Injunction filed in pyramid scheme case
A federal judge in Nevada has slapped a preliminary injunction on a company accused by Hawaii and five other states of running a pyramid scheme.The injunction replaced an earlier temporary restraining order. Judge Johnnie Rawlinson filed the preliminary injunction Sept. 14.
The lawsuit filed Aug. 3 claimed Las Vegas-based Equinox International Corp. was operating in violation of federal and state laws.
The suit asked the judge to halt unfair and deceptive trade practices by Equinox.
Rawlinson initially responded by issuing a temporary restraining order against the company, related companies and their principal owner, William Gould.
The judge ordered Equinox to stop making material misrepresentations or omissions regarding recruited participants' income, competition, expenses and likelihood of success pending trial, which will begin April 30.
Needy to receive farm-raised fish
The fish of kings is also food for the needy.Some 1,700 pounds of moi grown in underwater cages has been donated to the Hawaii Foodbank.
Moi is being raised off of Ewa Beach by the University of Hawaii's Sea Grant College and the Oceanic Institute in a research project aimed at developing new export items for Hawaii's aquaculture industry.
Moi, or Pacific threadfin, was raised in old Hawaii as a delicacy for royalty. Today, farm-raised moi from the Big Island has become a favorite with island restaurant chefs and is sometimes available in supermarkets.
The Ewa-raised fish, however, is not being sold commercially. Anything in excess of research needs is going to the needy, said Leslie Allen, director of development for the Foodbank.
The Foodbank's initial stash arrived this week and is stored in its giant freezer, Allen said.
Senior health care specialist to speak
An authority on elderly service programs will speak at a community forum from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 8 at the state Capitol auditorium.Rick T. Zawadski, senior partner at R.T.Z. Associates in Oakland, Calif., was research director of On Lok Senior Health Services in San Francisco from 1975-1988.
He provided the impetus for the national PACE Replication Program on On Lok and worked with providers in development and management of innovative programs, such as information systems for adult day health care, software solutions for long-term care providers and a Web site for long-term care consumers.
The forum is co-sponsored by the Joint Legislative Committee on Long-term Care Financing, the Hawaii Pacific Gerontological Society and the Adult Day Centers of Hawaii Inc.
Hawaii Foodbank names development director
Leslie Allen, who has more than eight years of fund development experience, is Hawaii Foodbank's new director of development.Her career includes work in development at the Hawaiian Humane Society and Hawaii Public Radio. Allen will coordinate all development activities for Hawaii Foodbank -- the Annual Food Drive, Patriots Celebration, direct mail campaigns, planned giving and community relations.
The nonprofit Hawaii Foodbank collects groceries from the community and food industry and distributes them to charities helping those in need.
Judge gives tour boats Hanalei Bay extension
A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Land and Natural Resources from taking any action against two commercial tour companies that operate in Kauai's Hanalei Bay.Hanalei Sport Fishing and Na Pali Catamarans allege the state has refused to extend their permits to operate tours because of Gov. Ben Cayetano's "edict" banning commercial tour boat operations in Hanalei Bay that began Thursday.
The tour companies say the edict amounted to rule-making under the state's administrative rules act and did not allow for public input.
In granting the temporary restraining order, Judge Susan Oki Mollway noted that serious questions exist as to whether the state implemented the rule without public comment.
She also said allowing the companies to operate for another seven days would not significantly increase the risk of harm to the state and the environment.
State agencies name districts' best teachers
The Board of Education and the Department of Education honored the seven district teachers of the year at a luncheon yesterday.They are:
Nuuanu Elementary technology specialist Kelvin Y.S. Chun, Honolulu District.
Each teacher will receive a $250 cash award from the Polynesian Cultural Center.
The board on Oct. 7 will choose one of the seven to be State Teacher of the Year.
That teacher will receive $1,000 and will represent Hawaii in a national contest.
Kuhio Highway signal to be fixed tomorrow
Kauai motorists are advised that a traffic signal at Kuhio Highway and Kuamoo Road intersection will not be operating tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Emergency repairs will be made to the signal. Two off-duty police officers will control traffic.
Update
Contaminated tea unlikely to spur case
Not much has came from an investigation of an Aug. 22 incident in which a 6-year-old Kaneohe boy ingested an alkaline substance in a bottle of iced tea."There's no indication there's product tampering based on what we know now," an FBI spokesman said.
The tea in the bottle was found to have a high alkali content, which the manufacturer said does happen, he said. No other such incidents here have been reported, the spokesman added.
"There isn't much we could do on this," he said.
The boy's mother had purchased the iced tea earlier at a Kaneohe market.
The FBI became the lead investigative agency after police and state health officials began looking into it. The boy went to Kapiolani Hospital. The Health Department a few days later said it didn't appear the child was seriously injured "by the product or the contamination."
The boy was able to return home from Kapiolani a few hours after he ingested the substance.
Harold Morse, Star-Bulletin
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Woman aimed gun then drove at man, police say
A 32-year-old woman was arrested yesterday for allegedly threatening a former boyfriend with a gun and hitting him with her Jeep.The woman went to the man's Waimanalo home and started an argument at 12:30 p.m., police said. After the man, 56, asked her to leave, she got into her Jeep and spun its tires.
When he told her to stop, she allegedly aimed a handgun at him and threatened to kill him, according to police. As he took cover behind the vehicle, she reversed. He moved, but she steered into him, pointed the gun at him again and left, police said.
She was arrested for second-degree attempted murder and first-degree terroristic threatening.
Two Kaimuki High teens facing felony charges
Two 16-year-old boys were arrested at Kaimuki High School yesterday in two unrelated felony cases.One teen was arrested for throwing a rock at a teacher, bruising the teacher's right eye, police said. The teen was booked for second-degree assault.
The other teen was arrested for reportedly calling in a bomb threat to the school, police said. The teen was booked for first-degree terroristic threatening.
Waipahu murder suspect to stand trial as adult
The 17-year-old suspect in last month's murder of Vaovai Faateleupu in Waipahu will be tried as an adult.Family Court Judge Dan Kochi yesterday waived Matthew Palaita's rights as a juvenile. Palaita then was arrested and charged with second-degree murder as an adult. He is being held on $100,000 bail. Faateleupu, 20, was shot at the Leokane Street 7-Eleven Aug. 6.
3 pounds meth seized; three face drug charges
Three men yesterday were charged on federal counts of possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine.Cain Kale Chun, 23, Darren Peter Hao, 29, and Roylan Masao Tashiro, 38, were arrested by police and FBI agents Thursday night on Oahu. Investigators seized 3.2 pounds of crystal meth, seven weapons, two vehicles, currency and jewelry after executing federal search warrants at two undisclosed residences and on two vehicles.
Maui police seek man in wife's fatal stabbing
WAILUKU -- Maui police detectives this morning were looking for a 42-year-old man wanted as a suspect in a fatal stabbing last night in Waiehu Terrace in Wailuku.The man allegedly stabbed his wife at home on Nakuluai Street, said police Sgt. Barry Aoki.
He said the woman's 18-year-old daughter reported the stabbing about 6:33 p.m. The woman had a temporary restraining order against the man, Aoki said.
