Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, May 5, 1999

May 13 seminar to
address teen violence

Hawaii Youth for Christ has joined the crusade to reduce teen violence by launching the Center for Parenting Teens in Crisis.

The center will present a seminar featuring Ralph Fry, founder of the educational Parent Project Inc., at 9 a.m. May 13 at the Waikiki Terrace Hotel, 2045 Kalakaua Ave.

Fry is a retired police sergeant who received the California Governor's Award of Excellence for Outstanding Contributions in Crime Prevention.

County probation departments in Idaho report one-year recidivism rates as low as 4 percent after requiring affected families to attend Parent Project classes.

To make reservations for the free seminar here, call 836-0600.

Affordable-housing
bills move

Two bills designed to open the affordable-housing market to all home buyers during a two-year experiment are moving through the City Council.

Mayor Jeremy Harris' version reduces the city buyback restriction from 10 years to three for those who already bought an affordable home, a move favored by Council Planning Chairwoman Rene Mansho.

A second version, introduced by Council Zoning Chairwoman Donna Mercado Kim, does not include any easing of restrictions that force home buyers to sell their affordable units to the city during the first 10 years. Both versions moved out of the Council Zoning Committee.

Kim yesterday said she has serious reservations about relaxing buyback restrictions but did not rule out the possibility that such a stipulation would be included before one of the bills becomes law if the need can be shown.

Affordable-housing units are ones required by the city to be set aside by developers for people meeting certain income levels.

Developers say sales of affordable units are slow because market-priced homes now cost nearly the same.

Gov picks acting subs for Bronster, Anzai

Gov. Ben Cayetano has announced that First Deputy Attorney General Thomas Rick Keller will serve as acting attorney general and Deputy Director Wayne Kimura will serve as acting budget director.

Both will serve until the governor appoints a new attorney general and budget director.

For the time being, they will replace Attorney General Margery Bronster and Budget Director Earl Anzai.

Isle native named SBA inspector general

WASHINGTON -- Phyllis K. Fong, the great-niece of one of Hawaii's first U.S.senators, Hiram Fong (Oren Long was the other), was confirmed by Sen. Fong's former colleagues as inspector general of the Small Business Administration.

Phyllis Fong, a Hawaii native, has worked for the SBA for the past 15 years, most recently as assistant inspector general. As inspector general, she will be responsible for conducting audits and reviews of all SBA activities.

Fong, 45, was confirmed by the Senate yesterday.

Student CrimeStoppers hopes to help schools

A Student CrimeStoppers line has been created to help curb crime and problems in schools, police and school officials said today.

Since a pilot program was approved in March 1997, Student CrimeStoppers has received 31 tips. Three tips were eligible for cash rewards. All tipsters can remain anonymous.

Student CrimeStoppers may pay up to $100 per call that leads to a serious-crime arrest, indictment, school disciplinary action or recovery of property and narcotics.

The Student CrimeStoppers line is 955-8300.

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



By Star-Bulletin staff

School incidents include threats, phony bomb

Police recovered a phony bomb yesterday at Damien High School, and a Washington intermediate student was arrested for threats at his school.

Damien school officials discovered the device at 8:30 a.m., police said. Bomb technicians were called, and it was determined to be a fake bomb. Last week, a fake bomb was found at Radford High School.

At Washington Intermediate, a student was arrested yesterday for reportedly threatening last week to bring a gun to school and shoot everyone, police said.

Sticks thrown at cars get two youths arrested

Police yesterday arrested two boys for allegedly throwing sticks at cars in Wahiawa, nearly causing one motorist to crash.

The boys were reportedly throwing sticks at cars driving north on Kamehameha Highway near the Karsten Thot Bridge at 4:35 p.m., police said.

One car, driven by a 36-year-old woman, was hit causing the windshield to shatter, police said. She swerved, almost crashing into a car.

Police charge man in pawn shop robbery

Police yesterday charged a 39-year-old man in connection with the February robbery of a Koapaka Street pawn shop.

Faima Faletogo, who has no address, was charged with first-degree robbery and kidnapping, police said. He is being held on $40,000 bail.

25-year-old man wanted for probation violation

Police are trying to locate 25-year-old Melvin "Beep" Quartero, who is wanted for violating terms of his probation and for questioning on several forgery cases.

Quartero is known to frequent the Chinatown area as well as Kalihi.

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