HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Drowning victim came from Japan
Advertiser Staff
The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office yesterday identified the 56-year-old man who died in an apparent diving accident Saturday in waters off Kewalo Basin as Yuichi Sato of Japan. The accident was reported at 4:15 p.m.
WREATH CONTEST ENTRIES ACCEPTED
The city will begin taking entries for its 21st annual holiday wreath contest on Wednesday.
This year's theme will be "Plantation Holiday" in remembrance of the Hawai'i's plantation communities.
The top prize is $200, and entries will be judged on workmanship, creativity and use of materials.
For more information contact the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts at 523-4674 or visit www.honolulu.gov/moca/ for a contest entry form.
MINORS ARRESTED IN STOLEN CAR
Four juveniles speeding in a stolen car were arrested early yesterday morning on the H-1 eastbound near the Kunia offramp, police said.
The maroon sedan was seen speeding by a police officer at 3 a.m. A check of the car's license plate showed the car, a Dodge Dynasty, had been stolen on Nov. 16 and the owner was a 61-year-old man. The driver and the three passengers were arrested after a brief pursuit on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, police said.
STATEWIDE
MAKE MEDICARE CHANGES BY DEC. 8
The state Health Department is encouraging seniors to make elective changes to their Medicare prescription drug plan by Dec. 8.
According to the Health Department's Sage PLUS program, most seniors with Medicaid will only be able to make elective changes to their prescription drug plan between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31 under the new Medicaid rules.
"Making your elective changes by Dec. 8 will provide an easy transition between plans and ensures a person may pick up their prescription drugs on Jan. 1, 2007," said Pat Sasaki, director of the state Executive Office on Aging.
For more information, the Health Department is scheduling a number of informational sessions statewide. For a schedule of meetings, visit http://calendar.yahoo.com/hawaiimedicare_d.
WAIKIKI
VISITOR ROBBED AT KNIFE POINT
A 24-year-old tourist was robbed at knife point early yesterday morning in Waikiki, police said. The robber approached the man at 3:45 a.m. and demanded the tourist's wallet while he was walking 'ewa on Kalakaua Avenue. The man made off with the tourist's wallet. Police are investigating.
WAIMANALO
MAN PULLED FROM OCEAN DIES
A man died at Castle Medical Center yesterday after being pulled from the water at 5:30 p.m. on the military side of Bellows beach in Waimanalo. He died shortly after 6 p.m., Emergency Medical Services personnel said.
BIG ISLAND
MOM SENTENCED: 10 YEARS IN PRISON
HILO — A mother of five children who was a member of a counterfeit check ring on the Big Island has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Maggie A. Rodrigues of Puna was already on felony probation for shoplifting when she cashed the bogus checks at retail stores and financial institutions in late 2005.
As a result, her probation was revoked, and she was sentenced to five years for shoplifting and five years for multiple counts of theft and forgery.
Rodrigues, 29, had asked Circuit Judge Glenn Hara for the sentences to run concurrently. But Hara denied the request Wednesday and ordered the sentences to run consecutively.
Rodrigues was involved with more than 10 other people in a scheme to defraud residents, retailers and financial institutions by creating and passing counterfeit checks, Hawai'i County Prosecuting Attorney Jay Kimura said Friday.
