FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM Ethics Board to hear Kenoi complaint Council members say they shouldn’t reprimand as matter goes through court HILO — Mayor Billy Kenoi will face an ethics complaint, in addition to criminal charges, for charging personal expenses to a county credit card. After initially deferring a petition from Kapaau resident Lanric Hyland, the Hawaii County Board of Ethics has agreed to hear his complaint against the mayor at its May 10 meeting, according to a letter he received from the board. The letter was copied to Kenoi’s attorneys. Hyland alleges Kenoi violated the county’s ethics code by using his purchasing card, known as a pCard, for noncounty Brush fire contained, highway reopened Lightning blamed for Puuanahulu blaze on 1,790 acres BY GRAHAM MILLDRUM WEST HAWAII TODAY gmilldrum@westhawaiitoday.com PUUANAHULU — A fire along Highway 190 was contained by a bulldozer created firebreak Thursday and the firewatch has transitioned to state control, firefighters reported. The fire, believed to be started by a lightning strike about 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, consumed just under 1,790 acres, creating thick, smokey air across the west side of the island. Highway 190 was closed for most of Thursday, but was reopened around 5 p.m. Active blazes was largely gone by 3 p.m., however, numerous hotspots flared up, firefighters reported. The state took over the fire at 4:30 p.m. The response included 16 county firefighters, six volunteer firefighters, 24 people from the Division of Fish and Wildlife and three bulldozer operators. No injuries or property damage was reported. Around a dozen brush fires have been reported since February during what’s been a dry time of year. Officials suspect arson in several of them. WHEN YOU’RE READY TO MOVE, CALL McCOURT! Real Property Solutions for Kona Buyers and SellersSM SEE ETHICS PAGE 8A Pro surfer to undergo mental exam Tonino Benson accused of fleeing from officers BY GRAHAM MILLDRUM WEST HAWAII TODAY gmilldrum@westhawaiitoday.com Benson EA: Keauhou moorings likely won’t impact area INDEX Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . 4B Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5B Nation & World . . . . . . . . .3A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B 808-217-8574 75-5645 Kuakini Hwy. 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Price is after a $2,000 current offi cial rebate. Exclusive to stock number 753162. 2015 75¢ HI 83 LO 71 WEATHER, PAGE 5A VOL. 48, NO. 85 34 PAGES Comment period on study now open expenses that included trips to two Honolulu hostess bars. The board initially deferred the petition last May while the state Attorney General’s Office investigated Kenoi’s spending habits. Following the completion of the investigation, a grand jury chose to charge Kenoi on Wednesday with multiple counts of theft and tampering with a government record, in addition to one count of making a false statement under oath. After being booked, Kenoi will be released on his own recognizance. He doesn’t plan to resign, according to one of his attorneys. Between January 2009 and March KEAUHOU — The release of a draft environmental study brings the state one step closer in a controversial plan to install new moorings at Keauhou Bay. Funding has already been allocated to a project that would take only a week to complete once the necessary approvals are in place, and the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation expects the project won’t have substantial impacts to the environment. The moorings would increase from nine to 16 and was estimated to cost $450,000 in 2013. That was the year the plan ran into a wall of opposition from Keauhou residents, many of whom said the expansion is out of touch with the recreational uses, limited space and sometimes rugged environment of the bay. The Keauhou Canoe Club sued in 2013 to force the state to complete the environmental study before moving ahead with installation of the moorings. This week, the club’s president Bill BY TOM CALLIS HAWAII TRIBUNE-HERALD BY BRET YAGER WEST HAWAII TODAY byager@westhawaiitoday.com KEALAKEKUA — A former rising star in the surfing world will be examined by three doctors to determine his mental fitness to proceed following a hearing on Wednesday. Tonino Benson, 26, of Kailua-Kona, is charged with first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, second-degree reckless endangerment and failure to obey police. The charging documents specify that the offenses were against a police officer assigned to the Hawaii Police Department’s Traffic Enforcement Unit. Benson was pulled over by police on Alii Drive Sunday night and, when informed he was wanted on a probation violation, drove off, said Chris Loos, spokeswoman for the department. His maneuver forced an officer to jump out of the way to avoid being hit, she said. She didn’t say how officers eventually arrested Benson. Benson was in the middle of a fouryear probation term after entering a deferred acceptance of a not guilty plea to charges of first-degree burglary, second degree theft, second-degree forgery and attempted second-degree theft on July 1, 2014. He was also ordered SEE KEAUHOU PAGE 10A SEE BENSON PAGE 8A GET IN & GET OUT INSIDE A boat is moored at Keauhou Bay on Wednesday. LAURA SHIMABUKU/WEST HAWAII TODAY Hot spots are quenched at the fire makai of Highway 190 on Thursday. LAURA SHIMABUKU/WEST HAWAII TODAY The glow of the fire is pictured Wednesday night. J.R. DEGROOTE/WEST HAWAII TODAY Kenoi
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