Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, July 2, 1998

By Emily Gardner, Special to the Star-Bulletin
A monk seal at Kauai's Poipu Beach Park attracts onlookers.

Beware: Male monk
seal on the prowl

By Gary Kubota, Star-Bulletin

Warning: Do not disturb monk seal seeking females. Fine: $50,000.

A monk seal weighing 600 to 700 pounds will be getting some protection as he pursues a female of his endangered species at Poipu Beach Park on Kauai.

State officials today launched a volunteer program at Poipu to educate the public about monk seals and to make sure the male seal isn't disturbed.

Program coordinator Emily Gardner said the male likely is on the beach because of a female, which volunteers call "Goldie" because she seems to have a "tan catching some rays."

Gardner said visitors have rushed up to the male as he waddles out of the water, and the seal has displayed aggressive behavior, barking at them.

"He is not at all intimidated by humans," said Gardner, who's seen the animal swim near snorkelers.

Federal law prohibits harassing monk seals, and the penalty for a harassment conviction could be as much as $50,000, Gardner said.

Officials recommend humans stand at least 100 feet from a monk seal, and never walk between a mother seal and her pups. Officials also warn pet owners to keep their dogs away. "We don't want to discourage people from enjoying the seals," Gardner said. "But we want to promote responsible wildlife watching."

Only about 1,300 monk seals exist in the world, mainly in the northwest section of the Hawaiian Islands, including Midway and the French Frigate Shoals.

Volunteers also will be noting markings, including scars, on the monk seal to track migration. Gardner said the $2,000 Kauai volunteer program may be expanded to Maui and Oahu if more funds become available.

Man charged in killing changes plea to 'guilty'

A man charged with second-degree murder in the death of Tafiele "Moose" Mika in 1996 changed his plea to guilty yesterday in Circuit Court.

Galu Solo Vala was charged along with two others in the murder of the Kuhio Park Terrace resident outside the Groove nightclub. The fight involved gangs from rival housing projects.

Enele Ili was convicted of second-degree murder and Moses Naone of first-degree assault in the fight.

The state said Ili threw two concrete rocks at Mika's head, kicked him and swore at him to die.

Ritte, Kaopuiki dispute they damaged property

Hawaiian activist Walter Ritte Jr. and Clarence "Halona" Kaopuiki, accused of destroying about $1 million in Molokai Ranch property, are scheduled for jury trial in Maui Circuit Court on Sept. 14.

The two Molokai residents pleaded not guilty in court yesterday. Ritte, 53, is charged with two counts of second-degree property damage. Kaopuiki, 42, faces three counts of second-degree property damage.

The maximum penalty for a conviction for second-degree criminal property damage is five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Both are members of Pono, a group critical of the ranch's development of tourist camps along beaches.

The two are accused of destroying five miles of pipeline in 1996, requiring about $1 million in repairs, and the burning of the Kaupoa House in 1995. Kaopuiki is also accused of burning a construction truck in 1996.

Both have been released on bail: Ritte for $20,000; Kaopuiki, $30,000.

Waianae man jailed after airplane incident

After spending a night in jail, a 64-year-old Waianae man denied he grabbed a Northwest Airlines flight attendant's buttocks.

Henry Burns admitted he drank six beers and was "feeling good," but he also denied he was drunk when the incident occured as the plane was taxiing for takeoff to San Francisco on Monday night.

The captain of Northwest Flight 928 returned to the gate, and Burns was arrested for interfering with the performance of a flight crew.

"I asked her when we going get our beer, and I put my arm around her hips and thigh," Burns said as he was being released from federal custody on bail yesterday afternoon.

As a condition of his release until his next court appearance on July 14, Burns will not be able to leave Oahu and must refrain from drinking alcohol.

Three people accused of harboring illegal aliens

A federal grand jury indicted three people for harboring illegal aliens at the Tokyo Spa massage parlor at 1423 Kapiolani Blvd.

Honolulu police and federal agents made eight arrests of suspected illegal aliens from Mexico, Korea and Thailand at the massage parlor last month.

Police made previous arrests at the business for prostitution and employing unlicensed masseuses.

Soeng Jeong Kim, Anna Phan and Darlene Ortiz are facing three counts of harboring aliens.

Hospital on Big Island gets quality assurance

WAIMEA, Hawaii -- Two-year-old North Hawaii Community Hospital has received preliminary accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the hospital announced.

The accreditation was not required but was sought by the private, nonprofit hospital to assure the quality of its care, the hospital said.

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Young man arrested on attempted-rape charge

An 18-year-old Radford High School student was arrested for allegedly trying to rape and sodomize a 16-year-old girl at the school yesterday.

The girl was washing her hands in the restroom at about 10:30 a.m. when the man, armed with a knife, grabbed her, according to police reports. During the struggle, the girl received minor cuts to her upper chest. She was able to escape from the man.

The suspect, of Kalihi Valley, was initially arrested for first-degree terroristic threatening, but after admitting to police he was trying to rape and sodomize the girl, he was then arrested for attempted sexual assault and kidnapping.

Man booked for pointing gun at ex-girlfriend

A 34-year-old Haleiwa man turned himself in to police yesterday after reportedly threatening to kill his former girlfriend and a man Friday.

According to police reports, the man went to the woman's apartment in Haleiwa, pointed a handgun at the victims and shot at the man's car, shattering the rear window.

The man was booked for reckless endangering and two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening.

Auto thief nabbed after returning to crime scene

Police arrested a 19-year-old man for reportedly stealing a car during a test drive on Tuesday, then attempting to steal another car from the same dealer the next day.

On Tuesday, the man asked to test drive a Toyota 4-Runner from Toyota City in Kalihi. When the sports-utility vehicle was brought to him, he got in and sped off without the salesperson, police said.

According to a detective's report, the man returned yesterday and asked to test drive another car. An employee recognized the man and called police.

Police suspect blasts were homemade bombs

Honolulu police are investigating reports that two homemade bombs exploded in Waipahu.

A resident called police after finding what looked like bomb fragments yesterday morning.

He said he heard an explosion Tuesday night and car alarms went off. Another neighbor reported hearing an explosion yesterday morning.

In other news . . .

The Coast Guard and oil spill recovery teams are cleaning up an oil spill at Pier 2 in Honolulu Harbor. The discharge from a Tow Boat Services barge was observed last night, and the spill is expected to be cleaned up by tomorrow afternoon.

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