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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 5, 2002

O'ahu briefs

Advertiser Staff

HONOLULU

Boat owners face federal suit

The U.S. government is suing the owners of a fishing boat that ran aground off Kapa'a, Kaua'i, in April 1999, hoping to collect from the boat's owners for cleanup costs and a Coast Guard fine that was never paid.

The civil lawsuit filed in federal court yesterday claims that the owners of the fishing vessel Van Loi operated the boat negligently and that the boat was unseaworthy when it ran aground April 10, 1999. The boat later broke apart, spewing oil into the surrounding ocean waters and eventually onto area beaches.

The boat was a total loss, and the owner, the Van Loi Corp., later collected insurance money for the loss but failed to pay for the cleanup, the lawsuit contends. Those who collected insurance money later transferred it to other people or companies in an attempt to make it appear they had no money to pay for costs associated with the cleanup, the lawsuit claims.

It asks for repayment of at least $217,000 that the government spent to clean up the spill and remove the demolished boat and that the corporation members be made to pay an $11,000 fine issued by the Coast Guard.

Named as individual defendants in the lawsuit were Malina Le Nguyen, Hung Tuong Cao, John Tran Hung To and Diana Nguyen Phan.


Kaimuki drivers asked to cool it

In reaction to chronic speeding and several traffic accidents in residential Kaimuki, residents will be waving signs asking drivers to slow down from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow along Alohea Avenue as part of the Community Traffic Awareness Partnership program.

Police officers also will be on hand to issue warnings and tickets to speeders.

Residents have held several C-TAP programs in the area, and the city is installing a new traffic signal at Kaiauea and 18th avenues to slow traffic.


EAST HONOLULU

Hawai'i Kai GOP to hear Watada

Robert Watada, Campaign Spending Commission executive director, will talk about campaign spending at the Republican Party of Hawai'i 17th- and 18th-District meeting at 8 a.m. tomorrow at the Kuapa Isle Clubhouse in Hawai'i Kai.

The 18th District covers Palolo, St. Louis and Kaimuki, and the 17th goes from Kahala to Wai'alae Iki. East Honolulu lawmakers also will give legislative updates.

For more information, call 373-2766.


NEIGHBOR ISLAND

Marrow registry to visit Maui

KAHULUI, Maui — The St. Francis Medical Center Hawai'i Bone Marrow Donor Registry will visit Maui tomorrow to conduct free bone marrow donor registration and testing.

The event, sponsored by Alpha Delta Kappa, Gamma Chapter, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Maui Mall in Kahului. For more information, call the registry in Honolulu at 547-6154.