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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff
and wire service
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Officials visit detainee in Vietnam
U.S. consular officials in Vietnam yesterday visited one of two U.S. citizens arrested Nov. 17 for allegedly circulating pro-democracy petitions and said he appeared to be in good health.
U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Angela Aggeler said consular officials in Ho Chi Minh City visited Nguyen Quoc Quan, among a group of six people detained while circulating petitions produced by Viet Tan, a pro-democracy group based in California.
The other American in the group was identified by Vietnamese media as Leon Truong, whose daughter, Lauren Truong, a Honolulu resident, has been working toward his release.
Two other Americans are being held on unspecified charges that are believed unrelated to the petitions, the embassy in Hanoi said.
Vietnam's government considers Viet Tan a terrorist group. The organization says it supports peaceful political change in Vietnam, where the communist government does not tolerate challenges to its rule.
Assistant Secretary of State Stephen Mull, who was visiting Hanoi, said the U.S. government was not aware of any evidence that Viet Tan is a terrorist organization.
Explosives prompt land closure
WAILUKU » The Ahihi-Kihau Natural Area Reserve in south Maui remains closed until several explosive devices are cleared by an Army disposal team, Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman Deborah Ward said.
Ward said the road to the reserve has been closed since Friday evening, after the Army Corps of Engineers and an explosive ordnance team conducted a sweep and found four devices or pieces.
Ward said a timetable was still being developed to determine when the ordnance could be cleared.
Nearly 1,000 people daily visit the reserve with 1,238 acres of land and 807 acres of marine area, including historic sites, a lava flow and tidal pools.
City gets $4.3M grant for TheBus
A $4.3 million federal grant will allow the city to buy 32 new buses and vans.
"This grant is an important infrastructure investment for Honolulu," said U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, who helped secure the money for the city. "TheBus provides a vital public service for Oahu residents, particularly those on fixed incomes."
The funds will allow the city to buy four fixed-route buses, 10 paratransit buses and 18 paratransit vans. Paratransit vehicles offer individualized rides rather than fixed routes and timetables.
Work to close 2 H-1 entrances
Road work will close two entrances and one exit on the H-1 freeway for one night each this week.
The Pali Highway offramp (Exit 21B west) and the Punchbowl Street onramp will be closed from 9 p.m. tonight to 4 a.m. tomorrow.
The Waimalu loop onramp from Moanalua Road will be closed from 9 p.m. tomorrow to 4 a.m. Friday for guard rail repairs.
Motorists are advised to allow for extra travel time.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
Stabbing on boat leaves 1 man dead
Police continue to investigate the fatal stabbing of a 34-year-old man yesterday aboard a fishing boat in Honolulu Harbor.
Police were called to the boat, docked at Pier 36 off Nimitz Highway, about 3:11 a.m. The victim, who was previously reported as being 26 years old, was found with multiple stab wounds to his torso and neck.
Police arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of second-degree murder. A knife was recovered at the scene.
Lt. Bill Kato of the Honolulu Police Department's homicide division said there were six men on the boat, and that they were drinking. Kato said detectives are still trying to piece together what happened, and were waiting for interpreters to assist in the investigation. The suspect is from Christmas Island, south of Hawaii in the Republic of Kiribati.
"It's still early and we don't have a lot of facts because of communication issues," said Kato, adding that an argument might have preceded the stabbing. Police were not sure where the victim was from. The boat is registered in Honolulu, police said.
Man, 45, charged in alleged assault
Police charged a 45-year-old man who allegedly assaulted another man on Monday in Chinatown.
About 2:15 p.m., a 47-year-old man was approached by the suspect, identified by police as Theodore Makaimi Kamoku. The two began arguing and then fighting, and then the suspect knocked out the victim, police said.
Police arrested Kamoku at 3:30 p.m. on Hotel Street. The victim was treated for a bruise to his nose and a minor cut to his ear. Kamoku was charged with third-degree assault and was being held in lieu of $2,000 bail.
Teen girl arrested, 3 others sought
Police arrested a 16-year-old girl and were looking for three other people in connection with an assault that included a beer bottle and a shopping cart.
About 10:24 p.m. Sunday, a 21-year-old man and 18-year-old woman were leaving a Wahiawa store in their car when they were approached by four people. One of the suspects, the 16-year-old girl, told the man to turn the car off, then reached into the driver-side window and turned it off herself, police said.
A second suspect pulled the woman out of the car, assaulted her and fled, police said. A third suspect threw a beer bottle at the driver before fleeing. A fourth suspect pushed a shopping cart at the victim's car before fleeing.
Police arrested the 16-year-old girl on suspicion of unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. The other three suspects are wanted on suspicion of third-degree assault and criminal property damage.
