Spending by tourists rises ADVERTISING Spending by tourists rises HONOLULU (AP) — Spending by travelers to Hawaii rose for the second straight month in May. The Hawaii Tourism Authority said Friday visitor spending grew 5.1 percent compared to May last
Spending by tourists rises
HONOLULU (AP) — Spending by travelers to Hawaii rose for the second straight month in May.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority said Friday visitor spending grew 5.1 percent compared to May last year. Travelers spent $1.1 billion during the month. The agency earlier reported spending fell 2.2 percent in April, but it revised its statistics to show a 4 percent increase.
The agency said it revised its visitor data for January through April this year and all of last year.
The number of tourists coming to Hawaii climbed 1.8 percent in May to nearly 650,000.
Hawaii Tourism Authority CEO Mike McCartney says the trend for spending appears to be up.
Ex-prison guard
receives 4 years
HONOLULU (AP) — A former Halawa Correctional Facility guard has been sentenced to four years in prison.
James “Kimo” Sanders III, 32, was sentenced Thursday in federal court for accepting bribes to smuggle drugs.
Sanders was hired as a corrections officer in January 2012.
He pleaded guilty March 18 to one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of bribery.
Prosecutors in court documents say Sanders accepted $5,000 in November to smuggle packages of tobacco containing methamphetamine. They also say he sold two ounces of meth for $3,200.
Jury re-indicts Air Force sgt.
HONOLULU (AP) — An Oahu grand jury has again indicted a 35-year-old Air Force sergeant on two counts of attempted murder.
The grand jury Wednesday re-indicted Air Force Tech. Sgt. Claude Custard of Ewa Beach on two counts of attempted second-degree murder and three firearm violations.
Circuit Judge Randal Lee cited trial delays and dismissed the case July 3. Prosecutors refiled the charges.
Police say that Custard on Dec. 3, 2011, after a dispute fired shots at two men in the parking lot of the Princess Palace strip club at the Pearl City Business Plaza.
Prosecutors say Custard fired a handgun as one of the two men drove off, striking him multiple times and critically injuring him.
Police say Custard fired at the second man and missed.
