Gov. Linda Lingle has released $280,000 in additional construction money to complete land-side improvements at the Manele Small Boat Harbor, which serves as Lana'i's primary docking facility for commuter ferry and commercial vessels.

Upon completion of this project, the harbor will have a new comfort station, administrative office, covered waiting area, paved walkways, parking, streetlights, telephones and landscaping.

"Many Lana'i residents rely on the commuter ferry to access jobs as well as government and healthcare services on Maui," Lingle said in a news release. "This project will enhance this important link by providing Lana'i with a safer and more hospitable commuter ferry system."

The total project cost is estimated to be $13 million. This includes $10.2 million in federal money and $2.5 million in design and construction money released by Lingle in 2006.

Construction began in November 2006 and is about 70 percent complete. The project is scheduled to be completed in July.

The Lingle administration is requesting an additional $10 million for fiscal year 2008-09 to continue repair and maintenance of small boat harbors statewide.

POLICE SEEK TIPS ON SUBWAY ROBBER

Police are asking for the public's help in finding the armed man who robbed the Subway sandwich shop at Liliha Shopping Center Tuesday night.

About 8:50 p.m. Tuesday, a man entered the Subway store at 1425 Liliha St., approached the cashier, pointed a black handgun and demanded money. He took an undisclosed amount of cash, left the store and got into a silver Toyota truck.

Police described the robber as 5 feet 9 to 6 feet. He had a blue shirt pulled over his head, and was also wearing a green shirt, blue jeans and sunglasses.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on cellular phones. Free cellular calls are provided by AT&T, Nextel Hawaii, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless Hawaii.

ARMY LAUDS WORK OF NATIONAL GUARD

The Hawai'i Army National Guard yesterday was presented with the Army's top environmental award for its efforts to restore Diamond Head Crater to a more natural condition.

Tad Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety and occupational health, presented the award to National Guard officials.

National Guard staff members removed and recycled more than 14 tons of particulate metal and cleaned 30,000 tons of soil during the cleanup effort, a news release said.

LAPTOP THIEVES SOUGHT ON BIG ISLE

Hawai'i County police are seeking information regarding the theft of five computers from Laupahoehoe High School.

The new black-and-silver Lenovo laptops, valued at $1,000 each, were stolen from the school in February.

Anyone with information can call officer Michael DeCoito at 962-2120; the police non-emergency line at 935-3311, or Big Island CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 392-8181 in Kona.

DUO BEHIND STORE PURSE SNATCHINGS

Police yesterday warned the public that a man and woman appear to have worked in tandem to steal purses from customers at the Safeway store at 1121 S. Beretania St.

The incidents happened on March 10 and March 21, police said. In both cases, a man struck up a conversation with a female customer while his accomplice grabbed the victim's purse from a shopping cart.

In the March 10 case, the shopper saw what happened and made the robber give back the purse. The purse snatchers got away before security arrived.

In the March 21 incident the duo got away with the purse, police said.