Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, September 24, 1997

Mother accused in death
may go to halfway house

Relatives of a 23-year-old pregnant woman accused of killing her 21/2-year-old daughter will try to raise money to get her out of federal prison into a halfway house.

U.S. Magistrate Barry Kurren yesterday granted a defense request to release Tufono Fale to Miller Hale, despite his concerns that the former soldier turned housewife may not follow court conditions or may hurt herself.

But Fale, a Wheeler Army Air Field resident who teared up during the hearing, can't go unless she pays for a slot at Miller Hale or until a federally funded slot opens, he said. She is first on the waiting list for the facility, which charges $65.50 a day or about $2,000 a month.

Deputy Federal Defender Alexander Silvert argued that the court had released two defendants in child-abuse cases in 1994 and 1991 to Miller Hale, adding that they had made all court appearances.

He also said Fale had no prior record of child abuse, no history of violence, had brought up two other children to ages 4 and 5, and had an honorable discharge after five years with the U.S. Army.

"For one day in her life, something went wrong," Silvert said, asking the court to put Fale's alleged actions in perspective. Silvert unsuccessfully argued that the court shouldn't let the federal government detain her in prison if it plans to transfer the case to the state, which has stiffer penalties.

Cayetano, Inouye pay
tribute to Rutledge

Tributes to late labor leader Art Rutledge continue to pour in, with Gov. Ben Cayetano ordering Hawaii's flag flown at half-staff for a "champion" and U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye honoring him as "an extraordinary person."

"The working people of Hawaii have lost a champion who founded two of the state's most successful labor unions and Unity House," Cayetano said.

Rutledge will be remembered for his half-century of dedicated service to defend the rights and dignity of working people -- "fighting for better wages, hours and working conditions -- at a time when these issues were not always popular," the governor added.

Funeral observances for Rutledge, who died Monday at age 90, are tomorrow.

A procession will leave Borthwick Mortuary downtown at 7 a.m., go down King Street and Kapiolani Boulevard to Atkinson Drive, then proceed past the Ala Moana and Ilikai hotels and Hilton Hawaiian Village. It will turn right onto Kalakaua Avenue, proceed to the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii, then double back to the Temple Emanu-El at 2550 Pali Highway, where visitation will be from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

A Jewish memorial service will be held at 12:30 p.m. at the temple; a private family graveside service will be at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Honolulu, 200 N. Vineyard Blvd., #510, Honolulu, 96817, telephone 521-3811.

Rutledge is survived by sons Tony and Arthur Jr.; daughter Anna; brother Maurice; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Schools will take a smaller
hit on budget restrictions

State and district school offices will be feeling the squeeze in their equipment and supplies budgets more than the schools as a result of budget restrictions handed down this week.

"Everybody needs to be part of the restrictions, but schools should be impacted less," Superintendent Herman Aizawa said yesterday.

State departments had been anticipating the restrictions because state revenues continue to fall short of projections.

The Department of Education was notified Monday of the restrictions, which total nearly $1.4 million. Total appropriation to the Department of Education for the 1997-98 school year was $710.2 million.

The restrictions -- 3 percent from the first quarter appropriation and 2 percent each from the three remaining quarters of fiscal year 1998 -- affect only the department's $60.3 million in operating funds. No restrictions were imposed on nondiscretionary funds, such as teachers' and principals' salaries.

The department is also short another $2.5 million for classroom cleaners and capital improvement projects that the Legislature failed to fund -- a total shortage of $3.8 million, Aizawa said.

That amount was reduced to $3.7 million because funds had been held back earlier for regular education and special education programs in anticipation of the restrictions.

To meet the restrictions, Aizawa said, the schools' supply and equipment budgets will be cut 1.7 percent, while state and district offices will be cut 4.8 percent.

Aizawa had held back 20 percent of supplies and equipment funds in July to meet the anticipated restrictions. A majority of what remains of those funds after the restrictions will be returned to the schools and state and district offices, he said.

The restrictions handed down were lower than anticipated and an indication of Gov. Ben Cayetano's commitment to provide more support for education, Aizawa said. "I'm happy and thankful -- it could have been higher."

North Shore beaches
battered by huge surf

Lifeguards closed North Shore beaches yesterday when waves rapidly rose to heights of 15 to 18 feet in the season's first big swell.

Lifeguards warned people to be aware of extreme high surf that had already washed up to people's homes and put shoreline residents at risk of being evacuated.

At least two bodyboarders were rescued at Velzyland yesterday.

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Police/Fire


By Star-Bulletin staff

Visitor held for assault
of two flight attendants

A 36-year-old Japanese national was arrested yesterday at Honolulu Airport for allegedly assaulting two Northwest Airline attendants during a flight from Nagoya to Hawaii.

Tadashi Azuma has been charged with the federal offense of interference with a flight crew.

Azuma allegedly kicked one flight attendant in the leg and another in the groin area while they were conducting a final cabin check in preparation for landing.

One killed, 2 hurt
in Kurtistown wreck

HILO -- A 26-year-old man was killed and two people were injured in a two-vehicle accident on the Hawaii Belt Road at Kurtistown, south of Hilo, last night, police said.

Killed was David Kaai of Pahoa, the driver of a sedan that was struck head-on by a pickup truck driven by a 38-year-old Mountain View man, police said.

The man was treated at Hilo Hospital. He was later arrested for investigation of driving under the influence of liquor and negligent homicide. He was released pending the investigation.

Suzette Baliguat, 34, of Pahoa, a passenger in Kaai's car, was taken to Hilo Hospital in satisfactory condition.