Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Post office in Paia now bears Mink's name
President Bush has signed a bill that renames a Maui post office in honor of the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink.
CORRECTION
Thursday, July 17, 2003>> Patsy Takemoto Mink was born in Hamakuapoko on Maui, not Mamakuapoko as reported in yesterday's Page A6 story about naming the Paia Post Office after the late congresswoman.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.
Bush signed legislation Monday night renaming the Paia Post Office the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office, said U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii.
"The Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office is the closest postal facility to Mrs. Mink's birthplace of Mamakuapoko, and so it is most appropriate that this post office now bears her name," said Case, who succeeded Mink.
Case said his office is working with the Postal Service and the Mink family on a formal dedication for the building.
Case and fellow Hawaii Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie introduced the measure in the House with 113 of Mink's former colleagues.
The Senate version of the bill was introduced by Hawaii Democratic Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka.
Mink, who died Sept. 28 at age 74, served in Congress for 24 years over two different stretches. She also served on the Honolulu City Council for four years.
Low-flush toilet rebate extended to June 2008
A rebate program for homeowners who install ultra-low-flow toilets has been extended until June 2008.The program, jointly sponsored by the City & County of Honolulu and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, was supposed to have expired June 30.
The program offers a rebate of $100 to residents who use a licensed plumbing contractor to exchange their toilets that use 3.6 gallons or more per flush toilet for ones that use only 1.6 gallons per flush.
"We've received many positive comments from customers who've noticed their water bills decline after switching to low-flush toilets," said Susan Uyesugi, Board of Water Supply rebate program manager.
Application forms can be picked up at satellite city halls or the water board's Beretania Street headquarters, or they can be downloaded from www.hbws.org. For more information, call 748-5969.
Council on humpbacks has 6 vacant seats
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applications for six vacant seats on its advisory council.The seats represent the Big Island, Honolulu, Kauai and Maui and the education and research communities.
The advisory council consists of 16 government and 15 non-government members and provides recommendations to sanctuary staff about managing and protecting humpback whales.
Candidates selected would serve until September 2005. For more information or an application package, contact Amy Glester at 397-2655 or Amy.Glester@noaa.gov. Application packages also are available on the sanctuary Web site, http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/. Applications are due by Aug. 1.
Girls invited to join YWCA volleyball league
The YWCA of Oahu is forming a volleyball league for girls ages 8 to 14. New and experienced volleyball players are welcome.The league will provide girls a chance to learn and play volleyball in a fun, safe, supervised environment, according to the YWCA. It also will follow a non-competitive format in which each child plays and develops social, athletic and team-building skills through participation.
The YWCA is also recruiting volunteers who would like to assist with coaching, refereeing or being a team parent. No experience is necessary.
The season runs from Aug. 10 to Oct. 12. Games will be held at the YWCA of Oahu's Laniakea Center. Registration continues through Aug. 5. The cost is $65 with an early bird discount of $5 if registering before July 20.
For more information, call the YWCA of Oahu at 538-7061.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffLEEWARD OAHU
A standoff between police and a man in a Waipahu apartment ended peacefully yesterday after the man collapsed.
Waipahu standoff ends with suspect in custodyMichael Gaspar, 38, was wanted on a parole-revocation warrant and had barricaded himself along with his girlfriend and their 7-month-old daughter in the Nova Sunset Villas public housing complex at 8:30 a.m., police said.
Authorities evacuated dozens of residents during the standoff that lasted 5 1/2 hours.
"I heard one of the officers trying to talk him out of it and he said, 'You gotta shoot me before I go back to prison,'" neighbor Cassie Manning said.
Gaspar eventually released the child and later collapsed. The girlfriend allowed police into the apartment and Gaspar was taken away on a stretcher.
He "passed out due to possible drug ingestion and dehydration and had an irregular heartbeat," said James Propotnick, the state Public Safety Department's deputy director of law enforcement.
Gaspar was taken to St. Francis Medical Center-West in serious condition, ambulance officials said.
Gaspar has 13 felony convictions for offenses such as kidnapping, robbery and escape, Propotnick said. An arrest warrant was issued after he failed to contact on three different occasions, including twice last week.
WAIKIKI
Honolulu police charged a man yesterday with breaking into a couple's hotel room and fondling a female occupant.
Alleged hotel intruder charged with fondlingRomi Angelton, 21, was charged with burglary and fourth-degree sexual assault. Angelton is being held in lieu of $11,000 bail.
Police said the couple were asleep at their Prince Kuhio Hotel room when the female victim awoke to find the suspect fondling her. The victim woke up her husband and called police.
HONOLULU
Federal and local law enforcement are asking for the public's help in locating a suspect who is wanted for possession of $1.2 million in crystal methamphetamine, or "ice."
'Ice' suspect wanted on federal charges
Eric Mark Collier, 37, has an outstanding federal warrant of arrest for conspiracy to possess more than 500 grams of crystal meth. According to a federal affidavit, Honolulu police and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents witnessed Collier take possession of nearly four kilograms of "ice" that was hidden in a television set on July 3.
The affidavit says law enforcement officers were able to arrest one male suspect in the case, but that Collier was nowhere to be found. CrimeStoppers announced yesterday that Collier is believed to be on Oahu, where he frequents the Mililani, Kalihi, Pearl City and Aiea areas.
Collier is described as 5-foot-5, weighing about 155 pounds, with a medium build, black hair and a mustache. He may also be driving a 1993 White Chevy Pickup truck, license plate JTE 412.
Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
