Neighbors Tip Leads to Puna Man Being Arrested Stealing Solar Powered System

Big Island police have charged a 29-year-old Keaʻau man with various offenses stemming from a break-in Wednesday (October 24) in Puna.

Ronald Keiki Lopes Jr.

Shortly before 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, a 42-year-old Hawaiian Paradise Park man called police and reported hearing noises from a nearby residence at which the occupant was not home. Responding Puna patrol officers discovered Ronald Keiki Lopes Jr. in the house in the process of dismantling a solar powered system.

Officers also observed an ice pipe with residue and syringes that were visible on the front seat of the car Lopes drove to the scene.

Lopes was arrested and taken to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Criminal Investigations Section continued the burglary investigation and detectives from the Vice Section continued the drug investigation.

Thursday afternoon (October 25), after detectives conferred with prosecutors, Lopes was charged with one count of first-degree burglary, two counts of third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, and two counts of prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $65,000. He remains in the cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Friday afternoon.

Lieutenant Gregory Esteban from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section credited the Police Department’s partnership with the community for the arrest of this suspect.

“Citizens are playing a more active role in protecting their communities and, as a result, programs such as Neighborhood Watch and Crime Stoppers are successful,” Esteban said. “Those extra sets of eyes have proven invaluable in effective police work.”

Police continue to ask that anyone with information on burglary activities contact either Detective John Rodrigues Jr. at 961-2384 or jrodrigues@co.hawaii.hi.us or Detective Royce Serrao at 961-8810 or rpserrao@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Big Island Couple Caught Red-Handed in Puna Break-In

Big Island police have charged a Big Island couple in connection with a break-in Tuesday (October 23) in Puna.

Blaine L. K. Faris III

Shortly before 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, police received a tip that led them to a home on 5th Avenue in Hawaiian Paradise Park. Responding officers found 31-year-old Blaine L. K. Faris III of Honomū and 37- year-old Stephanie Michelle Christie of Keaʻau in the house allegedly in the process of stealing several items.

Stephanie Michelle Christie

At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, after conferring with prosecutors, detectives charged each of them with one count of first-degree burglary. Bail for each was set at $5,000. They were scheduled to make their initial court appearance this afternoon.

Police continue to ask that anyone with information on recent burglary activities to contact either Detective John Rodrigues Jr. at 961-2384 or jrodrigues@co.hawaii.hi.us or Detective Royce Serrao at 961-8810 or rpserrao@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

U.S. Census Bureau – “Hawaii Had the Highest Percentage of Multigenerational Households”

The U.S. Census Bureau today released the latest findings from the American Community Survey, the primary source of small-area estimates available on a wide range of important statistics about people and housing for every community across the country and in Puerto Rico.

The estimates released today cover a three-year period from 2009 to 2011 and are available for areas with a population of 20,000 or more.

In addition, the Census Bureau is releasing two briefs based on these new estimates, focusing on subpopulations better measured using the larger three-year sample of data files. One brief covers recent marital events in group quarters (military quarters, adult correctional facilities and nursing facilities) and the other is about multigenerational households (three or more generations living together).

“The American Community Survey estimates provide timely local demographic, economic, social and housing statistics for small communities across the country and in Puerto Rico to a wide range of users,” said Thomas Mesenbourg, the Census Bureau’s acting director. “The results are used by everyone from retailers and homebuilders to town and city planners. The statistics are indispensable to anyone who has to make decisions in the communities.”

Since the first census in 1790, conducted under the direction of Thomas Jefferson, census questions have collected information on the demographic characteristics of the nation’s people.

The survey is the primary source of local estimates for most of the 40 topics it covers, such as education, income, poverty, occupation, language, nativity, ancestry and homeownership.

2009-2011 American Community Survey Briefs
Marital Events of Selected Group Quarters Populations: 2009-2011

This brief examines statistics from the 2009-2011 American Community Survey on marriage, divorce and widowhood in the past year among people living in group quarters, such as military quarters, adult correctional facilities and nursing facilities.

The following highlights come from the Marital Events of Selected Group Quarters Populations: 2009-2011:

• A higher percentage of married people living in military quarters got married in the past year (39 percent), compared with 8 percent in adult correctional facilities, 1 percent in nursing facilities and 4 percent in households. This is mainly because those in military quarters were much younger.

• Nine percent of currently divorced adults in correctional facilities got divorced in the last 12 months.

• The ever-married population in adult correctional facilities was more likely to have been married three or more times (7 percent) than those living in households or nursing facilities (5 percent).

Multigenerational Households: 2009-2011

This brief provides information by state on three types of multigenerational households, by race or Hispanic origin of the householder, and examines multigenerational households as a percentage of family households by county.

The following highlights come from Multigenerational Households: 2009-2011:

• There were more than 76 million family households in the United States. Of these, about 4.3 million (5.6 percent) were multigenerational households.

• Hawaii had the highest percentage of multigenerational households, accounting for 11.1 percent of all family households in that state.

• More than 85 percent of states where the percentage of family households that were multigenerational exceeded the national average were in the South or West.

• Among multigenerational households, the majority (64.6 percent) included a householder, a child of the householder and a grandchild of the householder. Thirty-four percent contained a householder, a parent or parent-in-law and a child. Only 1.7 percent contained a parent or parent-in-law, a householder, a child of the householder and a grandchild of the householder.

• The percentage of family households that were multigenerational ranged from 3.7 percent for non-Hispanic white alone households to 13.0 percent for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone households.

For More Information

See detailed population, economic and housing data from the Census Bureau’s <American FactFinder> database to find statistics for your area.

To learn more about how the statistics from the American Community Survey are used by different sectors in the community, including state and local government, federal agencies, businesses, researchers and the public please visit: <www.census.gov/acs/www/>.

Additional American Community Survey Results

On Dec. 6, the Census Bureau will release the five-year ACS statistics, available for all geographic areas regardless of population size, down to the block group level. These estimates will cover data collected between 2007 and 2011. Embargo subscribers will have access to the estimates on Dec. 4.

Additional short reports, or briefs, will be released through the end of 2012 and into early 2013. Topics covered include veterans, people with disabilities, public assistance, commuting, poverty and household sharing, the structural characteristics of housing and mixed-nativity married-couple households.

Methodology

As is the case with all surveys, statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. All comparisons made in the reports have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level, unless otherwise noted. Please consult the tables for specific margins of error. For more information, go to <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/documentation_main/>.

Changes in survey design from year to year can affect results. See <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/2011_release/> for more information on changes affecting the 2011 statistics. See <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/comparing_2011/> for guidance on comparing 2011 American Community Survey statistics with previous years and the 2010 Census.

Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial Fundraiser This Sunday

Hawaii Island Veteran’s Memorial Fundraiser is this weekend.  More information below

2013 Pacific Exchange Emerging Professionals – Call for Applications

The Hawaii Conservation Alliance is currently calling for applications for 2013 Pacific Exchange Emerging Professionals Program (PEEP).  This is an exciting opportunity to exchange with other conservation professionals and communities across the Pacific.

Please view this year’s official call below.  The full Application Packet and details can also be found at their website: HERE

If you have any questions, please contact capacity@hawaiiconservation.org

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Hilo Man Arrested After Car Hits Officer Who Was Directing Traffic

A Hilo man has been charged with two offenses after his vehicle hit an officer who was directing traffic in a construction zone.

At approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday (October 23), a reserve police officer was directing traffic at the intersection of Kalanianaole Street and Silva Street in the Keaukaha area of Hilo. While he was on the right shoulder of Silva Street with his hands extended in an attempt to stop a Mazda sedan that was driving recklessly, the Mazda failed to stop and struck his left leg.

The Mazda then fled the area.

Robert Bungula

Wednesday morning (October 24), police arrested 44-year-old Robert Bungula of Hilo. He was charged Wednesday afternoon with failure to render aid and failure to obey a police officer. His bail was set at $1,500.

The officer was treated at Hilo Medical Center for a minor injury and is expected to make a full recovery.

Police remind the public to exercise extreme caution when traveling through construction zones and to be mindful of construction workers and officers who are exposed to danger from their close proximity to passing vehicles.