---

Big Isle air outfit disputes whistleblower

A former Big Island man has filed a "whistleblower" lawsuit claiming that the West Hawaii branch of Sunshine Helicopters had a practice of understating the weight of its passengers, creating unsafe, overloaded flights.

Attorney David Simons filed the suit in Kona Circuit Court on behalf of Jim Spiri, who worked for Sunshine in 2002-2003. Spiri now works as a contractor in Iraq, Simons said.

The Hawaii "Whistleblower's Protection Act" prohibits discharge, threats, or discrimination against an employee who complains about wrongdoing.

Simons said Spiri complained about overloaded flights and was suspended for 30 days for alleged "anger management issues."

He returned to work but a "hostile environment" forced him to resign, Simons said.

Sunshine President Ross Scott said he doesn't know about the claims because Spiri never notified him as president, nor the director of operations or the chief pilot.

Scott said Simons contacted him about a month ago seeking money to settle the case. "I think it's a frivolous lawsuit. They're just trying to extract money from me," he said.

Scott said he has contacted the Federal Aviation Administration to look into Spiri's claims.

Memorial service set for 100th Infantry

The 60th memorial service for soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday at the National Cemetery of the Pacific.

The annual service is held by the 100th Battalion Veterans Club to coincide with the date the first soldier of Japanese-American ancestry was killed in Italy in World War II on Sept. 29, 1943.

Brig. Gen. Vern Miyagi, commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard, will be the keynote speaker.

Community invited to pitch in for garden

Community work days to restore a native Hawaiian garden at the downtown headquarters of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources are set to begin tomorrow.

"We are looking for volunteers who are interested in helping us create a place for people in urban Honolulu to see and learn about native plant species and their importance to our environment," DLNR Director Peter Young said.

The first work day, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. tomorrow, will focus on weeding and preparing the ground. Later workdays will add other native plants to the naio, naupaka, pohinahina, ma'o and kulu'i that grow there now.

The garden is on the makai side of the Kalanimoku state office building, 1151 Punchbowl St., just mauka of Honolulu Hale. Parking is available in the basement or on Punchbowl Street.

Volunteers should bring gloves, a hat, sunscreen, water, and insect repellent. Light refreshments will be provided. The next work day is tentatively set for Oct. 15.

For more information, contact Michelle Gorham at 587-4169.

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU

Body found floating near Reef Runway

A person riding a Jet Ski spotted the body of a man floating off an island near the Reef Runway yesterday.

Police said the unclothed body was that of a man possibly Asian or Caucasian, about 30 to 40 years old.

The body had been there for more than a day or two, a fire official said.

Firefighters brought the body to shore using a boat.

Police close road for gas leak repairs

Construction crews hit a synthetic natural gas supply line at about 3:45 p.m. yesterday.

Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said the Gas Co. had trouble finding the leak, but later was able to patch the gash in the line.

Police closed off Puuloa Road between Pukoloa and Mapunapuna streets for a few hours.

LEEWARD OAHU

Overturned truck spills waste oil

A tractor-trailer pulling a 1,600-gallon container holding waste oil overturned at about 3:45 p.m. yesterday on the H-1 freeway near the Kunia on-ramp.

The driver, however, escaped uninjured.

Police shut down two left lanes in the westbound direction of the freeway for about three hours during the cleanup.

Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said the vehicle failed to make the turn and flipped onto its side, spilling 25 gallons of diesel oil from the tractor-trailer.

Also 25 to 50 gallons of waste oil leaked onto the roadway from the hatch of the trailer.

The Fire Department's hazardous materials team and an engine assisted in the cleanup until 6 p.m.

Unitek, which owns the tractor-trailer, also assisted in cleaning the oil-covered roadway, Tejada said.

Police reopened the lanes at 6:40 p.m.

Man falls 2 stories after confrontation

Police are investigating the death of a 57-year-old Waianae man who fell from a second-floor balcony following a confrontation.

Police said the victim was drinking at his home with several of his employees just before 4 p.m. Wednesday when there was a confrontation with another male.

The victim then fell from the balcony. He was taken to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center where he was pronounced dead. Other details were not available.

An autopsy is pending.

NORTH SHORE

Man injured from rock jump dies

A 21-year-old Haleiwa man died Tuesday from injuries he suffered while jumping off a rock at Waimea Bay.

Police said John Greengrove was injured at about noon Aug. 27.

A friend had fallen on top of Greengrove, police said.

He had been taken to Queen's Medical Center and had been on life support until Tuesday, when he went into cardiac arrest and died, police said. The cause of death had not been determined.

The case is pending investigation by the homicide detail, but police said there were no indications of foul play.