Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Saturday, September 19, 1998

Broken water main causes
big(ger) traffic jam in Waikiki

Waikiki Ho'olaule'a festivities normally cause big traffic jams.

But previous jams paled in comparison to one last night caused by a broken 8-inch water main in the triangle where Kuhio and Kaiulani avenues come together with Kanekapolei Street.

Police shut down all lanes in both directions on the critical portion of Kuhio Avenue, and diverted Koko Head-bound traffic off Kuhio onto Kaiulani and then onto Koa Avenue.

Ewa-bound traffic was diverted off Kuhio to Liliuokalani Avenue, then onto Ala Wai Boulevard.

Traffic moved at a snail's pace until about 9 p.m., when the number of vehicles began to thin out some.

Crews continued to excavate but still had trouble reaching the broken pipe because of thick layers of concrete, which are much harder to break through than asphalt.

Denise De Costa, Honolulu Board of Water Supply spokeswoman, said water service was restored to most affected customers by midevening.

The main broke at about 1:30 p.m. Water service to several nearby stores, a restaurant and the Outrigger East Hotel was shut off until water could be bypassed through an alternate line.

Once the bypass was completed, all but the restaurant had restored service.

Kauai beach partially open after oil cleanup

The state Health Department has reopened 1,300 feet of Nukolii Beach affected by a recent oil spill, the Coast Guard said.

he reopened portion extends from Nukolii Beach Park to the southern part of Kawailoa on Kauai's eastern shoreline, it said.

However, the beach from the northern part of Kawailoa to Wailua Bay remains closed as oil spill contractors sift the sand for remaining oil pellets.

No tar balls were found on the ocean bottom by undersea divers at Fujii and Nukolii beaches nor in the Kipu Kai area, the Coast Guard said.

Shoreline cleanup and checks continue at other spots along the Kauai coast.

Some oil has been reported at Opoi, near Lihue Airport. The Kauai Fire Department was using a jet-ski to investigate.

A hose failure at the Tesoro Hawaii Corp. mooring 1-1/2 miles off Barbers Point led to the Aug. 24 spill.

City orders Kailua sewer line buried

Kailua businesses affected by the sinkhole repairs at the intersection of Hamakua Drive and Hahani Street should see some relief next week.

The city has contracted Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. to bury a 10-inch sewer bypass line that is now above ground in the center of Hamakua Drive and restricting access to businesses, Mayor Jeremy Harris said.

The bypass line is being used to divert sewage around the collapsed 27-inch sewer line that caused the sinkhole Aug. 24.

Following the work, traffic will be able to turn left into businesses along Hamakua Drive. Kalaheo-bound traffic also will be allowed to travel through the Hahani Street intersection.

Construction began Wednesday and is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 23.

The city will be awarding a separate contract to replace the deteriorated and collapsed sewer line. Replacement work is expected to be completed by Dec. 1.

Molokai fires take toll on a dozen rare plants

Populations of at least 12 rare and endangered plant species may have burned in a fire at the Kawela Flats on Molokai, according to a preliminary assessment by the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii.

"It's been an especially tough couple of weeks for us here on Molokai," said Ed Misaki, director of the Nature Conservancy's Molokai programs.

"Walking through the burned area is very depressing. It's heartbreaking to see any part of our ancient forest destroyed by fire."

The Nature Conservancy manages the 2,775-acre Kamakou preserve. The preserve includes one of the few remaining intact examples of native ohia-pukiawe shrub land in the state, of which about 40 acres burned.

Two separate fires that started last month burned an estimated 13,000 acres on the south-central slopes of Molokai.

The fire at the preserve is still smoldering, the conservancy said.

Pali's Kailua-bound lanes close for repairs

All Kailua-bound lanes of the Pali Highway will be closed for resurfacing from 4 p.m. to midnight tomorrow.

Crews will contraflow Honolulu-bound lanes on the highway. Motorists are advised to use caution and allow for extra travel time.

CORRECTION The mayor's office has asked that some Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH) vulunteers help staff the Waikiki "koban," or visitor informaiton kiosks, along with other groups. A story yesterday said the office wanted VASH to run the kiosks. The $113,800 approved by the Legislature is to support VASH operations this fiscal year, not train volunteers for the kiosks. And the VASH card is not yet being given to tourists who need help; police must approve the cards first.

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



By Star-Bulletin staff

Training accident claims life of National Guard soldier

A Hawaii Army National Guard soldier, who had just enlisted in June and was awaiting orders to go to basic training, died Thursday of head injuries he sustained when the Humvee he was riding in flipped and crushed him last weekend.

Pvt. Arthur Drapesa, 20, had enlisted in the 29th Infantry Brigade's 2nd Battalion and was a member of Delta Company. He was standing in the gun turret on the front seat of his vehicle when it overturned around 2:15 p.m. last Saturday near Kawailoa in the Helemano Military Reservation.

The cause of the training accident is under investigation. The driver of the vehicle escaped injury.

Drapesa was taken by helicopter to Tripler Army Medical Center, where he died Thursday afternoon.

Funeral services are pending.

Five-block area loses power after a fuse blows out

An underground cable fault this morning caused some businesses in a five-block area near Keeaumoku Street to suffer a partial power outage of upwards of four hours.

Businesses affected included the Pagoda Hotel, which had to use emergency lighting, Like Like Drive Inn Restaurant and five condominiums.

The outage occurred in the area bounded by Keeaumoku, Rycroft, Kaheka and Leona streets.

The outage began at 4:30 a.m., and power was restored four hours later, a Hawaiian Electric spokesman said.

Father has son arrested for allegedly making threats

A 38-year-old Manoa man is being held on $25,000 bail for allegedly threatening his father for not helping him in a business venture.

Kent Kano was arrested at 8:45 p.m. yesterday after making repeated telephone threats to his father. Police said the suspect was angry at his father and threatened to kill him.

Mom says boy improperly touched her daughter

Police are investigating a report by an Ewa Beach mother who said her 7-year-old daughter was touched inappropriately several times by a 7-year-old boy. The incident apparently occurred at Kipapa Elementary School at 10 a.m. yesterday, police said.

Two 17-year-olds allegedly used knife to threaten man

Two 17-year-old male juveniles were arrested for threatening a man in the Ala Moana Center Food Court yesterday afternoon.

The male victim, 20, said one of the juveniles had a knife and waved it around in a threatening manner.

Ala Moana security was summoned, and the two juveniles fled but later were picked up based on the information provided by the victim.

Arrest on drug offense leads to big trouble for suspect

A CrimeStoppers tip led to multiple felony charges yesterday against a man who allegedly attempted to rob a Waialua resident at gunpoint earlier this month.

Raynard Manlapit, 34, was charged yesterday with first-degree robbery, two counts of kidnapping, first-degree burglary, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. His bail totals $150,000.

Manlapit allegedly broke into a Waialua home Sept. 4, ordered a father and his 12-year-old son at gunpoint to lie down, then attempted to rob them.

The boy fled from the house during an ensuing struggle between the two men. The boy's father was able to get a gun from another room and shot at the suspect as he ran from the house.

Manlapit was arrested Thursday for a minor drug offense. While in custody, police received a CrimeStoppers tip tying him to the Sept. 4 case, Detective Kathleen Ferreira said.

Manlapit was charged yesterday after being identified in a photo lineup.

Beware: Someone may be making counterfeit tickets

People who purchase tickets from street sellers may not be buying the real thing, a local ticket agent is warning.

Promoters of last week's Spirit of Unity reggae concert at the Turtle Bay Hilton said 40 people attended the event using counterfeit tickets.

The Connection ticket outlet advises the public to purchase tickets only at authorized outlets and facility box offices.

Big Island police on lookout for two arson suspects

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii - Police are asking for the public's help in finding two men who set a brush fire and attempted to start a second one in west Hawaii yesterday using fireworks.

A witness said he saw two men in a blue or black pickup truck throw a smoking device later identified as a "ground bloom flower" into brush on Waikoloa Road.

Moments later, they threw another one, which didn't cause a fire.

Firefighters got to the scene quickly and prevented the fire from spreading.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 885-0422 or CrimeStoppers at 329-8181.

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