---

[ TAKING NOTICE ]

>> The John M. Ross Foundation has given more than $1,000 to American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific Inc. to help support a program to fight childhood obesity on the Big Island.

"Generation Fit" encourages children ages 11 to 18 to participate in health-related community service projects.

>> Michelle Sosa, University of Hawaii-Manoa undergraduate majoring in micro- biology, was honored the past semester with the UH Research Corporation's Student Excellence in Research Award.

Sosa hopes to pursue a doctorate degree in epidemiology and contribute to knowledge about diseases that disproportionately affect Asian-Pacific Islanders and Filipino populations.

She received the St. Jude's Children's Hospital award for "Best Junior Poster Presentation for the Cell Biological Sciences division" at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students.

She participated in the University of California-San Diego's Summer training Academy for Research in the Sciences in 2003 and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Diversity Internship Program last year.

She is vice president and director of communications for the UHM Mortarboard National College Senior Honor Society.

>> Mental Health Kokua has received $1,500 from the Hawaii Hotel Industry Charity Walk Foundation to purchase household furnishings for clients who live on the Big Island.

---

---

Waikane Valley sale ends property tax case

The city has collected more than $500,000 to settle a delinquent property tax case involving two land parcels in Waikane Valley, city officials said yesterday.

The $522,981.56 -- covering taxes, interest, penalties and expenses -- came from the recent sale of the parcels totaling 1,443.5 acres, the officials said. Property taxes had not been paid since 1995, they said.

A city plan to sell the parcels to settle the case in 2003 was blocked when landowner Waikane Investment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The parcels have been sold to Royal/Fountains LLC, which held the mortgage on the property and sued for foreclosure.

Honolulu storm safety gets federal approval

The federal government has declared the City and County of Honolulu as "TsunamiReady" and "StormReady" -- designations that could mean insurance savings for residents on Oahu's flood plains.

"We can't prevent tsunamis. We can't prevent a hurricane. But we can prepare for it. And by preparing for them we help to save lives," said Jim Weyman, meteorologist in charge at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Honolulu office.

Weyman and Mayor Mufi Hannemann showed off signs yesterday that declares the county's new status.

Counties applying for the designation must meet a long list of requirements, including having the proper communication and monitoring systems as well as public education programs.

The status counts toward the city's rating with the National Flood Insurance Program, which could mean a reduction in flood insurance rates, Weyman said.

Honolulu is the third county in the state, after Kauai and Maui, to receive the dual designations.

Large events to close Kalakaua this weekend

Kalakaua Avenue will be closed several times this weekend due to three major events in the area.

On Friday from 5:30 p.m. to midnight, the Pan-Pacific Matsuri in Hawaii Waikiki Hoolaulea will close lanes and sidewalks on Kalakaua Avenue between Lewers Street and Kaiulani Avenue.

On Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to noon, the King Kamehameha Day Floral Parade will close several lanes in Honolulu, Kakaako and Waikiki. The parade will start in front of Iolani Palace on King Street and progress toward the ocean on Punchbowl Street, east on Ala Moana, east on Kalakaua Avenue, northeast on Monsarrat Avenue and end at Kapiolani Park.

On Sunday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kalakaua Avenue from Fort DeRussy to Kapiolani Park will be closed due to the Pan-Pacific Festival-Matsuri in Hawaii Parade.

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU

Auto thief fails to appear for sentencing

Police are seeking 32-year-old fugitive Collin D. Heinicke for failing to appear for resentencing on his auto theft conviction.

Heinicke is known to frequent the Kalihi, Waikiki and Waianae areas. He is Hawaiian, stands 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds and has brown hair, brown eyes and tattoos on his upper right arm, inner left forearm and the back of his left hand.

Heinicke is also known as Collin David Heinicke, Jonas David Burgon and James Kauwe, police said.

Anonymous calls can be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

Witnesses sought in 2 roadway collisions

Police are asking for the public's help in finding witnesses to two serious motor vehicle collisions.

In one case, police are looking for the driver of a green garbage truck that struck a 33-year-old woman crossing Ward Avenue from Thomas Square to Straub Hospital 6 a.m. March 11.

The woman, who suffered leg injuries, was struck when the truck turned left on South King Street onto Ward Avenue.

In another case, police are also looking for the rider of a blue-and-white Suzuki GSXR-1000 motorcycle who allegedly cut off a 20-year-old motorcyclist heading westbound on the H-1 freeway near the Makakilo offramp.

The suspect allegedly clipped the front of the other motorcycle and "sent the victim flying through the air," police said.

Police said the suspect continued on the Makakilo offramp.

The victim was taken to the hospital with serious permanent injury to his hand.

Anyone with information is asked to call officer Sharon Nanod at 529-3527. Anonymous calls can be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

LEEWARD OAHU

Police seek suspect on contempt warrant

Police want help in finding a 37-year-old man sought for a felony contempt warrant.

William A. Futi, also known as Bill, Futi, William Afele Futi and William D, frequents the Waianae, Nanakuli and Ewa areas. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 178 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, and has a band on his upper right arm and a star on his right hand.

Anonymous calls can be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

WINDWARD OAHU

House fire displaces family and a tenant

A family of six and their tenant were left homeless after fire heavily damaged a house in Laie yesterday morning.

The fire was reported at 6:01 a.m. at 55-238-B Kamehameha Highway. A couple, their four teenage children and an adult tenant live there.

Fire officials said some family members discovered the fire in a teenage daughter's room, evacuated the rest of the house and then called 911.

Firefighters got the fire under control by 6:55 a.m., but flames consumed about half of the home's interior, officials said.

Damage estimates and the cause of the fire were still under investigation.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police catch woman after river escape

Big Island police caught a Hilo woman yesterday who had escaped arrest Tuesday evening by jumping or falling into the Wailuku River in Hilo.

The 5-foot-4-inch, 200-pound woman, Desiree Proudfoot, was wanted on an outstanding bench warrant.

When a Hilo patrol officer approached her about 6 p.m. Tuesday, she apparently jumped or fell into the river and, before her arrest, was last seen swimming in the river, police said.

Police said the woman was climbing down the river bank and likely jumped out to avoid rocks and into the river, which is 20 feet deep in places.

As for the water, "it's never clear," said Sgt. Lewis Wilson.

Fire rescue units were unable to find her and called off their search at 7 p.m. due to darkness.

Proudfoot apparently climbed up the same river bank farther down from the area, Wilson said. "She made it up the bank before anybody noticed she did."

An officer recognizing Proudfoot spotted her in downtown Hilo and arrested her at 12:40 p.m. yesterday outside the Hilo Armory, police said.

---

[ THE COURTS ]

Recycled drugs case is settled for $3.2M

Circuit Judge Eden Hifo has approved a $3.2 million class-action settlement with IPC Pharmacy, which failed to disclose that drugs it sold to senior citizens and others in Liliha were recycled.

Under the settlement, $2 million will be used to pay back the class members who privately purchased drugs made prior to February 2000. The remaining $2.1 million will be paid into a fund to be used for senior programs at the University of Hawaii.

Those who purchased drugs between 1997 and 2000 will get a full refund of the amounts they were billed. Those who purchased drugs before 1997 will be paid $100 each. The settlement covers only private pay patients.

A prior settlement with the state Medicaid fraud unit returned money paid by the state under the state Medicaid program.

Members of the class should have received a written notice and claim form to submit their claims.

Potential class members can call attorneys Rick Eichor at 538-1113 or Tom Grande at 524-7500 for more information or visit the Web site www.ipcdrugclassaction.com.

Child-slaying suspect gets prison sentence

LIHUE >> A Kauai man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the death last year of his girlfriend's 3-year-old son.

David Nicholas Arruda will likely serve at least six years and eight months because of state sentencing guidelines.

Prosecutors originally charged Arruda with second-degree murder in the November death of Kaimana Dias-Duque, who was knocked unconscious while playing with Arruda.

Prosecutors later reached a plea deal for a lesser manslaughter charge, which carries a maximum 20-year sentence.

Arruda told the court Tuesday he was "so sorry for the tragedy that happened. It was an accident."

In an interview with police submitted to the court, Arruda said he had been throwing the child in the air and catching him, but the boy hit his head on the floor when he missed.

Arruda then grabbed the boy by the knees and was swinging him around, but the child was knocked unconscious after he hit his head again.

Arruda panicked and pretended the boy was asleep when his mother came home, according to the court documents. Arruda waited six hours after the boy was knocked unconscious before calling for an ambulance.

The child died two days later.