Latest news with #EllisonOnizukaKonaInternationalAirport
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Ex-FAA worker from Kona charged in child porn case
A 55-year-old former Federal Aviation Administration employee pleaded not guilty Monday to allegations that he received and possessed child pornography involving kids under the age of 12, according to federal court records. Vernon M. Grow, a former transportation specialist for the FAA stationed at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, is charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and two counts of possession. Grow worked for the FAA between 2015 and 2023. In February 2022, Grow allegedly 'did knowingly receive child pornography, ' according to an indictment secured April 24. On Sept. 21, 2021, on two devices, a phone and a hard drive, Grow allegedly possessed images of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom A. Trader and has a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion to detain Grow without bail until trial. He is being held at the Federal Detention Center, Honolulu, until his detention hearing. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Federal agents allegedly found the illegal material in September 2022 on Grow's Samsung Galaxy Note 10 phone and on a Seagate external hard drive. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Slack is prosecuting the case. Grow is being represented by the office of the Federal Public Defender. Since 1978, federal law prohibits the production, distribution, importation, reception or possession of any image of child pornography. Violations of the federal law are punishable by between a decade and life in prison. Grow's not-guilty plea came 18 days after a was ordered held without bail after he allegedly admitted to collecting child pornography because of 'an addiction ' he has to feed to avoid abusing children. Joshua Kapunahele Wil ling pleaded guilty to three state counts of second-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault in 2018 after he confessed to sexually assaulting a girl for four years starting when she was 7 years old. On April 3, Willing allegedly told agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation that from August until January he downloaded hours of child pornography, according to a federal criminal complaint. Willing allegedly admitted to FBI agents that he knows child pornography is illegal, but he downloaded and watched child pornography on his mobile phone. He admitted to having 'an addiction ' to child pornography he must feed to avoid abusing children, according to federal court records.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hawaii County, state, treating palms for coconut rhino beetles in Kona
COURTESY HDOA Workers conduct coconut rhinoceros beetles treatment on palm trees at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. COURTESY HDOA Workers conduct coconut rhinoceros beetles treatment on palm trees at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. Invasive coconut rhinoceros beetles have been detected in the Kona area, including near the airport, according to state officials. Hawaii County and the state Department of Agriculture say since January, they have been collaborating on efforts to combat the beetles, which is a serious pest and killer of palm trees. The beetles damage palms by boring into the crowns to feed on sap. Last week, crews completed the latest round of treatments on palms at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, where one adult beetle was found in a trap in March. More than 100 trees at airport grounds were treated, and there have so far been no further beetles detected there, officials said. They also treated dozens of trees at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, where two adult beetles were also found in traps in March. 'The staff of the Department of Agriculture remains dedicated to stopping the further spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, with emphasis in areas that are not known to be infested, ' said Sharon Hurd, Hawaii Board of Agriculture chair, in a news release. 'We truly appreciate the concern and assistance of Mayor Kimo Alameda and the county's public works crew in providing the resources to prevent CRB from taking hold on Hawaii Island. We also appreciate all the various agencies and organizations that work tirelessly in the fight against invasive species.' In January, the team treated trees in the Waikoloa area, where was found last fall in a trap during routine monitoring. There have so far been no further detections in Waikoloa. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. All treated trees have been tagged and surrounded with yellow tape, as coconuts from these trees should not be consumed. The coconut rhinoceros beetle was first detected on Oahu in 2013, and has since been found in many neighborhoods on the island as well as on Kauai, Maui and Hawaii island. Officials ask residents to be vigilant when purchasing mulch, compost and soil products, and to inspect bags for evidence of entry holes. An adult beetle is all black, about 2-inches long, with a single horn on its head. The grubs live in decomposing plant and animal waste. Visit the CRB Response website at to learn more. Residents can also report possible CRB infestation by calling the state's toll-free Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378 ). Questions regarding pesticide use may be addressed to HDOA's Pesticides Branch at 808-973-9402. 1 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
