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Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, June 14, 2000

Panel to mull fate of Information Practices office

The Honolulu Community-Media Council will hold a panel discussion Tuesday on whether it should support continuation of the state Office of Information Practices.

Panelists include Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter Ian Lind and Moya T. Davenport Gray, director of the Office of Information Practices.

Lind served as executive director of Common Cause Hawaii for four years and later was with the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawaii. He was an early proponent of establishing the office.

Gray was appointed as director in 1995. She served as hearings officer for the Judiciary and was in private law practice in Hawaii and Guam. The meeting will be held at noon at the Pacific Club.

For reservations, leave a message for Larry Geller at 988-1928 by Monday.

Kailua boy, 10, to help issue his postal stamp

A 10-year-old Kailua artist will help dedicate a postage stamp he designed at an issuance ceremony July 13 in Anaheim, Calif., as part of the U.S. Postal Service's World Stamp Expo 2000.

Zachary Canter, an Aikahi Elementary School fifth-grader, was one of four children whose designs were selected for the stamps out of 12,000 entries. His design is titled "Astronauts."

The son of Jeff and Suzy Canter, Zachary comes from a family of artists. His grandfather, Saul Mandel, created the "Puppy Dog Love" stamp issued in 1986, and was also the creator of the Jolly Green Giant.

Canter is creating a postcard with new art which the stamp could go on. He will sign it and donate some of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society and the Wildlife Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.zacharycanter.com.

For a look at the winning designs, visit http://www.stampsonline.com. For more information on the World Stamp Expo 2000, visit http://www.worldstampexpo.com.

Johnston Isle chemical arms disposal ending

Chemical weapons disposal is winding down on Johnston Island with only 4 percent of the original inventory left to destroy before the facility closes to prepare it for takeover by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System, the facility's official designation, has completed destruction of 8-inch projectiles containing nerve gas. This task was completed 16 days ahead of a "baseline" incineration schedule, with 14,519 such projectiles destroyed. The facility is scheduled to begin final closure work in January.

Johnston Atoll, which lies 825 miles southwest of Hawaii, supports 13 nesting species of sea birds, five species of shore birds, 32 species of coral and just over 300 species of fish.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

49-year-old man killed when car slams into tree

A 49-year-old man was killed this morning after slamming his car into a tree in Waikiki.

The man was heading toward Diamond Head on Kalakaua Avenue in his Geo Prism when he drove onto the median and struck a tree in front of the Natatorium at about 2:45 a.m., police said. The man was partially thrown from the car, which flipped over and landed on him.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Warehouse fire damage estimated at $130,000

Damage from Monday's Sand Island warehouse fire was estimated at $70,000 to the contents and $60,000 to the structure, but figures could go higher, said fire officials.

The cause of the three-alarm fire at Honolulu Recovery Systems, which took 60 firefighters seven hours to extinguish, has still not been determined, fire officials said.

Meanwhile, the fire captain who suffered smoke inhalation and dehydration while battling the blaze was released yesterday from Straub Hospital in good condition.

Man arrested for hitting teen who robbed him

Police arrested a 36-year-old man for allegedly hitting a teen-age boy in the head with a baseball bat after being robbed of his groceries.

The man walked out of Foodland on North School Street at 10:18 p.m. when he was confronted by six boys, one armed with a wooden stick, police said.

The man dropped the groceries and left the area. The boys grabbed the groceries and ran away.

Shortly after, the man located one of the boys on Vineyard Boulevard and reportedly hit him in the back of the head with an aluminum bat.

The boy, 14, was taken to Queen's Hospital.

First Hawaiian Bank in Waipahu robbed

The Waipahu branch of First Hawaiian Bank was robbed yesterday by a man wearing a camouflage hat, jacket and pants.

The suspect, who is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs between 150 and 160 pounds, entered the bank at 94-205 Leoku St. at about 3:45 p.m. and handed the teller a demand note.

The note said he was armed but no weapon was seen during the robbery.

The suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

It was the 17th bank robbery in Hawaii this year and the second in as many days.

Unattended candle starts Ewa Beach fire

An unattended candle started a fire yesterday that damaged a three-bedroom Ewa Beach home.

Losses from the 11:23 a.m. fire at 91-935 Waiapo Place are estimated at $10,000 to the structure and $2,500 to contents.

A woman, 19, who was asleep when the fire started, escaped without injury.

Diesel fuel removed from grounded ship

About 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel was removed yesterday from the double-bottom tank of an 85-foot fishing vessel grounded on the southeast side of Pearl and Hermes Atoll.

Officials estimate the bottom tank of the Swordman 1 contains 2,500-3,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

Guard Guard Marine Safety Office Honolulu and Crowley Marine Services personnel have removed a total of 8,500 gallons of diesel fuel and hydraulic oil from the boat, which ran aground June 5.

Police ID pedestrian killed on Big Island

HILO -- Police have identified a pedestrian killed Saturday night on Volcano Highway just south of Hilo as Robin Paunga, also known as Robin Mahafutau, 55, of Eden Roc subdivision.

Paunga was hit by a flatbed truck driven by a 49-year-old Pahoa man.

He was knocked onto the highway where he was run over by other vehicles.

Police said Paunga was wearing dark clothing at the time and they believe he had been drinking alcohol. An investigation is continuing.