Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Monday, January 10, 2000

Turbulence hurts nine
on Tokyo-Honolulu 747

Nine people, including an infant, suffered what appeared to be "relatively minor injuries" when a Honolulu-bound United Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence about one hour out of Tokyo.

Flight 826 landed safely at Honolulu Airport this morning, United spokesman Andy Plews said from Chicago.

Plews says five of 18 flight attendants aboard the 747 aircraft, which was carrying 227 passengers, complained of injuries. Three passengers and an infant were also affected.

Emergency Medical Services personnel treated the injured people at Honolulu Airport. Three flight attendants and the infant were sent to hospitals.

DLNR beach restoration seminar set Thursday

Coastal erosion and beach loss have reached "alarming" proportions in Hawaii, according to Sam Lemmo, coastal lands manager for the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Funding for beach restoration will be the topic for a seminar, sponsored by DLNR at 2 p.m. Thursday, at the DLNR Kalanimoku Building, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 132.

On Oahu, 17 miles, or about 25 percent, of the island's beaches have been narrowed or lost during the past 70 years. On Maui, the loss is nearly 30 percent, Lemmo said.

"Beach loss seriously impacts all of us. When beaches erode, shoreline access is lost. Protection from storms and tsunami lessens," Lemmo said. "Recreation and cultural activities become limited, coastal habitat is impacted and our visitor economy suffers."

For information: 587-0414.

Taking Notice

Grants and donations

The Hawaii Community Foundation has given $15,000 to the Hawaii office of Mothers Against Drunk Driving to fund the Youth Victim Impact Panel Program for high school students.

The Cooke Foundation has donated $50,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii for the start-up of it's newest unit, the Waimea Clubhouse on Kauai.

The Volcano Art Center has received funds from the Samuel and Mary Castle Foundation ($25,000), the Cooke Foundation ($150,000), Atherton Foundation ($100,000), James and Abigail Campbell Foundation ($10,000), and the Bank of Hawaii Foundation ($10,000) to build new arts and environmental education classrooms, studios and administrative facilities at the Niaulani site in Volcano village.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has awarded four Americorps grants to Hawaii totaling $501,851, according to Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink. The state formula grants will be awarded over a three-year period to the Judiciary, the Maui Economic Opportunity's YouthBank Program, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii's Discovery Box Program, and the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii's Access to Justice Project.

Mink also announced that the U.S Department of Justice has awarded Hawaii a Byrne Formula Grant for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, totaling $28,434 and $3,164,000 respectively. The Byrne program partners federal, state and local government to create safer communities and curb domestic violence.

Robin Campaniano, president and CEO of AIG Hawaii Insurance Co., has donated $10,000 to the University of Hawaii Center for Philippine Studies and Operation Manong. He is also president of the UH Alumni Association.

AT&T has presented a $10,000 grant to the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in recognition of the center's fifth anniversary. The amount brings AT&T's donation over the last three years to $27,000.

The Friends of Iolani Palace have been given half of a $100,000 grant from the Atherton Family Foundation for the Iolani Palace Galleries. The final payment will be made in December 2000.

Other major donors include Muriel Flanders ($300,000), the Hawaii Tourism Authority ($25,000), and the Hawaii Community Foundation ($20,000 from the Lowell Dillingham and Kosasa family funds).

The Atherton Family Foundation has donated $5,000 to Winners at Work Inc. The funds will support Winners' division of training and research to increase employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The Hawaiian Electric Industries Charitable Foundation, through a grant of $15,000 to the American Cancer Society, has continued to sponsor "Changing the Course" nutrition education programs for children.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Ewa Beach man charged in Pearlridge bank heist

Kevin Richard Benoza, 28, of Ewa Beach was charged today in a federal complaint with Friday's robbery of Bank of Honolulu's Pearlridge branch.

The suspect was in possession of a dye pack which exploded and traces of evidence were found under Benoza's fingernails, says the FBI complaint.

Police arrest 3, looking for link in shooting case

Police seized two guns and ammunition Saturday from a green sports truck that matches the description of a vehicle that fled the scene of a shooting last week in Ewa Beach.

Police stopped the vehicle at 12:30 p.m. on reports that a man in the truck was displaying a gun.

Guns were found under the driver and passenger seats, and a bag containing ammunition was found in the back seat. The guns had not been reported stolen, but they had not been registered to anyone in the vehicle, police said. Two 20-year-old men and a boy, 17, were arrested for firearm offenses.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the truck and guns are connected to a late-night shooting Jan. 3 on Manakuke Street.

A man, 50, told police he was forced off the roadway by a green vehicle that bumped his moped from behind. Shots were fired from the vehicle at the man while he was on the ground, police said.

Police recovered four shell casings at the scene and a bullet that was lodged in the moped.

Woman beaten seriously; boyfriend is arrested

A 22-year-old Waipahu man was arrested by police yesterday for questioning about the serious injuries of his girlfriend, who is hospitalized at St. Francis-West with a lacerated liver and bruised kidney.

The woman, 22, was taken to the hospital yesterday after complaining of internal bleeding. She also has injuries to her eardrum.

The woman told police her boyfriend repeatedly punched and kicked her late Friday night and early Saturday morning during a domestic dispute at their Pupukoae Street residence.

He then forced her to stay with him in the residence because he feared she would report the incident to police, the woman told investigators. First-degree assault charges are pending.