Police are expected to seek charges against a 21-year-old Hawai'i Kai man they said held an elderly Tantalus couple hostage for nearly six hours on Tuesday.

The man was arrested Tuesday night after police said he fled from a stolen car, broke into a Tantalus home and held the elderly homeowners hostage. The 80-year-old man and his 70-year-old wife were not injured.

The suspect faces charges of first-degree burglary, auto theft, first-degree terroristic threatening and two counts of kidnapping. He was also wanted on various warrants, including probation violation.

The man was on probation for two felony theft convictions in March, according to state documents. The Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center shows the man was twice convicted of second-degree theft in March and was convicted of third-degree assault in August 2000

EAST HONOLULU

Boards plan schedules

The Wai'alae-Kahala and Hawai'i Kai neighborhood boards will not meet this month.

The next meeting for the Wai'alae-Kahala board will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1350 Hunakai St.

The next meeting of the Hawai'i Kai board will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Haha'ione Elementary School cafeteria, 595 Pepeekeo St.

WINDWARD

Poetry contest for students

Windward Community College and Starbucks Coffee are sponsoring a poetry contest for children in grades three to 12.

The Star Poets 2002 competition will award prizes to winners at every grade level and to their schools. Winning poems will be recognized in April 2002 during National Poetry Month.

Last year 51 winners were chosen from a field of more than 1,350 entries from public and private schoolchildren across the state.

The prizes include: first place, $50 for the student and $250 for the school; second place, $35 and $175; and third place, $25 and $125.

Entry forms are available at Starbucks stores on O'ahu, Maui and the Big Island and have been mailed to schools. Contest details and this year's winning poems are available at the college's Web site, www.wcc.hawaii.edu.

Submission deadline is Jan. 15. Mail entries to Starbucks Star Poets Contest, 210 Ward Ave., Suite 100, Honolulu, HI 96814.

For more information contact Libby Young at 235-7396 or Jill Wheatman at 396-7571.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Fire damages apartment

No one was injured in an apartment fire that caused $1,800 in damage Wednesday night in Wailuku, Maui, according to firefighters.

Three fire companies responded to the 10:05 p.m. alarm at the Puuone Terrace, 493 Pio Drive, and extinguished the fire at 10:31 p.m.

The fire started on the second floor of the four-story apartment. Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

NORTH SHORE

Police probe Waialua crash

Police said the driver injured in a two-car collision Wednesday night in Waialua may have been speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The driver, a 25-year-old Waialua man, remained in critical condition at The Queen's Medical Center today.

Police said the collision happened at about 7 p.m. near the intersection of Goodale Avenue and Waialua Beach Road.

Police said a white 1988 Honda CRX crossed the center line on Goodale and struck an oncoming Ford pickup truck.

The driver of the Honda was not wearing a seatbelt and was airlifted to Queen's. The driver of the pickup truck, a 44-year-old man, was wearing a seatbelt and was not hurt.