Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Company sues over Mapunapuna flooding
A Mapunapuna business flooded out during a storm late last year has sued the Damon Estate and the city, alleging the water damage was a result of the two defendants' failure to maintain their portions of Moanalua Stream.Island Demo Inc. also alleges that the estate failed to make the possibility of flooding in the area clear in its lease with the company.
Officials with the city, Damon Estate and the Massachusetts-based HRPT Properties Trust, which bought the estate's 220 acres in December, could not be reached for comment yesterday. HRPT is also a defendant.
Dozens of Mapunapuna businesses suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage in December when a heavy rainstorm caused Moanalua Stream to back up and overflow.
In its suit, Island Demo alleges that the estate knew about a major flood in Mapunapuna 30 years ago.
But the company said it was not informed of the flood or that "there was a serious potential for flooding" before it entered into its lease.
The company, which is on Kilihau Street, also said the defendants failed to maintain their properties to guard against flooding in the area.
The city owns a portion of Moanalua Stream and cleaned debris out of the waterway after the December storm.
Sections of the stream are also owned by the state and the Damon Estate.
Island Demo wants punitive damages and attorney fees, and asked the court to put future rent in a trust until the flooding problem is resolved.
Kalanianaole lanes closed for hillside work
The right and right-turn lanes of Kalanianaole Highway at Castle Junction will be closed from 3 p.m. today until 5 p.m. tomorrow as crews continue work cutting back the hillside to prevent landslides.The state Department of Transportation said drivers may still turn right onto Kamehameha Highway toward Kaneohe at the Castle Junction intersection.
Inspectors will monitor the flow of traffic, and if congestion occurs, certain lanes can be opened temporarily to help traffic flow.
Weather permitting, truckloads of dirt will be hauled from the junction to Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe beginning early next week.
Cops become waiters for fund-raiser
Police officers will wait on customers at several restaurants to raise money for Special Olympics Hawaii in the 13th annual Tip-a-Cop campaign on March 17.Participating restaurants include the Old Spaghetti Factory, Compadres, Dave & Buster's, Stuart Anderson, Brew Moon, Yum Yum Tree, Ryan's Grill, Sushi Masa's, Buca Di Beppo and Big City Diner from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and/or 5 to 9 p.m.
All who donate "tips" will receive an Irish pin. For a $5 donation, customers will receive a shamrock necklace; for a $10 donation, a glow-in-the-dark shamrock necklace; and for $20 or more, a St. Patrick's Day Tip-a-Cop T-shirt.
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
>> Hawaii Pacific University took first- and third-place honors, and Brigham Young University-Hawaii second, in the Association for Computing Machinery's Pacific Region Programming Contest, held in Hawaii. Student teams competed during a five-hour period to solve programming problems.
The winning team included students William Watts, Ryan Rolland and Vern Wong and HPU professors/coaches Curt Powley and Carl Farrell.
>> U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka have announced the appointment of Sonya Kuki, of Hilo High School, and Blair Suzuki, of Campbell High School in Ewa Beach, as the Hawaii delegates to the 42nd Annual U.S. Senate Youth Program in Washington, D.C. In addition to the trip, Kuki and Suzuki received $5,000 college scholarships.
Alternates are Bethany Smith and Adriana Alghussein, of Kahuku.
>> Mazie Tsang, a Sacred Hearts Academy senior, has been selected as a 2004 Horatio Alger National Scholar by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Inc. She will receive a $10,000 four-year scholarship and attend the national scholar convention in April. The award is given to students who have overcome great obstacles and challenges to excel in academics.
>> Iolani School won first place and $1,000 in the 11th Annual Hawaii Science Bowl, in which 23 public and private high schools competed statewide. The team will go to Washington, D.C., in May to represent Hawaii at the National Science Bowl.
Members include captain Kelly Nakamura, Carol Pham, Ryan Tsukamoto, Franklin Lau, Jessica Yang and adviser Susan Nishiura.
Roosevelt High, with members Samuel Lee, Kerjun Chang, Luke Lam, Mariko Kotani, Trisha Au and adviser Prisca Lee, placed second. The team won a two-day educational trip to Maui and the Big Island and $500.
>> Seagull Schools has received $75,000 from the Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation, and $100,000 from the James and Abigail Campbell Foundation to support construction of two new childcare centers in Ewa Beach and Ko Olina. The two sites, when completed in 2005, will provide care for 360 children from ages 2 to 5.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffNEIGHBOR ISLANDS
WAILUKU >> A Canadian man died Thursday night in a two-vehicle crash at an intersection in Central Maui.
2-vehicle crash kills Canadian man on MauiTyler Froese, 23, of British Columbia, was ejected from a van during the collision and later died, police said.
A car traveling east on Hana Highway struck the right side of the van as it was making a left turn onto Dairy Road at about 8:37 p.m.
Police said a 13-year-old girl from British Columbia was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where she was listed in critical condition yesterday morning. The van was operated by a 47-year-old Canadian man, and the car by a 51-year-old Pukalani man.
Police Lt. Jeffrey Tanoue said investigators were looking into whether speed, drugs or alcohol might have been contributing factors in the crash.
Big Island police look for missing teen girl
Big Island police are looking for a 16-year-old girl who has been missing from her Hilo home since April 23.Deshalyn Pea was described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 140 pounds, with a medium build, tan complexion, black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information should call officer Peter Kualii at 961-2373, the police nonemergency telephone number at 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
HONOLULU
Police arrested the father of a 6-year-old girl for allegedly assaulting a police officer and the girl yesterday.
Father allegedly hits girl and police officerPolice responded to a call about a male hitting a female while she was holding a child in front of 777 Ward Ave. When an officer arrived, he was confronted by the 34-year-old suspect, who appeared to be intoxicated, police said. The suspect punched and kneed the officer, police said.
The suspect was eventually detained and arrested, police said.
According to the suspect's daughter, her father hit her head when he hit her mother.
The suspect was arrested for suspicion of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and abuse of a household member.
Driver allegedly flees after hitting pedestrian
Police arrested a man accused of fleeing the scene after the car he was driving hit a pedestrian who was lying on Keeaumoku Street about 4:30 a.m. Thursday.The driver, who is in his 30s, left 132 Keeaumoku St., made a wide right turn and headed south when he struck a man who was lying on the road, police said. The victim was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in guarded condition but was later downgraded to critical condition, police said.
Police said the victim had been drinking and was accompanied by a woman.
Police later arrested the driver, who was identified by witnesses, for suspicion of failure to render aid.
EEWARD OAHU
Police arrested a 44-year-old man for allegedly stealing two bags of ogo (seaweed) from the aquaculture farm at Waianae High School yesterday morning.
High school seaweed theft leads to arrestPolice said patrol units responded to alarms at the high school about 5 a.m. and found the suspect with the bags of seaweed, which were taken from a fenced-off aquaculture area at the school. The suspect was arrested for second-degree theft and trespassing.
CENTRAL OAHU
Police arrested a 28-year-old woman for allegedly stabbing her husband yesterday morning.
Woman, 28, arrested in stabbing of husbandThe victim, a 27-year-old male, was found with stab wounds to his arm and torso in an apartment at 1830 Wilikina Drive in Wahiawa, police said. He identified his wife as his attacker, police said.
Police arrested her for investigation of second-degree attempted murder. The victim, who was originally reported in critical condition, was upgraded to serious condition, according to police.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
