HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Suspect charged in copper theft
Advertiser Staff
A suspected copper thief arrested Friday in Hawai'i Kai near a chopped-down utility pole was charged yesterday with misdemeanor criminal trespass. Bail for Alden Kaupiko, 47, is $1,000.
Charges on several felony counts are pending against Kaupiko, who has an appearance scheduled today at District Court on the trespass charge. The pending felony counts include second-degree criminal property damage, criminal tampering and fourth-degree theft.
Kaupiko was arrested Friday at Koko Head District Park, where a utility pole had been chopped down. Police said Kaupiko was attempting to rip wiring from a transformer at the time of his arrest. Phone service in the area was disrupted because wires had been cut from the pole with an improvised wire-cutting tool that allowed the user to reach high places.
Police recovered 40 pounds of copper wiring at the scene.
KAUA'I
FIRE DAMAGES LIHU'E WAREHOUSE
An early morning fire yesterday at Lihu'e Industrial Park II caused an estimated $200,000 in damage to the Trex Hawai'i LLC warehouse.
Two employees were in the building at the time of the 12:45 a.m. fire, but the fire did not spread beyond the roof and they escaped unharmed, said Kaua'i County spokeswoman Mary Daubert.
Cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire was reported under control at 12:55 a.m. and extinguished at 2:30 a.m.
ALA MOANA
20 YOUTHS IN FUEL CELL CONTEST
Twenty international high school students from Russia, India, Japan, Canada and the U.S. will be competing in the first International Youth Fuel Cell Competition, Thursday through Nov. 14 at the Hawai'i Convention Center.
The competition, featuring students chosen for their exemplary science skills and environmental stewardship, highlights the growing global efforts of renewable energy education and the importance of students in the future of this science, particularly as it relates to hydrogen fuel cells, the event's organizers said. The contest features several events, including a model fuel-cell-car race in which students will design, build and race the cars.
BIG ISLAND
HOUSING PROJECT SET FOR UPGRADE
The Ka Hale Kahaluu public housing project on the Big Island will receive a $1.5 million upgrade over the next year.
This is the first time the four 25-year-old buildings will undergo a major renovation.
The work will include upgrading the buildings and 50 residential units to current codes and accessibility regulations, as well as installing new plumbing, electrical and lighting systems; replacing the flooring, doors and cabinets; replacing cracked sidewalks; and adding air conditioning to the manager's building.
During the renovations, residents will be temporarily relocated to other public housing or other accommodations in the area.
MAKIKI
MAN ARRESTED IN YOUNG ST. ATTACK
A man arrested at a West Loch residence was charged Saturday with attempted murder in Wednesday's attack on a man on Young Street.
Teirron Madden, 34, is being held on $100,000 bail. He was arrested at 11:30 a.m. Friday at an 'Anaunau Street residence, two days after the attack was reported to police.
Madden is accused of attacking a 25-year-old man who was walking to his car to go to work at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday. The victim told police an assailant wearing a black-hooded top and mask hit him in the head with a 2-foot-long pipe and then stabbed him in the right shoulder with a steak knife after the victim wrestled the pipe away from the man.
WINDWARD
LOO DONATION FUNDS ARTS CENTER
Hawai'i Pacific University has received a "generous donation" from philanthropists Paul and Vi Loo to build a performing arts center on HPU's Hawai'i Loa campus in Kane'ohe. The Paul and Vi Loo Performing Arts Center, to be housed in a new student center, is part of the proposed development of the Windward campus.
As an interim step, until the student center is built, HPU President Chatt G. Wright and the university's board of trustees have renamed the HPU Theatre the Paul and Vi Loo Theatre to recognize their generosity. The theater has been renovated and will open in time for the start of the 2006-2007 theatrical season on Friday with "The Lion in Winter."
Paul C.T. Loo, executive director for Morgan Stanley, is the only surviving founder of the university and serves on its board of trustees.
ELECTION UPDATE
CONTRACTORS ENDORSE THIELEN
Windward state Rep. Cynthia Thielen has been endorsed by the General Contractors Association of Hawai'i in her Republican run for U.S. Senate. The association picked Thielen for her past support on issues important to the construction industry.
Thielen is running against U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, a Democrat.
