O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
HONOLULU
Defense chief due from Philippines
Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes will arrive in Honolulu tomorrow on his way to Washington to meet with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and other military officials.
While in Honolulu, Reyes will meet with Adm. Thomas Fargo, commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific. Reyes also will participate in a forum and community gathering Monday at the Philippine Consulate, where he will update the community on developments in the Philippines.
Reyes is scheduled to leave Honolulu later that day.
Cemetery activist pleads not guilty
Wayne Kotomori, a vocal opponent of a bankruptcy plan at Honolulu Memorial Park in Nu'uanu that would include tearing down the three-story pagoda at the cemetery, has pleaded not guilty to charges or third-degree assault and impersonating a police officer.
Kotomori was arrested Monday for allegedly assaulting Steven Ruble, the cemetery's on-site manager, and impersonating a police officer during a Feb. 7 incident. Kotomori's trial is set for March 6 in Circuit Court.
The cemetery's owners are members of the Richards family, who last year filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. After failing to garner the support of niche owners for their restructuring plan, the company was told last week to come up with a new bankruptcy plan that could include repairing the pagoda rather than tearing it down.
Parking dispute leads to arrest
Police arrested a 20-year-old man yesterday after he was accused of driving his car at a Honolulu airport security officer during a dispute at the interisland terminal.
The man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault and first-degree terroristic threatening.
Police said the dispute started at 5:55 a.m. when a security officer told the man he was illegally parked and ordered him to move his car from the curbside. The man refused and the security officer called for her supervisor.
The supervisor was on the passenger side of the car writing out a citation and the man had to be restrained from going after her, police said. The suspect then allegedly drove his car toward the other officer, who was standing at the front of the vehicle.
WINDWARD
Slaying suspect moved at OCCC
A 20-year-old man charged with killing 11-year-old Kahealani Indreginal was transferred about three weeks ago from a medical "suicide watch" unit to a protective custody module, said O'ahu Community Correctional Center warden Clayton Frank.
Christopher Aki is in a housing unit that is accessible only to a watch commander, watch lieutenant and only employees authorized by the warden, said Frank. Including Aki, there are six inmates in the protective custody unit.
Frank said the move was made after an assessment by physicians and psychologists determined that Aki did not have to be held in the mental health unit.
CENTRAL
Street cleanup today in Waipahu
The Waipahu Neighborhood Improvement Association is looking for volunteers to help clean up several streets in the community from 8 a.m. to noon today beginning at Pupuole Street Mini Park.
Cleanings will take place along Pupuole Street, Pupuole Place, Pupuhi Street, Pupukahi Street and Pupunohe Street.
"This is to really get the landlords and the neighbors together, as we've been having quite a problem with people ... not keeping the neighborhood clean," said Irene Elston, president of the association.
Free food and entertainment will follow the cleanup. Information: 671-1965.
