Newswatch Star-Bulletin staff and wire service

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Repairs keep Superferry docked

The Hawaii Superferry is stalled at its Honolulu Harbor dock today for the seventh day in a row while repair work is done on the structure around the auxiliary rudders.

Whether tomorrow's scheduled voyages are on will depend on completion of the work, inspection and sea trials.

Rough weather forced the vessel Alakai to remain dockside from Sunday through Wednesday.

During that time, routine maintenance inspections identified a need to repair the structure encompassing the auxiliary rudders, the company said. Since Thursday the daily round-trip voyages between Oahu and Maui have been canceled while the repairs are being done.

"We are taking all the necessary steps and following the best practices protocol to ensure the repairs are properly completed and the Alakai is as good as new," said Joe Almony, director of maintenance and engineering, in a news release.

Updates on the status of tomorrow's scheduled trips are available on the Web at hawaiisuperferry.com and the automated phone system at (877) 443-3779.

Ex-coach indicted on sex charge

An Oahu grand jury indicted a former Maryknoll School girls volleyball coach Thursday on charges that he had sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Darin Yoshinaka, 28, of Makiki is charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault and seven counts of third-degree sexual assault.

He remains free on $50,000 bond.

School officials said Yoshinaka was an assistant volleyball coach for the girls varsity team for the 2007 season but has not been under contract since the season ended in October.

Police set up DUI checkpoints

Police will be checking for impaired drivers during the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl weekends.

Checkpoints will be set up at unannounced times and places through Feb. 11.

As of Tuesday, four people had died in four Oahu traffic collisions. One of those collisions was found to be alcohol- or drug-related, police said.

Police are conducting at least one sobriety checkpoint every week through Sept. 30.

Honolulu police arrested 3,861 impaired drivers from Oct. 1, 2006, to Sept. 30.

3 schools cited for achievement

The state Department of Education named three elementary schools as Distinguished Schools for their academic progress.

Aina Haina and Ala Wai elementary on Oahu and Holualoa Elementary on the Big Island were honored Thursday in a ceremony at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa.

The schools have shown dramatic improvement in test scores to high levels or those that are achieving in the top 10 percent of schools in the state in both reading and mathematics, according to the Education Department.

They will represent Hawaii in the 2007-08 No Child Left Behind -- Blue Ribbon Schools Program. National winners of the Blue Ribbon competition will be announced in November.

Liliha library to close for carpet

A re-carpeting project will close Liliha Public Library for about two months beginning Feb. 11.

Holds of library materials not picked up at Liliha library by next Saturday will be sent to the Kalihi-Palama Public Library.

The library is expected to reopen in April.

Police, Fire, Courts Star-Bulletin staff

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LEEWARD OAHU

Waianae blaze burns townhouse

Firefighters extinguished within 15 minutes yesterday a fire that broke out in a three-story townhouse complex in Waianae.

Fire Capt. Earle Kealoha said the damage was contained to a second-floor unit where a man lived alone. No one was home at the time of the 4:13 p.m. fire.

The townhouse, located at 84-718 Ala Mahiku St., received heavy damage, he said.

Victim seeks ride, instead is socked

Police arrested a 24-year-old man who allegedly robbed a man who wanted a ride into town.

At about 2:20 a.m. yesterday, a 49-year-old man approached the suspect in Aiea and asked for a ride into town, police said. The victim offered the suspect $20 to fill up his gas tank, police said. The suspect said no and then punched the victim, took the money and fled, police said.

Officers later found the suspect and arrested him on suspicion of first-degree robbery.

HONOLULU

1 caught, 1 flees after Kalihi attack

Police arrested a 40-year-old man after he and another man allegedly attacked a group of men in Kalihi.

At about 9:30 p.m. Thursday night, a white van drove up to a Pua Lane home where several people were drinking, police said. The suspect got out of the van and allegedly assaulted another man with a baseball bat. Another suspect got out of the van and stabbed the same victim, police said.

The first suspect also allegedly punched a second man before both suspects fled. Police later found the van and arrested the first suspect on suspicion of second- and third-degree assault.

The second suspect escaped on foot, police said. The victims were treated at the Queen's Medical Center.

Officers nab boy in wake of robbery

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy this week who allegedly robbed another juvenile in Honolulu.

Police said the boy used force on the victim and took the victim's wallet at 11:25 a.m. Tuesday. The boy was later arrested on suspicion of second-degree robbery and released pending investigation.

CENTRAL OAHU

In-law's stabbing brings man's bust

Police arrested a 23-year-old man who allegedly stabbed his father-in-law Thursday night.

The suspect and the 51-year-old victim were arguing at about 9:45 p.m., at a home on Kulewa Loop in Waipio, when the stabbing happened, police said. The suspect also allegedly shoved his 43-year-old mother-in-law when she tried to stop the fight. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and abuse of a household member.