East-West board picks Ariyoshi as chairman
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia >> The Board of Governors of the East-West Center in Manoa has elected former Hawaii Gov. George R. Ariyoshi to his fifth term as board chairman.During Ariyoshi's five years as chairman, the EWC initiated a short-term student program; became the managing partner for the Maui-based Pacific Disaster Center; opened a program office in Washington; and increased its outreach to alumni, the independent research organization said. At the same time, the overall EWC budget increased from $22.4 million in fiscal 1997 to $29.6 million this year, it said.
The board also designated Lyn Anzai, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Hawaiian Airlines, as chairwoman of the Executive Committee last week.
Board members attended portions of the EWC Alumni Association's International Conference, "The Impact of Globalization on Building an Asia-Pacific Community." About 300 people from 27 countries attended the conference.
The East-West Center was established by Congress to strengthen understanding and relations between the United States and Asia-Pacific nations.
Kaneohe-based Marine dies in Calif. accident
A Kaneohe-based Marine from California was killed in an auto accident early yesterday morning near Fresno, Calif.Gunnery Sgt. Noel Ramirez was on a Fourth of July-weekend liberty while attending the communications chief school at Marine Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, Calif., when the accident occurred, according to a Marine Corps Base Hawaii press release.
Ramirez was driving a car that ran off Sumner Avenue near Hill Avenue and knocked down an electric poll, Officer Dan Havens of the California Highway Patrol said. Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.
Ramirez, 38 and a native of Fresno, was a communications chief assigned to 4th Force Reconnaissance Company, according to 1st Lt. Kent Robbins of Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
The Fresno County Deputy Sheriff's Department is investigating the accident, the Marines said.
Plum-picking season opens at Kauai park
Plums are now ripe for the picking at Kokee State Park on Kauai.The park's plum-picking season, which started Saturday, continues through Aug. 18.
However, "the plum crop this year is considered poor," said Wayne Souza, Kauai parks district superintendent.
Plum-harvesting permits can be obtained at park headquarters. Harvesting hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in designated areas.
Each person will be allowed to take up to five pounds of plums a day for personal consumption. For more information, call (808) 274-3444.
MAINLAND
Hawaii team to China to seek pilots' remains
WASHINGTON >> The Pentagon is preparing to send a search team to northeastern China in hopes of recovering the remains of two American pilots believed to have been buried 50 years ago where their unmarked plane crash-landed during a failed spy mission for the CIA.The search is an important milestone in the U.S. government's push to win China's cooperation in accounting for Americans lost not only in the Cold War, but also the Korean War and World War II. It is the first time China has permitted a search for remains linked to a Cold War case.
An eight-member search team from the Army's Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii is scheduled to leave next Monday and investigate the crash site near the town of Antu in China's Jilin province.
Robert C. Snoddy and Norman A. Schwartz, accompanied by two CIA officers, were about to pick up an anti-communist Chinese spy in the Manchurian foothills when their C-47 was shot down on Nov. 29, 1952. The CIA operatives, John Downey and Richard Fecteau, were captured alive, imprisoned by China for two decades and released only after Washington acknowledged their spy mission.
Hijackers' roommate to remain in custody
BALTIMORE >> A Jordanian citizen who FBI officials believe lived with two Sept. 11 hijackers last year will remain in federal custody, a magistrate ordered today.Rasmi Al-Shannaq, 27, is charged with obtaining a fake visa from the U.S. embassy in Qatar.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harvey Eisenberg asked to keep Al-Shannaq in custody, saying he is a flight risk because he is a Jordanian citizen and because of the charge against him.
There is no evidence Al-Shannaq aided the hijackers, said his newly appointed attorney, Jim Wyda. He described his client as living a "relatively normal life" until his June 24 arrest.
ASIA
Iranian dancer must stay there 10 years
TEHRAN, Iran >> Ruling that teaching traditional Iranian dance corrupts the nation's youth, a court banned an Iranian-American dancer from leaving Iran for 10 years and from giving dance classes for life, his lawyer said today.Mohammad Khordadian, Iran's best-known male dancer, was also given a 10-year suspended jail term for promoting moral corruption by holding dance classes in the United States, according to the ruling. It also barred him from attending public celebrations or weddings of people who are not his relatives for three years, lawyer Abdolrahman Rasouli said.
The dancer was jailed in May as he was making his first visit to Iran in 20 years. He was released from Tehran's Evin prison yesterday. The 10-year suspended jail term will be implemented if he is convicted again on the same charge. Rasouli said the dancer will appeal the verdict.
Sumatra karaoke bar blaze kills at least 20
JAKARTA, Indonesia >> At least 20 people were killed when fire swept through a crowded karaoke bar on Indonesia's Sumatra island, but others may have been trapped in the now-gutted building and the toll could be higher, police said today.The fire broke out last night at the five-story Happi Karaoke in the South Sumatra capital Palembang, some 250 miles northwest of Jakarta.
The Happi Karaoke had different bars and small restaurants on all five floors.
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. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
HONOLULU
Police hold 3 suspects in Pauoa shooting
Police were holding three men in custody this morning in the investigation of a shooting in Pauoa Valley last week.The suspects, two 23-year-old men and a 31-year-old man, were arrested yesterday on suspicion of attempted murder charges. They also were booked on multiple contempt of court warrants.
Police said the suspects are believed to be involved in the shooting of a 42-year-old man at 2103 Booth Road last Tuesday. A masked gunman went to the home, kicked open the bedroom door and shot the victim, police said.
The bullet hit the victim in the arm and abdomen, and he was taken to Queen's Medical Center. He has improved to guarded condition.
LEEWARD OAHU
Cops hunt for 2 teens in robbery of cabbie
Police this morning were searching for two teenage boys who apparently robbed a 60-year-old taxicab driver in Pearl City last night and left him with serious head injuries.Police said the driver picked up four boys at Ala Moana Center about 10 p.m. and took them to Kipaipai Street. When he stopped the car, two boys ran out of the car. The remaining boys said the other two were leaving to get money for the fare, the driver reported.
While he was standing outside of his car, one of the remaining boys struck him on the head with an object, knocking him unconscious, the driver reported. When he regained consciousness, he discovered his wallet was missing. He was taken to Queen's Medical Center in serious condition.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Kauai man arrested for arson in house fire
KALAHEO, Kauai >> A 25-year-old Kalaheo man was arrested for arson in connection with a fire that caused substantial damage to a Kalaheo home yesterday morning.Todd Ozaki was charged with first-degree criminal property damage. His bail was set at $5,000.
Firefighters responded to a fire at a single-family home at 4571 Opu Road and extinguished the blaze at 9:20 a.m. Damage was estimated at $125,000.
Capt. Michael Andrade of the Kalaheo Fire Station said damage was sustained to the exterior of the home. No one was home at the time of the fire.
Investigators determined the fire started at the left corner of the home. Police said the fire appears to be suspicious.
