honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Monday, January 31, 2005

HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Man arrested in tour van hijack

Advertiser Staff

Police yesterday arrested and charged one of two men believed responsible for the hijacking of a tour van Jan. 18 at Kahe Point Beach Park.

"Accomplice"
The 35-year-old man was arrested at O'ahu Community Correctional Center, where he is being held on an unrelated charge. The suspect, whom police believe is homeless, is believed to be the man who stole the parked van with four tourists inside.

His accomplice, who drove a blue car used as the getaway vehicle, is still at large. He was described as in his 30s, 5 feet 10 with a muscular build. A police sketch was made of the man.

A man drove off with a Dolphin Excursions tour van as it was parked for a brief stop at Kahe Point Beach Park on Jan. 18. Four tourists — a man from Fort Collins, Colo., and three young girls from Santa Cruz, Calif., here on a gymnastics trip — were in the van.

Police said the kidnapper threatened them with a knife before letting them go unharmed after a few minutes. The man drove the van a short distance more before taking the tourists' belongings and ditching the stolen vehicle.

The suspect was charged with first-degree robbery and car theft.



Officer injured breaking up fight

A police officer suffered minor injuries early yesterday when he and other officers went to break up a street brawl involving more than 100 people in Papakolea, police said.

Officers responded to a call that about 20 people were arguing and fighting outdoors at the corner of Anianiku and Kapahu streets. When they got there at 1:30 a.m. yesterday, they found more than 100 people in the street, yelling and fighting, police said.

Someone threw a beer bottle and hit an officer in the shoulder. Police arrested a 19-year-old man as a suspect in that assault.

Another person threw a coconut at an officer, but no one else was arrested.



Fire-sprinkler incentive sought

Three state legislators are proposing a tax incentive to apartment owners who retrofit older apartment and condominium high-rises with fire sprinklers.

A fire Friday night at the Coral Terrace in Waikiki killed a 60-year-old man. The day before, fire destroyed five apartments in a Makiki apartment building and displaced 12 people.

State Reps. Glenn Wakai, D-31st (Salt Lake, Tripler), Scott Nishimoto, D-21st (Kapahulu, Diamond Head), and Brian Schatz, D-25th (Makiki, Tantalus), issued a joint statement yesterday that they will try to amend a bill to provide tax credits of up to $5,000 for apartment owners who put fire sprinklers in their units. The tax credit would be a maximum of $1,000 per year for no more than five years.

"We are not mandating older buildings install sprinklers," Nishimoto said. "That is up to the counties to decide, but the state can be partners in promoting safety in high-rises."



Mayor candidates spent $7 million

The final numbers are in, and it turns out the major candidates for mayor spent more than $7 million in last year's campaign.

Duke Bainum has told the state Campaign Spending Commission he spent $4.1 million in his losing bid to succeed now former Mayor Jeremy Harris. Bainum financed more than half of the cost of his campaign through personal loans totaling $2.8 million.

Winner Mufi Hannemann spent nearly $2.3 million, while former Mayor Frank Fasi spent $786,000.

In the 2000 mayoral race, Harris, Hannemann and Fasi spent a combined $3.9 million.



Aid to be sent to tsunami victims

Two 20-foot shipping containers filled with nonperishable food, medicine, clothes, toys and other items will be bound for Sri Lanka tsunami survivors tomorrow, with shipping costs being borne by the carrier, NYK Lines.

The donations were gathered through an initiative led by the Sri Lankan community in Hawai'i. One man, Dayan Vithanage, enlisted his company, Oceanit Laboratories Inc., to provide space and assistance in collecting the goods.

Although this effort has ended, cash donations are still being accepted. Checks payable to "Windward Rotary-Sri Lanka Tsunami Fund" may be dropped off at any Bank of Hawaii branch or mailed to Rotary Club of Windward Oahu, PO Box 122, Kailua, HI 96734.

After only four days of collections, Oceanit announced that its storage space was filled, but items continued to pour into its facilities. Last week the company received 20 boxes of "Maui Monkey" stuffed animals, and the previous week, 1,000 Maui Marathon T-shirts came in.

For information, call Ian Kitajima, 531-3017 or visit www.oceanit.com.



Library to host feng shui event

The Hawai'i State Library will host "Feng Shui: What to Expect in the New Year," a free informational program Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

The 90-minute program is recommended for those 12 and older.

Alan S.F. Lum, an author and feng shui specialist, will conduct the session, offering insight on how Chinese feng shui can help you to achieve success in the new year.

For more information, call 586i3529.

Call the library to request a sign-language interpreter.