A 31-year-old man died early today at Queen's Hospital after being stabbed last night during a fight in Wahiawa, police said. Stabbing death in Wahiawa
By Rod Ohira, Star-Bulletin
investigated as homicideThe case is being investigated as a homicide, and a suspect, 24, is in police custody.
Investigators said the victim was drinking in an area in front of 265 California Ave. when he was confronted by residents, who accused him of robbing a juvenile for money to buy beer and pushing an elderly man down on the sidewalk.
During a fight at about 9:15 p.m., the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim in the chest and arm, police said.
The victim was transported by air to Queen's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:10 a.m.
The suspect, arrested at his residence at 11:50 p.m., has not been charged with any offense.
No weapon was recovered, and police are planning to execute a search warrant today on the suspect's residence.
Trial set for 4 teens in September beatings
Trial is scheduled for Jan. 19 for four Wahiawa teen-agers charged with the September beating with baseball bats of an undercover police officer.Anastacio Martinez III and Donald Ramirez, both 17, and Mark Calicdan and Kalani Agosto, both 16, this morning each pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder.
They are being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
The teens are being prosecuted as adults after the Family Court waived jurisdiction over them.
They are charged with trying to kill undercover police officer Donald Marumoto, 46, and Gary Santos, 30, on Sept. 17.
Marumoto and Santos, who was assisting police, went to Palm Place to purchase stolen computers in an undercover operation.
The assailants struck the two men repeatedly with baseball bats in an alley near the Palm Terrace public housing in Wahiawa and then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said. Both men were hospitalized with concussions, cuts and bruises.
If convicted of attempted first-degree murder, they face a mandatory term of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Attempted second-degree murder carries a mandatory term of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Center has new surgery for chronic heartburn
A videoscopic surgery technique is available at The Queen's Medical Center for people who get no relief from medication for chronic heartburn.In this procedure, the surgeon makes a series of five to six small incisions, each less than an inch long, to create a passageway for instruments, the hospital said.
One instrument, a laparoscope, transmits images from inside the body to video monitors in the operating room so the surgeon and staff can see the operative area.
The surgeon manipulates the instruments to wrap a portion of the stomach, the gastric fundus, around the lower esophageal sphincter, which will prevent the flow of acid into the esophagus, the hospital said.
A muscular valve known as the lower esophageal sphincter in the esophagus acts as a valve between the esophagus and stomach and keeps the acid from backing up into the esophagus. That occurs when the valve isn't working properly, causing a burning sensation in the chest and esophageal area.
Before the videoscopic technique, surgeons had to make a long incision in the abdomen to get access to the area needing repair.
With videoscopic surgery, Queen's said, most patients leave the hospital in four to five days instead of about nine for traditional surgery. Recovery time ranges from seven to 13 days, compared with 28 for traditional surgery.
For more information, call The Queen's Referral Line, 537-7117.
Anti-violence programs win grants for schools
Five North Shore schools will each receive $1,000 awards to begin the national "Head Smart" violence prevention program.The seed money will help each school develop culturally relevant violence-prevention education programs that meet the needs of their community. The schools are Rainbow Preschool, St. Michael's, Waialua Elementary, Sunset Beach Elementary and Kahuku Elementary.
Operation OUCH, Ohana United Children's Hope Foundation, an educational abuse awareness program, also received a $1,000 award to help work with the schools.
For information call 638-7646.
Roofing settlement may send money to isles
Homeowners with damage from Masonite Woodruf Roofing, a faux cedar shingle, may be entitled to monetary damages from a proposed class action settlement.Masonite Woodruf Roofing, pressure-bonded fibers designed to emulate cedar shingles, was used extensively in the Honolulu area.
Information on the class-action settlement, consumer rights and how to file a claim may be obtained by calling 1-800-256-6990 or by visiting the settlement's information Web site at http://www.kinsella.com/masonite/.
Purple ribbons honor victims of violence
Motorists throughout the state will be seeing purple ribbons tied to vehicle antennas to commemorate victims of domestic violence.The observance is sponsored by Students and Advocates for Victims of Domestic Violence, a project of Hawaii Lawyers Care, together with the state Department of Health.
"As a former victim, I know firsthand the importance of addressing this problem in our community," said Deborah Marks, program manager. "The ribbons are one way that each of us can acknowledge that we will not tolerate family violence and to recognize those who did not survive. There are many who can no longer speak for themselves. I see the ribbon as one way we can, perhaps, speak to this issue for them."
Marks, in her fourth year organizing this campaign, voiced appreciation for its support by the state Department of Health.
About 55,200 ribbons are being distributed statewide to commemorate victims.
Kids get to speak out on adult smoking
A voting effort tomorrow will give kids a chance to let adults know how they feel about adult smoking.As part of this year's Great American Smokeout campaign, the American Cancer Society is putting a question on the Kids Voting Hawaii ballot that asks if they think it should be unlawful for adults to smoke in confined areas with children under the age of 18.
Kids Voting Hawaii is a program that will allow children from sixth grade to high school to cast a ballot when their parents go to the polls on Election Day.
The results of the question will be tabulated and released on Nov. 19, the Great American Smokeout Day.
The poll will also show how much kids realize the effect that tobacco smoke has on their health, she added.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffMan brought girls here as prostitutes, cops say
Federal agents arrested a 21-year-old man Saturday at 415 Nahua St. in Waikiki for allegedly transporting three teen-age girls for the purpose of prostitution.The girls are believed to be from the West Coast and range in age from 15 to 16, the FBI said.
The arrest was made at 3:55 p.m. The suspect was supposed to be appear before the federal magistrate today.
Police arrest man, boy in Moiliili robbery
Police have charged a Varsity Circle man and boy, 16, with an armed robbery Thursday in Moiliili.Ronny Ayala, 18, is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, while the boy was charged as a juvenile with first-degree robbery.
Police said the pair approached a man outside a convenience store at 2646 S. King St. at 2 a.m. and demanded money.
The victim, 51, told police the boy displayed a handgun and threatened to "pop" him while Ayala allegedly took $270 cash from him. The pair fled on foot, but they were arrested by police a short time later.
Boy, 12, says he was raped in Kalihi park
Police are investigating the reported rape of a 12-year-old boy yesterday at Kunawai Park in Kalihi.The boy said he was attacked by a man at about 6:30 to 7 p.m.
Police have no suspects.
Two charged in felonies against their spouses
Two men were charged over the weekend with separate felony offenses against their spouses, police said.Charles Moser, 53, was charged Saturday with attempted murder, first-degree terroristic threatening and kidnapping.
Moser's bail is $110,000.
Peter Ishiki, 30, is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail after being charged yesterday with first-degree terroristic threatening.
Fire destroys house in Big Isle Kau district
OCEAN VIEW, Hawaii -- Fire destroyed a two-story house valued at $150,000 in the remote Ocean View subdivision in the Big Island's Kau district about 8:15 p.m. yesterday, firefighters said.
Hilo man hospitalized after attack in park
HILO -- A Big Island man is in guarded condition at Queens Hospital after being hit on the head with a blunt object at Mohouli Park in Hilo last night, police said.The victim, whose name was not released, was with a friend when one man in a group of three attacked him.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call police at 961-2311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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