$5M grant will help train first responders

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is getting a $5 million federal grant to help train first responders to prepare for emergencies.

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa’s office announced the grant on Friday. The Democrat representing urban Honolulu said in a statement that the grant will help keep residents and visitors safe during natural disasters and other threats.

The grant will fund the university’s National Domestic Preparedness Training Center.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for members of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium.

Undercover officers detail gaming devices at Hilo arcade

An undercover officer turned a $20 bet into more than $300 at a Hilo arcade that police raided last month.

Citing court documents, West Hawaii Today reported that undercover officers wagered more than $500 in Pot of Gold and Game of Skill machines, as well as computer terminals, between July 19 and 23.

The machines have bill validators that automatically convert currency into credits.

One of the officers, Robert Stewart, wrote that he was told that the games at Hilo Arcade were legal because once cash is deposited into the machine, the player can enter a sweepstakes for phone minutes to use at pay phones.

Officer Scotty Aloy, who was up more than $300 at one point, wrote that he had $159.50 in credit when he stopped. He wrote that he turned in a receipt generated by the machine to a female employee of the arcade.

The woman went to a back room and returned with cash, telling Aloy: "Plenty money you won."

In the raid, police seized eight electronic gambling devices and $1,447 in cash for possible forfeiture. The arcade’s owners, two men, ages 27 and 25, were arrested on suspicion of promoting gambling, as were three female employees, 23, 19 and 19.

All were released pending further investigation and none has been charged.