Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, May 8, 1996

Restaurant Row clubs get warning
from liquor panel

The operators of two Restaurant Row nightclubs have been warned they could lose their liquor licenses because of noise complaints and incidents of violence.

Liquor Commission Administrator John Rybczyk issued the warnings yesterday to the owners of Blue Zebra Cafe and World Cafe.

Police Sgt. Lester Hite says police responded to 65 incidents of violence at Restaurant Row between Jan. 1 and April 15.

Those included disorderly conduct, assault and a drive-by shooting and brawl.

Blue Zebra Cafe generated several of the police calls. The bulk of complaints about World Cafe are about the noise from its music and departing customers.

Police recommend doing away with cabaret hours that keep three bars open after 2 a.m. at Restaurant Row. Blue Zebra co-owner George Cahill says the club has hired a security company and has started a new late-night dress code to keep undesirable people away.

Courts clear Kauai's ex-chief of discrimination

Race was not the reason a Kauai police chief of Japanese ancestry declined to promote four officers of other ancestries.

A federal jury yesterday unanimously agreed that police officials reacted adversely to the officers when they alleged racial discrimination against former Chief Calvin Fujita.

But jurors also found that Fujita would have made the same decision to deny promotions regardless of their race or whether they alleged racial discrimination.

U.S. Magistrate Barry Kurren set a hearing for May 31 to rule on relief for the retaliation against the four officers. He also will decide if Fujita, who retired last year after 34 years with the department, should pay some attorney fees.

Key officials oppose more Waikiki density

Honolulu City Councilmen Duke Bainum and Andy Mirikitani are opposing proposals that would allow more building and increased density in Waikiki.

The changes are being proposed by the administration of Mayor Jeremy Harris. Bainum says the proposals don't protect historical buildings in Waikiki.

Mirikitani worries neighborhoods are already being affected by the state convention center, which extends Waikiki across the Ala Wai Canal.

Their comments came at a neighborhood board meeting last night attended by about 150 people.

For expanded versions of these and other stories,
see today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

Police/Fire

By Star-Bulletin staff

Rock thrown from car kills Big Island driver

HILO - A rock, apparently thrown from a car traveling in the opposite direction, crashed through the windshield of a car on Volcano Highway last night, killing the woman driver, police said.

The case is being investigated as a murder. The incident took place shortly after 9 p.m. as the woman drove in the Volcano direction on the highway, police said.

Man held in assault on store owner, cop

Charges are being sought against a 31-year-old man who allegedly assaulted a Kailua store owner and a police officer who later tried to arrest him.

The man entered a store on Kuulei Road yesterday afternoon and began arguing with the owner, 52. He allegedly fled after punching her in the face, fracturing her jaw, police said.

Officers found and arrested him several blocks away nearly two hours later.

Other headlines:

- Two youths, adult arrested in stolen car
- Suspect held in robbery of gold chain
- Tourists escape injury as bus burns

(See expanded versions in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin)