Wailea
Hotel To Be Demolished
WAILEA, Maui–
One of Wailea’s original hotels will soon be demolished to
make way for a highly exclusive resort condominium.
The 349 room Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort, which originally opened
in 1978 under the name Wailea Beach, will be replaced by a smaller,
upscale Starwood St. Regis hotel.
The $250 million project is expected to commence next spring, and
construction of the ultra-luxury resort is estimated to take about
28 months.
All 193 of the St. Regis units will be sold as condominiums, with
the price for a unit starting at $1.5 million.
It is anticipated that many owners will be using the units for vacation
or second homes and allowing their units to be rented for hotel
use during times of vacancy by the owner.
Starwood’s draft application to the Maui Planning Commission
also includes improvements to the neighboring Ulua-Mokapu Beach
Park. 22 public beach access parking stalls, streetlights and two
benches are proposed.
The deadline for public comment before the Planning Commission on
the proposed draft is Dec. 23.
Dump Truck, School Bus Collide
KAIMUKI, O‘ahu–
A school bus was broadsided last week slightly injuring twelve children,
ages 7 to 14.
According to two students on the bus, the bus driver allegedly ran
a red light at the intersection of Wai'alae and Ninth avenues and
collided with the dump truck as she was as she was talking with
another bus driver on the bus’s two-way radio.
No serious injuries were reported.
All the students were from 'Anuenue School, a kindergarten through
12th grade Hawaiian language immersion school.
Identity Theft Bills To Be Considered
HONOLULU, O‘ahu–
Due to a jump in identity theft, Governor Lingle will be submitting
four bills to the legislature next month to combat identity theft.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, cases of I.D. theft in
Hawai'i jumped 188 percent between 2001 and 2004.
One of the Governor’s proposals would allow victims of identity
theft to block credit reporting agencies from releasing any personal
or credit-related information to unauthorized parties without permission.
Another bill would mandate banks and other financial and credit
institutions to notifiy victims when their personal information
has been stolen, lost or compromised.
Several Mainland states have already passed versions of the proposed
four bills.
Woman Defrauds Welfare For 17 Years
HILO, Big Island–
A Big Island woman who had been fraudulenty collecting welfare benefits
under stolen identity will be sentenced Jan. 31.
Victoria Donnelly-Korondi, 54, plead guilty to charges related to
stealing $308,000 in welfare benefits over 17 years under a false
identity, making the case the largest welfare fraud case in Hawai‘i’s
history.
On Monday, Donnelly-Korondi pleaded guilty to first-degree theft
and second-degree identity theft in return for an agreement by the
prosecutor not to seek a sentence of more than 10 years in prison.
Court documents say that Donnelly-Korondi was abused when she was
younger and has emotional problems, however the statements have
not yet been verified.
Judy Branahan, a Big Island social worker, said in a court document
that Donnelly-Korondi talks to some brass objects, "and they
talk back to her."
Branahan also stated in the documents that, "The alleged charges
show a high level of sophisticated knowledge to manipulate others."
Two psychiatrists and a psychologist found Donnelly-Korondi competent
to stand trial.
According to the Prosecuting Attorney’s statement, Donnelly-Korondi
is a Swiss citizen, educated in Australia. It is believed she may
have entered the United States through Canada during the early 80s.
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Lava
Bench Collapse At Kilauea
VOLCANO, Big
Island– The East Laeapuki lava bench on Kilauea’s southern
flank collapsed Nov. 28, marking the largest active lava bench collapse
to occur at Kilauea since the beginning of its latest eruption 22
years ago.
Approximately 35 acres of bench collapsed between 11:40 a.m. and
3:35 p.m. taking with it an undetermined amount of the sea cliff
behind the bench. The collapse opened up the active lava tube that
was feeding the bench, causing a spectacular hose of molten lava
6 foot in diameter to blast out of the cliff and into the ocean
45 feet below.
The collapse was so large it was recorded on almost every island
in the state by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismic network.
The previous collapse record was set by a bench collapse in the
same location in December 1996. The 1996 collapse claimed 26 acres
of bench and sliced off 8 acres of old sea cliff.
For eruption updates and information on recent earthquakes in Hawaii,
visit the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Web site at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov.
Forgery Case Plea Change Denied
LIHU‘E,
Kaua‘i– A Circuit Court judge denied a Lihu'e man’s
request for a plea change for check forgery.
On Monday, Nov. 21 Matthew Nishibata, 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree
theft, before Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe. He had originally
plea non guilty to the theft and eight other charges.
Watanabe ordered a pre-sentencing investigation (PSI), which is
allowed when a defendant is under 22 years old and felony charges
are involved. The judge wishes to have the results of the investigation
available when determining Nishibata’s sentence on Feb. 2,
2006.
The original plea bargain agreed to by county Prosecuting Attorney’s
office consisted of probation with terms and conditions and the
possibility of up to one year in prison.
Nishibata was originally charged with second-degree theft, two counts
of second-degree attempted theft, three counts of second-degree
forgery, and three counts of writing bad checks.
On Sept. 29, 2004, Nishibata aided and abetted co-defendant Jessica
Calves in the cashing of a check with a forged signature on it.
Nishibata pleaded guilty in return for the eight other counts being
dropped. His guilty plea for theft could garner a maximum sentence
of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The court is not required to adhere to any deals made by the Prosecuting
Attorney’s office.
If Nishibata is convicted of all nine charges, could face a maximum
of 33 years in prison and $66,000 in fines.
The charges were the result of a March 21 grand-jury indictment.
"Grizzly" Yamada Trial
Begins KONA,
Big Island– Trial began Nov. 29 in a wrongful death lawsuit
over a double homicide in which the accused killer was set free.
Tetsuya "Grizzly" Yamada was found not guilty last year
for the 1996 homicides of his ex-wife and step-daughter, both of
whom lived next door to Yamada.
His ex-wife Carla Russell, 50, and her 23-year-old daughte Rachel
De Cambra, were killed by shotgun blasts in their home.
Esther De Cambra, the women’s sole surviving family member,
filed a wrongful death suit shortly thereafter.
It is believed that the double-murder arose from a dispute over
a property interest Yamada deeded to Russell before he remarried.
Yamada and his new wife Puanani Haili, were allegedly threatening
and harassing Russell and De Cambra, which resulted in Russell obtaining
a restraining order Sept. 10, 1996 against her ex-husband and his
wife.
Russell and De Cambra died nineteen days later.
Yamada was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree
murder. The first-degree murder count was for allegedly killing
two people in the same act.
Yamada’s defense in 1999 was temporary insanity. He never
testified.
Yamada was sent to prison on a manslaughter conviction. The case
was later sent back for a new trial because of improper jury instructions.
In his second trial, Yamada testified that he lied to protect Haili,
saying she was the the one who pulled the trigger. She had died
while Yamada was in prison.
The second jury acquitted Yamada, setting him free.
If DeCambra wins the suit, Yamada will remain free, but he may have
to pay money to her and the estates of her sister and mother.
The trial is expected to last three weeks. |
