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Getting the hang
of the Christmas season
Family sues in railing's collapse, son's death
The family of a Hawaii Pacific University student who fell from an 11th-floor Waikiki apartment when a railing gave way has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.Among those named as defendants in the lawsuit filed yesterday by the parents of John Sherwood of California were the school, Ala Moana Tower and companies responsible for the care and maintenance of the building.
Several units in the building were leased by the university to students for this school year.
The lanais at the Ala Moana Tower were badly deteriorated with weakened balcony railings and rusty reinforcement bars and were being repaired at the time of the Sept. 29 accident, the suit said.
The suit contends that the defendants were negligent by failing to provide apartments in safe condition and that the building violated city building codes. Residents were not adequately warned about the unsafe conditions, the suit said.
Hawaii's kids chose Gore, other Democrats
Based on the final election results tallied by Kids Voting Hawaii, presidential candidate Al Gore beat George W. Bush, 27,398 votes to 24,953 votes.It was a landslide for the U.S. Senate seat, with Daniel Akaka defeating John Carroll by more than 14,000 votes.
U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie received 10,785 votes, beating Republican Phil Meyers, with 7,811 votes, and Libertarian Jerry Murphy, with 3,249 votes.
Patsy Mink received 18,213 votes, beating GOP congressional candidate Russ Francis, who received 8,755 votes, and Libertarian Lawrence Duquesne, with 6,432 votes.
Students from kindergarten through 12th grade went to polling places with their parents on Election Day and voted for various candidates and issues in a project sponsored by American Savings Bank.
Big Isle festival chief wins Naupaka Award
WAIKOLOA, Hawaii - The first Naupaka Award to be granted by the Waikoloa Foundation was given yesterday to Gloriann Akau for her work in expanding the Aloha Festivals on the Big Island, the foundation announced.Akau took over the Big Island festivals in 1991 when they were a small-scale event. She has expanded them to a five-week series of daily events that begin in late August and continue through September.
With a budget of $265,000, the festivals generate about $3 million for the economy, the Waimea Community Association said in nominating Akau.
Akau runs the event from home and is paid only a modest amount for work weeks that are often up to 100 hours for half the year and 40 hours a week the rest of the year, the association said. She directs events involving 115 volunteers and 50 businesses.
Tomorrow
Some events of interest
9 a.m.-2 p.m., Kaimuki High School: Free bone marrow donor registration and testing. Information, 547-6154.
Corrections
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Shooting leads to charge of attempted murder
Jeffrey Foster, 45, was charged yesterday afternoon with the shooting of a 28-year-old Ewa Beach man Sunday, reportedly over a gambling debt.Foster, who has no local address, is charged with attempted murder in the second degree, kidnapping, extortion in the second degree and firearms violations. He is being held on $100,000 bail.
A tip from CrimeStoppers identified the van that Foster drove, leading to the arrest, police said.
Car-crash survivors' condition upgraded
The four survivors of Wednesday night's Kipapa Gulch two-car collision have all been upgraded to fair condition at Queen's Medical Center.They are a 22-year-old Waipahu woman; a 24-year-old Kaneohe man, driver of one of the cars; an Ewa Beach boy, 16, who had all been in guarded condition, and a 5-year-old boy who had been in critical condition.
Two teen-agers Albert Torres, 17, and Reginald Castillo, 16, both of Ewa Beach, died in the crash.
Police say would-be robber is Halawa inmate
Police identified a Halawa Correctional Facility inmate yesterday as the robber who entered a Kaimaile Street apartment and threatened four women with a handgun on Nov. 3.The 41-year-old Waianae man reportedly stole some items and a car one of the women had in the apartment parking lot. He faces two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of kidnapping.
Big Isle escapee caught after 'intense struggle'
HILO -- Dale Daniel Arruda, who escaped from police Sunday, has been captured in what police describe as "an intense struggle."More than a dozen officers blocked a car Wednesday in which Arruda, 29, was a passenger at the intersection of Kawailani and Komohana streets near his home, police said. Arruda tried to fight officers but was finally subdued and arrested at 3:22 p.m., they said. One officer suffered a leg injury in the fight.
Arruda was arrested on six counts of assaulting an officer, escape and resisting arrest.
He previously had been arrested for suspicion of stealing a motorcycle, numerous traffic offenses, drug offenses and outstanding warrants.
Police identify man killed in cliff jump
Police identified the 20-year-old Honolulu man who was killed after diving from a cliff in Hawaii Kai Wednesday as Daren Kataoka.Kataoka was with his sister and her boyfriend when he jumped about 40 feet and hit his head on the exposed reef at a Portlock location known as "Spitting Caves."
Wahiawa man arrested in sexual assault case
Police arrested a 29-year-old Wahiawa man after three boys reported their uncle had sexually assaulted them numerous times. The man faces six counts of third-degree sexual assault and continuous sexual assault of a minor under 14.
Visitor from Washington drowns in Kauai bay
NAWILIWILI, Kauai - A 75-year-old woman from Washington state drowned yesterday afternoon in Kalapaki Bay, Kauai police reported this morning. The woman's body was found floating in the bay by a sailing instructor and his student shortly before 3 p.m. Efforts to revive her failed.
Police seize marijuana in Big Island drug raid
KAILUA-KONA - Police seized more than 175 marijuana plants in a raid on a house in Ocean View subdivision south of Kona yesterday, they said.Police, state, and federal officers found 72 plants growing on the property and more than 100 plants in an indoor growing operation.
Officers also seized four pounds of dried marijuana packaged for distribution. They also found five handguns and a shotgun, all loaded.
No arrests were made and the investigation is continuing, police said.
