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Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Friday, May 19, 2000

Probe into Taiwanese
woman’s disappearance
focuses on foul play

By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Since coming to Hawaii about two months ago, Ming Fang Lee has been doing volunteer work at a company in hopes of landing a full-time job.

Lee led a "pretty clean life" with no apparent substance-abuse problems, say police sources investigating the disappearance of the 32-year-old woman from Taiwan.

An extensive three-day search in Lanikai produced no trace of the woman, who was reported missing Monday night.

The search effort has been suspended, but police are continuing their investigation focusing on foul play.

Two separate witnesses told police they saw a roadside confrontation involving an Asian woman and Caucasian man between 8 and 8:30 p.m. Monday on Aalapapa Drive near Onekea Drive.

If it were not for the confrontation reports, police would be leaning more toward drowning as a possibility, the source said.

Lee had been living with a couple in Waikiki who left recently for a vacation. About a week ago, Lee began staying at a Lanikai home on Mokulua Drive. Police said Lee maintained contact with other people and was going back and forth between Waikiki and Lanikai.

Police found Lee's beach towel, hat, book and suntan lotion on the beach Monday night.

Group urges new tack for isle drug offenders

A native Hawaiian group, PONO, is asking the state to consider alternatives to prison for persons convicted of drug offenses.

Shane Pale -- noting that native Hawaiians are twice as likely to be imprisoned after arrest and represent more than 40 percent of the inmate population, according to 1998 statistics -- said at a news conference at the state Capitol yesterday that more programs should be offered to help.

For instance, he said, money should go to build drug treatment prevention facilities "that will provide holistic and culturally appropriate rehabilitation programs." And he said a special task force should be set up to study the high incarceration rate of native Hawaiians.

Pale, who is a volunteer counselor at the Halawa Correctional Facility, said the state should look at drug use as a medical, not a criminal, problem.

Inventive isle students to show off their ideas

Students who created ways to enhance life with a musical toothbrush, an automatic fish feeder and a bug-less torch lamp will compete at the Invention Convention.

The work of 42 finalists will be displayed from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at Kahala Mall, and the young inventors will be there to talk about their creations.

The winners will be determined by judges who include engineers, military personnel, educators and representatives of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division.

Hundreds of Oahu public school students between kindergarten and eighth grade entered the competition which is co-sponsored by the Hawaiian Electric Co. and Department of Education. Maui students will compete for the first time this year.

Winners from each school district will receive medallions and $50 savings bonds.

Safe Boating Week events start tomorrow

Safe Boating Week runs from tomorrow through next Friday, and this year's slogan is "Boat Smart from the Start. Wear Your Life Jacket!"

As part of the observation, activities are planned for this weekend:

Tomorrow, there will be an 8 a.m.-4 p.m. open house at Pacific Ocean Producers, Pier 35 Marine Center; a 9 a.m. vessel safety check at Pier 9 at Aloha Tower Marketplace, and tours there of a 110-foot Coast Guard patrol boat from 10 a.m.-4 p.m..

Sunday, the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. tours continue at Pier 9, and there will be a 10 a.m.-4 p.m. showing of a cutaway boat at Windward Mall.

A 41-foot Coast Guard utility boat will lead a 1 p.m. Memorial Boat Parade Pier 9 to Waikiki and back.

Cancer Society gets McDonald grant

The American Cancer Society has received an $8,000 grant from the Ronald McDonald House Charities-Hawaii for the annual Families Can Sur Vive Camp.

Six-year-old Sy Yoshida, and his parents, Gilbert and Cindy, accepted the check on behalf of the cancer society. Sy met Ronald McDonald at Kapiolani Children's Hospital while there for his weekly chemotherapy session.

Camp director Debra Glowik said the grant will help start a new program to help families whose children have been newly diagnosed with cancer.

Friendship Force cultural exchange seeks volunteers

Oahu residents are invited to participate in an international exchange program involving 150 Friendship Force chapters.

The nonprofit, voluntary organization seeks to foster understanding through cultural exchanges and homestay experiences.

The Friendship Force of Honolulu is planning a visit to Australia in late October and a homestay exchange to Germany in September, 2001. Call local chapter President Leta Wright, 949-1295.

Correction Results in Wednesday's sports section from the Hawaii High School Athletic Association track championship had the incorrect order of runners on the winning Kamehameha boys' 4x400 relay team. The order was: Travis Ah King, Nainoa Spencer, Michael Castellano and Landon Castellano.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

At least 6 gambling
houses are raided

At least six gambling establishments in the downtown and surrounding areas were raided yesterday by federal and local law-enforcement authorities.

Officers and agents from the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service and the police swept through several alleged gambling halls on Maunakea Street, Rycroft and Sheridan streets, Nimitz Highway and Kekaulike Street and the 100 block of North King Street. A number of people were arrested.

A business owner on Kekaulike Street said she wasn't surprised by the bust and has known about the illegal activities for a while. A lei shop owner on Maunakea said he was shaken by the sight of dozens of law enforcement officers in full SWAT-type gear, raiding the alleged gambling house at 6 p.m.

He added that the people who ran the establishment were generally good neighbors with the exception of a few parking problems. Both business owners said they did not want to be identified.

FBI special agent John Gillies said the bust was a result of "several years" of investigation.

An INS official said a "small number" of those arrested were illegal aliens, but the agent would not disclose how many or their nationalities.

Some of the suspects were expected to make their first court appearances this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney's office called a news conference at 2 p.m. today to discuss details of the raids.

Man shot with pellet gun identifies shooter

Police arrested a 22-year-old man for allegedly attacking another man in Kalihi with a pellet gun yesterday.

The victim, 21, was retrieving his dog when he was reportedly punched and shot in the head near Umi and North King streets at 9:15 a.m., police said.

Tourist mother suspected in tot's critical injuries

Police have opened a first-degree assault investigation after a 2-year-old boy was admitted to Kapiolani Hospital yesterday in critical condition with severe head injuries.

His 31-year-old mother, a tourist from Singapore, is a possible suspect, according to a police report.

She told police her baby fell off a bed during her stay at the Ilikai Hotel. The child, who has a skull fracture, remains in critical condition this morning, hospital officials said.

The mother will be arrested if doctors determine the injury was caused by abuse and not a fall, police said.

Sunday fire in Hilo prompts investigation

HILO -- An investigation is underway of possible arson in the fire that destroyed a house on Kapaka Street on Sunday, the Fire Department said yesterday.

No one was injured in the 1:50 a.m. fire at the house owned and occupied by Gail Benjamin.

Losses were put at $285,000.