In brief | Big Island & State | 5-6-14

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Police seek man wanted on warrant

Police seek man wanted on warrant

Hawaii Island police are renewing their request for information about a 25-year-old man who is wanted on an outstanding warrant and for questioning in an unrelated case.

Kaina Namaka Black is wanted on a bench warrant for contempt of court. He is also wanted for questioning in a theft case, according to the Hawaii Police Department.

He is described as 5-foot-6-inches, weighing 145 pounds, and having short black hair, brown eyes and a missing front tooth. He has no permanent address, but frequents the Kona and South Kohala districts, police stated.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should not to approach him and instead call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

23 arrested for alleged DUI

Hawaii Island police arrested 23 motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant between April 28 and Sunday. Six of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes and three were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 445 DUI arrests compared with 454 during the same period in 2013, a decrease of 2 percent, according to the Hawaii Police Department.

There have been 560 major accidents in 2014, compared with 469 during the same period last year, an increase of 19.4 percent.

So far this year, there have been five traffic fatalities on the island, compared with 12 during the same period last year, a decrease of 58.3 percent. To date, one fatality related to drugs, as well as two fatalities related to a combination of drugs and alcohol.

Police seek Kane on multiple warrants

Police are looking for a 21-year-old man who is wanted in the South Kohala area on three outstanding bench warrants.

Hakunaalii Kane, who has no permanent address, is wanted for contempt of court and two counts of violating probation, according to the Hawaii Police Department.

He is described as 5-foot-11, weighing 175 pounds, and having black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should not to approach him, but to call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

County dedicates Waiakea Uka park

Hawaii County officials blessed and dedicated new playground equipment at Waiakea Uka Park Monday morning.

“This is not just for the kids, it’s for the parents and grandparents,” Mayor Billy Kenoi said. “It’s like a puuhonua, a safe haven, it’s a place for all of us to be together.”

The modular playground features multiple slides, climbing rings, covered decks and a grass-like safety surface. Three benches, safety fencing and drainage improvements also are part of the $225,000 project built by IPR Inc. and Loeffler Construction.

Replacement playgrounds also are being installed at Kailua Park in Kona and Hilo’s Gilbert Carvalho Park. When completed in the coming months, those projects will boost the County of Hawai‘i’s investment in keiki playgrounds to more than $3 million in less than six years.

Plane crash victim’s family sues airline

HONOLULU — The family of a Maui planning worker killed in a fiery plane crash on Lanai has filed a lawsuit claiming negligence against the airline and the estate of the dead pilot.

Richard Fried, an attorney for the family of Kathleen Kern, said Monday the lawsuit is the first filed over the Feb. 26 crash about a mile from Lanai Airport.

Three people were killed — Kern, pilot Richard Rooney and Tremaine Balberdi, another Maui County planning employee.

Authorities say the twin-engine Piper PA-31 crashed shortly after takeoff and immediately burst into flames. Three other county workers suffered burns.

Sheila Magers, Rooney’s business partner at Maui Island Air Inc. and Maui Aircraft Leasing LLC, said in a statement Monday that the airline is still cooperating with federal officials to find out what happened in the crash.

“Prayer is powerful and we continue to pray for all involved in this accident,” Magers said in a faxed statement. “Help us to pray for complete and speedy recovery for those injured and heal hearts that are broken.”

Magers was previously married to the pilot; the couple divorced in December.

The lawsuit accuses the pilot and the companies of being negligent and wrongful in maintaining and operating the aircraft but doesn’t provide specifics. It seeks unspecified damages for pain and suffering, loss of future earnings and funeral and burial expenses.

Native Hawaiian Roll register first step in charting future

HONOLULU — The Native Hawaiian Roll Commission certified more than 125,000 people on its official register and they’re expecting a total of 130,000 to be certified.

Organizers shared the results with state senators on the Hawaiian Affairs Committee on Monday.

They say completing the registration is the first step toward organizing Hawaii’s first inhabitants to form their own government.

Former Gov. John Waihee is chairman of the Commission. He says that once the new government is formed, it can negotiate with the federal government to return military lands that were taken from the Hawaiian people.

Hawaiians who signed up on the roll will elect delegates in September online or through ballots that will be mailed around the world.

Registrations came from all 50 states in the nation and outside the U.S.

By local and wire source