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Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Friday, June 9, 2000

Big Isle police probe publisher, police panel

HILO -- Big Island police are conducting a criminal investigation of the publisher of Hilo's newspaper and of Hawaii County police commissioners to find out who leaked personnel information about a police officer who criticized the police chief.

Meanwhile, that officer, Tanny Cazimero, was relieved of his badge and gun yesterday for refusing to work outside his hometown, said his wife, Kathy.

Commissioner Walter Moe said all commissioners are being questioned regarding the leak of information about Cazimero's past personnel history, and some are asked to take lie detector tests. "I am now angry and concerned," he said. "I don't need a lie detector test. That's an insult."

The investigation is the latest aftershock following a jury verdict in December that found Chief Wayne Carvalho and others civilly liable for alleged cheating on department promotions in the 1980s and early 1990s.

This spring, Cazimero asked the Police Commission to find that Carvalho's participation in the alleged cheating violated a department order.

The commissioners must now decide whether to investigate Cazimero's still-pending complaint against Carvalho while they are themselves being investigated.

Carvalho referred questions to Assistant Chief Wendell Paiva, who confirmed only that a department-initiated investigation of misdemeanor release of confidential information is under way.

In a May 29 commentary, Hawaii Tribune-Herald publisher Jim Wilson revealed information from Cazimero's personnel records without disclosing the source. Since 1984, Cazimero has had 12 suspensions, six reprimands and 29 months of sickness and accident leave, Wilson wrote.

Wilson has declined to reveal his source for the information.

Cazimero's wife, Kathy, said that yesterday a sergeant ordered Cazimero, who lives in Waimea, to work at Kawaihae -- about 15 miles away.

"He wanted to stay closer to home," she said. "He's concerned for the safety of his family and home."

Cazimero's wife said that his past leaves included three knee operations, and most of the suspensions took place after Cazimero began criticizing the chief.

Dailies seek a voice in news rack lawsuit

Attorneys for Honolulu's two major daily newspapers are seeking approval from federal court to intervene in a case that will define who can use coin-operated news racks in Waikiki.

A federal judge last December issued a preliminary injunction barring the city from holding separate lotteries for coin-operated and no-coin racks. Honolulu Weekly sued the city, alleging the two-lottery system discriminates against free publications such as itself.

In their motion to intervene, attorneys for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, The Honolulu Advertiser and the Hawaii Newspaper Agency, which handles circulation for the two dailies, said the Weekly's lawsuit "threatens to take away (the dailies') right to distribute their newspapers in Waikiki."

Corrections A story Wednesday on the city's planned renovation of the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve included incorrect information. A marine education center and gift shop are covered by one roof, but a snack bar is in a separate structure. Also, the bermed structures are 10 to 18 feet high. Finally, the East Honolulu vision team has not acted on the plans; the article said it had endorsed them. The photo of Kelsey Nakanelua in yesterday's sports section was taken by Star-Bulletin photographer Dennis Oda; it was incorrectly credited. Brandy Ledford was incorrectly identified as Brandy Brooks in Pat Bigold's column in Tuesday's sports section.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Missing crash victim shuts tunnel for 2 hours

Wilson Tunnel was closed for nearly two hours early today while police and firefighters looked for what they believed was an injured motorcyclist on the Likelike Highway.

Motorists had reported an abandoned motorcycle at 3:45 a.m. on the Kaneohe side of the Wilson tunnel.

Police and fire department officials were unable to locate a motorcyclist and were concerned that a person might have been thrown from the bike.

The search was called off at 5:23 this morning when the driver came back to retrieve the bike.

Boat burns, sinks; owner makes it safely to shore

HILO -- A Big Island sailor walked away unharmed from his destroyed boat shortly after midnight this morning, the Fire Department said.

At three minutes before midnight, the Fire Department received a call from the Coast Guard that a distress signal had been seen a half-mile offshore.

Rescue personnel found boat owner James B. Lucas already ashore. He told rescuers he fell asleep in his 30-foot "Cal 30." The boat, valued at $20,000, broke up on hitting the shore, burned and sank, but Lucas was uninjured.

Salvage master to look at grounded fishing ship

A salvage master en route to Pearl and Hermes Atoll will determine how to remove a grounded 85-foot long-line fishing vessel.

Officials have been unable to remove the ship's 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel because of rough seas.

The salvage master from Crowley Environmental Services, a cleanup contractor working for Navy Supervisor Salvage, is expected to arrive tomorrow.

The Swordman I ran aground on the atoll Monday.

Police hunt inmate who left Big Isle work detail

HILO -- Police are looking for an inmate who failed to return to the Hale Nani Work Release Center at the end of the work day yesterday.

He was identified as Kawika Taihaa Anderson, 20, described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, 180 pounds, with a tan complexion, a thin mustache and numerous tattoos.

Anyone with information on him should call Big Island police at 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.