Segobia named Narcotic Officer of the Year
Hawaii Police Department Sgt. Marco Segobia was recognized as the 2020 Hawaii Narcotic Officer of the Year, receiving the prestigious “Troy Barboza Memorial Award,” durin g a ceremoney held May 26 in Kona.
The award is presented annually to a member of the law enforcement community in the state who has distinguished themselves through dedicated service and personal achievement in their drug enforcement duties.
The award presentation took place at the Kona police station and was presented by the Hawaii Narcotic Officers Association coordinator, Ken Tano. In attendance were Assistant Chief Chad Basque, Major Sherry Bird, officers from the Area II Vice Section, Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kauanoe Jackson, who submitted the nomination for the award.
Segobia, a 13-year veteran, spent nearly six years as a narcotics investigator in the Area II Vice Section. In August 2020, he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to North Kohala patrol. He transferred to Kona patrol in March.
During his time in the Area II Vice Section, some of Segobia’s accomplishments include:
• While investigating the head of a drug trafficking organization who was known to distribute narcotics in the Kona and Waikoloa areas, Segobia contacted the man and recovered 56 grams of methamphetamine from his pocket and a .40 caliber pistol from his vehicle. Additional search warrants were executed, resulting in the recovery of an additional 28 grams of methamphetamine, 7 grams of cocaine and 230 pharmaceutical pills. In addition, officers also seized for forfeiture over $10,000 worth of collectible coins and jewelry and $116,000 in cash. While officers investigated an associate of the man, they recovered an additional 170 grams of heroin and a pistol.
• In a separate investigation, Segobia’s work led to the recovery of 346 grams of methamphetamine from a known distributor. This resulted in the man receiving a 22-year prison sentence.
• After recovering nearly 12 pounds of methamphetamine in Kona from a man and woman, Segobia contacted Special Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Hawaii. Special Agents from the DEA continued the investigation and were able to identify the supplier in California. Special Agents there recovered 114 pounds of methamphetamine, three pounds of heroin and seized $350,000 in cash.
Hilo resident elected commander of VFW
Hilo resident Deb Lewis was unanimously elected as commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Hawaii (VFW-HI) during the organization’s state convention held June 10 to 12 at the Royal Kona Resort.
Lewis, a retired Army colonel, is a member of the first women graduating class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; the first woman to command two stateside engineer districts (Philadelphia and Seattle) and a $2.1 billion combat construction project in central Iraq for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
She now becomes the second woman commander to lead the VFW-HI, which is comprised of 21 Posts with 4,200 members on Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Hawaii Island, Oahu and American Samoa. Lewis also served as the senior vice commander of VFW-HI and commander of Pahoa VFW Post 3830.
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Kiwanis announces art contest winners
The Kealakehe Intermediate School Art Department and the Kiwanis Club of Kailua-Kona recently announced the winners of the 2021 Kealakehe Intermediate School Art Contest.
The theme of the second annual contest required the students, primarily in grades seven and eight, to artistically portray what Kiwanis means to them. Prior to beginning, the students were furnished with information on the Kiwanis Club of Kailua-Kona by art teacher Starr Anastasio. They were also encouraged to independently research information on Kiwanis.
Entries were submitted by over 60 students, with 32 turned over to the judges who were represented by members of the Kiwanis Club and residents of the Regency Hualalai. Kiwanis judges Kathy Huckabay, Carol Greenwell, Warren Huckabay and Guy Parillo along with Regency judges Carolyn Emery and Rachelle Moore were faced with the pleasant but very demanding task of narrowing down the artwork to the top eight.
Taking first place was Kaylie Costello followed by a tie for second place between Kat Garcia Avendano and Giselle Minez-Cruz. Finishing out the top four was Tymani Hardie. Honorable mentions went to Jazzy Janel Isidro, Illihia Del Rosario, Andrey Kanehailua, and Stephanie Jimenez Castaneda.
The talented students were awarded cash prizes and gift certificates donated by Kiwanis Club members. The winning artwork will be placed on display in several locations in Kailua-Kona, starting with the Regency Hualalai.