Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Monday, August 9, 1999

O'o'a'a bird has seemingly become extinct Once common here in the late 1800s, the o'o'a'a bird symbolizes the lamentable tale of species extinction here. By 1928 the o'o'a'a was said to be rare, and by 1960 a survey turned up a mere dozen of the birds, according to Sheila Conant in "Atlas of Hawaii." In the early 1970s, a pair of o'o'a'a was spotted trying to raise their young in nests among the ohia trees of the Alakai Swamp, near Halehaha Stream. But a decade later, biologists keeping tabs on the pair reported hearing just one o'o'a'a, singing alone. Despite several expeditions to find o'o'a'a, none has been seen since 1987.

Foster parents plead not guilty of abuses

A Wahiawa couple today pleaded not guilty to charges that they sexually assaulted and physically abused their adopted foster children.

Freddie Yadao Jr., 45, and his wife, Sharon-Mae Yadao, 39, are being held on $150,000 and $40,000 bail, respectively.

Also pleading not guilty was Bruce McShane, 60, of Ewa Beach. McShane, a Waipahu Intermediate school security officer, is accused of touching his 14-year-old foster daughter inappropriately. He is being held on $60,000 bail.

All three face trial on the charges the week of Oct. 11.

The Department of Human Services' Child Welfare Branch is conducting reviews of the children's cases to determine whether licensing procedures for foster parents were followed.

Off-color business now can be shut for cause

Mayor Jeremy Harris has signed into law a measure that will allow the city to shut down massage parlors, hostess bars and nude strip bars where three or more prostitution offenses have occurred in a five-year period, according to city councilman Andy Mirikitani.

Mirikitani , who authored the "three strikes' measure, said the law will require the corporation counsel to shut down the businesses for up to a year and to collect costs incurred by the city in closing the establishments.

Youth group to perform at concert for peace

A group of 50 young envoys from 50 countries will share their message of peace and reconciliation in a free Honolulu concert Friday.

The World Vision Youth Ambassadors also will participate in a seminar on "Reconciliation and Global Citizenship" at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Center for Hawaiian Studies.

The young people's five-week tour is sponsored by World Vision, an international nonprofit humanitarian organization that does relief work and other projects in 90 countries. Many of the youths selected to travel and perform together as a learning experience are residents of countries torn by violence, poverty and religious persecution.

The youth group will perform in costumes of their homelands at 7 p.m. Friday at Central Union Church.

Members of the group will undertake a community project tomorrow, painting and cleaning the Waikiki Health Center.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Drive-by shooting leaves man with chest wound

A 19-year-old man wounded in a drive-by shooting early yesterday in Waipahu is in fair condition at Queen's Hospital.

Police are investigating the incident as attempted murder and reckless endangering.

The 12:15 a.m. shooting at 94-266 Kahuawai St. is related to an earlier fight between two groups near the intersection of Kahuawai and Kahuanui streets which may have been prompted by a traffic incident, police said. Witnesses reported the fight involved rock throwing.

The man, who was shot in the chest, arrived at the scene after the fight, police said.

The shots were fired at a group of six people from a black pickup truck, which fled the scene.

The suspects are still still at large.

Head-on collision fatal for Kauai woman, 52

Kauai police are investigating the cause of a fatal head-on collision 1:48 a.m. yesterday on Kaumaualii Highway near Koloa. According to investigators, a 52-year-old woman heading west crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a vehicle driven by a 22-year-old woman.

Both drivers were transferred to Wilcox Hospital. The 52-year-old, Margene Rainville of Koloa, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The other woman was treated and released.

The incident is the eighth traffic fatality of the year on Kauai.

Ewa Beach man, 46, hurt critically in moped crash

A 46-year-old Ewa Beach man was critically injured yesterday in a moped crash on Old Fort Weaver Road.

Police said speed appears to be a contributing factor in the 1:20 p.m. crash. The man, who is at Queen's Hospital with a neck injury, failed to negotiate a turn, police said. His moped went onto the shoulder of the roadway and struck a utility pole.

Three women arrested at massage parlor

Police charged three women with prostitution after they allegedly propositioned undercover officers Friday at a Sheridan Street massage parlor.

Mi-Ran Slayton, 40; Yong Sanchez, 32; and Platthana Fitzgerald, 34, were arrested at Happy Hands Relaxation at 818 Sheridan St.

Bail for Slayton, who is also charged with third-degree theft, is $2,000. Sanchez's bail for two counts of prostitution is $750, while bail for Fitzgerald is $250.

"It's an ongoing problem," Narcotics/Vice Division Capt. Darryl Perry said. "We're trying to make sure the massage places are legal agencies and not fronts for brothels."

Big Isle firefighters' hands full in Kohala

Firefighters were still out this morning making sure hot spots do not flare into another major brush fire in the Big Island's south Kohala area. The fire was contained this weekend.

The brush fire burned an estimated 15,000 acres of land owned by the state and Parker Ranch and a portion used by the Army National Guard for training at Pohakuloa.

Firefighters have been battling the blaze in Kohala since Wednesday.

Another, 1,000-acre fire in Kau was also contained this weekend.