Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Inouye's wealth stems from bank
New financial disclosure forms released today in Washington show that Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye's accounts remain almost the same as last year's.He lists his income as a senator at $150,927 and also a state pension worth $1,161, which comes from his tenure in the state House and Senate when Hawaii was a territory. He received $927 in book royalties for his autobiography.
His major asset is stock in Central Pacific Financial Corp., parent company of Central Pacific Bank, valued at between $500,001 and $1,000,000. That would be roughly 18,000 to 36,000 shares, or less than two-tenths of one percent of the outstanding shares.
Rusti the orangutan will move to Kualoa
The state Board of Agriculture upheld yesterday its February decision to allow Rusti the orangutan to move to Kualoa Ranch from the Honolulu Zoo.The board's 8-1 vote, with member Susan Matsushima voting no, came after members reviewed 13 e-mails protesting the move as not being in the animal's best interest.
Among the e-mails was the testimony of Linda Vannatta, a Honolulu Zoo employee who has sued Board of Agriculture Chairwoman Sandra Kunimoto and Deputy Chairwoman Diane Ley for not considering her e-mail as testimony in February.
The state Office of Information Practices ruled May 2 that the board should have accepted e-mailed testimony, prompting its reconsideration of the matter yesterday.
Vannatta, acting as an individual, said in her e-mail she is worried about the safety of Rusti, Kualoa Ranch workers and visitors if the 23-year-old orangutan is moved there, because of lack of proper care.
Honolulu Zoo animal specialist Richard Ball and director emeritus Paul Breese testified in February that the Kualoa facility would be in Rusti's best interest.
Kualoa Ranch plans to house the 275-pound animal in a temporary 14-by-19-foot enclosure until a larger, permanent space is built by the Orangutan Foundation International. Kualoa Ranch has not yet applied for a permit to keep Rusti, Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Janelle Saneishi said.
Kualoa Ranch could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Bike master plan draft released by state DOT
The state Department of Transportation has released a draft version of the statewide bicycle master plan, Bike Plan Hawaii.The plan is available at all public, community college and university libraries or online at www.state.hi.us/dot/highways/bike/bikeplan/index.htm.
Written comments on the plan will be accepted until June 30. Comments can be sent to Vincent Llorin, DOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, 601 Kamokila Blvd., Room 602, Kapolei, HI 96707; or Vincent.Llorin@hawaii.gov.
Bush plans visit to Asia in October
WASHINGTON >> President Bush plans a trip to Southeast Asia in October to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Bangkok, the White House announced yesterday.It is not yet known if the trip will involve a stopover in Hawaii.
"So far, we have not heard on whether he plans to come to Hawaii," said Russell Pang, spokesman for Gov. Linda Lingle.
The White House said Bush's trip to Thailand will begin Oct. 20 and include a state visit at the invitation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
He is also accepting an invitation from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to visit the Philippines, the White House said.
Bush is expected to visit several other nations in the region, including a possible stop in Australia.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffLEEWARD OAHU
Car burns as 8-auto accident snarls H-1 Freeway traffic
Police closed a portion of the west-bound lanes of the H-1 Freeway this morning after eight cars crashed into each other near the Sears Distribution Center.Several motorists were injured but none seriously, police said. A car caught fire in the chain-reaction accident and was destroyed. The fire also damaged the car behind it, police said.
The thick, black smoke from the fire also caused delays in east-bound traffic as motorists slowed to look at the multiple-car accident.
Police said the accident occurred about 6:30 a.m. but other details were not immediately available. The freeway was reopened at 8:08 a.m.
Nurses report suspect made threat in custody
Police are investigating a first-degree terroristic threatening charge against a 31-year-old man after he allegedly threatened yesterday to blow up an Aiea hospital.Police said the suspect had been arrested in an unrelated case and was taken yesterday to the emergency room at Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi.
The reason for his trip to the hospital was not available.
Four nurses reported hearing the suspect make threats against the Aiea hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Pat Oda.
CENTRAL OAHU
Wahiawa man arrested for suspicion of forgery
Police arrested a 33-year-old Wahiawa man Tuesday under suspicion of forgery after he allegedly tried to stop payment on a stolen check at American Savings Bank's Wahiawa branch.A teller recognized the suspect as the man who had deposited stolen checks into an account, police said.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Van fire in garage damages Big Isle home
A fire that started in a van heavily damaged a house in Honokaa on the Big Island yesterday, fire officials said.Capt. Mike Matsui, of the Honokaa Fire Station, said the family had just arrived home and parked the Chevy Astro van in the garage when they noticed flames coming from the engine. The fire spread to the garage and the main house.
Two fire companies responded to the 2:53 p.m. fire and had it under control in 10 minutes. The kitchen, dining and living rooms received most of the damage from the flames, Matsui said.
A couple and their six children escaped without injury. Damage was estimated at $110,000.
[ COURT BRIEFS ]
Lifer can get parole after serving 50 years
A pantry worker accused of stabbing a Sheraton-Waikiki executive chef to death was ordered by the Hawaii Paroling Authority to serve a minimum of 50 years in prison before he can ask to be paroled.Tam Van Huynh, 41, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after he was convicted by Circuit Judge Sandra Simms last June of second-degree murder in the death of Thomas Matsuda, 49, on Dec. 1, 2000.
Matsuda, who was Huynh's supervisor, had just informed him of a schedule change when Huynh returned a short time later and stabbed Matsuda to death.
The defense argued that Huynh suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and was having a delusional episode at the time of the attack.
Simms rejected that, ruling that Huynh knew right from wrong and could control his actions when he attacked his boss with a knife.
Statements admissible in trial of investigator
A federal judge has ruled as admissible at trial statements made by former Honolulu liquor investigator Eduardo Mina to federal agents that he and other investigators had received bribes from bar owners in exchange for overlooking liquor violations.U.S. District Judge David Ezra ruled last Friday that Mina was not in custody when federal agents questioned him about allegations of corruption by liquor investigators on Jan. 30, 2002, and therefore they were not required to read him his Miranda rights.
Mina had filed a motion to throw out his statements, contending that the questioning violated his constitutional rights.
He also alleged his statements were not voluntary because he was not told he was a target of the investigation.
Alleged meth producer arrested at hotel desk
A woman who allegedly ran a clandestine "ice" lab out of a Waikiki hotel room was charged yesterday in U.S. District Court.Jean Smith is accused of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Staff at the unidentified hotel discovered what appeared to be items consistent with a clandestine meth lab on May 31 in a room she had just vacated.
Earlier, hotel employees became suspicious of Smith after she left a piece of luggage at the front desk, saying she would retrieve it in a couple of weeks when she returned to Oahu.
The staff opened the luggage and discovered several plastic bags containing a crystalline substance and chemicals and paraphernalia consistent with a "conversion laboratory," according to an affidavit filed by Jason Alznauer, a special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The substance was later tested by Honolulu police and determined to be actual or 100 percent pure methamphetamine, Alznauer wrote.
Police arrested Smith after she arrived at the hotel and asked the front desk for the "package" she had left at the hotel about two weeks earlier.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
