The show gows on for the children's musical "Bear in the Big Blue House Live! 'Surprise Party'" despite the theft of several puppets used in the show. Puppet theft does not
stop children's show"It's an unfortunate thing that happened but we were able to take care of it," said performance director Jerry Dumars.
Police said three big hand puppets were stolen Sunday from the trunk of a car at Park Shore Hotel at 2586 Kalakaua Ave., where the performance group is staying.
The "Bear in the Big Blue House" is a theatrical production based on the popular Disney Channel show .
It opened Nov. 1 and continues at the Hawaii Theatre through Sunday.
Kazuma Okumura and Robert Toshio Tomosawa have received the Imperial Decoration Award -- The Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays -- by the Japan Government for strengthening the relationship between Japan and the United States. 2 isle men honored for efforts
to strengthen Japan-U.S. tiesOkumura, founding member and former president of the Maui Japanese Society, tried to improve Japanese education in Hawaii by establishing a scholarship for students interested in the Japanese language. Okumura, 93, promoted sports exchanges through gateball between Japan and Japanese societies on other islands which strengthened the U.S.-Japan relationships.
Honolulu resident Tomosawa, 76, introduced Japan and its culture to Hawaii through television broadcasts. He was the former production manager for KHNL-TV. Currently, Tomosawa is the executive director of the United Japanese Society of Hawaii.
As president of Hiroshima Kenjinkai, he made efforts to open up regular flight service to Hiroshima. He also promoted sports exchanges through sumo with the help of media representatives in the United States and Japan.
WAIPIO BRUSH FIRE
KEEPS CREWS BUSY
Fishing vessel spills diesel fuel south of Oahu
A fishing vessel spilled about 200 gallons of diesel fuel into the ocean eight miles south of Pearl Harbor yesterday, Coast Guard officials said.The crew aboard the Coast Guard cutter Jarvis spotted a slick coming from a cracked fuel tank on the Sea Diamond fishing ship at about 10 a.m.
The Sea Diamond still had about 3,000 gallons of fuel on board, officials said.
The Coast Guard has hired Pacific Environmental Co. to seal the crack or offload the remainder of the fuel.
It will seek reimbursement from the owners of the Sea Diamond.
Fujie is interim deputy schools superintendent
Clayton Fujie, principal of Noelani Elementary School in Manoa, is now interim deputy superintendent of schools.The school board approved the promotion based on a recommendation by interim Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto.
Fujie, 2001 Elementary School Principal of the Year in Hawaii, was named recently by the U.S. Department of Education and National Association of Elementary School Principals as one of the National Distinguished Principals for 2001.
While Fujie was principal, Noelani Elementary was named a national blue ribbon school for 2000-01.
Fujie started as a history teacher and coach at Baldwin High School on Maui in 1969. He also taught and coached at Kaiser High School in Hawaii Kai.
>> Hawaii Meals on Wheels Inc. has received $6,890 from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Inc. Hawaii Meals on Wheels plans to use the money to fund operations at the organization. The nonprofit Hawaii Meals on Wheels currently delivers over 3,500 hot meals each month to needy homebound elders. Taking Notice
>> Fresh Start Inc. has received a $10,000 grant from the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii's public health fund committee. The money will be used by the nonprofit Fresh Start to help fund the recently created Gender Specific Women's Program-A Therapeutic Community.
>> Malama Na Keiki Foundation has received $50,000 from the Ron and Sanne Higgins Family Foundation. Malama Na Keiki is a nonprofit organization formed in 1988 to assist Hawaii's child abuse and neglect prevention programs. It plans to use the money to fund its overall operations.
>> USA Funds has named the following students from Hawaii as awardees of the company's USA Education/USA Funds Scholarship Program: Edward L. Akana II, Amanda A. Arakaki, Steven E. Connery, Christy Mi Soon M. Han, Lindy C. Hurley, Monica I. Ishikawa, Montique D. Kalilikane, Madeleine C. Soder, Sharon L. Winfield and Kami P. Yang. The students are among 1,000 from around the country chosen to receive the renewable scholarships. In addition, Michael R. Harley, Patrick L. Harley and Rhonda L. Kamai of Hawaii were among 475 students nationwide who were selected to have their scholarships renewed. Over 6,000 students apply for the scholarships each year, worth $1,500 toward higher education expenses.
>> Kaneohe resident Erin Miyabara has been selected to participate in the Institute for Shipboard Education's Semester at Sea program. Miyabara, a student at Humboldt State University (Calif.), started the program on August 31.
Do you have items about Hawaii residents earning academic or professional honors, winning scholarships, awards or elections to professional or civic groups? Please send them in writing for Taking Notice to City Desk, Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Corrections and clarifications
>> Carol Dorr and Lisa Fonseca were promoted to senior vice president of Hawaii Insurance Consultants and Human Resources Solutions, respectively. Their new titles were omitted from the Taking Notice section of Hawaii Inc. Thursday. Both companies come under the umbrella of AIG Hawaii Insurance Co.>> Chinatown lei shop owner Janet Roberts recuperated at the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific after an October 2000 traffic accident. A Saturday article gave the incorrect hospital.
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. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Teenage boy arrested for sexual assault in Makiki
A 15-year-old Honolulu boy was arrested for an alleged sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl.Police said that on Oct. 29 at about 6 p.m., the suspect was intoxicated and was with the victim in his apartment on Kewalo Street in Makiki. The boy sexually assaulted the girl in the living room and in the bathroom before letting her leave, police said.
The suspect was arrested on two counts of sexual assault in the first degree. Charges are being sought.
Police charge suspect in Moiliili shooting
A 41-year-old man was charged with attempted murder yesterday after allegedly shooting another man at a Moiliili convenience store last month. According to a police affidavit, Brian Isami Yoneda shot Lorne Pabliso on Oct. 29 at the 7-Eleven at 2642 S. King St.
The affidavit states that Pabliso was sitting in his car in the gasoline aisle talking on his cellular phone when a male known to him as "Brian" pulled up behind him in his car. According to the affidavit, Pabliso said that Brian walked up to the driver's side of the car and fired a small caliber hand gun through the partially opened window.
Police said the bullet struck Pabliso in the forehead and that he fell over in the passenger seat. After the suspect left the scene, police said, Pabliso was able to walk into the 7-Eleven and ask for help. Pabliso was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition.
A CrimeStoppers tip later identified the suspect as Brian Yoneda. Police arrested Yoneda in a Waikiki hotel room on Thursday.
LEEWARD OAHU
Several 911 calls to HPD lost during switch over
Honolulu police said about a dozen people had trouble getting through to police dispatchers in Kapolei yesterday morning. The police department temporarily switched its radio communication center to the Kapolei police station while a new computer-aided dispatching system is installed at police headquarters on S. Beretania Street.A police spokeswoman said that about 12 callers were either disconnected or hung-up because it was taking too long to get through. The spokeswoman said the 12 calls were out of 500 to 600 9-1-1 calls that the department usually receives during morning rush hour, from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Police said an automatic cut-off system was affecting incoming calls and that the problem was solved by turning the feature off. Police radio communications will continue to be routed through Kapolei today and the new communications system should be ready at the Beretania headquarters tomorrow, police said.
Pearl City auto yard fire explodes several cars
Leeward firefighters say they had to avoid exploding cars while battling an auto fire at Abe's Auto Recycling on Waihona Street in the Pearl City Industrial Park yesterday. Fire officials said air compressors in about 20 to 30 burning cars were exploding while flames reached 30 to 40 feet high.Firefighters were also forced to stretch about 500 feet of fire hose across Waiawa Stream to get to a fire hydrant. Until then they had to rely on the limited water supply in their trucks and tankers.
Fire officials received the call at 1:42 p.m. and got flames under control in about an hour. Fire investigators said the fire may have been maliciously set as witnesses said the fire started in several different locations and that they also saw a male fleeing from the scene.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Fire destroys $120,000 worth of Maui sugar crop
WAILUKU >> A sugarcane fire started by a vehicle fire caused about $120,000 in crop damages in Maalaea, acting Assistant Fire Chief Joseph Blackburn said.Blackburn said the fire was under control a little more than an hour and a half after the alarm was received at 1:24 a.m. yesterday. He said the vehicle appeared to have been stolen.
Hilo police arrest suspect in residential shooting
HILO >> Big Island police have arrested a 40-year-old man in connection with a shooting in Puna over the weekend.Police say at about 11 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a report of a shooting in Seaview Estates. On arrival, the officers learned that the victim, identified as Michael Patrick Hartman, 20, of a Seaview Estates address, suffered a head wound and had been taken to the Pahoa Fire Station by another person. From there, fire rescue personnel took the victim to the Hilo Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
Later, about 11:50 p.m., officers arrested the suspect for attempted murder.
