Coast Guard searching for ship's missing man

The Coast Guard is searching for a missing 20-year-old man who went overboard from a U.S. fishing vessel about 600 miles from Samoa.

The crew of the 207-foot vessel Sea Fox from San Diego called the Coast Guard at 10 a.m. yesterday and reported last seeing the man at 5:30 p.m. yesterday, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony Soto.

Crew members determined the man had gone overboard at about 2 a.m. yesterday about 1,800 miles from Oahu. It is unknown whether he was wearing a life jacket.

At about 1 p.m. yesterday a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft launched from Air Station Barbers Point, and will search the last known position of the missing man, Soto said.

The Sea Fox crew is also searching with a helicopter that was on the ship.

City seeks responses to survey on disasters

City officials are conducting an Oahu survey as part of developing a revised plan for natural disasters.

The Disaster Preparedness Survey can be accessed at the Department of Emergency Management's Web site at http://www.oahuDEM.org.

Some questions include the impact of smoke caused by volcano emissions on people's health and the kind of natural disasters that have damaged their property.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires governments to have a Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, including public participation, as a condition of receiving federal preparedness and disaster assistance funding.

The survey period ends in February, with the revision scheduled for completion by April, the city said.

Lingle pushes measures on economy, education

Gov. Linda Lingle is asking lawmakers to pass proposals for the economy, environment and education that she pitched in this week's State of the State address.

Lingle has submitted 110 bills and 29 resolutions to the Legislature.

Many of these measures echo Lingle's pitch for business tax credits, increased renewable energy, education decentralization and a fiscal stability fund.

They also include proposals to take $100 million from county hotel tax collections to help balance the state budget and to separate state and county negotiations with their respective employees.

Resolutions urge a minimum 180-day school year and the creation of May 10 as Saint Damien de Veuster Day.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Man receives jail time for harming dogs

LIHUE » A Kauai man who pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty has been sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano also ordered Blaine Jacintho on Thursday to pay the Kauai Humane Society $7,000 in restitution for the care and treatment of nine dogs found emaciated at his Koloa home. The dogs were found living in unsanitary kennels without food and water.

Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho says when society officers responded to an anonymous complaint about a foul odor coming from Jacintho's yard, they found the carcass of a dead dog. She says it was infested with flies and maggots.

Defense attorney Jason Shimizu says Jacintho's inaction was reckless but that it was never his client's intent to mistreat the dogs.