Gaspar honored
as officer of month
The Kona Crime Prevention Committee recognized Officer Justin Gaspar as its officer of the month for July during a luncheon ceremony Wednesday at Huggo’s restaurant in Kailua-Kona. Gaspar was honored for a traffic stop that led to arrests for multiple felony offenses.
On May 4, Gaspar was assisting another officer with a traffic stop near the Honokohau Harbor access rRoad when he observed drug paraphernalia associated with crystal methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
After the two women occupants were arrested, a man in another car approached the scene and stopped. Gaspar recognized him as someone with three outstanding bench warrants for his arrest and ordered him to stop and get out of the vehicle. The man reversed the car and sped away and then placed the car into drive and began speeding toward the officers, causing them to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. Other officers then stopped the car and arrested the driver.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the man’s car and found a glass smoking pipe and plastic packets containing crystal methamphetamine, along with a pair of brass knuckles. The man was arrested on the bench warrants, as well as two counts of reckless endangering, two counts of terroristic threatening, resisting an order to stop, driving with an expired driver’s license, promoting a dangerous drug, possessing drug paraphernalia and possessing a prohibited deadly weapon.
Gaspar also investigated 32 incidents, one traffic accident and 29 miscellaneous public complaints during May. During the same time, he made 19 arrests and issued 33 traffic citations.
National park to
host cultural festival
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will host the 33rd annual cultural festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the park’s Kahua Hula — traditional hula platform — south of Kilauea Visitor Center. The festival is free; park entrance fees are waived all day.
The event will feature performances by hula groups and entertainers, including Keiki o Halau o Kekuhi, Halau Ulumamo o Hilo Paliku, Hula Halau Ke Olu Makani o Mauna Loa, Leabert Lindsey, Ben Kaili and Diana Aki.
Attendees can learn to strum an ukulele, play Hawaiian games, weave a coconut basket and lauhala bracelet, make feather kahili and traditional lei. They may also sample taro, sweet potato, sugarcane and breadfruit. Demonstrations, led by cultural practitioners, will include kapa beating, planting a native garden and using plants as medicine.
Those attending are urged to wear sunscreen and a hat and bring water, a rain jacket and ground mat or chair. No pets are allowed. Hawaiian crafts, plate lunches, nonalcoholic beverages and festival T-shirts will be offered for sale.
For more information, visit nps.gov/havo or call 985-6011.
Neighborhood Place accepting thrift
shop donations
The Neighborhood Place of Kona will open Tutu’s Closet, a free mini thrift shop for families with children, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Donations of gently used clothing, apparel and small household items will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. now through Friday at its site located at 75-166 Kalani St., Suite 104, behind McDonald’s in Kailua-Kona. Children’s clothes are needed.
Thecommunity-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has been serving West Hawaii since 1998. For more information, call 331-8777.
Keith graduates
from basic training
Army Pvt. Cody A. Keith has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises.
Keith is the son of Timothy Keith and Sayako Katoh, and grandson of Richard Keith, all of Holualoa.
He is a 2012 graduate of Kealakehe High School.
Alcoran completes basic combattraining
Army National Guard Pfc. Michael A. Alcoran has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises.
Alcoran is a 2011 graduate of Ka‘u High School.