City will condemn Bishop Estate land
The City Council has voted to condemn the Bishop Estate land beneath Kuapa Isle condominiums in Hawaii Kai, so condo owners can buy the land under their buildings."It's about time," said Jane Sugimura, president of Hawaii Council Association of Apartment Owners, following yesterday's vote. Since 1990, she has fought the dispute with Bishop Estate. "You hear the stories, and that kept you going," Sugimura said. "When you're in it, it's awful."
Only Council Chairman John DeSoto opposed it. He argues the leaseholders should have been aware of what they were buying into when they purchased a leasehold unit.
"This is a historic day for thousands of condo owners who were afraid of losing their homes," said Councilman Duke Bainum.
The Council waited until Tuesday's decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejecting further hearings on the case, said Vice Chairman John Henry Felix.
"People have lost homes, committed suicide, marriages have broken up. It's been eight long years. Now we have 29 sitting judges on the 9th Circuit Court who determined not to hear the case again. It's time to uphold the law," Felix said.
"Let's get on with the business of the people."
Bob Voege, president of Hawaii Leaseholders Equity Coalition, representing 8,000 members, said every day for the past 10 years, he has felt like the underdog fighting the mandatory lease-to-fee conversion. But that changed yesterday.
"Anything in favor of the lessee is exciting for us. We're very passionate about this."
Bishop Estate may take the Council's decision to the Supreme Court, he said.
"We wish they wouldn't because of the cost," Voege said. "This is all money that could be used to educate Hawaii's kids."
Police 'stings' uncover rise in cigarette sales to teens
Cigarette sales to minors appear to be climbing after a 1996-97 drop in citations, the state Department of Health reported today.So far this fiscal year, 362 police tobacco "stings" have been conducted on Oahu and the Neighbor Islands, said Elaine Wilson, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division chief.
She said 90 citations were issued - a noncompliance rate of 24.8 percent statewide.
On Oahu, 260 stores have been inspected since July, and 62 citations issued, for a 23.8 percent noncompliance rate.
Police found 18.3 percent of stores violating the law and issued 32 citations during 175 stings on Oahu in the 1996-1997 fiscal year.
Last year's results raised hopes that tobacco sales to youths could be reduced to 20 percent by the year 2000, required by federal law.
A 1996 health survey of 16,000 sixth-, eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students showed that most who use tobacco buy it themselves or get it from friends, Wilson said.
The Health Department, Honolulu Police Department and University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center kicked off Operation K.A.T.S. - Kids Against Tobacco Sales - in April 1997 to enforce laws prohibiting tobacco sales to minors.
Agreements followed with the other county police departments, Wilson said, and 1,220 stores have been inspected.
"We did not expect to still see 25 percent of stores selling," Wilson said.
"This is nuts. We should be seeing decreases, not increases. Where is their public responsibility to the health of our kids?
"Police your own store," she urged merchants. "Get with the program."
Clerks violating the law can be fined up to $100, and a bill is pending in the Legislature to raise that to $500.
Senate panel favors Swindle's appointment
WASHINGTON - The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee today approvedml6 OrsonSwindle the nomination of Orson Swindle, two-
time GOP candidate for Congress from Honolulu, to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission.
Swindle's nomination for the $115,700-a-year post still requires Senate approval, but supporters predicted swift approval.
Swindle, 61, was nominated for the position on the five-member commission four months ago.
OHA seeks candidates to fill Beamer's seat
Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees are seeking candidates to fill the vacancy created by the January death of Billie Beamer.The interim replacement would serve until the November elections.
Board Chairwoman Frenchy DeSoto said she is seeking applications through OHA offices, OHA's Web site and legal notices in Honolulu daily newspapers.
The deadline for nominations is March 16 at 4:30 p.m.
Since Feb. 20 the board has been unable to agree on how to select an interim trustee.
DeSoto said yesterday she will schedule meetings beginning March 20 to interview the candidates and then select one by the midnight March 25 deadline.
Isle inmate charges federal violation in Texas
A Hawaii prisoner confined in Texas charged in a federal petition yesterday that his constitutional rights are being violated."I'm housed in a privately operated facility where the lack of security, professionalism and facility design has produced extreme dangers and violence for those of certain offenses," said Thomas J. Nowlin of the Dickens County Correctional Center in Spur, Texas.
Nowlin, 55, was convicted of sexual assault charges in 1994 and sentenced to three consecutive 10-year terms, according to his petition for writ of habeas corpus.
He additionally said he is prevented access to legal documents and materials needed to pursue due process.
He unsuccessfully appealed his conviction and sentence to the Hawaii Supreme Court, Nowlin said, but his attorney at the time told him he might get them reversed in federal court.
Hawaii corrections officials could not be reached for comment.
Runners to cross new bridge first at Pearl
Military and civilian runners participating in the April 11 Pearl Harbor-Ford Island 10K race will be the first people to cross the new mile-long bridge.The Ford Island bridge, named for the late Adm. Bernard Clarey, will be dedicated April 15.
Clarey was former Pacific Fleet commander.
The race will begin at the Rainbow Bay Pavilion at 7 a.m., cross the bridge and skirt the perimeter of Ford Island, with the runners returning to Pearl Harbor via the bridge.
Entry fee is $15 for civilians and $12 for military personnel.
Entry deadline is March 29.
Call 474-0786 or 471-9150 for more information.
Island attorney gets hit with suspension
Riccio M. Tanaka has been suspended from the practice of law for what the Office of Disciplinary Counsel said was his failure to cooperate with its investigation of his professional conduct.The suspension, announced yesterday, was dated Dec. 11.
Tanaka was said to have issued a check for $10,468.85 from his clients' trust account, according to the council.
The check later was not honored by Tanaka's bank because of insufficient funds.
In a separate instance, Tanaka was said to have converted about $43,000 entrusted to him, according to the council.
A subpoena was issued requiring Tanaka to appear with an accounting, but Tanaka failed to appear, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel said.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffTeen-ager arrested in Kalihi for making knife threats
Police yesterday arrested a 16-year-old boy for reportedly threatening a man and a woman with a pocket knife.The teen was picking on a younger boy on Beckley Street in Kalihi at 10:20 p.m. when the younger boy's mother and another man confronted the teen, police said.
The suspect then allegedly threatened the two with a pocket knife, police said. He fled to his home, where officers found him hiding in the shower, police said.
The teen was released to the custody of his father.
Plugged sewer line caused Lahaina waste-water spill
WAILUKU -- Grease plugging a sewer line was the cause of a 756-gallon wastewater spill near Pioneer Mill's tractor shop in Lahaina, officials reported yesterday.The overflow on Tuesday went into a ditch that leads to an irrigation field and did not reach the ocean.
35 bags of macadamia nuts stolen from Big Island field
PAHALA, Hawaii -- Police are investigating the theft of 35 bags of macadamia nuts valued at $1,538.65 from a field mauka of here, they said.Anyone with information on the theft, which took place Monday night or Tuesday morning, is asked to call police at 929-8300 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
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