Ring bell to commemorate King’s ‘Dream’

The governor is asking Hawaii residents to ring a bell at 3 p.m. Wednesday as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

“Half an ocean and a continent separate Hawaii from the National Mall, but we are no less impacted by Dr. King’s remarkable words that day,” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said in a press release.

Abercrombie is also requesting that places of worship, government buildings and other facilities join in the observance.

For more information about the 50th anniversary commemoration, visit mlkdream50.com.

UH students offered free ride on game day

Free bus transportation to Thursday’s football game against the University of Southern California is being offered to University of Hawaii-Manoa students with valid identification cards. The season opener begins at 5 p.m. at Aloha Stadium.

Buses will leave the campus at 3:30 p.m. from Gateway House and in front of Frear Hall on Dole Street. All buses will return to campus 30 minutes after the game ends.

Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students may enter Aloha Stadium through Gates 1, 7 and 8.

A limited number of reserved seats at Aloha Stadium is available for UH-Manoa students at football games. For details on how to obtain these seats, visit www.hawaiiathletics.com/sports/2010/12/7/GEN_1207100846.aspx.

Drug charges brought against 3 on Big Island

A traffic stop for a seat-belt violation in North Kohala last week led to drug charges against two men and a woman.

Police officers stopped the car in Kapaau and determined it was a stolen vehicle. The driver and one of the two passengers were also wanted on bench warrants.

The three were arrested and taken to the Kona police cellblock, and during the course of an investigation police found in the car 6.4 grams of a crystalline substance and paraphernalia associated with the use of methamphetamine. 

Charged with promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia on Friday afternoon were the driver, Nakalohe Gersaba, 22, who has no permanent address; Rico Echiverri, 36, who also has no permanent address; and Zerica Bell-Ching, 24, of Kapaau. 

Gersaba was also charged with driving without a license, driving without insurance and failure to appear. His bail was set at $37,300. Police continue to investigate a possible charge against him for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.

Echiverri was additionally charged with contempt of court and violating probation. His bail was set at $135,000.

Bell-Ching’s bail was set at $7,000.