Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, June 12, 1997

State settles in beating
of Maui student

WAILUKU -- The state Department of Education has settled a lawsuit alleging that it failed to properly care for an intermediate school student who was beaten by a group of boys.

The state has agreed to pay $25,000 to Zachariah J. Alzintina, who was allegedly beaten in 1995, causing his mother, Vicki Lee Hill, to pull him out of Lokelani Intermediate School in Kihei, Maui.

Hill, who now lives on Oahu with her son, charged that the attacks were racially motivated in part because her son is Caucasian and most of his attackers were of different races.

She said the attacks started after she and her son moved from San Francisco to Maui in 1992.

Isle attorney calls YWCA racist
for housing class for Hawaiians

A Hawaii attorney who has challenged the government's special preference for native Hawaiians is complaining to the national Young Women's Christian Association that its Oahu offices are promoting racism.

A YWCA of Oahu official, however, said it is doing nothing of the sort.

Attorney John W. Goemans, in a letter faxed to YWCA headquarters in New York, said the local association is discriminating against every American's civil rights by providing classroom space for a free Hawaiian language course only for those of Hawaiian ancestry.

Goemans, who complained after reading about the language classes in the newspapers June 2, said a number of people told him they're upset about being racially excluded from taking the class and want to know why the YWCA -- which strives to end racism -- provided classrooms for the course.

Goemans warned he may seek an injunction in federal court if the national YWCA headquarters does not intervene and stop the classes.

Susan Doyle, executive director of the YWCA of Oahu, said the YWCA is providing classroom space for a course offered by the Native Hawaiian Community Based Education Learning Center.

The center, which operates from Leeward Community College, received a federal grant to conduct the class, held at noon Monday through Thursday until July 31.

Seven seniors earn
Merit Scholarships

Seniors from Punahou School and two other private schools led the state in National Merit Scholarships for 1997.

The seven students were among 2,000 chosen nationwide for their academic excellence and contributions to the school and community. Each received $2,000 scholarships.

The winners:

Christopher K. Cha, of Mid-Pacific Institute, plans to study research science.
Twiggy G. Chan, of Iolani School, intends to study chemical engineering.
Melanie L. Hong, of Iolani School, seeks a career in molecular biology.
Leslie M. Ikemoto, of Punahou School, plans to study engineering.
Adam G. Matthews, of Punahou School, plans to go into biomedical research.
Keoni A. Schwartz, of Punahou School, wants a career in medicine.
David M. Shapiro, of Punahou School, aims for a career in education (history).

Japan telescope facility
opens on Big Isle today

Today marks the opening of the Subaru Telescope Hawaii Facility of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Hilo -- the first Japanese government research institute outside Japan.

Some 300 people, including delegates from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan; the University of Hawaii Board of Regents; and Hawaii County Mayor Stephen Yamashiro were expected to attend the facility's 4 p.m. opening.

The facility was established in the Science Park at UH-Hilo April 1 and will serve as headquarters for the Subaru 8.3m telescope now under construction at the summit of Mauna Kea. The telescope is scheduled to be operational by the year 2000 and will be the world's largest single mirror telescope.

The facility boasts a $14 million, 36,448-square foot building, including a computer room which has one of the fastest super-computers with the world's largest memory space of 150 terabytes.

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.

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Police/Fire


By Star-Bulletin staff

Fishing boat intercepted
for using driftnet at sea

U.S. and Japanese agencies have intercepted a fishing vessel suspected of using a high-seas driftnet 870 miles northwest of Midway Island.

The U.S. Coast Guard was notified Friday that a U.S. fishing vessel came across a driftnet but didn't see another vessel. A Coast Guard C-130 from Barbers Point Air Station flew to the area Saturday and photographed the suspect vessel and crew using what appeared to be a driftnet.

A patrol boat from the Fisheries Agency of Japan was on the scene yesterday to determine the nationality of the vessel.

Large-scale driftnet fishing is generally prohibited by treaties and international agreements.

Other Police/Fire headlines
in today’s Star-Bulletin:

• Kona woman charged in husband's stabbing
  
• Man, woman in hospital after Palolo stabbing
  
• Woman sets fire to bed in her family's house

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.