Wind-whipped blaze scorches Waipahu land
Fifteen city companies and a military tanker fought a fire in the Royal Kunia subdivision area yesterday that scorched 80 to 100 acres of brush.The 2:21 p.m. blaze that started behind the Waipahu Wal-Mart store on Kupuohi Street did not cause any property damage.
"With the wind blowing, it just took off," Waipahu fire Capt. Roland Harvest said.
"We had to make a stand on Kunia Road," he added.
"Visibility was down to zero.
"We didn't want it to jump the road and run up the mountain toward Makakilo."
Kunia Road was closed to traffic while firefighters fought the blaze, which was reported under control at 3:56 p.m.
Mortimer secures new 4-year contract at UH
The University of Hawaii Board of Regents today granted a four-year contract extension to President Kenneth P. Mortimer, praising him for his efforts to get the Legislature and Gov. Ben Cayetano to trust the university enough to give it greater flexibility.Board Chairman David Ramos said Mortimer has been a strong voice in bringing UH to this milestone, and that his continued leadership will be invaluable.
"The University of Hawaii is poised on the verge of a new era," Ramos said.
"Act 115, in granting the university greater autonomy, presents us with challenging assignments."
Cayetano signed the autonomy bill into law on Tuesday.
Mortimer's $162,312-per-year contract, which was to expire in February, was extended to June 2003, by a unanimous vote. He has served as president and chancellor of UH-Manoa since March 1993.
Board ends police spat with lawyer
The Disciplinary Board has decided not to pursue a complaint against an attorney whose comments offended police in the case involving a man police shot in Pupukea.Paul H. Saccoccio, who represents the family of the wounded man, said the board's decision "came a little late."
"I never should have been put in the position to explain my comments to the Disciplinary Counsel," he said yesterday. "It intimidated me from exercising my constitutional rights while they decided. They should have known better."
In the incident, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, an investigatory arm of the Disciplinary Board, asked Saccoccio to explain a comment in a Star-Bulletin story that offended police.
But the Disciplinary Board intervened in a letter dated Tuesday, saying no further response would be required.
Saccoccio was quoted in a May 13 story about Fortunato "Junior" Barques III, shot May 5 on a private road at Pupukea when he allegedly reached for a gun while walking away from a police officer.
He had said Barques was not into drugs and questioned whether the illegal drugs police allegedly found in his vehicle were his. "It was probably planted," he had said.
The comment caused the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers to write the Office of Disciplinary Counsel May 18, saying Saccoccio's comment was "reckless and defamatory in nature, and is obviously nothing more than a pathetic attempt to turn public opinion against our officers."
Earle Partington, Saccoccio's attorney, said the counsel's inquiry was unconstitutional.
New East-West president faces cuts
Less than 10 minutes after Charles E. Morrison accepted the job as the next president of the East-West Center, a federal official warned the center's budget may be cut in half by the year 2000.John P. Loiello, associate director for educational and cultural affairs at the U.S. Information Agency, yesterday told the center's Board of Governors that President Clinton wants to set its budget at $5 million in 2000 -- a 58 percent cut from the $12 million it received this year.
Both the center's 1999 and 2000 fiscal year budgets are before Congress, with next year's budget to be taken up next month, Loiello said.
Still, the news didn't dampen Morrison's belief that Congress will continue funding at current levels.
"We definitely have to make a very convincing case in the Congress that this is a worthwhile institutional investment for the American people, which I believe it is," he said.
"I'm convinced with the support we have, we will get it," said Morrison, 54, an expert in international relations and a former aide to U.S. Sen. William V. Roth Jr., a Delaware Republican who now is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
The board unanimously chose Morrison to succeed Kenji Sumida, who is retiring. George Ariyoshi, board chairman and former Hawaii governor, pledged to work with Morrison, and urged the center's staff to pull together to maximize its efforts.
Army cabin vacationers now get cell phones
The Army began issuing cellular phones Monday to vacationers using the Waianae Army Recreation Center's 42 cabins where Army helicopter pilot John Latchum Jr. was shot to death June 3 while vacationing with his family.Latchum, 33, a chief warrant officer who served 14 years in the Army, was killed when he confronted several men his wife said were trying to break into their beach-front rental unit. Latchum was buried Friday at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida.
Besides the phones, lighting at the 16-acre complex will be upgraded, peep holes and deadbolt locks for the cabins will be installed, fencing will be improved and TVs and microwave ovens in the cabins will be secured.
Security during the summer months will be increased with a roving patrol on bicycles.
Bryson Jose, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder; a preliminary hearing has been set for June 23. Also, a 17-year-old youth is being held without bail as the suspected shooter.
State, UH and Wallace appeal rights decision
The state, University of Hawaii and Rob Wallace, son of UH basketball coach Riley Wallace, have appealed a Hawaii Civil Rights Commission decision to Circuit Court.Rob Wallace, then a UH basketball student manager, was found by the commission to have violated the civil rights of Eric White, an African-American, in calling him a racial epithet at a UH basketball game Feb. 18, 1995. White had made remarks critical of Coach Wallace during the game.
The commission's May 19 decision ordered the school to pay $20,000 in compensatory damages, share in payment of an additional $10,000 judgment with Rob Wallace and pay $1,000 in civil penalties to White. Rob Wallace also was fined $500 in civil penalties.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffSecond robbery suspect arrested
Police yesterday arrested a second suspect in connection with the April robbery of a Kaimuki home.A 35-year-old Manoa man turned himself in to police in Waikiki yesterday.
He faces charges of first-degree robbery and two counts of kidnapping. The man and two other men allegedly entered the 12th Avenue home on April 10 and demanded money from two residents, police said.
The suspects reportedly beat the male resident with a golf club when he refused their demand for money.
They also allegedly held him and a female resident in the house for about 90 minutes while threatening them with a knife.
Police still are searching for Won Young Choi, 29, the third suspect in the case.
In May, Tae Chon, 35, of Pearl City, was charged with robbery and kidnapping in connection with the crime.
Fire cause remains unknown
Fire investigators have ruled out electrical problems as the source of a fire which left an Ewa Beach family of six homeless.An official cause has not been determined in the 4:54 a.m. blaze, which originated in the laundry room of the Haehae Place home, a fire investigator said.
An unidentified "sticky residue" that possibly fueled the fire was found in the laundry room, fire officials said. Arson has not been ruled out. There were no serious injuries.
Motorcycle victim identified
A 23-year-old Honolulu man killed early Tuesday when he was thrown from his motorcycle in Hawaii Kai has been identified by the medical examiner's office as Sung Choi.Police traffic investigators said speed and alcohol are suspected in the crash. Choi, who was not wearing a helmet, was making a turn on Keahole Street when the accident occured.
Name of victim of fall is released
A 77-year-old man who died Wednesday when he fell from a ladder while picking lychee in the backyard of his Nuuanu home has been identified as Richard Suto.
Police investigate tot's death
Detectives are investigating the death of a 31/2-month-old Kalihi Valley girl.The mother found the baby unresponsive yesterday at 6:24 a.m. at their Nihi Street home, police said. She was last seen alive at 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. that morning.
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