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DIFFICULT BIRTH

ASSOCIATED PRESS Peter Van Dyke, manager of the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook on the Big Island, examines a hapai banana after performing a Caesarean-type operation on the stalk. The banana is called hapai -- Hawaiian for "pregnant" -- because it grows in the middle of the stalk and has to push its way out, sometimes with human help.

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UH students offered cut-rate bus pass

College students are being given the opportunity to buy low-price bus passes.

A special U-PASS can be purchased by students at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, Chaminade University and Hawaii Pacific University for $100, transit and university officials said.

The pass is good for an entire semester and can be used on any regular bus route, seven days a week and any time of day.

By comparison, the officials said it would cost a student $160 for a regular monthly bus pass for a semester. A typical semester permit for the UH-Manoa parking structure is $134, they said.

The pilot program was developed by university and city officials to help reduce vehicular traffic coming to campus, officials said.

The passes go on sale Aug. 15 at the UH-Manoa parking office or the Campus Center Ticket Office.

Botanist gets $1.78M for tropical research

University of Hawaii botanist Rainer Bussmann will use a $1.78 million research and conservation grant to study tropical forest ecosystems in Peru.

"Tropical forests ... are believed to hold over 50 percent of the world's variety life," said Bussmann, who also serves as vice president and scientific director for Nature and Culture International. "The Andean area alone contains nearly 10 percent of the world's plant species."

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation awarded the three-year grant to Nature and Culture International to establish a research center, strengthen park management and enforce park boundaries in three strategic Andean sites: Rio Abiseo National Park, Cordillera Colan Reserve Zone and Alto Mayo Protected Forest.

Bussmann, who joined the UH-Manoa faculty in 2003, is an associate professor and Lyon Arboretum's scientific director.

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[ TAKING NOTICE ]

» The Institute for Human Services Inc., Oahu's only 24-hour emergency homeless shelter, has received the following contributions: Hawaii Children's Trust Fund, $48,000, the first year of a three-year award of $120,000; Ellen M. Koenig Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation, $40,000; Cades Foundation, $25,000; Atherton Family Foundation, $5,000; Kitaro Watanabe Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation, $5,000 for the Homeless Family Support Program; Hotel Industry Association, $5,000 for the IHS Meal Program; Hawaii Dental Services, $5,000 to improve oral health of IHS clients; the 10th anniversary of the "Emme's Island Moments" holiday concert, $2,500.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Man told to give up wallet twice in 5 minutes

A 50-year-old visitor from Connecticut was allegedly robbed twice in less than five minutes yesterday while walking along Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona.

Derrick Schull told police he was walking south along Alii Drive at about 3:25 a.m. just north of Lunapule Road when a dark-colored sport utility vehicle stopped alongside him. He said three dark-complexioned males in their 30s got out and demanded his wallet. The suspects then forcibly took the wallet and its contents and drove off in a southerly direction.

About five minutes later, the victim said, four males walked out of some bushes, confronted him and demanded his wallet.

When the victim told them he had no wallet, the two young adults allegedly punched and kicked him before fleeing the area.

The victim suffered minor injuries and refused medical attention.

He said two of the suspects were wearing shirts and that the other two were shirtless. They were all wearing surf shorts, he added.

Kona police have initiated robbery and assault investigations into the pair of incidents.

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call Officer Kristi Crivello of the Kona Patrol at 326-4646 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

HONOLULU

Accident puts bicyclist in critical condition

A 45-year-old bicyclist was critically injured last night on St. Louis Heights. The accident occurred at about 7:05 p.m. at Dole Street and St. Louis Drive, according to police dispatch.

The victim was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in extremely critical condition.

Baby girl who shared bed with family dies

A 1-month-old female infant who shared a bed with three family members at their Halawa home died yesterday morning, police said.

Family members found the baby girl unresponsive and not breathing before 8 a.m. yesterday. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was started, and the infant was taken by ambulance to Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi, where she died.

The case is classified as an unattended death pending further investigation.

Woman alleges sexual assault by acquaintance

Police are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a 20-year-old woman in Honolulu on Monday night.

The victim told police she was sexually assaulted between 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. by a 24-year-old man with whom she was acquainted.

Police said the man allegedly forced the woman into a vehicle.

Police have classified the case as first-degree sexual assault and kidnapping.

The case is pending investigation.

Driver of mo-ped dies after truck collision

A 57-year-old Honolulu man who was struck June 21 by a flatbed truck while he was riding a mo-ped died Tuesday.

The Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as Francis T. Hiromasa.

Police said Hiromasa was traveling on Ala Moana Boulevard near Keawe Street when a flatbed truck, traveling in the same lane, approached him from behind and collided with his mo-ped.

Hiromasa was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition with head and hand injuries, police said.

The truck driver, a 29-year-old Waianae man, and his passenger were not injured in the 5:47 a.m. collision, police said.

Hiromasa died Tuesday night from injuries sustained in the collision, police said.

Alleged grandson impersonator arrested

Police arrested a 27-year-old man who allegedly pretended to be someone's grandson to purchase more than $1,500 in handbags at an Ala Moana Center store Tuesday night.

The suspect bought the bags using a courtesy card provided by the store after the suspect gave them personal information from a 65-year-old man, saying he was the victim's grandson.

During the purchase the victim's account was flagged and police were called. The suspect was later arrested for investigation of fraudulent use of a credit card.

WAIKIKI

Police charge man in mugging of visitor

Police charged a 24-year-old homeless man after he allegedly mugged a Japanese tourist but was unable to withdraw money using the victim's bank cards.

Robert Zimmerman Jr. was charged with second-degree robbery and criminal trespassing for the alleged offense Monday morning, at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider. He was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Police said Zimmerman took four bank cards from a 19-year-old man and forced the victim to go to five different automated teller machines but was unable to get any cash because the cards only work in Japan. The suspect then allegedly tried to force the victim to go to his room and get cash, but the victim ran away and contacted hotel security, who detained the suspect for police.

LEEWARD OAHU

Woman's safe stolen from Kapolei home

Burglars used a City and County rubbish bin Tuesday night in Kapolei to roll away a safe full of valuables.

Police said the safe was stolen from a 39-year-old woman who had about $100,000 worth of valuables inside.

The suspects took the safe after entering the victim's home on the second floor sometime between 7 and 9:15 p.m.