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News Briefs- Kaunakakai man sentenced to five years for assault
4/18/2008 2:02:12 PM
Ralph Berard, 56, of Kaunakakai, was sentenced to five years in prison April 17 in Wailuku for an Oct. 20, 2007 assault at Veterans Park.
Berard was found guilty in January of second-degree assault by a 2nd Circuit Court jury. Steven Kalilikane, 49, of Molokai, was sitting near Stanley’s Coffee Shop waiting for it to open when Berard grabbed Kalilikane and threw him to the ground, punching him multiple times, Kalilikane testified during the trial. His bottom right eye socket bone was fractured.
According to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, Berard was convicted of six counts of second-degree rape and three counts of second-degree sodomy on Maui in 1988. In March 1989, he was sentenced to a 10-year prison term.
In explaining the sentence, Judge Joseph Cardoza told Berard, “Your crimes typically involve crimes against a person where individuals are injured in some fashion.”
Jobless claims in Kaunakakai drop
New jobless claims have doubled in the newest weekly report from the state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations. Oahu got 1,800 new claims last week, a thousand more than the week before. Maui got 100 more new claims and there were smaller increases elsewhere. The only offices logging fewer new claims were in Hilo and Kaunakakai.
Honolulu doctor reaches out to laid off employees
Board certified internist, Dr. Frank Williams, is offering $25 visits for Molokai Ranch employees who have lost their insurance. The visit includes a checkup, diagnosis and referral, if necessary.
This offer is made available for all Aloha Airlines, local ATA and Molokai Ranch employees who have lost insurance. Dr. Williams, of Honolulu, an internal medicine specialist, will see all adult patients affected by the recent layoffs.
Raw Food Expo, scheduled for April 26 at Mitchell Pauole Center, has been cancelled.
Congresswoman Hirono announces federal funding for Molokai Airport runway improvements
Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono announced recently a $2 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant to improve runway safety at the Molokai Airport.
The funding will be used to keep the airport's primary, 4,494-foot runway in compliance with federal transportation safety guidelines by addressing a number of issues.
Once the grant is received, state crews will begin paving portions of the runway to smooth the edges. Plans also call for filling in a ditch near the southeast section of the runway, as well as the installation of concrete drainage pipes to divert water away from landing areas.
There are two runways at the 288-acre Molokai Airport that accommodate passenger, cargo, and military flights, as well as other general aviation activities.
Akaka introduces bill requiring VA-community partnerships to reach rural, minority, and underserved veterans
U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced SB 2796 last week, to establish partnerships between the Department of Veterans Affairs and community organizations to connect with underserved veterans.
In selecting the community organizations that would partner with VA, priority would be given to those reaching out to rural veterans, minority veterans, and other underserved populations.
The Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission gets new director
The Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) has named Michael K. Näho‘opi‘i as its new executive director. In reflecting on the commission’s selection process and decision making, Chair Noa Emmett Aluli, M.D. noted: “Selecting an executive director, a leader, who will be the keeper and implementer of the vision and promise of Kaho‘olawe has been a very serious and vital task that all of the members of the commission took on with focus and commitment.
Mike Näho‘opi‘i has been involved with Kaho‘olawe from virtually every perspective in its recent history. A long-time Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana (PKO) member and former U.S. Navy Officer-in-Charge of Kaho‘olawe during the conveyance of the island to the State of Hawai‘i, he was a senior manager during the early Model Cleanup and the later Navy Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) clearance project.
Näho‘opi‘i officially assumed his duties as executive director of the KIRC on March 10.
Friendly Isle Christian Fellowship offers mahalo for donations
The Friendly Isle Christian Fellowship held a Spring Cleaning Sale on March 22 and donated all proceeds to the Friendly Isle United Fund. On behalf of the community of Molokai, a great big mahalo to the Friendly Isle Christian Fellowship for its generous donation to the Friendly Isle United Fund. And a very special thanks to Cameron and Jacque Hiro for all of their hard work coordinating this event.
The Friendly Isle United Fund is Molokai's annual home-grown community fund drive. It relies on donations from Molokai neighbors to support Molokai projects. The Molokai Community Service Council sponsors the annual fund drive and grant allocation process as a community service. Grant applications for the 2008-09 grant award year will be available on April 14 at the Molokai Community Service Council office in Kaunakakai. For more information, contact Carlana at 553-3244.
Friendly Isle United Fund 2008-09 grant applications available
Do you have a non-profit community project that needs supplemental funding? Applications for grants from the Friendly Isle United Fund are now available at the Molokai Community Service Council, or “MCSC.”
Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded to well-managed non-profit projects that benefit the Molokai community. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 23, 2008. The MCSC office is located at 25 Kamehameha Highway in Kaunakakai, right across from Hawaiian TelCom.
The Friendly Isle United Fund is Molokai’s annual home-grown community fund drive. It relies on donations from Molokai neighbors to support Molokai projects. MCSC sponsors the annual fund drive and grant allocation process as a community service. If you need more information, call Carlana at 553-3244.
Innovation Award committee has two Molokai members
Governor Linda Lingle announced last Wednesday the launch of the Governor’s Innovation Award to acknowledge and encourage innovation across all sectors in Hawaii.
From Molokai, Abbey Mayer, executive director, Hawaii State Office of Planning, and Lori Lei Rawlins Crivello, Kamehameha Schools Association of Teachers and Parents, Molokai ‘Ohana, have been chosen for the selection committee.
The award is part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s Hawaii Innovation Initiative.
The awards, which will be presented monthly, will recognize deserving individuals, companies, nonprofits, organizations and government agencies that are developing innovative ways to improve Hawaii and to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The Innovation Award will be given in three categories:
Innovation by an organization, innovation by an individual and innovation in government.
Nominees will be judged on creativity, effectiveness in achieving a goal; transferability and adoptability by others; and significance in addressing an important local or global issue, problem or opportunity. The achievement or program must have occurred within the last 12 months.
The first awards are expected to be announced on May 15.
For additional information about the Innovation Award or to submit a nomination, visit http://www.hawaii.gov/gov/innovation-award.
UH West O'ahu offers new distance learning
Beginning in fall 2008, UH West O'ahu will offer its political science concentration via the Internet as part of the bachelor of arts in social sciences degree curriculum. The online degree represents the university's commitment to providing students with even greater access to quality undergraduate programs.
UH West O'ahu is currently accepting applications for the fall 2008 semester. For more information about the political science concentration, contact Dr. Mironesco at 454-4705 or mironesc@hawaii.edu. Dr. Herman is also available for inquiries at 454-4722 or louisher@hawaii.edu.
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after this many previous violent offenses, this guy gets only 5 years? he will be out in 3 and let loose on society like a dangerous beast. meanwhile our jails are overflowing with non-violent and mentally ill people. most are in there because they are poor. reality makes no sense because the powers that be are incompetent.
4/20/2008, 7:06:57 AM |
How did this piece of trash
Ralph Berard end up on Molokai????
4/19/2008, 4:24:52 PM |
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