Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Sunday, August 12, 2001

Application withdrawn for Maui youth center

WAILUKU >> A Maui program that provides alternative housing to abused and neglected youths has withdrawn its application for developing a center on agricultural land in Omaopio.

Maui Youth & Family Services said the program needs to obtain re-authorization for some $2 million in state funds that have lapsed.

Gail Gnazzo, the nonprofit group's chief executive officer, said it also may seek re-subdivision to use 10 acres of a 46-acre parcel.

Gnazzo said about 85 to 90 percent of the youths, ages 12 to 19, have learning disabilities.

A number of neighbors, fearing an increase in crime, have opposed the development.

Stronger KTUH takes to airwaves Thursday

KTUH listeners will have to wait until 6 a.m. Thursday to tune into the University of Hawaii-Manoa's campus radio station.

The station has been off the air since June 30 for installation of a new tower and antenna. Programming was scheduled to resume tomorrow, but the antenna contractor noticed Wednesday that the two small connectors had been bent, which could affect the antenna's performance.

Replacement parts are coming from the manufacturer in Bridgton, Maine.

The new antenna and tower will increase KTUH's power to 3,000 watts from 100, allowing the station to reach a much larger audience.

The $68,000 project has taken 13 years and has been funded entirely by student fees and community donations.

KTUH broadcasts from the Manoa campus at 90.3 with repeater sites at Mount Kaala 91.3 and Leahi Hospital 89.7.

Fun, food and music at church fund-raiser

Massage therapy, live entertainment, shave ice and a musubi bar are among the new features of the Harris United Methodist Church annual fund-raiser which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. next Saturday on the grounds at Nuuanu Avenue and Vineyard Boulevard.

Extreme Fun inflatable rides and games will be offered for children at the "Jubilee 2001" event. Quilts, country store food items, plants and used clothing will be on sale, as well as other food items.

The Honolulu Boy Choir will perform at noon. Entertainment also will include hula, karaoke singing and other music throughout the day.

The proceeds will help support Methodist mission efforts.

Entertainment 2002 discount books coming

The Entertainment 2002 discount coupon book is being offered by the American Lung Association of Hawaii to help island children with asthma.

Part of the $30 price goes to the association for its health programs.

The association has been fighting lung disease here since 1929.

Orders placed at the Honolulu office before Aug. 29 will include an Early Bonus flyer of nine coupons while supplies last.

The coupons offer half off and two-for-one on local dining, movies, special attractions , sports and more.

Public invited to join fund-raising luau feast

The members of United Church of Christ at 467 N. Judd Street are offering a public preview of their annual fund-raising luau.

Pig, chickens and sweet potatoes will go into the imu on the church grounds at 4:30 p.m. Friday, and the public is invited to view the ancient Hawaiian cooking method in practice.

The finished product, along with lomi salmon, opihi and other delicacies, will be available for pickup between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday in the church parking lot.

Tickets are on sale for the 12-course take-out luau meal at the church office, 536-8418.

Five dollars of the $16 price is tax-deductible and will go to support Lani Kamahao Camp, a Windward retreat campsite, and the United Church of Christ Transition House for survivors of domestic violence.

New UH scholarship looks to help immigrants

The University of Hawaii has received $1 million to fund scholarships for island public school graduates from UH alumni Walter A. and Diane N. Dods.

Preference will be given to the children of immigrants, Diane Dods said in a press release issued by the university.

She said she remembered the value immigrant parents placed on education from her days at Roosevelt High School. "Their children struggle with learning a new culture and a new language at the same time, so if we can help more of these families achieve their dreams, we'll be delighted," she said.

Walter Dods, chairman and chief executive officer of First Hawaiian Bank, and co-chairman of the university's recent $116 million fundraising campaign, said that he and his wife hoped their gift would inspire other community leaders to give to the university.

The scholarships would benefit public school graduates because "Hawaii cannot succeed unless our public education system is viewed as an avenue toward success in life," Dods said.

City Lights permits available

Churches and other nonprofit organizations will have a chance to enter displays in the annual Honolulu City Lights extravaganza during December on the City Hall grounds.

Aug. 31 is the deadline for applications to be made to the city Department of Customer Services. Permits will be issued for five private displays, and a lottery will be held if there are more than five applicants.

Past displays have included a Buddhist booth marking Bodhi Day, a menorah celebrating the Jewish Hanukkah holiday and various Christmas scenes by Christian churches.

The city started the permit system allowing a limited number of religious displays among its secular holiday decorations in resolution of a challenge about separation of church and state, after one church was allowed to erect a manger scene.

For permit information call Ana Kimi or George Souza, 523-4381.

Water board to shut off tap to fountain

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply hopes to set an example in water conservation by shutting off the decorative fountain fronting its downtown headquarters.

"We're not ready to ring alarm bells yet, but we do urge consumers to remember that this is the high-demand period, and we need everyone's help to keep water use in line," said Clifford Jamile, water supply manager and chief engineer.

The fountain, which uses nonpotable water, will be shut off from tomorrow until the end of September. The action, which is usual for this time of year, is primarily meant to remind motorists to conserve water during the summer months, Jamile said.

For the week ending Aug. 1, consumers used 171 million gallons a day, slightly below the week before, but 9 million gallons more than a year ago, the agency said.

For tips on how to save water and money on your water bill, visit www.hbws.org or call 527-6124.

[TAKING NOTICE]

>> The Hawaii Foodbank has been awarded a total of $19,000 from four local organizations. In January, The Hung Wo and Elizabeth Lau Ching Foundation and the Charitable Gift Fund gave $5,000 and $1,000, respectively. The Hawaii Justice Foundation awarded $10,000 in February to the food bank via the Bretzlaff Endowment Fund. In March, the Lin and Elaa Wong Foundation donated $3,000. The gifts will go toward general operation of the Hawaii Foodbank.

>> Cynthia Lai and Guilherme Albieri have each been awarded the Robert E. Black Award for Excellence. The $1,000 cash award is given annually to an undergraduate and graduate student at HPU for excellence in community service. Lai is a junior majoring in political science. She is currently president of the Associated Students of Hawaii Pacific University. Albieri is pursuing a master's degree in organizational change. He is the current president of the Graduate Student Organization at HPU.

>> Brent D. Wilson has been named dean of the School of Business at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. Wilson, who joins BYUH from the university's Provo, Utah, campus, is a graduate of Weber State College in Utah. He also holds an MBA from Northwestern University and a doctorate of business administration from Harvard University.

>> Joseph LeBlanc has been selected to participate in the Brevard Music Center's summer music festival in Brevard, N.C. LeBlanc, a resident of Honolulu, competed against more than a thousand students to earn one of 370 spots in the festival. Instructors at the festival include performers from symphonies, opera companies and music schools from around the country.

>> The Hawaii Community Foundation's Pizza Hut Fund for Literacy program has awarded $30,450 to Read Aloud America's Read Aloud Program. The funds will be used to expand the Read Aloud Program to an additional two schools in Hawaii. Read Aloud America, founded by Hawaii entrepreneur Jed Gaines, has provided family reading experiences to more than 20,000 children and adults since 1999.

>> Marivic Dar, Alice Guild, Clarice Cornett and Group 70 International were honored by the YWCA of Honolulu May 11 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom. Dar is regional executive vice president of AXA Advisors. Guild is the executive director of the Friends of Iolani Palace. Cornett is president of Wahine Builders. Group 70 International is led by president Sheryl Seaman. The honorees were recognized at a luncheon for their efforts to enrich and empower women and their families.

[WINNERS & LOSERS]

[WINNERS]

>> University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle: He won a round of applause for committing the university to a degree in film and television production.

>> Palolo residents: After a 13-year fight, the top of a temple in the neighborhood gets shaved off.

>> Shinobu Kawano: Widow found out her husband's killers may come to justice some 25 years after he died in a gunfight during a robbery at his Moiliili store.

[LOSERS]

<< Edward D. Leiffer: A suspect in six Oahu robberies since July 10, he is behind bars after eluding police for several weeks. Police caught up with him Friday at Pacific Marina Inn on Waiwai Loop near Honolulu Airport.

>> Rick Lee Davis: The Former Maui air traffic controller is in a halfway house after confessing to robbing nine banks in the San Francisco area. He said he robbed the banks to "keep up appearances" for his children.

>> Tourists: Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays and American Trans Air received a barrage of criticism from passengers out of New York whose flight to Hawaii was delayed a day.

Corrections and clarifications The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Publisher and Editor in Chief John Flanagan at 529-4748 or email him at jflanagan@starbulletin.com.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

HONOLULU

Sprinklers save Shirokiya from serious fire damage

Firefighters say a sprinkler system saved the Shirokiya store at Ala Moana from serious damage during a fire in a storage room yesterday.

Fire alarms went off at 7:55 a.m., but when fire crews arrived the fire had already been contained.

"If not for those two sprinkler heads -- or the sprinkler system itself -- the damage would have been a lot more serious," said Battalion Chief Adam Enos.

The fire caused an estimated $30,000 in damage. The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but it started in the area of a heat gun.

Firefighters had the fire extinguished by 8:30 a.m., and most sections of the store opened for business at 9 a.m.

WINDWARD OAHU

Man critically injured in motorcycle wreck

A 21-year-old man was critically injured when he lost control of his Yamaha motorcycle while southbound on Auloa Road in Maunawili at 3:30 p.m. yesterday, police said.

Speed and alcohol did not appear to be factors in the crash, which did not involve any other vehicles.

LEEWARD OAHU

Partially treated sewage spills into Lake Wilson

A malfunctioning pump system at the Wahiawa Wastewater Treatment Plant caused an estimated 5,000 gallons of partially treated sewage to flow into Lake Wilson early yesterday morning.

The spill started at 2 a.m. and was stopped at 9 a.m., according to a city release. Most of the spilled effluent was contained at the treatment plant, but 5,000 gallons, mixed with groundwater, entered Lake Wilson.

Signs have been posted warning against swimming and fishing until contamination tests are completed.

Faulty wall fan blamed for blaze at Radford High

A wall fan probably was the cause of a fire in a portable building at Radford High School yesterday morning, an investigator said.

The fire was spotted by players in a football game at about 11:16 a.m. One of the coaches and an off-duty firefighter used a hose to spray water into the building before firefighters arrived. Firefighters had the blaze under control by 11:30 a.m. and extinguished by 11:56 a.m. Damage is estimated at $45,000.

The fire department says it has been working with the state Department of Education to identify some of its problem fans, since three school fires have been attributed to fans during the past nine months.

Male suspects sought in Pearl Kai ARCO robbery

Police are looking for two men who robbed the ARCO foodmart at the Pearl Kai Shopping Center early Friday.

A male suspect in his 30s entered the store, showed a handgun and demanded money from the cash register, police said. After the clerk complied, the suspect ordered her to get into the rest room.

A second male suspect in his 30s entered the store and the clerk escaped, locked herself in the office and dialed 911, police said.

The two men left with cash, cigarettes and food items.