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Patching things up
on Kapiolani
HONOMALINO, Hawaii -- Three unattended hunting dogs destroyed an entire flock of 53 sheep at MacFarms of Hawaii in South Kona yesterday, company President Rick Vidgen said. MacFarms official blames
dog owners for sheep slaughterVidgen discovered the dogs slaughtering the sheep and ordered them shot, he said. An orchard supervisor had a gun because dogs killed six sheep a year earlier, Vidgen said.
Company employees identified the animals as hunting dogs, he said. The dogs wore no collars or identification, but were well-fed and did not try to eat the sheep.
No dogs are allowed on MacFarms property, Vidgen said. Any found there will be "terminated" immediately.
The dogs were only doing what they are bred to do, and the real blame rests with their owners, Vidgen said. The company filed a report with police, but with no identification, a case will be difficult to pursue, he said.
MacFarms kept the sheep in a fenced, 100-acre area dedicated to growing organic macadamias. The sheep, acting as "organic lawn mowers," were an integral part of seeking organic certification for the area, Vidgen said.
MacFarms as a whole covers 4,000 acres.
UH rated best in nation for Asian Americans
The University of Hawaii-Manoa ranks highest among the best colleges for Asian Americans in a survey by aMedia, a leading producer and distributor of media for the Asian American market.More than half of 300 schools nationally responded to the survey, involving more than two dozen questions on everything from campus diversity to Asian-American student organizations.
They were divided into two categories -- national universities and liberal colleges.
Geographically, Polytechnic University in Brooklyn had the best scores in the North; Wayne State University in Detroit was tops in the Midwest, and Georgia Institute of Technology was first in the South.
Following UH-Manoa were the University of California, Riverside, second; University of California, Los Angeles, third; and University of California, Davis, fourth.
Pamona College, Claremont, Calif., was the best of the top 25 liberal arts colleges.
State to discuss fate of Sacred Halls park
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is planning to discuss the fate of Sacred Falls State Park, which has been closed since last year's deadly rock fall.Some subjects that need to be discussed are whether to open the state park, the future use of the area and whether a permanent memorial or marking would be appropriate, said Aulani Wilhelm, spokeswoman for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
However, nothing has been decided or agreed upon, Wilhelm added.
A date for the discussions has not been set.
The talks will be open to members of the community, the rockslide survivors and the victims' loved ones.
Eight people were killed and 34 were injured in the May 9, 1999, tragedy
Grounded fishing boat freed, then scuttled
A grounded fishing vessel sank after it was pulled off the reef near Pearl and Hermes Atoll on Friday.The salvage ship American Salvor removed the Swordman I from the reef and towed it to an authorized scuttling site about 3 1/2 miles from Southeast Island and sank it in more than 6,000 feet of water.
The Swordman I, a 77-foot longline fishing vessel, ran aground June 5 southeast of Pearl and Hermes Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands..
Its five crew members were not hurt and later were taken off the vessel with the help of the National Marine Fisheries Service personnel based on Southeast Island.
The cause of the grounding is being investigated by the Coast Guard.
Tomorrow
Some events of interest
10 a.m., Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board Room: OHA Committee on Budget & Finance meeting.
Corrections
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Police seek gunman who tried to rob bar
Police are searching for a man who attempted to rob a Kalihi bar this morning, but was outwitted by the business owner.A man entered the Kiawe Lounge, 1350 Mookaula St., at 12:01 a.m. and ordered a drink, police said. After being told the price of the drink, the man said he had to go outside to get some money.
He returned soon after, armed with a handgun, and demanded money from the owner, police said. The woman faked pressing an alert button under the counter and told the suspect the police were on its way.
The man then ran away.
Moped rider critical after being hit by car
A 19-year-old man driving a moped was critically injured after he was struck by a car in Kalihi Valley late last night.The man was on Perry Street and traveled through a stop sign to make a left turn onto Kalihi Street when he was struck by a 1982 Mercedes Benz at 11:50 p.m., police said.
He was taken to Queen's Hospital, where he remains in critical condition this morning with serious head injuries.
Police said the moped driver did not have headlights on and was not wearing a helmet.
