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Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Tuesday, July 4, 2000

Alyshia health updates via Web A Web site has been created to provide updated information on the condition of 5-year-old Alyshia Shimizu, who recently contracted necrotizing fasciitis. The spread of the "flesh-eating bacteria" has been stopped, and she is at the Sacramento Shriner's Hospital, where she will undergo skin grafting. For the latest on Alyshia, see http://www.hawaiisnews.com/alyshia/ The site offers a link to an email address, alyshiasaloha@yahoo.com. Contributions can be made at First Hawaiian Bank or addressed to the Friends of Alyshia Shimizu and mailed to the Honolulu Police Department Federal Credit Union at 1537 Young St., Honolulu 96826.

Akaka going to Cuba on mission for trade

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka will join three other American senators who will travel to Cuba later this month in support of normal trade relations with the Caribbean country.

Joining Akaka are Democrat Sens. Max Baucus of Montana and Robert Kerry of Nebraska, and Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas. They will be in Cuba July 14-16, according to Bloomberg News Services.

Baucus introduced legislation earlier this year that drops the U.S. embargo banning most trade with Cuba and also bars Americans from visiting the country. He and the others are seeking meetings with Fidel Castro and other top Cuban officials.

The group's trip to Cuba follows trips by members of the Congressional Black Caucus as well as by lawmakers from Arkansas.

The lifting of the embargo could mean a $6 billion market for American exports of agricultural goods to Cuba and other countries, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The measure, however, faces strong opposition from Republicans, led by Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, who believes the trade embargo should remain until Cuba moves toward better relations with the U.S. and Castro is removed from power.

Feds sue boat owner for costs of cleanup

The U.S. government is suing the owner of a longline fishing boat that went aground on a wildlife refuge near Midway Island last month to recover the costs of cleanup.

Swordman Inc. of Kaneohe owns the Swordman I, which was carrying about 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 100 gallons of hydraulic oil when it wrecked on the reef at Pearl and Hermes Atoll June 5.

The cost of cleanup and removal of the boat has not been determined but is expected to exceed $300,000, according to the complaint, filed yesterday in U.S. District Court.

Federal officials contend that the discharge of oil and hazardous substances into the waters are continuing and that it was caused by the negligence of the ship's crew and the vessel's unseaworthiness.

Swordman Inc. has failed and refused to respond to the spill as required by law and the United States continues to incur costs from the cleanup, the suit said.

The suit does not include claims for damages to the reef but does not preclude the government from asserting claims when the extent of damage to the reef is determined.

The owner of the Swordman could not be reached for comment.

Cayetano to sign law on economy incentives

Gov. Ben Cayetano will hold the last public bill-signing ceremony of the year tomorrow at Manoa Innovation Center.

He will sign a bill relating to the economy. The bill would:

Provide new tax incentives for investing in Hawaii's high-tech businesses.

Allow the Employees Retirement System to invest in Hawaii high-tech businesses or venture capital investments.

Appropriate $800,000 to the Department of Education to expand its E Academies and support high-tech education for Hawaii's students.

Empower the High Technology Development Corp. to market and promote high-technology development and provide more autonomy and authority over its personnel and fiscal matters.

Establish the Hawaii technology investment program to allow small individual investors to contribute to the program to invest venture capital in businesses in Hawaii.

Corrections Elizabeth Mitchell is on the board of directors of the Association for Professional Observers. She was incorrectly identified as director of the association in a story Friday.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

Light drizzle helps fight Volcanoes fire

Cool weather and a light drizzle provided some relief today in fighting the fire at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

"It hasn't expanded and it's about 50 percent contained," National Park Service spokesman Bobby Camara said of the five-day-old fire.

Ninety firefighters, including 40 members of California "hot shot crews" from Bakersfield and San Bernadino, are cutting fire breaks to halt its spread.

Camara estimates the forest fire has burned 1,000 acres of mostly ohia and koa trees.

Fireworks responsible for Leeward brush fires

Fireworks started two brush fires last night in Waianae and Maili.

Firefighters from the Waianae station responded to the first alarm on Farrington Highway near Makaha Valley Road at 8:58 p.m. The fire was extinguished at 10 p.m.

Thirty-one minutes later, Waianae responded to a brush fire near Kaukama Road that burned to Puuhulu Point. Firefighters from Nanakuli assisted in putting it out by 11:44 p.m.

Girl hurt in car crash upgraded to fair status

A 9-year-old girl who was critically injured in a two-car accident yesterday near Wahiawa was upgraded to fair condition. She remains at Queen's Hospital.

The 40-year-old driver of the other car, also at Queen's, was upgraded from guarded to fair condition.

The accident occurred on Kamehameha Highway near Kamananui Road when a Porsche, traveling at a high speed, went off the roadway, struck a sign and veered into the path of the sedan in which the girl was passenger.

The others in the sedan escaped serious injury.

Pedestrian hit in Aiea hospitalized at Queens

A 62-year-old woman critically injured when struck by a multipurpose vehicle Saturday while she was crossing Kaonohi Street in Aiea is in guarded condition at Queen's Hospital.