Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Health chief announces end to dengue outbreak

State Health Director Bruce Anderson said the dengue fever epidemic is over in Hawaii, but residents should continue to take measures to control mosquito populations because of the threat of it starting again.

Health officials said six people contracted dengue fever while traveling to foreign countries, including Rapa Nui, but did not spread the disease to anyone else in Hawaii.

The virus is transmitted by a mosquito biting an infected person and then passing on the disease through biting others.

At a news media conference yesterday, Anderson said it was great news that the last confirmed case of dengue fever occurred 13 weeks ago, but he warned against the public being complacent.

Anderson announced a long-term dengue fever management strategy that includes a mosquito population survey and monitoring dengue outbreaks worldwide.

Health officials said vector control crews will continue to spray immediately around the residences of suspected cases, in an effort to eliminate any mosquitoes potentially carrying the dengue virus.

County finds a machine to remove Kihei seaweed

MAALAEA >> Maui County said a machine suitable to remove seaweed from Kihei beaches will be arriving in the next few months.

The county selected a Gallenberg Beach Master seaweed remover after a Seaweed Task Force looked worldwide for the appropriate machinery.

County officials said they have also received $250,000 from the federal government to control the seaweed on Kihei beaches and will be holding a meeting Monday to discuss the use of the money.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Kihei Community Center.

Beaches in North Kihei have been affected by large accumulations of seaweed in past years, leaving the shoreline with a foul odor and unusable.

The task force has been using a front-end loader to clear the seaweed from the beaches as a temporary solution.

Big Isle police officer gets probation in threat case

HILO >> A Big Island police officer has been sentenced to one year probation for allegedly threatening a teacher he believed was having an affair with his wife.

Officer Sherwin Taka pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge Wednesday. Judge Greg Nakamura granted a deferred acceptance of a no-contest plea, which means the matter will be removed from Taka's record if he does not get into more trouble.

The case involved accusations and counteraccusations among Taka, 42, his wife, Tammy, and her schoolteacher associates.

Films and food set for Queen's Surf

Treat your mother to a dinner and a movie outdoors as "Sunset on the Beach" is held this weekend at Queen's Surf Beach in Waikiki.

Food from Waikiki restaurants as well as Hawaiian entertainment will be featured.

Fans of the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team will also have an opportunity to congratulate the Warriors on their NCAA title victory. Coach Mike Wilton and team members are scheduled to make an appearance onstage at 7 p.m. today before the film begins.

The team will be honored with a victory motorcade through Waikiki. The winners of the NCAA volleyball championship will ride a trolley along Kalakaua Avenue starting at 6:30 p.m. The route will start at the Saratoga Road side of Fort DeRussy and end at Queen's Surf Beach.

The movie "Phenomenon" will be featured tonight, and "Six Days, Seven Nights" will be shown tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Restaurant booths open at 4 p.m., and KRATER FM 100 will host live entertainment and contests from 4:30 to 6:45 p.m.

For more information, call 523-CITY or 923-1094.

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[Taking Notice]

GRANTS

>> The Hawaii chapter of the American Red Cross has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the HEI Charitable Foundation on behalf of Hawaiian Electric Co., Maui Electric Co. and Hawaii Electric Co. to support its ongoing disaster relief and emergency programs.

>> Alexander & Baldwin Foundation has awarded $5,000 to Ao'ao O na Loko I'a O Maui (Association of the Fishponds of Maui) to further its education program about the revitalization of a native Hawaiian fishpond in Kihei.

>> The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded $40,000 to the Kona Historical Society in Captain Cook to develop an interpretive framework for a reconstructed Hawaiian ranch and historic general store and $2,000 to Punahou School for a humanities teacher leadership grant to develop a curriculum on Islam.

>> The Salvation Army has received grants from the Sophie Russell Testamentary Trust, $30,000 to provide scholarships to disadvantaged children to attend the Army's summer camp program at Camp Homelani; the Hawaii Community Foundation, $30,000 to support the Army's Kona Community Clinic to help people laid off from work because of the negative effects of Sept. 11; the Kitaro Watanabe Fund, $10,000 to the Army's Persons-Need-Program, which assists children age 17 and under who have serious medical conditions or special-educational needs; and the Oscar L. and Ernestine H. Armstrong Fund, $15,000 to assist in the development of a community skateboard program in Waimea on the Big Island.

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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 Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

WEST OAHU

Man impaled on fence in golf course accident

A man was impaled on a metal pole in a freak accident at the Ewa Beach Golf Club, according to Honolulu fire officials. Fire crews responded to the golf course, at 91-050 Fort Weaver Road.

The victim, described as in his 60s, was the passenger in a golf cart when, fire officials said, the driver of the cart ran into a chain-link fence near the first hole yesterday about 6 p.m.

Fire officials said the metal pole that runs horizontal along the fence somehow got loose and impaled the victim in the stomach, eviscerating him. The victim was airlifted to the Queen's Medical Center, where hospital officials said he was in guarded condition last night. Fire officials said the driver of the golf cart was not hurt.

HONOLULU

2 boys caught, 2 sought in assault of cab driver

Police arrested two boys, ages 15 and 16, for robbery yesterday and are looking for two other males for allegedly assaulting a taxicab driver and fleeing without paying their fare.

The two teenagers flagged down the 61-year-old driver at Democrat and Kalihi streets late Thursday night and entered the taxicab with two other males, police said.

The boys ordered the driver to take them to the Jack in the Box Restaurant at 2183 N. King St. After ordering and receiving food from the restaurant, police said, the boys ordered the driver to take them back to where he had picked them up.

When they were a block away on Libby Street, the boys ordered the driver to stop and let them off. When the driver asked for his fare, police said the 16-year-old boy punched the driver in the face. The driver attempted to drive off, but the boy reached in, put the car in park and punched the driver in the face a second time, police said.

All four males then fled. Responding police officers located and arrested the two teenagers at Kalihi and Republican streets. The 16-year-old boy lives just three blocks away on Kahai Street.

Police search for suspect in numerous auto thefts

Honolulu police and state deputy sheriffs are looking for a man believed to be involved in burglaries and auto thefts in Leeward and East Oahu.

Police said Ryan Lee Martin is also wanted on a parole revocation warrant for prior robbery, burglary, kidnapping and auto theft convictions.

Police said Martin's last known address was on the 3500 block of Salt Lake Boulevard.

Police also said recent information indicates that Martin may be involved in burglaries and auto thefts in Pearl City, Kalihi and Kahala.

Police said Martin is considered dangerous, and asked that members of the public not attempt to approach him, but to instead contact HPD.

Martin, 24, is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 130 pounds, with a medium build and complexion, brown eyes, black hair worn in a ponytail, and a mustache. Police also said Martin has several tattoos, the name "Laura" written in Old English lettering across his back along with additional tattoos on his right triceps.

Anyone with information on Martin's whereabouts is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.

Freeway closed after suspicious pipe is found

A suspected pipe bomb that forced the temporary shutdown of a portion of Moanalua Freeway during the morning rush hour yesterday turned out to be a homemade container for drill bits, said Maj. Michael Brede of the Honolulu Police Department Specialized Services Division.

"It was a PVC pipe with caps at both ends," he said.

Police closed the far right lane of eastbound traffic outside the Middle Street tunnel about 9 a.m. after motorists reported seeing the object on the shoulder of the roadway. At 10 a.m., police closed all lanes of traffic in both directions to retrieve the object. SSD officers deployed a new remote-controlled, wheeled robot to secure the pipe.

They discovered the drill bits after opening the pipe at the HPD firing range in Koko Head Crater.

Man arrested in blinding attack with beer bottle

Honolulu police arrested a man for allegedly attacking another man and causing him to lose eyesight in one eye.

Police said the adult male suspect struck the victim, also an adult male, in the face with a beer bottle on March 31 in the Nanakuli area. Police arrested the suspect yesterday for first-degree assault and released him pending an investigation.

CRIMESTOPPERS Police are looking for two male suspects, seen here in this surveillance photo, who broke into a Young Street jewelry store and stole cigarette lighters, jewelry and a Glock handgun. The suspects left in a stolen car, which was recovered on April 9. See story below.

Police seek aid in finding 2 jewelry store burglars

CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department are asking for the public's help in identifying two male suspects who burglarized Premier Jewelry Services last month. The burglary took place on March 18 at 4:42 a.m. at 1245 Young St.

Police said a surveillance camera caught the two suspects kicking in the front door, entering, then searching for items to steal. Police said the suspects took jewelry, cigarette lighters and a Glock handgun.

The suspects left in a stolen gold Dodge four-door vehicle taken from the Makiki area just prior to the burglary.

Police recovered the vehicle on April 9 in the McCully area.

The first suspect is described as a male in his 30s, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a muscular build, receding hairline and clean-shaven. During the burglary, he was seen wearing a T-shirt and dark-colored gloves.

The second suspect is described as in his 30s, 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a medium build. He was last seen wearing an aloha shirt, a sun visor and gloves.

Anyone with information about this case may call Detective Rodney Noguchi directly at 547-7212, or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.