Police identify human remains found Sept. 27
Big Island police have identified human remains found Sept. 27 behind the Kailua-Kona U.S. Post Office.
The body was identified through medical X-rays as 51-year-old Lloyd Tiedeman, who had no permanent address, according to the Hawaii County Police Department. An autopsy determined that he died of natural causes.
Police investigating reported Hilo burglary
Big Island police are investigating a reported burglary Wednesday in Hilo.
Several pieces of gold jewelry and wristwatches were taken between 8 a.m. and noon from a residence on lower Haihai Street in Hilo, according to the Hawaii County Police Department.
Anyone with information on this case should call Officer Courtney Bello at 961-2213 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.
Puna residents charged in connection with burglary
Two Puna residents are facing burglary, theft and drug charges stemming from a reported burglary Friday in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision of Puna.
Michael Anderson, 40, of Keaau and Celeste Geraghty, 24, of Pahoa were identified as suspects, arrested Monday and taken to the Hilo police cellblock, while police continued to investigate the reported burglary at a home on 21st Avenue, according to the Hawaii County Police Department.
After their arrest, detectives reportedly located two rings taken in the burglary as well as four packets of a white crystalline substance and drug paraphernalia after search warrants were executed at Geraghty’s home in the Ainaloa subdivision and on Anderson’s personal property, according to police.
On Tuesday, Geraghty was charged with first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug and two counts of drug paraphernalia, according to police. She was also charged with failure to appear in an unrelated case. Her bail was set at $15,050.
Also that day, Anderson was charged with second-degree theft, promoting a detrimental drug, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug and two counts of drug paraphernalia, according to police. His bail was set at $60,000.
Police warn of debit card scam
Big Island police are warning the public about a debit card scam.
Residents have reported receiving a text message from someone claiming the recipient’s debit card has been temporarily deactivated and asking them to call a phone number to reactivate it, according to the Hawaii County Police Department. When the recipients call, they are asked for the card number, expiration date, security code and personal identification number.
This is a scam by someone trying to fraudulently obtain personal information for illicit purposes, according to police.
Police advise the public to delete such a message, if they receive it, and not call the provided number. Legitimate financial institutions do not ask for that kind of personal information over the phone or Internet. If you think a notification might be legitimate, call the institution at the number listed in the phone book, not the phone number you receive on the phone or online.
Small craft advisory issued for Big Island
The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a small craft advisory for waters off leeward and southeast coasts of Hawaii Island effective through Monday morning.
Forecasters said the advisory was prompted by a strengthening surface high located north of the state that will result in increased trade winds in waters around Maui and the Big Island.The service forecast east winds reaching 25 knots, or about 29 mph, with gusts possible up to 30 knots, or about 34 mph. Rough seas of 8 to 11 feet are also expected.
A small craft advisory means that wind speeds between 25 and 33 knots, or seas 10 feet or greater, are expected, producing conditions hazardous to small craft, according to the service. Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in such conditions.
DOE posts lower 2012 graduation rate
The state Department of Education revised downward the state’s graduation rate for last year to 81 percent.
DOE officials blamed a programming error, which incorrectly coded the graduation outcomes for 205 students. They initially reported an 82 percent graduation rate.
The rate of students with disabilities graduating was most impacted, dropping to 60 percent from 73 percent.
“Learning of data errors, particularly this late in the year, is frustrating, complicates communication with school faculties and communities, and disrupts improvement efforts,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said. “There is no excuse for these errors. We have notified affected schools and I have directed a number of internal actions designed to ensure the accuracy and transparency of our data processes.”
Visitors to Hawaii drop for first time in 2 years
HONOLULU — The number of visitors to Hawaii fell in September for the first time in two years as fewer travelers arrived from the western U.S., the state’s tourism agency said Thursday.
Nearly 595,000 travelers visited Hawaii, down 1 percent from the same month last year. Spending sank nearly 5 percent to $1 billion.
The last time visitor arrivals declined was in August 2011, when they fell 4.2 percent from a year earlier.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority has been warning growth will slow, particularly compared to last year, when 10 percent more travelers came to the islands.
Vice President David Uchiyama told industry representatives in August that growth would continue but a slower pace as airlines cut seats and flights serving Hawaii from the U.S. mainland.
He noted airlines were scaling back recently added flights from West Coast cities such as Oakland, San Jose and San Diego. Airlines have also reduced the frequency of newly launched direct service between Honolulu and New York and Washington, D.C., because of weak demand.
Travelers from the western U.S. fell 5.9 percent in September compared to a year earlier.
International travelers from places like Japan and China are countering some of the domestic slowdown, however, as airlines increase the number of seats on flights to Hawaii from Japan and add direct flights from China.
Japanese arrivals rose 2 percent, but most of those who came stayed for a shorter period. This led spending to plunge almost 15 percent.
For the first nine months of the year, 4.5 percent more visitors came to Hawaii than in the same period of 2012, and spending rose 4 percent.
Kauai mayor vetoes GMO bill
LIHUE, Kauai — Kauai’s mayor vetoed a bill Thursday that would have regulated the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops by large agricultural businesses.
Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said in a statement that he agreed with the bill’s intent, but he vetoed the bill because it was legally flawed.
The Kauai County Council passed the measure, Bill 2491, by a 6-1 vote about two weeks ago. It would have required Kauai’s largest agricultural companies to disclose the presence and use of pesticides and genetically modified crops.
It would have also established pesticide-free buffer zones around schools, hospitals, homes and other areas. It would have required the county to conduct a study on the health and environmental impacts of the industry.
But Carvalho said in a letter to council members that existing federal and state laws appear to pre-empt the county from enacting its own pesticide laws. The bill may also violate Hawaii’s Right to Farm Act, he said.
The mayor said he wants the county to go ahead and study the health and environmental impacts of the industry and will work with the council to find money to fund an analysis.
By local and wire sources