Mizuguchi could hold Aki's fate in his hands
Senate President Norman Mizuguchi, rather than a special Senate panel, may be the one to decide if any sanctions should be imposed on Sen. James Aki.Aki (D, Waianae) last month was granted a deferred acceptance of his no-contest plea to felony gambling charges.
Senate Vice President Andrew Levin (D, Volcano) said yesterday that the Senate will be following its Rule 72, which establishes the 25-member chamber's procedure for peer review of a member's misconduct.
Levin's statement means the Senate is stepping back from Mizuguchi's announcement four weeks ago that a panel of five senators would start assessing Aki's fitness to remain in the Legislature. The charges against Aki were serious, Mizuguchi said then.
"I guess no one looked at Rule 72 thoroughly," Levin said, adding that the review panel was never established.
Under the rule, no senator can face an internal charge of misconduct, disorderly behavior or neglect of duty until a complaint has been received.
That happened Monday when Desmond Byrne, chairman of Common Cause Hawaii, filed a written complaint with Mizuguchi.
"We should add that we are not making any judgment on this matter, but believe that the public expects the Senate to always review these kinds of situations and take appropriate steps to ensure the good name and integrity of the Senate," Byrne wrote.
Auditor says Human Services is still being managed poorly
The state Department of Human Services continues to be plagued by poor management, according to a report issued by state auditor Marion M. Higa.It compromises the department's ability to serve Hawaii's needy as well as to save taxpayers money, Higa said.
Human Services Director Susan M. Chandler, however, said things have improved since the review was conducted between May and October.
In the audit released yesterday, Higa said problems identified in previous reviews between 1994-1996 continue to hinder the department. For example, she said, Chandler still hasn't ensured that division administrators improve contract management, oversight and monitoring of the First to Work and Food Stamp Employment and Training programs, issues raised two years ago.
Higa said the QUEST demonstration project, designed to curb soaring health costs for the needy, continues to suffer from management control problems identified in a 1996 audit. That report said planning for the first phase of the five-year, federally approved Medicaid waiver project was hasty and inadequate, with the department unable to show whether QUEST was saving the state money.
Also, the division in charge of QUEST has yet to verify the eligibility of 19,474 cases or 48,685 clients for the program. Consequently, Higa said the department does not know how many people are eligible and how many unwanted payments are being made.
Chandler countered that Higa failed to recognize improvements made before the audit was issued, and said every concern raised in the 49-page management audit has been addressed, with significant progress made or under way.
2 suing estate drop out of lawsuit
Two of four Hawaiian women whose Maui and mainland attorneys had filed a federal class-action lawsuit Monday against the trustees of Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate have changed their minds and terminated their relationship with their attorneys.Francine Dawson and her daughter, Belinda Borengasser, were to hold a news conference today at the makai courtyard of Grosvenor Center to explain how they became associated with the lawsuit and why they now want their prior lawyers to drop their names from the suit.
They said they became involved without a full understanding of the lawsuit's true purpose and ramifications.
Volcano has tripled its vog-causing gas
HILO -- Kilauea volcano has nearly tripled the amount of vog-causing gas it is releasing from Puu Oo crater, but no one knows why, says Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Arnold Okamura.The remote crater on Kilauea's east rift normally emits 1,000 to 2,000 metric tons of sulfur dioxide gas per day, Okamura said. Since last week, the amount has gone up to 7,000 tons per day.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffVisiting football player arrested
A Washington Huskies football player, visiting for tomorrow's Aloha Bowl, was arrested yesterday in Waikiki for allegedly trying to evade police.According to police records, officers ordered the man to stop while he was driving a moped on the sidewalk and grass at Kapiolani Park at 3:10 p.m.
He kept going, police said.
One officer suffered minor injuries while avoiding a collision with him.
He was apprehended and later released on $100 bail.
Police find at-large OCCC inmate
Police arrested an inmate who allegedly did not return Sunday from a work furlough.The man, an inmate of Oahu Community Correctional Center, was arrested yesterday on Young Street, police said. The suspect faces second-degree escape charges.
cb,17p0 Man charged in Waianae break-in
Police yesterday charged a homeless man with second-degree burglary for allegedly breaking into Waianae High School.
On Sunday, Paul Burgos, 25, allegedly entered the school at 8:17 p.m., police said. The suspect was found in the school, hiding from officers.
Police said Burgos, who has 14 prior felony convictions, is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail.
Hilo party dispersed after fights
HILO -- Police were called to disperse a party with more than 500 people early today after several fights broke out, they said.Following the 1:48 a.m. call, officers took more than an hour to disperse the party goers at a warehouse off Railroad Avenue.
Several people went to Hilo Hospital for treatment after the fights, but there was no immediate indication of serious injuries, police said.
The party did not appear to have a sponsor or company affiliation, police said.
Maui police warn of phone scam
WAILUKU -- The Maui Police Department is asking residents to report any telephone calls seeking monetary contributions on behalf of police.The department said it is not soliciting any contributions.
Children taken from Big Isle mom
HILO -- A West Hawaii woman has been arrested and charged with custodial interference, and her three children were turned over to state Child Protective Services, police said.ipSusan Davies, 35, was arrested at a Waikoloa condominium yesterday following a complaint that she took her three children -- a girl, 6, and two boys, 4 and 2 -- to California in violation of a Family Court order made in August.
Davies is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail.
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