---

Man jailed and fined for in-flight assault

A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to two days in jail and ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 yen (about $476) after pleading guilty to assaulting two Japan Airlines crew members during a flight from Japan to Kona.

Iwao Amano was arrested Monday, immediately after Japan Airlines Flight 70 landed. On Wednesday he pleaded guilty to pinching a flight attendant and kicking a purser during the flight.

Amano will remain in federal custody until he is deported.

EPA announces plans for Kunia soil cleanup

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced its final remedy to clean up the soil and ground water at the Del Monte Corp. Superfund Site in Central Oahu.

Officials discovered problems at Kunia in 1980 when state health officials found the agricultural pesticides ethylene dibromide and dibromochloropropane in a well. The well, which is on the outskirts of Kunia, was the site of a 495-gallon EDB spill in 1977.

The EPA added the area to the national priorities list, known as the Superfund (cleanup) list, in 1994.

Final cleanup plans include cleaning soil, shallow ground water and deep ground water using methods that include soil vapor extraction, carbon filters, air stripping and the use of plants (koa haole trees) to remove toxins.

Monitoring wells will help determine whether controlling the source in the Kunia Village area and natural breakdown reduces contaminants downslope to drinking-water standards.

If there is no evidence of natural breakdown, more pumping wells will be added to ensure that all the contaminated ground water is treated. The treated water will be used for irrigation.

Construction of the deep ground-water treatment system began last August and is expected to be completed this August.

Del Monte is paying the $13 million cost of the remediation.

Kauai water drilling set to begin Monday

Drilling for more water for the Kokee/Waimea Canyon State Park water system on Kauai is expected to begin Monday.

Two existing Kokee wells service about 2,000 people each day, including the state park, camping and lookout facilities; leasehold lots; Kokee Lodge restaurant and rental cabins; Kokee Natural History Museum; U.S. Navy facilities in Kokee and at Makaha Ridge; NASA; and the Kokee Discovery Center.

Drilling an exploratory well is needed to offset chronic water shortages for the area and help with battling wildfires, said Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Peter Young.

The new exploratory well will be in Kokee State Park just east of Rice Camp alongside the road to Camp Sloggett, and about 200 feet in from Camp 10-Mohihi Road.

Completion of drilling and testing is estimated by the end of August. The contractor for the project is Valley Well Drilling.

---

BACK TO TOP
|

---

» The Board of Water Supply honored 12 students who entered the 2005 Water Conservation Week Poster Contest.

This year's theme was "Water Conservation Begins with Me -- I'm a Water-Akamai Kid!"

All winning posters will be displayed in Lane Gallery at City Hall until Friday.

First-place winners received a $100 U.S. savings bond and a tour of the Nuuanu watershed for their teacher and classmates. Second- and third-place winners received $75 and $50 savings bonds, respectively. Here are the winners:

Kindergarten: Jackie Wong of Aliiolani in Kaimuki, first; Kristen Tamagawa of Waikele, second; and Kaci Omoto of Hawaii Baptist Academy, third.

Grades 1 and 2: Keenan Basug of Puohala in Kaneohe, first; Ryan Hirano of Manoa, second; Wailani Louis of Puohala, third.

Grades 3 and 4: Alexa Perez of Kapolei, first; Nicole Yamane of Mililani Ike, second; Alyssa Kim of Mililani Mauka, third.

Grades 5 and 6: Michelle Leung of Aina Haina, first; Kristen Tanabe of Na'au Program, second; Kristy Nishikawa of Wailupe Valley, third.

Honorable mention: 'Anolani Hoapili of Puohala, Avery Donegan of Makalapa, Jozie Ashleson of Wailupe Valley, Jordyn Wang of Hawaii Baptist, Jantzen Tamanaha of Punahou School, Marcus Maunakea of Na'au Program, Dyl- an Orian of Kapolei, Rian Robinson of Mililani Waena, Derek Chang of Pearl City Highlands, Brian Chung of Maemae, Tomomi Woo of Stevenson Middle, James Paul Fernandez of Puuhale and Jordan-Matthew Kumasaka of Assets School.

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Brothers suspected of leading drug ring are caught

Two Hawaii brothers and suspected leaders of a multistate drug ring who have been running from federal authorities since mid-March were arrested late Thursday in San Diego.

Fugitives Renne and Manuel Luera, both Hawaii residents, are expected to be brought back to the islands soon.

The two were arrested in the islands in December on narcotics and firearms charges as part of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into a suspected drug ring that included Hawaii and had ties in Mexico.

"They appeared to play a significant part" in the ring, said Jay Bieber, a deputy U.S. marshal who worked on the case. He also said the DEA investigation into the drug ring is nearly complete.

The brothers were released in January, each on $25,000 bail.

But by March 11 they were not reporting as required to their pretrial service officers, and warrants were issued for their arrests.

Investigators followed several tips that indicated the brothers might have fled to Las Vegas, Los Angeles or San Diego. At one point there was even word that they were in Brazil or Mexico.

On Thursday the Hawaii Fugitive Task Force got word that the brothers were in the Chula Vista area of San Diego, and local, state and federal authorities in California were sent to investigate.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Renne Luera was spotted. When told to stop by police, he fled into a nearby building, where his brother was located. The two then ran on foot.

Renne Luera was found several blocks away, and Manuel Luera was located about an hour later, trying to flee in a car, officials said.

LEEWARD OAHU
Wahiawa boy arrested in rape of 13-year-old

Police arrested a 14-year-old Wahiawa boy for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl earlier this week.

The victim's mother told police yesterday that her daughter told her the suspect sexually assaulted her on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Patrol officers located the suspect and arrested him for investigation of first-degree sexual assault, burglary, and kidnapping. The suspect was later released pending an investigation.

HONOLULU
Kalihi woman missing since February

Police are asking for the public's help in finding a 19-year-old Kalihi woman.

Materita A. Ioane was last seen Feb. 5 at about 5 p.m. at her Ahiahi Street home. Her family and friends have not heard from her since.

She is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds with a medium build. She has black, shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information can call Investigator James Vasconcellos at 529-3064 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

Police look for suspect in auto shop theft

Police want help identifying a man suspected of taking money from a Waimanu Street auto body shop.

Police said that at about 5 p.m. on March 11, the shop owner’s son noticed the door to the office was unlocked and saw a man inside. The man identified himself as “Richard” and inquired about a flatbed truck.

The owner’s son asked the man to leave contact information but he refused and left. Later, the son discovered that money from the office was missing.

The suspect is described as in his early 30s, 5 foot 6, about 180 pounds, with black crew-cut hair, a brown complexion, and a heavy build. He was last seen unshaven, wearing a blue aloha shirt, dark dress pants, and a dark dress shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Police identify casualty of mo-ped accident

Big Island police have identified a Kona man who died after a mo-ped crash Sunday.

Andrew Powers, 41, of Holualoa was killed at about 11:26 p.m. Sunday after he lost control of the Hyosung mo-ped he was driving east on Honokohau Boat Ramp Road, fell over and hit his head on the pavement.