Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Saturday, September 12, 1998

Bank's collection drive
nets a ton of food

A food drive among the 500 employees of Central Pacific Bank netted contributions of 1,994 pounds of canned goods and nonperishable food items.

The proceeds of the one-month collection campaign, the first held by the company, were donated to Hawaii Foodbank.

The nonprofit agency, which sells donated food for a nominal fee to food pantries and other charities, distributes an estimated 6 million pounds of food annually.

Tesoro hose problem caused oil-soaked birds

An Aug. 24 oil spill from a hose failure at the Tesoro Hawaii Corp. mooring off Barbers Point was responsible for sea birds washing up soaked with oil, the Coast Guard said.

Over the past week, at least 15 birds -- nine on Kauai and six on Oahu -- have been found oil-soaked from the spill.

The Coast Guard identified the source of oil on two of the birds and on two tar balls found earlier this week.

Capt. Frank Whipple, commander of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office here, said a spill of ship fuel resulted from the hose failure at the mooring 1-1/2 miles off-shore. Cleanup efforts were completed two weeks ago, but enough oil evidently got away to soak the birds.

The offshore mooring is a floating buoy used to transfer crude oil and refined products between ships and the refinery on shore.

"We regret that the accidental hose failure has impacted the environment and birds," said Tesoro Hawaii spokesman Nathan Hokama. "We will continue to work with the Coast Guard as well as federal and state agencies to take any further action they deem necessary."

Oil-soaked birds are being treated at Sea Life Park and the state forestry office on Maui. Tesoro Hawaii and Clean Islands Council, an oil-spill response cooperative, are providing logistical support. The International Bird Rescue Research Center also is helping.

City plans land buy to add to Kahaluu Park

The city plans to expand Kahaluu Regional Park by buying a vacant parcel of land next to it.

Honolulu City Councilman Steve Holmes said yesterday the city administration confirmed it was moving ahead to buy what is known as the Lau parcel, a 20,857-square-foot piece of land next to the Hygienic Store in Kahaluu.

The Windward lawmaker said the community had pushed to make the property part of the park, fearing it would be developed.

The city last year designated the land for future park use. About $500,000 was included in the fiscal year 1997-98 budget to buy the land, Holmes said.

"This area also provides the only direct public access to the lagoon and usable recreational space along Kamehameha Highway and, as such, is a natural extension of the regional park," Holmes said.

Once the city completes the paperwork, it can release the money to buy the property, he said.

UH-Hilo breaks ground for astronomy institute

Gov. Ben Cayetano and other officials took part in ground-breaking ceremonies yesterday for the University of Hawaii's new Institute for Astronomy, on the UH-Hilo campus.

The $11.5 million facility will be a state-of-the-art operations base for the institute's activities on Mauna Kea and will provide long-awaited expansion space for research and other programs, the institute said.

Included will be shop and laboratory space for observatory operations support and instrument development, as well as office space for astronomers, engineers and other staff members.

The building is expected to be completed in fall 1999. The institute's current facility is on the Manoa campus.

Hotel workers decline to endorse candidate

Local 5 of the Hawaii Hotel Workers will not endorse a gubernatorial candidate in the primary election.

The union said no candidate received a 50 percent majority in a straw poll of union convention delegates this week.

Voting was very close among Democratic Gov. Ben Cayetano and Republican candidates Linda Lingle and Frank Fasi, said Financial Treasurer and Secretary Tony Rutledge.

He said union members will reconvene after the primary election to select a candidate for endorsement in the general election.

CORRECTION The grand opening of Neiman Marcus at Ala Moana Center is Thursday. An item in Dave Donnelly's column Thursday had an incorrect date.

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



By Star-Bulletin staff

'Road rage' suspect
flees after crash

Police are searching for a man who early this morning allegedly threatened a 25-year-old Kaneohe man with his car in a bout of road rage.

Police said the victim was traveling on Kahekili Highway around 12:10 a.m. today when he was cut off by the suspect's car. Police said words were exchanged, which prompted the unidentified suspect to follow the victim.

While traveling on Likelike Highway, police said the suspect rammed the victim's car from behind and then sped away.

The victim followed the suspect's car hoping to see a police officer.

Later, at Waiwai Loop near Keehi Lagoon, the suspect made a U-turn and attempted to hit the victim's car head on. Police said the victim veered off, forcing the suspect's car to run into a parked vehicle. Police said the suspect then fled on foot.

The owner of the parked car, a 40-year-old Kaneohe man, also filed a complaint with police.

The suspect, described as being in his 30s, faces charges of attempted murder and reckless endangerment.

Estranged husband faces assault charge

Police today are looking for a Pearl City man who allegedly sexually assaulted his estranged wife.

The woman, 40, told police her husband violated a temporary restraining order and entered her Pearl City apartment around midnight on Wednesday. Police said the suspect, 54, prevented the woman from leaving her home and sexually assaulted her.

The man left the apartment at 9 a.m. yesterday, police said. The victim then reported the incident to police.

Police said the suspect, who has not been located, faces possible first-degree charges of sexual assault, kidnapping and burglarly.

Robber fires shot in victim's home

A 68-year-old woman was robbed last night at her Pearl City home by a gunman who fired a shot into her bedroom dresser, police said.

The woman told police an unknown male allegedly entered her home at 10:15 p.m. yesterday and woke her up. Police said the suspect pointed a gun at the victim and demanded money from her.

While searching for money and valuables, the suspect fired a round in the bedroom, hitting the dresser, police said. The suspect then fled the home with an unknown amount of cash and valuables.

Police said the woman was not injured.

An investigation is continuing.

THE COURTS

Man who killed five turtles gets six months' probation

U.S. Magistrate Barry Kurren has sentenced a Big Island man to six months' probation and 200 hours of community service for slaughtering five endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles.

Nolan Kimo Perez admitted to a state conservation official that he had netted the turtles. But Perez said it wasn't intentional.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nakamura said yesterday Perez had intended to net the turtles and knew what he was doing when he butchered them, indicating he had caught turtles before. Nakamura asked for a 30-day jail sentence.

Perez's attorney, Pamela Byrne, said her client was netting for fish to be served at a meeting of native Hawaiian healers. Perez said he knows he should have checked the nets more carefully.

But Perez did not know he should have dumped the turtles back in the sea, and instead butchered them because he had been taught not to waste by his family, Byrne said.

Kurren said the law did not require proof that the killing of an endangered species was intentional and that he wasn't convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Perez had not intended to kill the turtles. But he felt probation was appropriate.

Two seen tending marijuana on Big Island plead guilty

Two Big Island men yesterday pleaded guilty to conspiring to grow marijuana.

State and federal officials observed Robert Nicolaisen, 43, and Russel Turcotte, 48, watering a marijuana patch in the Manuka Natural Area Reserve last November.

They changed their pleas to guilty in an agreement in U.S. District Court.

One arrested in drug sales near school pleads guilty

Tapuitea Tauanuu, 27, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to three counts of violating the federal "Safe Streets Act" by selling crack cocaine near Mayor Wright Housing and Princess Victoria Kaiulani Elementary School last May.

The statute prohibits the distribution of illegal drugs within 1,000 feet of public schools, parks or housing projects.

At least nine people were arrested by undercover officers.

Bank robber agrees to pay 4 banks more than $5,000

In a plea agreement, Jed Mamoe, 29, pleaded guilty yesterday to robbing two banks, but will pay restitution to four banks.

He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to robbing the Mapunapuna branch of the Bank of Hawaii on May 20, and the Makiki branch of the First Hawaiian Bank on May 27.

He was also accused of robbing the Aina Haina branch of First Hawaiian and the Aiea branch of American Savings Bank.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Loretta Matsunaga said Mamoe will pay restitution of more than $5,000 to all four banks.

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