Native Hawaiian religious and community leaders will hold a religious procession at Punchbowl National Cemetery today to protest the Marine Corps' plan to land troops at Makua Beach and conduct training exercises in Makua Valley. Hawaiians plan protest
of Makua exercisesReligious leaders of the Hawaii Ecumenical Coalition say the protest is in response to U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's approval of the exercises, which are scheduled to begin Sept. 4.
Inouye, who sits on the U.S. Senate's military appropriations subcommittee, could not be reached for comment.
Although the Marines intend to go ahead with the training exercises, final approval has not yet been given, said Marine Corps spokesman John Milliman.
Many native Hawaiians and community leaders strongly oppose the military's use of Makua Valley because it's a place of ancient burials and culturally significant sites.
In July, several thousand people gathered at Makua Beach for the memorial service of Israel Kamakawiwoole, a popular Hawaiian singer.
The military, which controls the 4,000 acres of land in Makua, considers the area essential to military readiness.
They plan to land more than 500 troops and heavy equipment at Makua Beach and train for five days at the live-fire target range in Makua Valley.
HILO -- Two men believed to be part of a heroin distribution ring who are accused of murdering two other men in the ring have pleaded not guilty in Circuit Court. January trial scheduled for Mexicans
accused of murdering countrymenJudge Riki May Amano yesterday set a Jan. 5 trial date for Hector "Cholo" Lopez, 18, and Francisco "Perico" Davalos, 19, both of Mexico.
They are accused of the July 17 shooting deaths in Volcano of brothers Arturo and Armando Renteria Hernandez, also of Mexico.
The trial will be on charges including first-degree murder against Davalos and second-degree murder against Lopez.
The trial date refers to charges brought by criminal complaint. Those charges now include first degree murder against Davalos and second degree murder against Lopez.
But the Hawaii County grand jury also brought charges by indictment. Those charges include first degree murder against both suspects. An arraignment date is pending, but will be either Sept. 18 or 19.
Deputy Prosecutor Ian Cate said it hasn't been decided which set of charges will be retained and whether the trial date of Jan. 5 will remain good.
The new Hawaii Convention Center has its liquor license. Liquor license granted
to Convention CenterThe Liquor Commission voted 4-0 yesterday to grant the license after hearing support from five speakers.
Chairman Orlando Soriano, president, Local 5, Hotel & Restaurant Employees, abstained from voting.
He said he had a conflict because Tony Rutledge, Local 5 financial secretary-treasurer, sits on the convention board.
Convention center officials decided to remove the rooftop terrace temporarily from the building's application for a liquor license until standards are established for noise levels.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffA man died and another man remains in critical condition after a car rolled down an embankment off a road near Barbers Point last night. Car goes off embankment;
one man dead, another criticalPolice said shortly before 11 p.m., an unidentified Navy man was driving a car northbound on Fort Barrette Road just past Kamaaha Avenue when the car ran off the right side of the road. Police said the car rolled down a dirt and grass embankment.
The passenger, a 28-year-old Japanese national, was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the driver was flown to Tripler Army Medical Center in critical condition.
Police said speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash.
In other police/fire news:
Driver dies in two-truck accident
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