Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff
LEEWARD
Teacher guilty of gun charge
Former Nanakuli Elementary School teacher John Kadota faces a maximum 10 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday in federal court to possessing a machine gun and importing a firearm that had its serial numbers removed.
Ed Kubo, U.S. Attorney for Hawai'i, said U.S. Customs Service workers intercepted parcels that Kadota, 43, had ordered from Germany that contained parts Kadota could use to convert a firearm that he already owned into a machine gun. A search of Kadota's home turned up a manual on how to convert a semiautomatic gun into a machine gun, along with 17 other firearms, Kubo said. Sentencing is set for Sept. 15.
Kapolei awards recognize five
The winners of the annual Kapolei Outstanding Achievement Awards were announced last night. The program recognizes commitment to improving the Second City region. Kari Terjeson, a special education teacher at Iroquois Point Elementary School, won for Education. Jeffrey Prostor, president of Brookfield Homes Southland, won for Entrepreneurship. Covanta-HPOWER, a waste-burning facility, won for Environment. Rotary Club of Kapolei won for Community Service. And, Mike Freitas, a community volunteer, won for Lifetime Service.
NEIGHBOR ISLAND
2 arrested in school threat
HILO, Hawai'i — Two 15-year-old boys were arrested Tuesday for terroristic threatening and burglary in connection with an anthrax scare last week at Waiakea High School. Both were released to their parents, and the case is being sent to county prosecutors, police said. The school's administration building was closed for two hours May 6 after the principal found a suspicious envelope. A Crimestoppers tip helped lead police to the two suspects.
EAST HONOLULU
Rezoning meeting today
Developers seeking to rezone 3.2 acres of land under the Chevron station and the YMCA on Hunakai Street will test the water at the Wai'alae/ Kahala Neighborhood Board meeting today. Agents for the developers are seeking community support before seeking a change in the zoning from residential to business. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1350 Hunakai St.
HONOLULU
Harris to talk about cuts
Mayor Jeremy Harris will discuss the City Council's proposal to cut the Office of Economic Development budget during his one-hour call-in show today. The show will air from 7 to 8 p.m. on 'Olelo Channel 54. Dozens of people came to an April 30 public hearing to protest cuts to the department, and yesterday 125 people briefly held signs before the Council Budget Committee to defend the program.
