NEW HOPES, DREAMS SHARED AT DRUG COURT GRADUATION

LIHU'E - It is both good news and bad news that the 13th Kaua'i Drug
Court graduation class is the largest in the program's six-year history.

The good news is that 15 young and not so young Kauaians have received
new starts on sober and drug-free lives when they earlier had been
staring at months or years in prison for various crimes.

The bad news is that the sheer number of Drug Court clients
graphically shows the depth of the island's drug and alcohol problems.

This class started with 20 participants. Along the way five dropped
out, some of them probably finding solace in their old, drug-addicted
ways of living.

At Friday's graduation ceremony before 5th Circuit Family Court Judge
Calvin Murashige at the state courthouse in Lihu'e, nearly every
graduate looked over into the jury box where fellow graduates were
seated and thanked members of their new, extended 'ohana.

Calvin Bosworth, who was arrested for third-degree promotion of a
dangerous drug (crystal methamphetamine, or ice) and two counts of
possession of drug paraphernalia, painted his history of drug abuse
beginning when he was 14 and first smoked marijuana. He moved to ice
at 16, dropped out of high school, and began a lengthy career of
criminality that included stolen vehicles, fights and a stabbing.

Now, he runs AA meetings, and Friday thanked those five people who
didn't graduate with their class, because they show him exactly where
he doesn't want to be. And he had been there, living on the beach on
Kaua'i for over a year with his parents.

"There's plenty of hope for me," Bosworth said, joking that it was
nice to face away from the judge instead of facing the judge while he
addressed the courtroom packed with family members, friends and
Judiciary staff.

"Calvin has reinvented himself," said Jack Viohl, probation
officer.

State Rep. Mina Morita, D-Kapa'a-Hanalei, said the graduates' success
stories make it easier to secure continued funding for such programs,
especially in the state's rough economic straits.

"Our greatest renewable energy is aloha," a core value of the state
Judiciary, and the "court is compassionate," said Morita.

"What we expect from you is to succeed," and give aloha back to other
people, she told the graduates. "Every day is going to be hard."

The graduation ceremony had to be rescheduled away from the first
Friday of this month due to the Judiciary's first furlough Friday
falling on that day, and that meant graduate Troy Morikawa was unable
to attend. He had been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia
and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, but is a successful
graduate of the program, said Alton Amimoto, Drug Court
coordinator.

Jeremy Foster, a Drug Court alumnus, congratulated the graduates for
their hard work and dedication, and told them it is "only by the grace
and strength of Jesus Christ" that he is able to be before them.

"Don't look back. Stay focused," said Foster, adding that their
graduation marks "another wonderful chance at life and community."

You have to be clean and sober to graduate, he said. The miracle is
what they do after leaving the courtroom, said Foster.

Stacie Yoshiko Lopes, a graduate charged with two counts of
third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and two counts of
possession of drug paraphernalia, said her drug of choice was ice, and
it took over her life to the point she lost her children, home and
self.

As of Friday, she had been clean and sober over 100 days, got her
children back, is employed, and has a home to call her own. The hard
work was totally worth it, she said.

Araceli Gonzalez, probation coordinator, said Lopes was "extremely
motivated to change her drug and alcohol lifestyle," got support from
her church, and learned to stay away from the people, places and
circumstances that prompted her use.

ToriAnn Laranio, probation officer, said she is glad her early
concerns about Steven N. Simao were wrong, and now he has been clean
and sober for over 500 days.

Simao was charged with three counts of third-degree promotion of a
dangerous drug and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia,
and thanked Murashige "for giving me a chance, hope and dream."

Jamie Leeann Duterte, charged with two counts of first-degree
unauthorized entry and two counts of second-degree theft, said she
knows she made things difficult for the probation services staff,
especially in the beginning.

Since May 2008, Duterte had been in transitional housing and two
different drug-treatment programs, said Gonzalez.

"A little over a year ago, I couldn't be trusted. I still got high
even after my induction in Drug Court," said Duterte. Today, "I know I
don't need drugs anymore," she said.

Terrence Pantohan II, 21, showed "immense growth and transformation"
through his participation in Drug Court, said Gonzalez. Pantohan,
charged with a single count of second-degree theft, thanked his
grandmother and all his friends, and Probation Officer Jennifer Tone
for never giving up on him, even though he "pushed her buttons hard."
He also thanked the Drug Court staff for never giving up on any of the
graduates.

Rick Hadley like others before and after him thanked fellow Drug Court
graduates, saying the Drug Court journey for him was "the longest,
hardest, most exciting journey" he has ever been on.

Hadley was charged with two counts of third-degree promotion of a
detrimental drug, two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous
drug, consumption or possession of liquor while a passenger in a motor
vehicle, and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He said he felt sorry for the five Drug Court participants who didn't
make it to graduation.

Adrian Michael Baliaris, charged with third-degree promotion of a
dangerous drug, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and
driving with a suspended license, was initially inducted into Drug
Court, then left the program, then turned himself in, said Viohl.

He went from being a self-absorbed, defiant young man to a respectful
and friendly young adult, Viohl said.

"I know I couldn't do it alone," said Baliaris, thanking Viohl "for
being straight up with me," his sister and brother, and others.

Clean and sober for 565 days is Crystal L. Ono, said Laranio. Ono, who
was in the gallery at the last Drug Court graduation ceremony, was
charged with two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug
and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

"I love my life today," said Ono, who wrote and read the poem
"Promise," speaking of all the empty promises that drugs make to their
users.

"I'm a meth addict," said Tasia Clagett, charged with first-degree
terroristic threatening and third-degree criminal property damage. She
has 18 arrests, six pending charges and 505 days of sobriety, said
Viohl.

Clagett said her family used to be afraid of her, and she had no
direction, goals or self-control. Now, she is a crew trainer being
considered for management training at McDonald's.

Jason Butac, charged with three counts of first-degree terroristic
threatening, has been clean and sober for 422 days, said Laranio.
Butac thanked "my Drug Court family," for being there for him and
believing in him.

Gonzalez said she has been watching Imilia "Imi" Balaan the past two
years, growing into a woman. Balaan was charged with operating a motor
vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant (drugs), driving with a
suspended license, second-degree endangerment of the welfare of a
minor, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and two counts of
possession of drug paraphernalia.

Without all the help she received, Balaan said she would be living in
her car, bouncing from beach to beach. She said she believed drugs
were the answer to her problems, instead of a problem themselves.

"You have helped me more than I could ever express," said
Balaan.

David W. Victorino Jr. began using cocaine as a teen, and also smoked
marijuana and drank alcohol during "34 years of active drug use," said
Gonzalez, and more recently has been a guest speaker at an AA
convention on O'ahu.

"David has been amazing," said Gonzalez.

"I am an addict and alcoholic in recovery. I was a mess," said
Victorino, adding he tried acid, alcohol, marijuana and ice. His life
was "unmanageable. I was a danger to the community, my family and
myself," alienated the people who loved him the most and befriended
those who loved him the least, he said.

He said Murashige's first advice to him, to be honest "so we can help
you," helped Victorino to graduation. "The clients of Drug Court (are)
my family. Make the most of today," because yesterday and tomorrow are
in God's hands, said Victorino.

Victorino was charged with three counts of second-degree burglary,
third-degree theft, being in possession of burglar's tools,
first-degree criminal trespassing, and two counts of fourth-degree
criminal property damage.

Other graduates were Derek Masami Ebesu, charged with two counts of
third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and two counts of
possession of drug paraphernalia; and Staci Gonsalves, charged with
second-degree forgery and third-degree attempted theft.