State briefs for July 22

VA to create one-stop facility for veterans

WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approved a lease to build a new facility on Maui.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono announced Wednesday in a news release the approval to build the island’s one-stop facility for veterans.

The facility will consolidate the island’s three service locations: the Maui Vet Center in Maui Lani, the state Office of Veterans Services in Kahului and the VA’s Maui Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Kahului.

The $9.9 million facility will be built near Maui High School in Kahului.

Construction is expected to start next year and last about 18 months. It’s estimated the clinic could open in the latter part of 2019 or early 2020.

Hawaii man who kept 33 dogs in bunker gets 9 months in jail

HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii judge sentenced a dog breeder to nine months in jail for torturing one of his animals.

The punishment issued Thursday stems from a May 2016 incident, when the Hawaiian Humane Society staff and animal investigators rescued 33 dogs from the property of 69-year-old James Montgomery in Kahaluu.

The animals were living in a bunker, and a dog named Cheddar was found emaciated inside a trash can, authorities said.

Montgomery pleaded no contest to first-degree animal cruelty in April in a deal to have 33 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty dropped.

The nine-month jail term is part of a four-year probation sentence. The maximum sentence the judge could have imposed for the felony is five years.

Before being sentenced, Montgomery apologized to those gathered in court.

“I apologize to all of you who are members of the community who love animals,” he said. “I do too. It was my own responsibility and I am sorry for that.”

The severely malnourished dogs taken from the bunker were all adopted after receiving care from the humane society.