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<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Friday, October 25, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition By Ryan Kawailani Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: CURB O`AHU CRIME OR LOSE VISITORS, CONSUL WARNS Japan's top official in Hawai`i has beseeched top island officials to do something about crime in Honolulu, warning that all it would take is one heavily reported crime against a tourist to send Oahu's visitor industry into a tailspin. In a letter to Mayor Jeremy Harris, Japanese Consul General Kishichiro Amae called for a more aggressive stance in the battle against what he described as an increasingly visible rise in crimes against visitors. "I would like to ask you, Mr. Mayor, to prioritize the patter," Amae states in the letter, copies of which also went to Gov. Ben Cayetano, City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro and Honolulu Police Chief Michael Nakamura. As an example, Amae cited the drop of Japanese tourism and investment in the Philippines when crimes against Japanese visitors were brought to light. Although crimes against visitors are not a new problem, Amae's said his letter was prompted by a Sept. 23 gunpoint robbery of three Japanese businessmen at a golf course in Makaha. Describing the visitor industry as "stagnant," Amae stressed that the crime problem is a serious threat to Hawaii's economy. "I'm not pessimistic about the future," he said, but added that something must be done -- and sooner rather than latter. "We agree wholeheartedly with Counsel General Amae," City Managing Director Bob Fishman said today. He said the city has already taken action on the Makaha incident. "We've been working with the neighborhood around that golf course, and we've identified some of the security weaknesses," he said. The police department has increased the number of patrols in the Makaha area as well as in Waikiki, Fishman said. He said new bicycle patrols in Waikiki have also been very effective. Fishman also said, however, that the city has several barriers to overcome in fighting crime. "We need to make it very difficult for criminals," he said. "The problem we have is petty crime -- the problem we have is we can't take petty criminals off the street for very long because there's no place to incarcerate them." Although Amae said he understood the state's ongoing troubles with prison overcrowding, he urged that the city look into the "implementation of innovative solutions" to the crime problem. Some city officials have proposed one possible "innovative solution" -- a Honolulu volunteer citizen's patrol. "We know the situation is serious," said City Councilman Andy Mirikitani, who is backing a bill before the City Council that would initiate a citizen patrol program. "This will help to restore Oahu's image as a safe tourist destination, particularly at a time when O`ahu is so dependent and reliant upon Japanese and other visitors," Mirikitani said. The proposed Honolulu citizen's patrol is modeled after one in place on Maui, he said, where volunteers patrol popular tourist spots in cars donated by rental car companies. The patrol met some opposition at recent public hearings, however, as HPD officers expressed concern that training a citizen patrol force would tax police resources and take needed officers off the streets. The council is expected to vote on the proposal on Nov. 13. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: MAUI JUDGE PIONEERS ROADSIDE PENANCE While the law forbids cruel and unusual punishments, one Hawai`i judge has taken a simply unusual approach to teaching criminals a lesson. Like anyone else in an election year, residents on the island of Maui drive past a variety of sign-holders when commuting to and from work. But some signs aren't there to get votes of support. "Beware -- I rip off cars," reads one. "I will not steal again," reads another. A third: "Mother of seven -- done in by drugs." The signs, made especially for those who hold them, are the work of Maui Circuit Court Judge Boyd Mossman. He said he believes putting criminals "on the street" may be more effective than putting them behind bars. "My hope is that it will be more effective than a person having sat in jail for 90 days," Mossman said. Mossman stresses that roadside penance isn't so much a sentence rather than a voluntary act he makes available to people convicted of crimes who want to avoid jail time. Public atonement is an option only to those convicted of non-violent crimes -- such as burglary, drug possession and auto theft -- or those that would otherwise face a jail sentence of a year or less, he said. Public atonement allows people time to spend with their families, he said, adding that he can still follow up with a jail stay if he feels the defendants aren't sincere in their apologies. "They got themselves in a predicament, I gave them an option to get out," Mossman said. "Now they're getting out of it -- and hopefully they'll never get back in it." To date, Mossman said he has heard few complaints over his brand of alternative sentencing. He said: "I couldn't really think of a better way for someone to be accountable to the public than to go and stand out there and say, 'Here I am, I did it, I'm sorry.'" "I don't look at it as humiliation," Mossman said. "I think embarrassment is a closer term." In addition to being a way to rehabilitate criminals, Mossman said his sentences also carry a message for everyone else. "When these people are out holding signs, I'm hoping the public will recognize that it's not only young, long-haired unemployed people that commit crimes," he said. Mossman said the public needs more exposure to justice. In Honolulu, City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro lauded Mossman for his ingenuity. "I think whenever you have anything creative, that's good," Kaneshiro told KHON-TV2. "You should be creative." "I agree with it," Kaneshiro said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO KEEP TRANSIT AUTHORITY Honolulu residents will decide on election day who will be in charge of running the O`ahu bus system -- an independent agency or the mayor. The two candidates hoping to win the mayor's seat that same day have taken opposite sides on the issue, which will be settled by voters along with seven other proposed amendments to the Honolulu City Charter. Since reports of government corruption culminated six years ago with the theft convictions of seven city bus drivers, the Honolulu Public Transit Authority has run Honolulu's award winning bus system and its beleaguered sister program, the Handi-Van. Problems experienced by the latter have prompted the City Council to propose dissolving the HPTA, a move which they say will save as much as $300,000 currently going to an administration some say isn't needed. "The HPTA largely was a response to the corruption," said Councilman John Holmes, who serves as the chair of the transportation committee. "I think it was an overreaction, he said. "We've now had a chance to see it work, and it's not working properly -- so why put up with it?" It was a charter amendment vote that originally formed the HPTA. Incumbent Mayor Jeremy Harris said he supports the elimination of the transit authority, calling the switch to the independent agency a move in the wrong direction. "We shouldn't back up," Harris told KITV-4. "We shouldn't move backwards in this whole transportation process." With the proposed elimination of the HPTA, Harris said: "We have made a step toward progress." Harris has said he frequently hears complaints about the Handi-Van and bus system, and that he has to tell residents he can't do anything and that they have to call the authority. "The people that run the bus should report directly to the city," he said. "It'll put the accountability for the bus system directly where it belongs -- on the mayor and on the City Council." Mayoral candidate Arnold Morgado, however, contends the initial reasoning behind the HPTA is still valid. "I think the Honolulu Public Transit Authority did accomplish taking the politics out of managing the bus system," Morgado said. "You don't have politicians running the system -- you have experts running the system." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: OHA TO FUND HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PROGRAM The Office of Hawaiian Affairs announced today that it will fund half the five-year cost of running the highest Hawaiian language educational track in the state. Earlier this year, the University of Hawai`i-Hilo won approval from the Board of Regents to establish a master's degree program in the Hawaiian language, the campus' first graduate program. OHA has committed $300,000 to the graduate program, and the rest of the funding will come from UH. Without the help of OHA, university officials said the Hawaiian language program would not have gotten off the ground. "This is a program that would have probably lain on the table for some time if the university had to find all of the money right now," said UH President Kenneth Mortimer. The announcement is being heralded as a first-of-its-kind partnership between UH and the state's foremost Hawaiian agency. "The investment that we're making today is a bargain, and it's an investment that's long overdue," said OHA Chairman Clayton Hee. "I wish we could do more." UHH officials said the graduate Hawaiian curriculum will be taught entirely in the Hawaiian language, and cover everything from literature to music to mythology. With OHA's support, Mortimer said students will be able to take their first classes towards the new master's degree next Fall. To date, there are a dozen students prepared to enter the program. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES HOTEL occupancy across the state has fallen for the fifth month in a row, according to a private consulting firm. According to PKF Hawai`i, Island hotels on average reported 75 percent occupancy last month, two percent lower than last year. Meanwhile, the average nightly price for a room rose six percent to $120. When broken down by island, only Hawai`i County numbers went up. Hotels on the Big Island saw an unprecedented 40 percent increase in occupancy over 1995, which industry officials say is largely due to direct airline flights from Japan to Kona that began earlier this year... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 85/72, Kaua`i 83/72, Moloka`i 84/73, Maui 85/73, Hilo 83/72 CASTS: Sunny, evening showers; trades to 15MPH; North shore surf to 4 feet. SATURDAY'S TIDES: High -:-- p.m.; Low -:-- p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Wednesday, October 23, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: POLICE CITE PROSTITUTION, BRIBERY IN MASSAGE PARLOR RAIDS Six Honolulu massage parlors were raided simultaneously this morning, culminating a seven-month investigation into alleged prostitution, bribery and practicing unlicensed massage. In all, at least two dozen women ranging in age from 26 to 52 were arrested in the 10 a.m. raids, all conducted in the Ke`eaumoku-Kapi`olani district mauka of Ala Moana Shopping Center. Honolulu police also seized a number of files and other items from the businesses, including customers' names, telephone numbers and receipts. Investigators say the items will be used to bolster ongoing money-laundering and racketeering probes. Eleven women were arrested for prostitution, and eight were arrested for bribery. Twelve women, most of them owners or partners of the various businesses, were also arrested for providing unlicensed massage. Only one of the businesses raided today had a valid license to provide masseuse services. Police officials say the bribery arrests come after the women offered undercover officers $50,000 in bribes over a seven month period in the hopes of convincing police to cut back on enforcement activities or giving them advance warning of future investigations. Most of the businesses advertised "Oriental relaxation therapy" or "body shampoos," but HPD investigators said today the services offered were far less mysterious. "In the process of getting a massage -- in the process of being shampooed -- sex is in fact offered for a fee; therefore we have prostitution," said Maj. Mike Carvalho of the HPD narcotics vice division. "We have investigated at least 20 locations," he added. "This has gone on at each location." Because such illegitimate massage parlors have only recently set up shop, officials said, their aggressive -- and sometimes provocative -- advertising caught the eye of many O`ahu residents. "We received complaints from the general public, and information and complaints from customers, that a number of massage parlors had sprung up around the Ke`eaumoku area," Carvalho said. "As we investigated these complaints we found a number of these -- not all -- were fronts for prostitution," he said. The investigation was conducted jointly by state and city law enforcement agencies. The State Regulated Industries Complaints Office got involved after HPD notified them that most of the massage parlors did not have necessary state approval to practice massage. The businesses raided were Magic Hands and Rainbow Relaxation Therapy on Makaloa Street; Aloha Stress Free on Ke`eaumoku Street; Oriental Stress Free on Kalakaua Avenue; TLC on Kapi`olani Boulevard; and Greenfield Metro Massage on South King Street. State officials say both Magic Hands and Rainbow Relaxation Therapy have two prior citations for operating without state licenses, and today's raid will earn each a $5,000 fine. Each of the remaining businesses will be hit with a first-offense fine of $500. The fines, however, are independent of the bribery and prostitution felony charges, which could carry prison terms. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: STUDY FINDS HAWAI`I TOPS ON TWO COUNTS While Americans still consider Hawai`i the most appealing destination for their "beach vacations," the islands are also number one when it comes to choosing a "touring vacation," according to survey unveiled today. Many people think it's too expensive to visit, the survey also found. Longwoods International, a Canadian firm, polled a random sample of nearly 2,000 Americans to divine the things they most associate with Hawai`i. The study, commissioned by the Hawai`i Visitors and Convention Bureau, was part of a larger, 200,000-person survey. The HVCB had previously drawn from Longwoods International research to engineer their most recent promotional campaign, which highlights the cultural diversity of the state as well as its scenery. The most recent findings of the agency, the result of a three-year effort, is expected to give the bureau even more direction in its efforts to bring in tourism dollars. Although HVCB officials expected Hawai`i to top the list of vacation spots for beach-lovers, the state's ranking among those looking to tour a region is seen as a new hotpoint to focus on. "Some people don't just plunk themselves down on a beach," Longwoods International representative Bill Siegel told KITV-4. "They're there to sightsee through a region -- in (Hawaii's) case it would be island hopping." HVCB spokesman Richard Kelley said the finding was an eye-opener. He said: "I think it's a little like an 'Aha!'" "I think people had this in mind, but we've never really focused on it," Kelley said. "Too often we've been focusing on the beach." One impression that the HVCB may have to work on changing is Hawaii's reputation of being rough on the pocketbook. "Sure you can spend $50 a person for dinner, and you can do all sorts of things that are very expensive," Kelley said. "But there are thriftier ways of getting around the islands and I think we need to bring that message to the forefront." Longwoods International's research found that people who'd actually been to the islands generally had a better impression of the cost of a Hawai`i vacation. "We feel that the people who have actually visited Hawai`i will give you a very positive comment on price," Siegel said. "It's the people who haven't been here for a while who don't know." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: DISABLED ADVOCACY GROUP PLANS WEEKLY LAWSUITS Six years after the federal Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, there are still many businesses nationwide that have yet to meet its requirements. In Hawai`i, one group said today it will wait no longer. Claiming that several Honolulu health-care providers have failed to make their offices accessible to the disabled, the Protection and Advocacy Agency of Hawai`i has filed fifteen lawsuits against their respective property owners. Among the businesses named in the suit are the Aiea Shopping Center, the Aiea Shopping Plaza and the Aiea Medical Building. In its lawsuits, the group states that the businesses do not provide enough handicapped parking spaces and do not have required wheelchair ramps. "If you have a disability and you attempt to enter a building or a business that is not accessible, there might as well be a 10-foot brick wall," said agency spokesman David Rammler. The health-care providers will not be the last to hear from the agency, he said. Each week, the group will file fifteen lawsuits against a different set of businesses, Rammler said. Among the businesses the agency plans to site are retailers, restaurants and convenience stores, he said. The lawsuits ask that the businesses bring their facilities into compliance with the ADA within 90 days. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- DESPITE facing an attempted murder charge for allegedly burning his 3-year- old son in a tub of boiling water two weeks ago, 24-year-old Ronald Betts, Schofield Barracks soldier, will be spared a prison stay while he awaits his January trial. Family Court Judge Dan Kochi yesterday granted Betts a supervised release after his defense argued he needed to work to earn a salary to avoid being a financial burden on his family. City prosecutors, however, said Betts was a flight risk and posed a danger to the community. His son Tavelle is now in Texas recovering from his injuries, including serious burns to 30 percent of his body. If convicted Betts faces life in prison. Because of the age of his victim, prosecutors say, Betts minimum sentence for an attempted murder conviction would be 15 years... CELEBRATION was unfortunately fleeting for friends and family of 2-year-old leukemia patient Alana Dung. Many members of her family remain with her in Seattle, now more than two months after she received a vital bone-marrow transplant. On Monday, doctors said she had recovered enough to finally return to her Pearl City home, far sooner than the pre-Thanksgiving date her family was hoping for. Last night, however, the girl developed a fever. Although doctors said her temperature returned to normal today, her family has decided that they will not return to the islands until they can be sure no infections have developed... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 83/70, Kaua`i 82/70, Moloka`i 83/72, Maui 83/71, Hilo 82/70 CASTS: Mostly sunny; trades to 25MPH; North shore surf to 5 feet. THURSDAY'S TIDES: High -:-- p.m.; Low -:-- p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Tuesday, October 22, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: LIFE SENTENCE IN ISLES' FIRST "THREE STRIKES" CASE Brian Kaluna, 43, was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a federal prison without the possibility of parole today, becoming the first person in Hawai`i to be sentenced under the "Three Strikes You're Out" law. Kaluna was on trial for the September 1995 robbery of a McCully bank, which led to a high-speed chase and a shoot-out with Honolulu police along Kapahulu Avenue. Six months prior in March, Kaluna had been convicted on two counts of bank robbery. Kaluna's criminal record include eight robbery convictions in all, dating back to 1974. District Court Judge Helen Gillmor said Kaluna had more than enough "strikes" to qualify for sentencing under the "Three Strikes" law, enacted with the 1994 U.S. Crime Act. The federal law mandates a life term for people whose prior record includes two or more violent felonies. An earlier court hearing determined a 1978 knife-point robbery and the March robbery counted as Kaluna's two "strikes." In the eyes of the court, Gillmor said, Kaluna had at least two opportunities to conform to live within the letter of the law and failed to take advantage of them. Federal Assistant Public Defender Alexander Silvert disagreed, however, and said his client plans to appeal the life sentence. "I'm not advocating that he be out on the streets, but I don't think a man like Brian Kaluna should be in prison without even the possibility of parole," Silvert said. Silvert contends the March robbery, to which Kaluna pled guilty to robbery in the second degree, was not a "violent offense." Although the final indictment indicated Kaluna had a gun during that robbery, Silvert said, the second-degree plea indicates no firearm was involved. Silvert said prosecutors were likely using Kaluna and the "Three Strikes" law to send a message to other violent felons. "I think what they're trying to do is set an example," he said. "They waited for the right case, in their minds, to set the example so that in the future they can continue to use this law -- perhaps for defendants who shouldn't be sent to prison for life without parole," he added. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Enoki confirmed Silvert's assessment, saying Kaluna's sentence carries a lesson for other potential career criminals. "If you have two prior strikes under the law," Enoki said, "you better take the opportunity now to not commit a third or you will wind up with no option except to serve life without parole." Even so, he said, Kaluna got exactly what he deserved. "We didn't single him out," Enoki said. "Anyone who has the same objective criteria, which is just a matter of prior record, will qualify for this." Silvert said he and his client were not surprised by Gillmor's ruling. "He's been prepared for this mentally and I think he's taking it rather well," he said. "Of course he's upset, but we think we stand a good chance with the appeal." Prosecutors say Kaluna is likely only the third person in the country to be convicted under the "Three Strikes" statute. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: UH PROF AWARDED IMPERIAL PRIZE FOR FERTILITY RESEARCH A University of Hawai`i professor has been selected for an international award for his thirty years of work in the field of reproductive biology, making him the second UH researcher to garner the award and making UH one of only two other institutions -- Cambridge and Harvard -- to host two awardees. Yanagimachi will fly to Japan next month to receive the 1996 International Biology Prize, established by the Japan Academy of Sciences eleven years ago. "To me it is very important," Yanagimachi told KITV-4. "I'm pleased the committee chose this area and I would like to receive this award on behalf of all biologists working in this area." Colleagues say Yanagimachi's work -- which incudes over 200 papers, an encyclopedic review and a post-doctoral laboratory that hosts 70 researchers from around the globe -- has been instrumental in understanding the process of reproduction and advancing the field of in-vitro fertilization. "I'm the black sheep," he said. "I'm the only scientist in the family." With thirty years' worth of research in the field of reproductive biology under his belt, the Japanese-born Yanagimachi has already received a lot of recognition. He received England's prestigious Marshall Medal in 1994 for his studies of mammalian fertility. The UH Board of Regents gave him their Medal for Excellence in Research in 1988, and the school followed up the next year with a fertility symposium held in his honor. Yanagimachi will be presented with a silver vase and 10 million yen (approximately $90,000) at a Nov. 25 ceremony. Only last year, UH biologist Ian Gibbons won the International Prize for Biology for his work with the UH Pacific Biomedical Research Center. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: JOINT REPORT VOWS TO KEEP OUT PESTS Ongoing efforts to keep the islands free of alien pests, seen as a major threat to the island agriculture, environment and economy, have been given a boost by a joint effort by the state and federal government. "The Silent Invasion," authored by Gov. Ben Cayetano, Hawaii's congressional delegation and federal agriculture heads, reaffirms the state's commitment to several projects and launches a campaign to seek more federal funding to step up defensive efforts. "If left unchecked, these alien species -- these pests -- could place our number one industry, tourism, at risk," Gov. Ben Cayetano said. Cayetano stressed that it will take support from the federal government in order for its efforts to be effective. "The federal government will not be a silent partner in combating these threats," said Richard Romiger, spokesman for the U.S. Agriculture Department. "We will be a vocal and aggressive partner." According to the report, a key goal is to continue to keep the islands free of the brown tree snake, a pest that has adversely affected commercial agriculture in Guam and is also responsible for decimating several bird species. Further, the state wants to intensify work to fight the papaya ring-spot virus and fruit flies, already responsible for millions of dollars in lost revenue for island farmers. Aggressive weeds, such as banana poka and ivy gourd vines, are also on the hit list. The vines, which slowly smother and kill trees, are already prevalent in Hawaii's forests, especially on the Big Island. A public information campaign is also proposed, aiming to stop visitors from bringing illegal animals into the state as pets. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 86/73, Kaua`i 83/72, Moloka`i 88/74, Maui 84/73, Hilo 85/72 CASTS: Partly cloudy; gusty trades to 30MPH; All shore surf to 4 feet. WEDNESDAY'S TIDES: High 1:41 p.m.; Low 8:03 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Monday, October 21, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: BUS FALLS INTO PIT FROM WAIKIKI MAIN BREAK About 24 Japanese visitors had a noontime adventure worthy of a theme park today when the front left wheel of their tour bus fell through the asphalt as it tried to cross a section of road hit by a water main break. The bus crossed paths with the water hazard at the intersection of Kalakaua Avenue and Kapiolani Boulevard, fronting the site of the up-and- coming Hawai`i Convention Center. Right in the middle of the lunch-hour rush, right in the middle of what is called the busiest intersection on O`ahu, a 12-inch water main broke, sending thousands of gallons of water gushing up through a crack it created in the roadway. Honolulu police said the Roberts Hawai`i tour bus was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Others hinted, however, that the bus driver made a questionable call. Witnesses said the bus momentarily stopped as it approached the uplifted section of road where water was fountaining, but proceeded forward, collapsing the cracked asphalt. The front end of the bus stopped its fall, the wheel sitting in a newly created hole measuring about 12 feet across. The passengers were evacuated, some carrying others to safety through the rushing water. No injuries were reported. A crane had to be used to lift the front end of the bus out of the flooded crater. Traffic in the area was snarled through the afternoon rush-hour, as Board of Water Supply repair crews worked to shut off the water and repair the main. The lane closures and water shutdown forced many area businesses -- including the nearby Hard Rock Cafe -- to close. Nearly 10 hours after the water line broke, it was repaired and water service was restored shortly after 9:20 p.m. Although the Hard Rock Cafe opened for business, spokesman Wade Wilson said the late opening and ongoing roadwork will hurt the customer turnout. "It's going to be a substantial amount of revenue loss," Wilson said. Board of Water Supply spokesman Denise DeCosta said it will take at least another six or seven hours for workers to backfill the hole and repair the road. She said all lanes should be open by the morning rush-hour. Water officials said tonight that age and corrosion were most likely the reasons for the main break. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: GANG RIVALRY SUSPECTED IN BEATING DEATH A 17-year-old resident of Kuhio Park Terrace died of massive head injuries on Friday after being beaten by a group of youths believed to be from a rival gang based at Mayor Wright Housing. Sam Talo was at the corner of Vineyard Boulevard and Liliha Street when he attacked by a group of youths, who police say struck him with rocks and bottles and beat him unconscious. Talo is the second Kuhio Park Terrace youth to die in gang-related violence this month. In fact, police say, Talo may have been in the area because he was looking for the people responsible for the beating death of fellow Kuhio Park resident Taftlele Mika, 22, who was attacked outside an Iwilei nightclub two weeks ago. Police say Mayor Wright Housing residents are suspects in both deaths, and have already arrested 18-year-old Enele Ili in connection with the earlier case. McKay Schwenke, a counselor with Adult Friends for Youth, said Talo's friends are barely able to talk about what happened. "The kids are in total shock, it's like the kids are numb right now," Schwenke told KHON-TV2. "They talk to us but they're like totally numb." Schwenke, a case worker at Kuhio Park Terrace, said that he fears gang members from Kuhio Park Terrace may soon be looking to seek revenge from their Mayor Wright rivals. Adult Friends for Youth spokesman Sid Rosen said he is also very concerned about what will happen as soon as the shock wears off. "I think we're going to have to do a lot of work with those kids -- we certainly are frightened by what could happen," Rosen said. While Honolulu police keep an even sharper eye on activity at both housing projects, youth counselors are looking to step up their outreach efforts. Tana Alualu, a former gang member now working with the counseling program, said she's worked with gang members at both Kuhio Park and Mayor Wright. Although the members tell her they want to get out of gangs, pride often keeps them locked in, Alualu said. So far, police have no murder suspects in Talo's case. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SEPTEMBER ELECTION WINNERS, LOSERS REPORT SPENDING In the aftermath of the primary election last month, Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris had more than $27,000 left in the bank while his remaining challenger Arnold Morgado was over $205,000 in debt. As required by the Campaign Spending Commission, candidates for public office today reported their campaign fundraising and spending activities through Sept. 21. Out of the three main candidates who ran for mayor, Morgado spent the most -- over $1,042,000 -- in order to remain in the race against incumbent Harris for the Nov. 5 general election. Although he raised $1,125,270, nearly $300,000 in loans left him in debt. Harris raised $1,027,500 and spent $905,100, leaving him with nearly $27,500 to fight to keep his seat. Fasi, meanwhile, raised and spent the least. He had $1,002,000 in his campaign war chest and spent $893,500. Because of a $200,000 loan from his personal funds, Fasi's report closed with debt of nearly $93,000. In the race for city prosecutor, the one candidate that was voted out of the general election spent the most. Randal Yoshida, who came in third, raised and spent about $222,000. Factoring in a loan to himself, Yoshida was knocked out of the running $62,000 in debt. David Arakawa raised $191,200 and spent $173,175, and after $10,000 in loans has about $8,000 in the ban. Peter Carlisle, meanwhile, raised $182,200 and spent $172,200, but is $19,900 in debt after a $30,000 loan. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES DAMNED if you do, damned if you don't -- that's how Waikiki Neighborhood Board spokesman Sam Bren describes the bind GTE Hawaiian Tel is in. In installing a major underground conduit, the company has been closing off lanes of busy Kapi`olani Boulevard. Currently, work is being done during the day, but traffic congestion caused by the roadwork has the state Department of Transportation concerned -- especially since the next phase will involve the Kalakaua Avenue intersection, one of the busiest on the island. The company wants permission to work at night, but that would violate noise limits set by the state Department of Health. A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for tomorrow at Washington Intermediate... LOIHI, the youngest member of the Hawaiian Island chain, is giving birth to life. University of Hawai`i researchers say they have found a substantial biological community on the summit of the submerged volcano, located about 25 miles off the southeast coast of the Big Island. Recent earthquakes, which have been frequent since late summer, have been observed stirring up clouds of bacterial life which apparently thrive in the warm, sulfur-rich waters around its summit. One form of life studied last week, archaea, are said to be drawing their energy from the volcano's chemical output, rather than solar or other traditional sources of sustenance. A recent undersea expedition has also found a 1,000-foot deep pit crater, which geologists previously thought developed much later in a volcano's life cycle... COUNSELORS are not obligated to prevent clients from committing suicide, according to what is being called a precedent setting ruling by the state Supreme Court earlier this month. The court decided to uphold the ruling by a Kaua`i judge who said a state veteran's counselor was not responsible for the July 1991 death of Wayne Perreira, who told the counselor he was going to commit suicide less than a day before he did. Perreira's family sued the counselor and the state, claiming it was their duty to prevent the suicide. The three majority justices said the counselor's relationship with Perreira wasn't one that carried such a responsibility... SUCCESSFUL seizures and arrests for illegal drugs at the Honolulu Airport have been many, due in part to what Honolulu police call the "walk-and-talk." Last week, however, the state Supreme Court ruled the practice -- in which undercover officers walk up to suspects and engage them in casual conversation -- was unconstitutional. The ruling upholds an appeal from a man arrested in 1993 after he was the subject of a "walk-and-talk" and was found to be carrying about one pound of cocaine. While the county prosecutor's office mulls an appeal, law enforcement officials are looking to take the remaining ten or so "walk-and-talk" cases to federal courts, where they say laws concerning the gathering of evidence are not as strict... DESPITE being a valid law for nearly four months, the city has not enforced the collection of a $250 legal fee from people convicted of felonies and driving under the influence. The city council last week decided to postpone implementation of the fee until December after nobody came to testify at a public hearing on the law held on Wednesday. The city prosecutor's office has also had some difficulty setting up the citation system. Introduced in May, the fee was intended to make criminals pay for some of the burden they create for the system, and was expected to bring in $500,000 this year... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 83/71, Kaua`i 82/70, Moloka`i 83/71, Maui 84/72, Hilo 81/69 CASTS: Mostly sunny, morning showers; 20MPH trades; North shore to 4 feet. TUESDAY'S TIDES: High -:-- p.m.; Low -:-- p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Monday, October 14, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: TEACHERS UNION HOLDS OUT, MAY STRIKE WITHOUT NEW CONTRACT The Hawai`i State Teachers Association has finally put its foot down after what it calls 18 months of stalling by the state administration in establishing a new union contract. The union's Board of Directors voted on Saturday against another extension of the current contract, which expires Oct. 31. Union officials say the vote should make it clear that Hawaii's 12,000 public school teachers are prepared to strike if neccessary. "Of course they're a little afraid," said HSTA president June Motokawa, "But they're knowingly saying, 'We're tired of waiting -- we want to get on and have a contract in hand.'" HSTA director George Yamamoto said board members are only answering to the concerns of teachers, which he said are heard loud and clear. "They are angry, and frustrated, and they feel they are not being treated as professionals," Yamamoto said. "We are very serious about working conditions and unhappy with the situation," he said. The board's decision to let its contract extension with the state expire comes the day after Gov. Ben Cayetano appointed former school superintendant Charles Toguchi as mediator in an effort to move talks along. Although Yamamoto said he was encouraged by Toguchi's arrival at the bargaining table, he said HSTA boardmembers will not give the state any more breaks. "They want to send a message to the governor, to the Board of Education, that they are very serious about really finishing up a contract," he said. Motokawa said union members would rather settle than strike, but said it's about time the state offered something more tangible. "There's a lot of anger and anxiety out in the field," she said. "We want to conclude the bargaining and come up with a contract that is fair, and that is equitable for our members." Union officials say they are holding out for a 14 percent pay raise over two years, noting that Hawai`i ranks 49th out of 50 states in public school teacher salaries. However Cayetano said the state simply can't afford such an increase, which he said would cost the state an additional $40 million it doesn't have. Even so, Cayetano agreed Hawaii's teachers deserve more. "I anticipate in the next contract, unless the roof falls in for the state, we'll be able to give the teachers a pay increase of some kind," he said. HSTA leaders contend that the 14 percent raise isn't an unreasonable request, noting that an independent panel commissioned by the Hawai`i Labor Relations Board concluded that Hawaii's teachers should be given an annual raise of 10 percent -- and that the state does has enough money to do so. Other issues yet unresolved in the negotiations include terms of leaves of absences and overtime compensation. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, the HSTA will be able to declare a strike anytime after Halloween with 10-days notice. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: TWO HANGGLIDERS SURVIVE KA`A`AWA CRASH Two hanggliding enthusiasts from Maui ran into turbulence while soaring over the Ko`olau mountains yesterday, hitting treetops and eventually crashing in a remote forest area above Sacred Falls. A friend who was following the hanggliders in a car called 911 as soon as the gliders went down shortly before dusk. Rescue officials arriving on the scene saw the two gliders -- 42-year- old Mike Benson and 37-year-old Maik Darley -- walking away from the crash site and called in the Fire Department's rescue helicopter, which lifted the men out of the dense forest and lowered them to safety. Both Darley and Benson escaped major injuries and refused medical treatment, fire department officials said. Benson said he was probably going about 30 miles per hour when he crashed into the treetops. The pair was with a group of four hanggliders from Maui who told rescuers they regularly come to the Windward side of O`ahu to take the scenic flight from Makapu`u Point to Laie. The other two gliders made a safe landing after the pair crashed. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FERRY LOSES POWER, COLLIDES WITH PIER A ferry boat carrying spectator's from Ford Island lost power last night as it approached its pier at Halawa Landing, and had to stop the hard way -- striking the dock at a speed of about about 3 knots. About 25 passengers were returning from the Hydrofest watersport exhibition aboard the 500-ton ferry when the captain told them to brace themselves for impact. Although no one was seriously injured, seven people were taken to the hospital as a precaution and several more were treated at the scene for minor cuts and bruises. Navy officials said some type of malfunction caused two of the ferry's motors to fail. As a result, operators couldn't reverse its propellors to slow the vessel for docking. Substantial damage was done to both the boat and the pier. Pearl Harbor investigators are still looking into the incident. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: CHILD CRUSHED BY MOTHER'S CAR, DIES The family of prominent Honolulu attorney David Schutter is mourning the loss of his three-year-old grandson Bronson after he was killed in an accident this weekend. Police say Bronson, his five-year-old brother and four cousins had just attended a high school football game at Aloha Stadium and were returning to the family's Noela Street home when the accident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday night. The child's mother had stopped her car for a security gate at their Diamond Head residence when Bronson apparently managed to get out of his safety seat and then fell out of the vehicle's right rear door. Bronson's mother accidentally ran him over, investigators said, unaware that the boy had fallen out of the car until it was too late. The child was taken to Queen's Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES AFTER three car dealerships on O`ahu were closed unexpectedly last Friday, Mainland officials today confirmed the worst fears of the outfit's more than 250 employees. Representatives of Chrysler Corp. are overseeing the shutdown of Pacific International Service International Service Corporation, which owns Car World, O`ahu Chrysler and South Seas Jeep-Eagle. The closure comes less than a week after employees say they were assured that the automaker would bail Pacific International out of unspecified financial problems. Although Pacific International officials could not be reached for comment, Chrysler Spokesman Scott Hogle told KHON-TV2 that the company felt it "was not appropriate to loan any additional money" to Pacific International... ALTHOUGH Honolulu police statistics have found pepper spray to be used 10 times more often in the commission of crimes than in deterring them, City Councilman John Henry Felix last week introduced a bill that would legalize the popular self-defense devices permanently. Pepper sprays have been legal on O`ahu for 15 months now as part of an 18-month trial period in which law enforcement officials were to test how they would be used by the public. Felix said despite the reported instances of abuse, the sprays are a preferrable alternative to having residents carry other weapons to protect themselves. Mayor Jeremy Harris has said he has had some doubts that it would be appropriate to permanently legalize pepper spray... CONTRARY to national trends, the crime rate in Honolulu increased for the fourth year running, according to a report released yesterday by the FBI. Robberies and thefts fueled a 10 percent overal increase in Honolulu's crime rate last year. Across the U.S., crime was down 1 percent. Both robberies and motor vehicle thefts on O`ahu were up 29 percent in 1994. While the number of rapes reported in Honolulu was down 18 percent, rates for other violent crimes went up -- including an 8 percent jump in the number of murders and a 7 percent increase in aggravated assaults. Nationally, violent crimes fell 3 percent overall... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 84/71, Kaua`i 83/70, Moloka`i 84/72, Maui 85/73, Hilo 81/70 CASTS: Sunny and clear, trades to 25MPH; Islandwide surf to 3 feet. TUESDAY'S TIDES: High 5:44 p.m.; Low 12:50 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Friday, October 11, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: PLANE EVACUATED, PEPPER SPRAY SUSPECTED Passengers arriving on a flight from Maui were evacuated from their plane as soon as it stopped on a taxi way at Honolulu International Airport tonight after crew members reported the cabin was filled with some sort of noxious gas. Medical attention was required for three of 119 passengers that were aboard Hawaiian Airlines flight 547, each reporting trouble breathing and eye and throat irritation. Two were immediately taken to Queen's Hospital where they were treated and released. The third became dizzy after being bused to the terminal with the other passengers and was treated by airport medical personnel. Airline officials said the flight crew handled the situation well. "One of the passengers reported shortness of breath or irritation in the throat just before landing," said Hawaiian Airlines spokesman Keoni Wagner. "Immediately when the plane touched down they went through their normal procedures and got everybody out of the cabin quickly and safely." Honolulu police have turned the investigation over to the Federal Aviation Administration as officials try to determine if the incident was caused by someone discharging pepper spray in mid-flight. "At this point we don't know exactly what it was," Wagner said. "Some people thought it was pepper spray but it hasn't been confirmed." A preliminary inspection found no canisters aboard, Wagner said, but investigators have taken statements from several passengers who said the odor was pepper-like. Although pepper-spray has been legal in Honolulu for 15 months, bringing canisters aboard a plane is illegal under Federal law. Doing so carries a fine of up to $1,000. Since January, airport officials have confiscated four pepper-spray canisters from passengers. Hawaiian Airlines said the plane will be out of commission for no longer than a day. Some passengers complained that although two sets of stairs were set up during the evacuation, they were only allowed to leave through the front of the plane -- extending the amount of time some were exposed to the gas. However using a single exit was standard procedure, airline officials said. "The number of passengers on board didn't require it," Wagner said in an interview with KHNL. "As I understand it the evacuation was very quick and orderly -- there was no panicking." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: REGENTS ADVANCE UH LIBRARY EXPANSION Long-sought relief for Hamilton Library, said to have run out of space more than 15 years ago, moved one step closer to reality today. The Board of Regents moved Hamilton Phase III to the top of the list of pending campus improvements in its Capital Improvement Project list, fifth overall in system-wide construction priorities. The Regents' construction wish list now goes to Gov. Ben Cayetano, who will decide which projects will be submitted to the state legislature for funding. The University of Hawaii's flagship graduate research library, now 28 years old, was originally designed to hold 1.7 million volumes. That capacity was exceeded years ago, and today the facility houses at least 3 million volumes. In 1994, over 300,000 volumes were moved from Hamilton to Sinclair Library in an effort to reclaim a few years' worth of growing space. The move was made despite Sinclair Library's shortage of study space and its lack of archive-friendly air-conditioning. Since first conceived in 1975, Hamilton Phase III was to be built at the site of the old Hamilton Snack Bar, expanding the capacity and services of the 28-year-old library. Over the years the expansion has moved its way up the Regents' CIP list. Hamilton Phase III was ranked 10th last year, as well as in 1994, but its construction was not funded. Construction of the Special Events Arena and a 900-stall annex to the parking structure, although ranked lower, received funding -- the former through the discretion of then-Governor John Waihee. Although funding is still not guaranteed, associate librarian Jean Ehrhorn said she hopes the higher ranking will make it clear to Cayetano how badly the library needs the space. Ehrhorn said the library's accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges could be in jeopardy if its space problems aren't resolved before the next inspection. The library expansion still ranks below health and safety projects, as well as those intended to make university facilities accessible to the disabled. The Regents' approved $1.4 million for the planning and design of Hamilton Phase III two years ago. According to the plan, the extension will be a separate six-story building connected to the library with breezeways. Total construction costs are expected to be at least $36 million. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES ATLANTIS Reef Divers announced today that it is shutting its doors permanently. The dive company's tour operation has been suspended since Aug. 14 when a Japanese tourist died while on one of its introductory dives. Investigators say it took Atlantis staff nearly an hour to realize that 24- year-old Akemi Hoshino was missing. She was pulled from waters off the Hilton Hawaiian Village an hour later. Atlantis Spokesman Terry O'Halloran said Hoshino's death wasn't the only reason behind the closure, saying dive tours no longer fit the company's overall plan. Tour employees are going to be given positions elsewhere within the company, O'Halloran added... DESPITE expressing doubts that it exceeds the city's authority, Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris today signed into law an ordinance banning the sale of ephedrine, known more widely as "Herbal Ecstasy." The drug is often sold and used at dance clubs. In signing the law, Harris said he had been advised by the county's corporation counsel that the city has no jurisdiction over regulating such sales. Although law enforcement officers will try to enforce the ban, Harris said he wouldn't be surprised if the city will be challenged with a lawsuit as soon as it tries to prosecute under the new law... CLAUDIO Suyat, chairman of the state's parole board, announced today that he is going back into retirement. Suyat, 61, has served on the board for the last 5 years, and was appointed chair for the last three. He had come out of retirement to take the position with the Hawai`i Paroling Authority, but said today that he'd like to spend more time with family. In announcing his departure, Suyat praised Gov. Ben Cayetano for his latest efforts to relieve the state's prison overcrowding problem, and expressed hopes that more investment be made in drug treatment and other rehabilitative programs... KANSAI Gaidai Hawai`i, the island campus of Japan's Kansai Gaidai University, has accepted its last freshman class. The campus, located along Kalanianaole Highway in Aina Haina, will close permanently in March 1998 after nearly 20 years in Hawai`i. School officials said the decision to close the local campus was made after projections showed a dwindling number of eligible 18- year-old students throughout Japan... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 88/73, Kaua`i 85/73, Moloka`i 86/74, Maui 90/74, Hilo 85/71 CASTS: Party cloudy, trades to 25MPH; North and East shore surf to 4 feet. SATURDAY'S TIDES: High 3:15 p.m.; Low 9:31 a.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Thursday, October 10, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: ISLE TAXES TOO HIGH, COMMISSION SAYS Instead of cutting into taxpayers' wallets, the state should cut its spending, according to a draft report released today by the state Tax Review Commission. In its report, which now goes before public hearings beginning next week, the commission states that it "fundamentally believes that Hawaii's taxes are too high." The commission also stated, "the state must boldly reduce the costly delivery of government services." Among its preliminary recommendations, the commission said the state should work to eliminate at least $150 million in special tax exemptions, such as those currently granted for federal research contracts, sugar plantations, movie producers and residents with certain disabilities. If it can do so, the report states, the state might be able to cut its current 4 percent excise tax to 3.5 percent. The tax burden on Hawai`i residents could be lightened through adjusting the current slate of tax brackets, according to the report. The commission recommends that the state raise the qualifications for its highest tax rate of 10 percent, applying it to residents earning an adjusted income of over $40,000 instead of the current $20,500. For families, the lower boundary would be raised to $80,000 from $40,000. Further, the report states, the standard tax deduction for families should be increased from $1,900 to $2,600. The state should also considering tax pensions larger than $60,000, the commission's report states, and look into privatizing several services now provided by the government. The commission convenes every five years to review the state's tax laws and the tax system's efficiency and equity. After undergoing public hearings and a revision process, the current report will be submitted to the state Legislature for its 1997-98 session. The first series of public hearings begin Tuesday on Kaua`i, moving through Wailuku, Hilo and Kona before concluding in Honolulu at Central Intermediate School on Oct. 30. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: STAGGS HELD WITHOUT BAIL FOR PEARL HARBOR SHOOTING Federal Magistrate Barry Kurren today found federal prosecutors had enough evidence to hold Duane Staggs, 29, without bail as he faces a federal murder indictment for the Oct. 5 shooting of 52-year-old Don Gillis. Sid Fernandez, Gillis' son-in-law and a professional baseball player, sat in the courtroom gallery during today's hearing, as did Staggs' 26-year- old wife Malia and her parents, John and Kathi Cavaco. FBI agent Jerry Bogard told the judge that Staggs confessed to killing Gillis in a call he made to 911, telling the operator he had shot someone and that an ambulance wasn't necessary. According to Bogard, Staggs said: "I made sure he was dead." Gillis, Staggs and his wife were all employees of Hawaiian Dredging Co., although Staggs had recently been suspended from his construction job for undisclosed reasons. After attending a company party near Arizona Memorial, Gillis and Malia Staggs were sitting in a pick-up truck when Duane Staggs drove up at around 1 a.m. and shot Gillis through the windshield, Bogard said. He said Staggs fired his 30-30 rifle at least four times, he said, then discarded the weapon less than 30 feet away. Gillis died instantly of multiple gunshot wounds to his lungs and heart. Malia Staggs wasn't hurt in the shooting, but reportedly suffered minor injuries after stumbling through barbed wire in an attempt to flee. The case is being handled in federal court because the shooting occurred on the grounds of a Naval reserve. With today's ruling, the prosecution will now have to determine whether to press a federal first- or second-degree murder charge against Staggs. A first-degree, or murder one, charge means the judge could impose a death penalty. Federal Public Defender Peter Wolff said a first-degree charge shouldn't apply, because the shooting was in the "heat of passion" and wasn't premeditated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Johnson refused comment. Malia Staggs and her 3-year-old son are now living in Kailua with her parents. After the hearing, she told reporters she was still taking things one day at a time, and that she felt for the Gillis family. "He was a good friend," Malia Staggs said. "I didn't go to the funeral out of respect, but my condolences go out to them." Her parents, meanwhile, said they supported their son-in-law despite what he may have done. "It's just a family tragedy," Kathi Cavaco told _The Honolulu Advertiser_, "Not only for one, but two families." Cavaco said her daughter and Gillis couldn't have been romantically involved, an allegation also refuted by Stacy Moniz, attorney for the Gillis family. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: TOGUCHI TO STEP IN AS MEDIATOR FOR TEACHERS UNION Gov. Ben Cayetano today appointed his chief of staff Charles Toguchi as mediator in negotiations with the state teacher's union, which have been stalled now for over a year. "There is a sense of urgency and the governor asked me to jump in and get it resolved," Toguchi said. Halloween marks the end of the extended contract for Hawaii's 12,000 public school teachers, and with both sides still deadlocked, Toguchi said the state Board of Education is spooked. "I'm very concerned," Toguchi told KHON-TV2. "We all realize we have very good teachers working out there -- we don't want negotiations to hamper their effectiveness in the classroom." The teacher's union is seeking a pay raise of at least 14 percent over the next two years, although HSTA Chairman Mits Nagashima acknowledged earlier that the state's financial condition might not be able to accommodate such an increase. "The governor is very anxious to resolve these various items," Toguchi said. Cayetano said Toguchi's experience in local education issues could prove valuable in resolving the dispute. Prior to his appointment to Cayetano's office, Toguchi served as the state's school superintendent for seven years. Before that, he worked in the public school system as a math teacher. Union leaders say they now have renewed hope that things will get off the ground. "I think his involvement in the negotiation process will lend a better balance," said HSTA spokesman George Yamamoto. "Hopefully we'll come to an agreement." Toguchi said his power goes only as far as the negotiating table, noting that Cayetano will have to make any final decisions. Toguchi also said he is not involved in the teacher's union's latest dispute with the state. Last Friday, the HSTA -- in conjunction with the University of Hawai`i Professional Assembly -- filed a labor complaint against the state over Cayetano's proposed payroll lag. The governor has since said he will try to rework the proposal so as to not outright eliminate a paycheck from state workers' annual salaries. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 88/73, Kaua`i 85/73, Moloka`i 86/74, Maui 90/74, Hilo 85/71 CASTS: Party cloudy, trades to 25MPH; North and East shore surf to 4 feet. FRIDAY'S TIDES: High 3:15 p.m.; Low 9:31 a.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Wednesday, October 9, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: PRISON CHLORINE LEAK SENDS FIVE TO HOSPITAL An inmate at Waiawa Prison was replacing a canister of chlorine this morning when a hose came loose -- eventually exposing him, three other inmates and a prison staff member to toxic fumes. Inmate Bob Lievan was helping a delivery man change one of four 100- pound chlorine canisters used in the prison's water purification system when the incident occurred at about 9:15 a.m. "The delivery man brought up a new canister and was in a hurry," Lievan said "I happened to be there so I attempted to assist him." Lievan said he was being shown how to turn off the canister's gas valve when an attached hose came off by itself. Chlorine gas began to escape. Although prison rules require anyone handling chlorine canisters to wear a respiratory mask, Lievan said he did not have one on. "The delivery man didn't have a mask on, so I thought it was standard procedure," he said. As a result, Lievan tasted the potentially deadly effects of chlorine exposure firsthand. "What hurt was mostly my lungs," Lievan said. "You could feel it going down your lungs, it's almost like tear gas." The delivery person, an employee with C. Brewer and Co., left the scene, apparently unharmed. Lievan said he immediately summoned a prison maintenance worker, 52- year-old Robin Yokoyama, and three other inmates. According to Lievan, Yokoyama donned a gas mask before entering the water processing shed to try to shut off the gas flow. Yokoyama collapsed, however, apparently overwhelmed by the chlorine gas. Lievan pulled Yokoyama from the shed and the inmates carried him to the prison infirmary. All five had to be treated for a variety of symptoms, all the result of their exposure to chlorine. Yokoyama remains in stable condition tonight at Wahiawa General Hospital. Prison officials contacted the fire department's Hazardous Waste Management division, who in turn notified O`ahu Civil Defense officials. According to prison officials, the water processing shed stands less than 1,000 feet from the Waiawa Prison dormitory. Public safety experts briefly considered evacuating the building, in which 184 inmates lived. No evacuation was called, however, and the chlorine leak was contained shortly before noon. A preliminary investigation has found that the gas mask Yokoyama was wearing had expired. According to a label on the mask, it should have been pulled from service in March 1995. Public safety officials said they will look into why Lievan was handling the chlorine canisters and why the expired mask Yokoyama was using was still in the prison's supply cabinet. "We're looking into it now," said prison spokesman Gregg Takayama. Takayama said the replacement of the chlorine tanks should have been handled by Yokoyama, and not an untrained inmate. The mask also should have been removed by the prison's safety inspector. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: GOVERNOR DEFERS TO CITY ON QUEEN'S BEACH DISPUTE Although Gov. Cayetano is considering exercising his right to condemn a 160-acre parcel in Hawai`i Kai in order to build a waterfront park, he said he will wait until the Honolulu City Council decides what it wants to do. "I am going to wait until I have an indication of how this thing is going to go," Cayetano said today. "The city council can solve this problem." Landowner Bishop Estate and leaseholder Kaiser Corp. have applied for two city permits that are required for them to go ahead with plans to build an 18-hole golf course at Ka Iwi. The development is opposed by some residents and environmental groups, however, and many have urged Cayetano to stop the project by having the state condemn and buy the land outright. "If they don't want a golf course there, they need to come up with an answer," Cayetano said. "They should not ask the state to buy the entire parcel because we don't have the money." Earlier this week, Cayetano had proposed that Kaiser set aside part of the parcel for a public park, using the rest for the golf course. The announcement angered some environmental groups, who had hoped the governor's support of a park at the site would stop any talk of building a golf course there. For now, Cayetano said, the ball is in the city's court. The Honolulu City Council holds the authority to deny or approve the construction of new golf courses on O`ahu. In addition to reviewing Kaiser's request for necessary permits, however, the city is currently involved in other legal negotiations with Bishop Estate. Those talks may complicate discussion of the golf course plan, which some opponents believe was put together in an attempt to bolster Bishop Estate's bargaining position. Opponents say Cayetano should not wait for the city to approve the golf course before acting, because the value -- and thus price -- of the parcel would go up as soon as the approval comes through. That would make it even harder for the state to buy the land. Regardless of whether the city allows Kaiser to build the golf course, Cayetano said the final plan should also include a park large enough to provide beach access and public recreation. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: CAYETANO MULLS COMPROMISE ON PAYROLL LAG Facing strong opposition by public employee unions, Gov. Ben Cayetano announced today that he is willing to rework his proposed "payroll lag" -- a plan that is expected to save the state $47 million by eliminating one pay period from the current fiscal year. Under the governor's revised "payroll adjustment" plan, workers would still get paid every two weeks, but paydays would be moved to the 5th and 20th of each month instead of the current 1st and 15th. Originally, paydays would have been moved back one day each pay period, eliminating one full pay period by the end of the fiscal year. "We have developed a proposal that we think is very reasonable," Cayetano said. "We know that the employees are concerned about missing a paycheck." Either way, Cayetano said, the payroll system must be changed in order to eliminate the ongoing problem of overpayments and keep more money in the state's dwindling coffers. Although the details of the adjustment plan must still be reviewed by local unions, including some that had challenged the legality of Cayetano's "payroll lag" scheme. Members of the Hawai`i Government Employees Association today expressed relief, calling Cayetano's announcement a sign that he is at least willing to negotiate. HGEA head Gary Rodrigues said he likes what he's heard so far, but noted that many workers feel they don't have much job security. "We have to have some level of comfort," he said. "That we can agree to a payroll lag; that we'll see 47 million dollars so we won't have to be getting up at midnight every day wondering if we have a job the next day." Rodrigues told KITV-4 that the union wants Cayetano's guarantee that people won't be laid off unless the state is in severe financial distress. "We don't foresee a budget crisis," he said. According to Rodrigues, Cayetano's final solution should also include pay raises. The governor's revised proposal is expected to cross the desks of union leaders by next week. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES PORNOGRAPHY charges have been filed against a 71-year-old man who federal prosecutors say was importing a video and photographs of nude boys. Steven Meyer was detained at Honolulu International Airport late last month after arriving on a flight from Thailand, reportedly to attend the upcoming Hawai`i International Film Festival. A customs inspection recovered two photo albums with several photographs depicting young male children in nude and partially- nude poses. Investigators say a videotape was also seized that showed young boys engaged in sexual acts. Meyer will appear in federal court on Friday when prosecutors say they will request he be held without bail... EDWIN Toilolo, a veteran state guard at Halawa Prison, pled guilty on Monday to charges of accepting a $300 bribe to buy crystal methamphetamine (or "ice") and smuggling it to an undercover agent who was posing as an inmate in the prison. The defense filed a request that Toilolo's sentencing be delayed until after April 1997, after which he will qualify for full federal benefits for 18 years of service with the National Guard. Federal Judge David Ezra told Toilolo that he will consider the request, but said he wouldn't bend the rules to benefit someone who violated the public's trust. If convicted, Toilolo faces a 20-year prison sentence... AFTER a month of talks with the state consumer advocate, interisland cargo company Young Brothers has been asked to pursue a rate increase considerably smaller than the one initially proposed. Young Brothers had hoped to generate an additional $3 million by raising its shipping rates by 9.9 percent. Consumer Advocate Chuck Totto has reportedly advised the company that a 3.9 percent increase request would be more reasonable. The final figure will be determined by the Public Utilities Commission... ALTHOUGH seven of Honolulu's nine city council members said they will remain impartial, two have taken sides in the race for mayor. Councilman John Henry Felix said he wholeheartedly supports candidate Arnold Morgado, and has recently been seen waving signs and speaking at public events on Morgado's behalf. Meanwhile, Councilman Steve Holmes said this week that he favors incumbent mayor Jeremy Harris in the Nov. 5 primary... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 90/75, Kaua`i 84/72, Moloka`i 86/73, Maui 89/74, Hilo 84/72 CASTS: Clear, morning showers, trades to 20MPH; North Shore surf to 4 feet. THURSDAY'S TIDES: High --:-- a.m.; Low --:-- p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Tuesday, October 8, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: CAYETANO WANTS MAJOR PRISON EXPANSIONS Prodded along by federal mandates and election-year campaigning, Gov. Ben Cayetano today announced a plan to increase the capacity of the state's prison system by more than 30 percent. Cayetano made his announcement at the state's Waiawa facility, as prison crews and Hawai`i National Guard workers there poured concrete for two tent- like structures the governor described as "no frills" prison annexes. The Waiawa expansion, which will eventually add a classroom for a drug- treatment program and 100 beds to the minimum-security facility, is only the first of several projects Cayetano said he hopes to set in motion over the next two years. With financial support from the state Legislature, Cayetano said, he would like to see dormitories and more beds added to both O`ahu Community Correctional Center and the Women's Community Correctional Center. Under the governor's plan, an office building at OCCC would be converted into a dormitory with room for 116 inmates. The center would also get two new prison wards with 84 beds each. At the women's prison, Cayetano said, he wants an 84-bed dormitory to be built on what is now the facility's recreation field. Recreational space would also be sacrificed at the Halawa Correctional Facility under the governor's plan. The prison's gymnasium would be converted into another medium-security 116-bed dormitory. In order to get it all done, Cayetano said he will need the Legislature to appropriate $10 million in next year's budget for construction costs alone. "This is the capital improvement cost -- it does not include the operational cost," Cayetano said. "We probably will need additional staff." The state prison system could need an annual operating budget of $8 million, he said. Altogether, the state's existing eight facilities are designed to hold a total of 2,600 inmates. For the last several years, however, the prison system has found itself housing nearly 3,200 inmates. Last year, the state sent 300 inmates to private facilities in Texas to help ease prison overcrowding in the islands. Cayetano also acknowledged today that the administration is considering building a new prison on a 90-acre parcel at Campbell Industrial Park. That plan is only at the conceptual stage, he said, and is complicated by limited sewage service in the area. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: ISLAND LOCALES RANK HIGH IN TRAVEL SURVEY The island of Maui has been named the top island destination in the world by Conde Nast Traveler magazine -- a title it has held now for three years running. Maui's neighbors all ranked in the top 20 spots, with Kaua`i placing second, the Big Island ninth, Lana`i took 10th and O`ahu 13th. The list of top islands is one of several international travel rankings compiled by the magazine for its October issue. In polling its 35,000 subscribers on the best resort, Maui also came out on top for its Four Seasons. Hawai`i resorts dominated the category, with the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, the Halekulani, the Manele Bay Hotel on Lana`i, the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua and Kauai's Hyatt Regency rounding out the top five. The annual survey has traditionally translated into tangible results for Maui's visitor industry. "I receive calls all the time from visitors who call me to tell me they are very happy that they chose Maui," Maui Visitors Bureau Chief Marsha Weinert told KITV-4. "They chose Maui because they read that we were rated the very best island in the world, and they had a choice to go anywhere that they wanted to," Weinert said. In ranking major U.S. cities, the survey found Honolulu, Hawai`i to be the eighth most popular urban destination. San Francisco ranked first, followed by New Orleans; Charleston, S.C.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Boston, Seattle and San Antonio. After Hawai`i, New York and Savannah, Ga. finished up the top ten. When pitted against all destinations worldwide, San Francisco placed second behind Sydney, Australia. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: HUSBAND WAS STABBED IN SELF DEFENSE, WOMAN TESTIFIES Although Tamara Reed, 21, doesn't deny that she delivered the knife wound that killed her husband earlier this year, she said the stabbing was in self defense and put an end to several months of domestic violence. Reed took the stand in her own trial yesterday, and told Judge Richard Perkins that her husband Richard had the knife first. Reed said her husband had thrown her against the wall of their Waikele apartment and held a knife to her throat. "I looked up into his eyes and he said I am going to kill you," Reed said. "I stood still -- I thought he was going to kill me." Reed said she only wanted to get away; she said she panicked and grabbed the knife, pushing it back at her husband. "I was trying to scratch him," she said. "I wasn't trying to kill him." Reed said she ran out of the house, and her husband followed. She kept running, calling to her neighbors for help, she said Her injured husband eventually collapsed to the ground. Medical investigators said he died from a single stab wound that pierced his heart. Reed said the incident was the ninth violent outburst she could remember on the part of her husband, whom she married in February of last year. The couple moved to Hawai`i in June 1995. They fought often, Reed said, and her husband frequently got violent. Although prosecutors acknowledge that Reed's husband had a record of being abusive, they maintain that she didn't have to use deadly force. Reed, who waived her right to a jury trial, is facing a murder charge. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES AFTER three large underground explosions blacked-out downtown Honolulu and sent two women to the hospital on Friday, Hawaiian Electric officials are mobilizing a special task force that will inspect the entirety of its downtown network of underground lines and look for ways to make sure similar incidents don't happen again. HECO spokesman Chuck Freedman said the company will be bringing in a Mainland consultant who has experience investigating similar explosions in other cities. Apart from hiring the consultant, Freedman said the task force will be supported with the company's current budget and will not tax the company's resources. The inspection teams will work during the night, so as to not worsen downtown traffic, Freedman said... PUNA Geothermal Venture on the Big Island reported the largest volume of hydrogen sulfide to leak into the atmosphere since its volcano-driven power plant went online in 1993, according to Hawai`i County Civil Defense officials. Early Friday morning, a malfunctioning pump valve allowed a large amount of gas to escape. Scheduled air-quality tests performed that day found hydrogen sulfide levels near the plant averaging over 45 parts-per-billion, at one point reaching nearly 300 parts-per-billion. State health department regulations, however, only allow for up to 25 parts-per-billion only under special conditions. Officials say the geothermal plant will be cited for the violation some time this week... WALTER Dods, chairman of First Hawaiian Bank's board of directors, was elected president of the 8,000-member American Bankers Association yesterday. The national group is currently holding its annual convention in Honolulu. Dods, who previously served as the association's first vice president, is the first island banker to head the association, which claims a membership in excess of 8,000. In accepting the post, Dods said his first priority will be to improve the public image of banks as the industry heads into the next millineum. Diversification and lobbying are his other top goals, he said... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 88/71, Kaua`i 84/71, Moloka`i 85/71, Maui 86/73, Hilo 83/70 CASTS: Sunny, trades to 20MPH; North and West shore surf to 4 feet. WEDNESDAY'S TIDES: High --:-- a.m.; Low --:-- p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Friday, October 4, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: DOWNTOWN ROCKED BY UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS Shortly before 11 a.m. today, a series of underground explosions in the heart of downtown Honolulu blew manhole covers more than 30 feet into the air, knocking out power over a twelve block area and injuring at least two pedestrians. Several explosions were reported before and after the major blasts, which occurred in underground electric vaults at the corner of Merchant and Richards streets. According to Hawaiian Electric officials, the explosions were caused by when gases created by the burning of heavy-duty wire insulation ignited. Police, fire and civil defense officials mobilized after the first 911 calls came in at 10:50 a.m. The major explosions were loud strong enough to shake the ground, and many witnesses said they thought a bomb had been set off. Smoke and flames billowed out of three open manholes along Richards street, and city traffic was thrown into chaos as downtown workers flooded out of their darkened buildings and collected on sidewalks. The resulting electrical outage affected the state Capitol, City Hall and the Municipal Building, as well as dispatch centers for both the police and fire departments. Backup systems allowed the emergency centers to remain operational. One 47-year-old woman who was standing near one of the manhole covers when it was blown into the air suffered minor injuries, and a 38-year-old woman had to be treated for smoke inhalation. Although most downtown electrical service was restored by 1:30 p.m., many businesses called it a day by noon. Some traffic lanes are still closed tonight as HECO employees worked to figure out what happened and repair the damage. According to HECO spokesman Chuck Freedman, the trouble started when a fail-safe overload system -- comparable to a basic fuse -- failed. For reasons yet unknown, Freedman said, the downtown electrical system overloaded this morning. He said major low-voltage wires began to heat up, and the material used to insulate them began to vaporize. As the vapors began to accumulate in underground concrete and steel cable vaults in which major electrical junctions are housed, he said, they ignited, causing the explosions. Despite the flammable nature of the vapors they create, HECO Safety Director Jim Beaver said the wire insulation used in their system is made from the best material available. The wires are about 10 years old, he said, and their life expectancy is at least 30 years. In addition, according to HECO, the entire downtown electrical system was thoroughly inspected this past summer. Although today's incident left many people shaken, safety officials acknowledge that similar things have happened before and are common in many metropolitan areas. Fire Battalion Chief Craig Matthew said that it wasn't the first time underground explosions were reported downtown, although he said the previous incidents weren't as serious. "This particular section, over the course of the last 10 years, I've seen at least two or three other times where we've had manhole covers pop," Matthew said. Less than a week ago, the same three manhole covers blasted in today's incident were found dislodged, he said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: OFFICER TO SPEND YEAR IN PRISON A Honolulu Police Department officer was sentenced to a year in prison yesterday in connection with the beating of a suspect at the Pearl City police station in January of last year. Russell Won, a police academy instructor and ex-police officer, will begin serving his sentence at a federal detention center in January, allowing him to spend the holidays with his family. Although Won was not fined, U.S. District Judge David Ezra ordered him to pay the victim, Ivan Folau, $2,300 in damages. "A badge is not a license to beat prisoners," Ezra said. Two other officers -- Clyde Hayami and Keith Flynn -- have already been sentenced to five years and three months respectively for their role in the beating incident. Prosecutors said the case was a difficult one. "It is extremely difficult for police officers to testify against other police officers," said U.S. Attorney Steven Alm. "The difficult work they do, the life threatening work they do, creates a bond between the officers that is critical to their success and critical to saving each other's lives." Nevertheless, Alm said, the public's trust cannot be compromised in the name of police camaraderie. Lani Garcia, Won's attorney, described her client as a decent man. Although she said she recognized Won needed to be punished, she said he should have gotten a more lenient sentence. "This is a good man," Garcia said. "He made a mistake, but it's not worth 12 months in jail." Garcia said she is considering appealing the sentence. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES FAIRWEATHER fans might not be there for the struggling University of Hawai`i Rainbow football team, but former mayor Frank Fasi is. So is Panda Travel, a Honolulu travel agency. At a press conference yesterday, Fasi was recognized by UH officials and Gov. Ben Cayetano for a $50,000 gift to the university's athletics department. Panda Travel was acknowledged for their $50,000 contribution. Starr Seigle McCombs also announced that it would assemble a comprehensive advertising campaign for the university's athletics program, free of charge. The donations helped kicked off the department's first fund- raising drive, prompted by recent budget cuts... MARK Siegel, 35, is counting his blessings tonight after he was rescued -- dehydrated and fish-bitten -- from the channel between Maui and the Big Island. Siegel, a resident of Kula, Maui, was flying a single-engine plane from Kona to Kahalui when its engine apparently failed. Siegel told Coast Guard rescuers that he barely had enough time to get out before the plane sank. Officials say he had been floating in a life vest for at least 24 hours before he was spotted by a search helicopter. Friends say Siegel, a helicopter pilot, rents and flies planes on his time off... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 89/73, Kaua`i 86/72, Moloka`i 87/72, Maui 88/73, Hilo 84/72 CASTS: High humidy, trades to 15MPH; North and West shore surf 8 to 15 feet. SATURDAY'S TIDES: High 11:32 a.m.; Low 6:50 p.m. SUNDAY'S TIDES: High 12:20 p.m.; 7:19 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Thursday, October 3, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: GRAHAM CONVICTED, FACES LIFE IN PRISON Circuit Court Judge Wendell Huddy today convicted Garreth Graham, 34, of second-degree murder, kidnapping and attempted extortion in connection with the May 1994 death of 41-year-old Ming Li Chang. Graham had admitted in court to kidnapping Chang in the hopes of collecting a $45,000 ransom from her husband, Ker Min Chang. The woman's face and body was bound with tape and put in the trunk of the couple's car, where she was found dead by police hours later. "It's just like a nightmare haunting me for the past two and a half years and I'm glad, finally, that this is over," Ker Min Chang said. Earle Partington, Graham's attorney, had been fighting for a lesser charge of manslaughter, claiming Graham's judgment was impaired by cocaine use and that he never intended to kill Chang. Prior to the kidnapping, the Changs had hired Graham to help remodel their Waialae Iki home. In levying his judgment, Huddy said Graham demonstrated that he was "indifferent" to the value of a human life. The murder conviction means Graham faces a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole. Prosecutors may request an extended sentence, however, making the maximum penalty two life terms plus an additional 20 years. Deputy Prosecutor Maurice Arrisgado said he was pleased with the outcome, characterizing Graham as a danger to the community. Partington said he was not surprised by the conviction. He said Graham regretted Chang's death and told him that he deserved to be locked up forever, they key to his cell thrown away. Despite Graham's remorse, the victim's husband said he had no sympathy for the man he once employed as a personal favor. "Just for $45,000 he took someone's life," he said. "This is not forgivable." Partington said he will most likely appeal Huddy's decision, saying the prime criteria for handing down a murder conviction -- an apparent intent to kill -- was not proven in Graham's case. Graham's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: MAINLAND BOOK WHOLESALER CONTRACT DEFENDED Librarians from several island libraries this week complained that the state's $500,000 contract with a Mainland company has led to their receiving too many books they don't need and not enough of those they don't -- none of which they had a say in choosing. State Librarian Bart Kane said at a press conference today that the problems are being worked out, and defended the arrangement as one that gives library staff more time to serve the public. Under the current arrangement, the state has given North Carolina-based Baker & Taylor Co. the job of choosing which books to purchase to fill the shelves of Hawai`i libraries. Although there have been some problems with miscategorization, Kane said, the company has since received a more detailed profile indicating which books they want for their particular clientele. The accidental delivery of several hundred books that libraries already have will not be repeated either, he said. The state has directed the book wholesaler toward the library system's comprehensive catalog of books at all locations, Kane said. The catalog has been accessible on the internet for several years. The arrangement saves the state money, Kane said, as it pays a flat rate of $20.94 per book for the company's comprehensive slate of selection and delivery services. The wholesaler previously hired by the state charged about 60 percent more for the same arrangement, he said. Kane said "it doesn't take a genius" to figure out that operations would be much more expensive if library staff members -- who are paid up to $20 an hour -- had to select, order, process and ship every book. In addition to the economic benefits, he said, the five-year contract will also directly benefit the public because librarians now have more to spend assisting library patrons. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SUGAR ERA DRAWS TO CLOSE ON O`AHU After nearly a century of operation, the Waialua Sugar Mill -- the last of seven O`ahu sugar plantations that once formed a vital part of Honolulu's economic and cultural landscape -- closed down today. In a scene reminiscent of the one that marked the close of McBryde sugar on Kaua`i just over a month ago, cane-hauling trucks decorated with signs, flowers and signs formed a convoy and honked their horns as they brought in the last harvest the mill will ever process. As the trucks crawled through the North Shore towns of Haleiwa and Waialua early this morning, residents lined the road and waved good-bye to the island's sugar era. ""That was beautiful," said Waialua Sugar Mill superintendent Ralph Rego. "I had to cry." By 7:10 a.m., the last load of sugar cane had been delivered, and many of the mill's 147 employees paused to reflect on the company's 97-year history, and their own future. "This is the last time I'm going to see these haulers running," Rego told KHON-TV2. "I'm old enough to retire, but not the way I wanted to." "I'm just hurting inside -- sad," he said. Dole Co., which owns the mill, said that although their Honolulu sugar operations are a thing of the past, the now-barren sugar land will be used to plant other crops such as papayas and bananas. The company said it will try to retain as many Waialua Sugar Mill employees as it can. Meanwhile Bishop Estate, which owns about 6,000 acres of the land used for sugar, said today that it plans to continue to use the land for agriculture. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: STRAUB TO SEE $80 MILLION IN MEDICAL MERGER Straub, the largest Hawai`i-based health care provider in the state, officially announced a multi-million dollar merger with a mainland physician management company yesterday. PhyCor, Inc. of Nashville, Tenn., will invest $80 million in the island medical company -- $50 million of that interest-free. Under the arrangement approved earlier this week by Straub's board of directors, privately-held Straub stock will be exchanged for PhyCor's stock, which is traded publicly. A new company, PhyCor Hawai`i, will be formed to handle business operations, and a new Straub corporation will manage its facilities. "We believe we can do better more quickly with PhyCor," Straub board chairman William Montgomery told the _Honolulu Star-Bulletin_. With Straub already turning a healthy profit, the arrangement is especially beneficial because it will bring operational support, advanced computer resources and increase the value of Straub's services, Montgomery said. It would also allow Straub to open more clinics, hire more physicians and offer more health plans, he said. Straub, which manages 10 clinics across the state, saw a $5.5 million profit in 1995, and reports net revenues of over $441 million. PhyCor, meanwhile, runs several clinics in 22 states, and reported a net profit of about $22 million in 1995. The merger has yet to receive a thumbs-up from shareholders and is awaiting regulatory approval by government agencies, but it is expected to be finalized in January 1997. Officials said the deal will not affect Straub's 2,000 employees, and its patients will not notice anything different. Similar mergers between health care agencies is a trend already established on the mainland, Montgomery said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Editor's Note: In an article published in the Oct. 20, 1996 edition of Ka `Upena Kukui, Straub's financial condition and several aspects of the Straub- PhyCor merger were inaccurately reported. Ka `Upena regrets the error. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 87/71, Kaua`i 85/70, Moloka`i 86/71, Maui 87/71, Hilo 82/70 CASTS: Mostly sunny, trades to 15MPH; Islandwide surf under 3 feet. FRIDAY'S TIDES: High 10:33 a.m.; Low 6:14 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Wednesday, October 2, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: DEATH PENALTY MAY COME IN PEARL HARBOR SHOOTING CASE Duane Staggs, 29, appeared in Federal Court on Monday and said he would not contest the prosecution's request that he be held without bail for the fatal shooting of 59-year-old Don Gillis. Gillis died of gunshot wounds to his chest after Gillis allegedly shot him at least four times with a long-barreled rifle on Saturday. Staggs and Gillis both worked for Hawaiian Dredging, and Gillis was a company foreman and supervisor for Staggs. Company officials clarified yesterday that Staggs had recently been suspended -- not fired -- by the company for unspecified reasons. Following a late-night crew picnic, Gillis was sitting in his pickup truck with Staggs' wife, Malia. Staggs allegedly drove up in his own truck and shot Gillis through the front windshield. Following the shooting, Honolulu police say Staggs called 911 to report that he had killed Gillis. Investigators say Staggs had to be treated at Queen's Medical Center for a hand injury he suffered while trying to reach through the cracked truck window to punch the man he'd just shot. Prosecutors say they will seek a court order to obtain blood samples obtained during Staggs' medical treatment to determine whether alcohol or drugs were in his system at the time of the shooting. Because the shooting took place on the grounds of the Pearl Harbor Navy Reservation near the Arizona Memorial Visitors Center, the case will be heard in a federal court. Federal jurisdiction also means Staggs may face a death penalty according to federal public defender Peter Wolff. ""The classification depends on circumstances which haven't been alleged yet, one way or the other," Wolff said. Stacy Moniz, attorney for Gillis' family, said that Staggs may have been suspended because he failed a company drug test. Officials with Hawaiian Dredging would neither confirm nor deny Moniz's information. Moniz also maintained that Gillis and Staggs' wife were not romantically involved. "I just don't believe some kind of romance or illicit affair is part of the set of circumstances," Moniz said. "I think it's conceivable as anything else that there was an argument between Mr. and Mrs. Staggs that evening, and that Mr. Gillis was just trying to assist Mrs. Staggs." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: HPU MOVES TO FIGHT OFF MEASLES OUTBREAK Two cases of measles have turned up at the downtown campus of Hawai`i Pacific University in the last week, and the discovery has prompted the school to require its more than 5,000 students to prove they've been inoculated against the disease or else be kept from attending classes. A female student contracted the disease last week, and HPU officials initially urged the approximately 120 students in all of her classes to get immunized. Another student developed measles over the weekend, however, and now every student will have to be immunized, school administrators announced yesterday. The possibility of a measles outbreak has officials with the state Department of Health getting involved, helping to provide vaccinations at both the downtown campus and the Hawai`i Loa campus in Kane`ohe. Vaccinations will be mandatory for any student without medical documentation of having received them in the past. "You have to have an immunization card," said HPU president Walter Fleming. "We're going to require all students to have that card filled out by the Department of Health if they've had the immunization." "If they come to class and that's not completed we're going to send them directly over to have it done," he said. Under state guidelines, all Hawai`i residents must be inoculated against measles twice -- once at birth and once at age five or six. However, since HPU boasts a strong population of international students, many may not have received vaccinations before attending school in Hawai`i, Fleming said. "We are also looking at providing the opportunity for our faculty and staff to be inoculated as well," he said. Health officials say the last reported cases of measles in Hawai`i were discovered last summer on Maui, contracted by a single family in which none of the members received required vaccinations. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: HOUSE GIVEAWAY HITS NEW SNAG Last week, Honolulu police told Sharon Kidwell that she was violating state gambling laws by trying to raffle off her Maunawili mansion. At the time, she said she'd heed police orders and call off the contest, refunding the voluntary $1 donation she asked of entrants. Instead, she turned the drawing into an essay competition. Now, the U.S. Postal Service said Kidwell may be engaging in mail fraud. "A lot of times people who run these types of contests tend to give prizes to friends, relatives or somebody that they like instead of to the general public," said Byron Dare, a Honolulu postal inspector. "We're very concerned about whether, even if there was a legitimate contest, whether the public would have an opportunity to actually receive the prize," he said. Dare said his concern is separate from those raised by HPD, focused more on the unregulated prize winner selection process rather than the collection of money. Kidwell said she was appalled at the postal service's charges. "(The USPS) has no right to censor my mail -- I'm not doing anything illegal," she said. Kidwell said yesterday that she would not call off the contest, adding that the police department's contention that she cannot ask entrants to submit a donation is also unfounded. "If I want to ask you for a dollar, I have a perfect right to ask you for a dollar," Kidwell said. Dare said if the postal service decides to charge Kidwell with mail fraud, she faces a seven-year prison sentence as well as a $10,000-per-day fine for every day the contest continues after a cessation order is issued. Under Kidwell's revised "Hawai`i Home Giveaway" rules, entrants must submit an essay explaining why they want to live in the four-bedroom luxury home. Kidwell said she hasn't been able to sell the Pu`ualoha St. estate nor afford its $1.8 million mortgage for several months. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES HONOLULU police yesterday arrested a convicted child molester after they say he sexually assaulted a group of six children. Investigators say Robert Maurice Fox, 56, took a group of children -- ranging in age from five to 11 years -- to Ala Moana Beach Park on Sunday. Then, police say, Fox brought them to his Mo`ili`ili home where he allegedly fondled them and forced the them to view pornography on his computer. He now faces 13 counts of sexual assault and two charges of promoting pornography. According to police, Fox was convicted in 1984 for the sexual assault of a minor in Nevada. After an early release, Fox moved to Hawai`i and enrolled in a sex abuse treatment program. Fox had been attending treatment program sessions, police say... JEFFREY Pang, 16, may be tried as an adult for charges that he abused his 27- day old daughter on Aug. 6. A grand jury is expected to hear the case tomorrow. Doctors say the infant's injuries have left her blind and likely brain damaged, consistent with "Shaken Baby Syndrome." In addition to having detached retinas in both eyes, Pang's daughter also suffered leg and rib fractures as well as bite marks on her arms and legs. The infant was injured Aug. 6 when Pang was left to baby-sit her for several hours while Pang's girlfriend was not home... -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: KA `UPENA ALMANAC TEMPS: O`ahu 88/72, Kaua`i 86/72, Moloka`i 86/72, Maui 88/73, Hilo 83/72 CASTS: Mostly sunny, trades to 15MPH; North and West shore surf to 4 feet. THURSDAY'S TIDES: High -:-- p.m.; Low --:-- a.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Monday, September 30, 1996 Hawai`i News -- Internet Edition Compiled by Ryan K. Ozawa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summarized from various island news sources, including independent interviews and research, radio and television broadcasts and local papers. No material is duplicated directly unless otherwise attributed. Intended for personal use only -- please obtain permission from author before redistributing. Aloha! ============================================================================= Subject: THOUSANDS HEAR CALL OF THE LOST CONTINENT Over 3,000 Honolulu residents turned out this weekend for a casting call for "Atlantis: The Lost Continent" -- a made-for-television movie that industry analysts say could pump nearly 3 million dollars into the local economy. The movie, which producers say will be filmed almost entirely on O`ahu, will debut on an new Mainland cable network yet to begin broadcasting. "We have 39 speaking parts and we've cast 31 here in Honolulu," said production spokesman Garrison True. "I know a lot of people are going to get work out of this call," True said. "The movie calls for 450 extras to play a part." The arrival of "Atlantis" in the islands is being heralded as a much- needed windfall for the state, as unemployment figures continue to linger %0