
“It went the way we would have hoped,” said Sen. Josh Green, D-Kona, chairman of the Senate Health Committee which adopted Senate Bill 664 unanimously on Feb. 5.
The Senate Health Committee’s version of the bill, which Green introduced, appropriated $2.8 million in Fiscal Year 2013-14 and the same amount in the FY 2014-15, to support Hilo Medical Center’s residency program, known as the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. Primary Care Training Program. The program would be used to recruit and retain up to four doctors a year in Hawaii County, where a shortage of up to 150 physicians has been identified, according to testimony accompanying the bill.
The amount of the appropriation was removed from the bill, however, described as a “technical” amendment. “They took it up quickly and passed it,” which is what Green said he asked WAM Committee Chairman David Ige to do. “Now we’ll work on the House side,” said Green, who will be meeting with House leaders to discuss the bill.
