Dozens of firefighters battled a blaze this morning that destroyed a large abandoned house in Manoa. Neighbors said the two-story home at 2509 Alaula Way is owned by former Sen. Richard "Ike" Sutton. Seven fire companies had the 6:15 a.m. blaze under control in about 15 minutes. Police and neighbors said teen-agers from around the island frequent the house because of rumors that it is haunted. The fire forced the closure of several streets in Manoa, causing gridlock all around the university. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
More than $55,625 from Hawaii has gone to Yugoslavia crisis refugee assistance since March 30, the Red Cross says. Isle residents chip in
to help Kosovo needy"Hawaii residents are very concerned about this tragedy and are doing something concrete to help by contributing to the Red Cross," said Lynn Carey, Hawaii chapter community support manager.
Tax-deductible contributions may be made to: American Red Cross, International Response Fund, c/o Hawaii State Chapter, 4155 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu 96816.
For credit-card contributions, call 739-8109 or visit www.redcross.org and choose "International Response Fund."
The Salvation Army is also collecting financial donations to help refugees.Donations make by check should be marked "Kosovo Relief," be made payable to The Salvation Army World Service Office, and sent to P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, Va. 22313.
Credit card donations may be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
Zoo's new rhino pair might breed
Honolulu Zoo has acquired a potential breeding pair of black rhinoceroses.The 12-year-old male, named Corky, arrived March 10 from Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas, the zoo said.
His prospective mate, Satsuki, who is nearly 4, arrived March 19 from Asa Zoological Park in Hiroshima, Japan.
Meanwhile, East continued to meet West as two male black rhinos were shipped to Japan March 13 -- one to Hiroshima and the other to Nagoya.
Black rhinos actually are dark gray. They are highly endangered from excess hunting and loss of habitat, and have been reduced by 90 percent since 1970, from 65,000 to under 2,400.
Cayetanos in Japan for festival, parade
Gov. Ben Cayetano and first lady Vicky Cayetano are in Kofu City, Japan, where they will represent Hawaii at the Takeda Shingen Festival and Samurai Parade on Saturday.As parade participants, they will be wearing traditional Japanese costumes provided by the Yamanashi Prefecture government.
The governor and first lady are guests of Gov. Ken Amano and the prefecture government, which is paying for their travel and hotel expenses.
The Cayetanos left on their goodwill trip yesterday, and are scheduled to return to Honolulu on Sunday.
Shark-fin cutting practice to continue
Fishermen profiting from the sale of shark fins will continue doing business in Hawaii after lawmakers yesterday backed off a measure to regulate the controversial practice.The practice of cutting off a shark's fin and discarding the rest of the sometimes still-living fish back into the ocean will continue after a Senate committee rejected legislation requiring isle-based fishermen to bring the entire shark to port.
The Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs Committee deadlocked 3-3 on the measure. The bill earlier had been approved by the House.
Rep. Brian Schatz (D-Makiki-Tantalus) called its defeat "a triumph of short-term thinking."
Honolulu fisheries lab wins national award
The Honolulu Laboratory of the National Marine Fisheries Service has won a national award for an unprecedented partnership that cleaned up six tons of marine debris in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.The laboratory organized 11 state, federal, city and private organizations for the project last November.
Sen. Daniel Inouye last night presented Vice President Al Gore's National Performance Review Hammer Award to the laboratory and each participant. The occasion also marked the laboratory's 50th anniversary.
The award recognizes significant efforts at reinventing government by partnering with other government agencies, private and academic organizations to maximize resources and reduce costs.
The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands marine reef cleanup team saved an estimated $920,000 in government costs in removing debris threatening the reef _ critical habitat for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, sea turtles and other fisheries resources.
"This netting and other stuff balls up and rolls over the coral reef areas, raising havoc with the reef ecosystem," said Michael Laurs, lab director.
The partnership will be part of a continuing program to protect the reef, he said.
Thieves spoil wedding; visitor group to help
The Visitor Society of Hawaii is trying to help a San Francisco woman whose Hawaiian wedding plans have been spoiled by thieves.Ellen Wilderom, who plans to marry Richard Clements on Saturday, had her wedding dress stolen from a rental car at Kapiolani Park. The bride wears a size 6 or 8 dress. The society seeks the return of the dress or the loan of another one. The visitors also hope for the return of a small stuffed bassett hound, a family keepsake.
To help, call926-8274.
Navy frigate will join Merrie Monarch fest
The Navy frigate USS Crommelin will spend this weekend in Hilo, participating in the annual Merrie Monarch Festival.The Crommelin's crew will host public tours of the ship, install equipment at a playground in Hilo and participate in the Merrie Monarch parade.
WAILUKU -- Police detectives are continuing to investigate the disappearance of a woman whose husband said she was fatally bitten by a shark after their rented wind-blown kayak was pushed off a Maui shoreline on March 18. Shark inquiry
By Gary Kubota, Star-BulletinPolice Lt. Glenn Cuomo said detectives have been talking with relatives of the missing woman, Nahid Davoodabai, in the United States and in Iran.
Her husband, Manouchehr Monazzami-Taghadomi, left Maui on March 25, saying he planned to fly to Iran to talk with her relatives, Cuomo said.
Cuomo said he saw Monazzami interviewed on two national TV magazine news shows last week.
The couple lived in Sunnyvale, Calif. Monazzami said the trip to Maui was to show his gratitude to her for moving from Iran to the United States.
Corrections
Thomas M. Driskill Jr. became president and chief executive officer of Hawaii Health Systems Corp. on Aug. 1, 1997, not last August as stated in a "Hawaii's World" column by A.A. Symser April 6.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Search] [Info] section for subscription information.
Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffJewelry store robbed by suspect on loose
Police are searching for a man who robbed a Pearl City jewelry store yesterday.The owner of Articulate Heirloom Jewelry at 945 Kamehameha Highway told police he was robbed while opening the business at 10:20 a.m.
The suspect is a thin man, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 130 to 140 pounds with a mustache, dark complexion and black hair.
He was wearing a dark-colored shirt and shorts.
Indoor growers busted in pakalolo eradication
HILO -- Police discovered an indoor marijuana growing operation in Hawaiian Acres subdivision south of Hilo during eradication operations yesterday, they said.Executing a search warrant, police arrested a man, 53, and his wife, 45, and seized 2,430 plants, 3.6 pounds of dried marijuana and growing paraphernalia. The suspects are being held pending investigation.
In the overall eradication, police seized 14,005 marijuana plants in various parts of the Puna District, bringing the total for three days to 24,752 plants, they said.
Two suspected robbers face several charges
Two men were arrested for allegedly forcing their way into a Piikoi Street home and demanding money.At 10:30 p.m. the two suspects, 20 and 50, demanded money from a man, 41, woman, 32, and boy, 7, who live at the home, police said.
The suspects earlier in the night went to the home and demanded money from the woman.
The men were booked for two counts of first-degree burglary, three counts of kidnapping and second-degree robbery.
In other news ...
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Search] [Info] section for subscription information.
