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Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, March 15, 2000

Tax help available
for low-income families

Low-income families in Hawaii can get up to $3,816 from the Internal Revenue Service by taking advantage of the earned income tax credit, but many aren't aware of it.

To help them take advantage of the credit, volunteers will help such families prepare tax returns, for free, on Wednesday, March 15, at Kuhio Park Terrace.

This will be the first time the service is being provided at Hawaii's largest public housing complex.

Volunteers from the American Association of Retired Persons, in association with Parents and Children Together and the Kuhio Park management, will be on hand from 1 to 3 p.m. in front of Building B.

The tax credit is a benefit to people who work, but earn less than needed to rise above the poverty line.

A family, including single parents, with two or more children, earning less than $30,580 can get up to $3,816 in credits. A family with one child and less than $26,928 in earnings can get up to $2,312. A single person or married couple without children, earning less than $10,200, can get up to $347.

For information, call Brian Ezuka or David Butts at 842-7093.

Nishimura benefit
set for March 26

A benefit for Honolulu police Capt. Alvin Nishimura has been scheduled for March 26 and will feature Pure Heart, Frank DeLima, Makaha Sons and Kapena.

Nishimura, a 28-year veteran of the force, suffers from a form of leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.

Tickets for the event are $25 and are available at all Tickets Plus outlets, Foodland, Sack-N-Save, Tempo Music Stores and by phone at 526-4400.

The $25 includes food and a chance at the door prizes.

DOT urges drivers
to slow down

"Speed Kills." That's the message the state Department of Transportation is trying to get across this month in television advertisements aimed at making drivers slow down.

Speeding is also expensive.

State Farm Insurance says speeding violations can significantly increase the cost of auto insurance. The company is teaming with the DOT to get that message across as part of a yearlong traffic safety program, "Drive Safely, Arrive Alive."

Excessive speed is the main reason for fatal crashes on Oahu -- 36 last year, according to officials.

"Aside from the incalculable cost in lives, we estimate that the economic loss each year due to traffic crashes is more than $200 million -- a cost of $300 to each person in Hawaii," said DOT director Kazu Hayashida.

The chance of a motorist being seriously injured or dying in a crash doubles for every 10 mph driven over 50 mph.

In a recent statewide survey by the DOT, more than 50 percent of Hawaii drivers said they generally drive 5 miles over the speed limit on the highway, while another 23 percent drives 10 mph above the limit.

University of Hawaii Professor Leon James, who teaches traffic psychology, advises drivers to check their speedometers every 15 seconds or so, reading the number out loud.

Whale group seeks dismissal of charges

WAILUKU -- An attorney said he intends to seek dismissal of the 91 misdemeanor charges against the Pacific Whale Foundation because there is no state law that fits the alleged violations.

Robert Frame said the prosecution alleges the foundation violated state law by approaching within 100 yards of humpback whales from Jan. 4 through Feb. 2, 1998.

Frame said there is a federal law but no state law forbidding a vessel from approaching within 100 yards of a humpback whale.

The trial is scheduled for May 22 before Maui Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza.

Cardoza denied a motion to dismiss the charges yesterday but allowed the defense to file a new motion.

Mother fails probation twice, jailed for 5 years

A woman convicted of welfare fraud has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Circuit Judge Richard Perkins ordered Monica Nixon, mother of four minor children, to serve the five-year maximum jail term for violating her probation a second time.

Nixon was found guilty of welfare fraud on May 21, 1997, for lying about her living arrangements to receive welfare payments for more than nine months.

She had been sentenced to five years probation, ordered to pay $11,288 at the rate of at least $50 a month, get a job or go to school, and submit to drug testing. When she failed to abide by the terms, the court sentenced her to 90 days in jail, and a second five-year probation.

After failing to follow the second probation, the court handed down the maximum sentence.

Atherton YMCA hosts Nike sale as fund-raiser

The Atherton YMCA will host a Nike apparel and footwear sale Friday as a fund-raiser.

First-quality factory samples will be available from Nike's collections of men's and women's running, cross-training, ACG, tennis and golf.

The sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Atherton Richards Building at 1810 University Ave.

Donations will also be accepted to support the only student YMCA in Hawaii. For information, call 946-0253 or email darrahc@hawaii.rr.com

State further expands Kualoa artificial reef

The state has added another barge-load of concrete forms to the Kualoa artificial reef, about a mile off Kaaawa, to provide new habitat for marine life.

The Kualoa reef, created in 1972, is the largest of five established in the state.

"This will make the fourth barge-load of habitat forms, totaling more than 2,400 tons, that we have added to the Kualoa reef since December, 1999," said William Devick, Aquatic Resources Division administrator for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

AlohaCare joins health-care association

AlohaCare, created in 1993 to ensure that low-income Hawaii families have access to health care, has joined forces with 15 health plans across the nation to develop a national agenda to work for medically underserved people.

The new Association for Health Center Affiliated Health Plans will establish an office in Washington, D.C., with some start-up funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

The association will distribute information about state-sponsored managed care programs and practices and work to ensure development of health plans affiliated with community health centers.

AlohaCare was established to ensure Hawaii's low-income families will always be guaranteed access to high quality health care.

The 16 health plans coordinate health coverage for more than 850,000 people, mostly in Medicaid and Child Health Insurance Programs.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Burglary suspects caught in Manoa Stream

Police captured two burglary suspects in Manoa Stream yesterday following a mile-long foot chase.

The men, ages 24 and 29, were arrested for first-degree burglary.

The younger man was later released pending further investigation. The older suspect, who has a Kapahulu address, is still in police custody.

A man returned to his East Manoa Road home at noon yesterday and noticed louvers missing. He went to a neighbor's home to call police when he heard suspicious noise inside his house.

The suspects fled the home as patrol units were arriving. Three witnesses pointed police in the right direction and the suspects were chased down by officers.

Jewelry and coins stolen from the home were recovered.

Maui care home official faces abuse charges

WAILUKU -- A care home official on Maui faces charges stemming from allegedly abusing a female client who has Down's syndrome.

Robert L. Parrish, 51, vice president of Parrish Pacific Inc., was scheduled to be arraigned today in Maui Circuit Court.

A Maui grand jury indicted Parrish last week on second-and third-degree sexual assault and kidnapping of the 22-year-old woman on Oct. 12, 1999.

Parrish has been prohibited from personally providing care services to those in the Kahului home since the allegation of abuse arose in October, said Diane Okumura, a state health official.

Help sought in catching Big Island vandals

HILO -- Police are asking for help in catching vandals who have used a BB gun to shoot out windows and a paint ball gun to deface property.

The vandalism began Friday with broken windows at businesses and damage to cars, they said. The value so far has been several thousand dollars.

Anyone with information is asked to call Big Island police at 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.

Ill boat crewman listed in good condition

The ill crewman who was airlifted Monday from his fishing vessel 80 miles off Kauai is in good condition at Wilcox Hospital in Lihue.

He was airlifted to Lihue Airport by a Coast Guard helicopter after suffering severe abdominal pain and vomiting blood.

According to a hospital spokeswoman, he is "conscious and comfortable."

Fire damages home, kills family dog

A fire killed a family dog and caused $210,000 damage to a Kalihi Valley home yesterday.

No people were at the Murphy Street home when the blaze started at 6:03 p.m., fire Capt. Richard Soo said. The four-member family is being assisted today by the Red Cross.

The fire began in the bathroom and does not look suspicious, fire officials said.

No other injuries were reported.

Death at Ala Wai Harbor believed accidental

Police believe the death of a man who apparently drowned in the Ala Wai Boat Harbor was accidental.

The body of the 64-year-old man was found in the harbor at about 5:10 a.m. today. The man had been hired to do work on a sailboat in the harbor. The owner of the boat discovered the body.