Employer of slain man sues his killer
The employer of murder victim Donald M. Gillis, a general foreman for Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., has filed suit against convicted killer Duane Staggs.Joining in the filing is Eagle Pacific Insurance Co., insurer for Dillingham-Manson Joint Venture, the company's parent.
Gillis -- the father-in-law of former major league pitcher Sid Fernandez -- died Sept. 28, 1996, when he was shot in a parking lot near the Arizona Memorial.
Staggs pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder and use of a firearm in a violent crime, and was sentenced to 20 years and two months prison.
The suit filed Monday says a claim seeking workers compensation death benefits from Dillingham-Manson and Eagle Pacific was filed June 26 with the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations by Sandra Gillis, the victim's widow.
The suit says liability, if any, for Dillingham-Manson and Eagle has yet to be determined and that those firms are entitled to recover damages from Staggs.
Dillingham-Manson and Eagle have a first lien on any settlement paid or judgment awarded against Staggs, the suit says.
Human services bills on abused kids
The state Department of Human Services is letting the public know early about proposed bills to shorten the time before the state can remove abused children."This is precedent-setting for a department to publicly announce proposed bills that have yet to be approved by the director," said state Rep. Dennis Arakaki at yesterday's roundtable discussion to draft changes this year to the child protective system.
The proposed bills include:The bills still need approval by Human Services Director Susan Chandler, the attorney general's office and the governor. Then the department will present the bills to the Legislature.
Adding the definition of "abandoned infant" and "torture" to aggravated circumstances under which the state can speed up the process to remove a child.
"The most significant changes for children are the federal law requirements to move to permanency status as soon as possible, and not let the children drift in foster care for six, seven or eight years," said Jeanne Reinhart, children and youth specialist in the Department of Human Services.
Judy Lind, director of the Children's Advocacy Center, commented to the group: "We can talk about termination of rights all we want, but if we don't have enough families for these kids, what have you really done?"
The state continues to run a shortage on families willing to adopt or become foster parents to children removed from troubled homes.
Hawaii has about 320 children who currently need to be adopted, said Maryanne Magnier, deputy attorney general supervising family law. Hawaii also has 2,246 children in foster care with only 387 licensed foster homes, according to Child and Family Services, a private nonprofit agency.
Arakaki (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley) reminded participants that the goal for the upcoming legislative session is primarily prevention of child abuse and neglect.
A prime example of prevention that the state has repeatedly cut is Healthy Start, an internationally recognized program originated in Hawaii that helps mothers of at-risk newborns with parenting skills.
There has been no abuse in 99 percent and no neglect in 98 percent of the thousands of Hawaii families served by Healthy Start in the past decade. Yet Healthy Start's budget has been cut by 35 percent in the past few years.
"We end up paying for it anyway down the road with prisoners or mental health problems," Arakaki said.
New commander for Army in Pacific
The Army's Pacific Command will get a new commanding general next month with the appointment of Maj. Gen. Edwin P. Smith as head of nearly 40,000 soldiers and civilians in Hawaii and the Pacific.Smith, 53, is currently commanding general of the U.S. Southern European Task Force in Italy. His new assignment will mean that he will get his third star while at Fort Shafter.
This will be Smith's fourth Pacific area tour. He served at Camp Smith from 1991-93 as U.S. Pacific Command's deputy for readiness.
A Vietnam War veteran, Smith also served in South Korea from 1973-74.
At Pearl Harbor Naval Station, Capt. Henry Sanford recently was piped aboard as its new commanding officer.
Parents should fill out census survey
It's that time of year again when federal census survey cards are being sent home to be filled out by parents.Hawaii's public schools will distribute them to students tomorrow. Students are to return the cards the next day. The public schools could lose a significant amount of federal funding if the cards are not returned.
The annual public-school survey determines the number of students for whom the state receives impact aid funds for local tax losses resulting from tax-free military and other federal installations.
During the 1997-98 school year, the state counted more than 32,000 federally connected students and received about $25 million in federal impact aid, or $778 per student.
The state's average per pupil expenditure is about $5,800.
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Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffMan held for forcing way into apartment
Police this morning arrested a 24-year-old Makiki man who allegedly forced his way into his neighbor's apartment after being told his television was too loud.At about 12:30 a.m., the 51-year-old neighbor went to the suspect's Young Street apartment and asked him to turn the television volume down.
The man left after the suspect yelled and cursed at him, police said.
The suspect about 10 minutes later knocked at the man's door and started to verbally abuse him again, according to police.
The suspect then reached in through a window and unlocked the door.
Police arrived on scene and arrested the suspect inside the apartment.
Water-main break snarls Kalanianaole
A broken water main in Hawaii Kai this morning closed two town-bound lanes of Kalanianaole Highway, between Hawaii Kai Drive and Kawaihae Street.The water main broke at about 1 a.m., police said. Crews were expected to be working on the water main through the morning rush hour.
Young woman arrested in kidnap, beating
A 22-year-old woman was arrested yesterday in connection with the kidnapping and beating of a 27-year-old woman last month.Police are still searching for a second suspect.
The two suspects on Aug. 3 allegedly forced the woman to go to a remote area in Waialua, police said.
The woman was beaten, and her hair was cut off and clothes removed. She was left in the area.
Police arrested the suspect yesterday at a Haleiwa home.
No charges as yet for student with gun
A 17-year-old boy armed with a handgun, who barricaded himself in a Campbell High School classroom for more than an hour Sept. 21, has not been charged by police yet with any criminal offenses.Capt. Donna Andersen of the Criminal Investigation Division said police are continuing to track down statements from witnesses before pursuing charges.
The suspect has been released to the custody of his parents until the investigation is completed.
Kauai police officer on leave in threat case
LIHUE -- A Kauai police officer was arrested Saturday for terroristic threatening and intimidating a witness after allegedly confronting a Hanapepe woman who claimed the officer's girlfriend had trespassed on her property.Kauai police declined to release any details of the incident, but Chief George Freitas said the officer has been on administrative leave from the department "for some time."
Kauai Prosecutor Mike Soong said he is awaiting police reports before determining whether to press charges.
Burglars get cash from Big Isle tax office
HILO -- The Hawaii County Real Property Tax Office near the Hilo Civic Auditorium was burglarized at 3:12 a.m. today, police said.Police responding to an automatic alarm found no one at the site. Some money was stolen, and police were tabulating he amount.
Police have no suspects in hit-and-run death
WAILUKU -- Maui police are investigating the death of a 14-year-old boy who was struck by a hit-and-run driver on Sept. 15.Police Sgt. Jayson Kozaki said investigators have no suspects in the death of Shankar Benn of Haiku, but are looking into a few leads.
Benn, an eighth-grade student at Kalama Intermediate School, died Thursday morning at Kapiolani Hospital.
Benn was found by a neighbor after being struck on Ulumalu Road near Kaupakalua Road at about 6:45 p.m., police said.
HPD detective receives certificate of merit
Honolulu police Detective Richard Robinson yesterday received a certificate of merit for helping to pull a 53-year-old man from a vehicle burning on Farrington Highway in Nanakuli in August 1997.
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