The H4 Hawai`i Times - News with Ryan Ozawa!

The H4 Hawai`i Times - News with Ryan Ozawa! Hawai`i News via Ryan Ozawa's Ka `Upena K ukui

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Tuesday, April 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: BILL FOR DEADBEAT PARENT PENALTY DIES Reluctant to commit to an arrangement that state computers might not be ready to handle, representatives of the state Senate refused to accept a House measure that would have included driver's licenses along with business and private licenses to be revoked if child support bills went unpaid. The conference committee yesterday failed to reach a compromise on the bill, effectively killing it for this session. Saying that the majority of U.S. states have programs where deadbeat parents' licenses are revoked, officials with the Child Support Enforcement Agency supported the bill in any form, so long as some type of license was targeted. Revoking professional licenses alone would have affected state accredited doctors, lawyers and contractors. Supporters said similar penalties have been very effective in getting deadbeat parents to pay up. The House delegation insisted that on top of professional licenses, driver's licenses should be targeted as well. However, Sen. Judiciary Chairman Rey Graulty was concerned that the state child support agency's computer records could not yet be easily searched or cross- referenced with those of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Most lawmakers didn't see the bill's fall as a tragedy, noting that the CSEA computers should be fully upgraded by the fall of next year. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: LAWMAKERS TAKE HARDER LINE ON STUDENT VIOLATIONS Citing national survey figures supporting their stance, state legislators yesterday resolved a proposal that would enact a policy of "zero tolerance" for student possession of drugs, alcohol or weapons. House and Senate leaders agreed in conference committee to extend the expulsion penalty from the established 10 days to a maximum of 92 days, or about three months. That could take a student out of classes for an entire semester. "Education is the utmost priority," House Judiciary Chairman Terrance Tom said yesterday. "We want to have a safe school environment." Under the proposal, even if expelled students wouldn't find their expulsions to be a vacation. Depending on the length of time the student would spend out of school, he or she may simply have to participate in alternative educational instruction. Also, each case would have to be reviewed and approved by the Department of Education superintendent. Tom said 78 percent of the American public supported zero tolerance policies, and 84 percent of educators also back them, adding that the bill was long overdue. The bill now has to be approved by a full vote by both the State House and Senate. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: CHICAGO COP DIDN'T ESCAPE CRIME IN ISLES A violent attack on the North Shore yesterday has shaken people from neighbors to state officials. 33-year-old James Boreczky -- a Chicago police officer, boxer and weightlifter -- didn't want the prepackaged, glitzy view of Hawaii most tourists got when visiting. According to his brother Bill Boreczky, a North Shore resident, James Boreczky was in the islands to escape the troubles of the Mainland. Finishing up his stay, Boreczky left his brother's home in Velzeyland just after midnight yesterday to catch the first bus to the airport. Minutes later, police say, Boreczky was approached by three men on bicycles who said they wanted a lighter. The men left, but soon returned, and Boreczky sensed trouble. He headed back towards his brother's place, police say, but he was chased down -- then beaten. The suspects, two of them reportedly teenagers, escaped with Boreczky's money, credit cards, and airline ticket. Bill Boreczky said James' face was practically unrecognizable when he came to see him at Castle Medical Center. He underwent several hours of surgery yesterday. While visitors are often targets of non- violent crime, the severity of the incident has shocked many. "It is absolutely the worst thing for our primary industry," Assistant Attorney General Thomas Green said yesterday. "They have held their breath that the (crimes against tourists) that happened in Florida wouldn't happen here." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: PASH RULING UPHELD IN U.S. SUPREME COURT In a decision that has native Hawaiian groups cheering, the nation's high court yesterday refused to hear a developer's appeal of a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that said native Hawaiians could enter private property if it was to practice traditional, cultural or religious rites. Last year, Public Access Shoreline Hawaii -- a coalition of Hawaiian and other advocates -- successfully argued that Nansay Hawaii Inc. would have to make accommodations for native Hawaiian needs before being granted a permit to build a resort on the Big Island. With the backing of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, PASH asserted that the ponds on the North Kona shore were vital shrimp gathering spots for native Hawaiians. Citing the Hawaii State Constitution's protection of the native Hawaiian community, the Hawaii Supreme Court agreed. The decision was hailed as a landmark recognition of native Hawaiian rights. Nansay then filed the appeal, saying it violated their constitutional rights. By deciding not to accept the case, the U.S. Supreme Court has referred the debate back to the state level. Nansay will have to again make its case to the State Planning Commission. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES AKEBONO, the Hawaii-born sumo wrestling champion, was granted citizenship in Japan yesterday. Known in Hawaii as Chad Rowan, the 26-year-old, 480-pound wrestler told reporters that the honor will give him a fresh start in the ancient sport. Akebono was the first foreign wrestler to be a grand-champion (or yokozuna) in Japan tournaments. He had missed the last three due to a knee injury, however, and some fans had been predicting his retirement... OPPOSITION to legalized gambling wasn't strong enough to stop a House bill that would initiate a state study of its benefits and liabilities. The State House yesterday approved a resolution requesting that the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism examine the potential effects of legalizing shipboard casinos and pari-mutuel horse racing. The measure will now return to the State Senate for consideration... RESPONSE to the state's public tours of the H-3 freeway has been so strong that Department of Transportation officials announced yesterday that an additional 800 tickets would be issued for each of the two walking tours being conducted this weekend. The tours will be the last chance to see the freeway up close until a running event scheduled for next year. The weekend's 30,000 tickets had already sold out, at $3.50 each... MICHAEL Nakasone, band director at Pearl City High School, was named by Pres. Clinton this week as Hawaii's Teacher of the Year. Nakasone had led the Pearl City High School Marching Band in the Rose Bowl Parade, the Macy's Parade, and another festival in Japan. The 51-year-old has taught for 19 years, and his current work was recognized by Clinton for the broad community support the Pearl City students receive... LUNCHWAGON owners who operate within 1,000 feet of a public school will have to give up their cigarette sales or face a $1,000 fine, under a bill approved by a House and Senate conference committee yesterday. Lawmakers drafted the bill in response to complaints from parents that "manapua wagons" were a prime source of children's smokes... TEMPS: O`ahu 87/74, Kaua`i 82/73, Moloka`i 84/71, Maui 84/71, Hilo 82/68 CASTS: Partly cloudy, trades to 20MPH; North Shore surf to 6 feet. WEDNESDAY'S TIDES: High 9:52 a.m.; Low 2:04 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Monday, April 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: SOME LEGISLATORS BACK OHA State lawmakers today openly expressed doubts that a controversial house bill to cut state funding to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs will survive. The rumblings come the day before a planned "unity rally" of OHA supporters, which organizers say will draw together over a thousand people from almost every Hawaiian organization in the state. "The House Republicans are standing united with OHA in solidarity against this very egregious bill," Rep. Quentin Kawanakoa said today. House Speaker Joe Souki also said the bill may die for other reasons. An April 10 rally had brought over 200 people to the state Capitol to protest the measure. The bill would exclude the value of improvements the government has made to ceded lands, the proceeds from which the state must currently split with OHA. Gov. Cayetano had expressed support for the bill, and some lawmakers pointed to federal rules that prohibit the more than $6.5 million in yearly revenues from the Honolulu International Airport -- which sits on ceded lands -- from going anywhere else but back into the airport. Souki said confusion over the airport issue could kill the bill entirely. Despite the support, rally organizers are moving ahead with their plans. "I call upon all of you in the state of Hawai`i -- Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians alike -- to join us," said OHA Trustee Kinau Kamali`i. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SECOND FREEWAY TOUR PROBLEM-FREE Over 4,000 Hawai`i residents got a rare chance to have an up-close look at a project over three decades in the making. The H-3 freeway, still under construction, was opened to the first of two public walking tours this past weekend. The crowds kick-tested the walls and gawked at the towering gates to the freeway's pair of trans-Ko`olau mountain tunnels. State officials were also pleased to find no reports of health problems caused by an electromagnetic field emitted by the Omega Station -- a high-power navi- gational antenna in Haiku Valley run by the U.S. Coast Guard. Concerns over its proximity to the H-3 prompted the federal government's Environmental Impact Statement to require the state to put a wire cage over one segment of the freeway. Called a Farraday Shield, the cage is supposed to keep electromagnetic pulses from shocking travelers or affecting their pace- makers. To install it, however, will cost the state over $1.5 million. Department of Transportation Spokeswoman Marilyn Kaji said today that the state still hopes there's a chance the shield won't be needed. In addition to fewer fears of the EMF danger itself, the Coast Guard is expected to close the Omega Station late next year, soon after the H-3 is scheduled to open. Kaji said she hopes to hear by May whether the National Weather Service or the Navy is planning on keeping the station open. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: COUNCIL MAY CULL $13 MILLION FROM BUDGET Members of the City Council Budget Committee today said it is absurd for the city to spend more money this year when few O`ahu residents have that luxury. The committee proposed several amendments to the budget package proposed last month by Mayor Jeremy Harris, which was $10 million larger than the current year. "There's no way in good conscience we can justify increasing city expenditures while Honolulu taxpayers have to decrease theirs," said Councilman Duke Bainum. One of the amendments would remove a long-standing perk for department heads and their deputies -- the take-home use of their city cars. "They should be like any other city employees," Bainum said. Employees who are responsible for public safety would be exempt. In addition, the council members are considering the elimination of some deputy director positions and their accompanying secretaries. Finally, the committee has proposed cutting several positions from within the city's Office of Information and Complaint. The office director warned today, however, that cuts to their staff would lead to a tangible reduction in services provided to the public. Today's first round of meetings accumulated nearly $13 million worth of cuts. The next meeting will be held May 1. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES THEFT of metal is frequent, but one 30-year-old man will have to take a break. At about 8:30 p.m. last night, residents of Maka`aloha Street near the old Waipahu Sugar Mill heard a loud explosion. Police reported to the scene, and found the unconscious man inside a fenced Hawaiian Electric substation. He apparently had successfully removed several copper conductors before cutting into a live wire. He remains in critical condition at Queen's... HARRIS Theatre Group, based in San Francisco, will be joining local competitors Wallace Theatres and Consolidated Theatres in the movie market. The company this week announced plans for an 11-screen facility at the Pearl Highlands Center in Pearl City. That will bring the total number of movie screens on O`ahu to over 100. In addition, Harris officials say, two more locations are being considered... KAWAIHAO Church celebrated its 175th anniversary on Sunday, and the day's special services drew over 500 people. Mixing the church's unique religious mix of Christian and Hawaiian beliefs, the Kawaihao Choir performed a Gregorian Chant in Hawaiian, and the Royal Hawaiian Band backed a chant about Hawaii's days of spiritual creation. Located across City Hall on King and Punchbowl streets, the church is a national landmark... ALANA Dung, the 23-month-old leukemia patient, has eight weeks left to live. Her plight has moved more people in the last four days to register with the Hawaii Bone Marrow Registry than the program saw all of last year. Over 2,000 people gave blood samples during a bone marrow drive yesterday at the UH Special Events Arena, bringing the week's total to 5,000 volunteers. The drive continues Thursday at HPD headquarters on Beretania Avenue... FIRST-TIME gun buyers will have to pay the cost of processing their required background checks, if a bill resolved in conference committee last week is passed by the full Senate and House. The payments will come in the form of a fee for firearm permits, which are currently free. Although the bill doesn't state the amount, it's defined as equal to the price charged by the FBI for fingerprint checks. Last year, that price was $24... LAWMAKERS can't help competing, even when its a noble cause. The State Legislature's Food Bank Drive ended today, with the State House bringing in nearly 12,000 pounds of food and $185 in cash donations. The Senate made a valiant effort, netting 6,600 pounds of food and $2308. In all, senators and representatives donated 9 tons of food and $2,500 to the needy... TEMPS: O`ahu 84/72, Kaua`i 81/71, Moloka`i 83/70, Maui 85/72, Hilo 82/69 CASTS: Clear and sunny, warmer temperatures; North Shore surf to 5 feet. TUESDAY'S TIDES: High 8:15 a.m.; Low 12:54 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Friday, April 19, 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: GIRL'S PLIGHT STIRS HUNDREDS TO GIVE Doctors scanned 2 million records in national registries, and another 15,000 in Hawaii. Last week, they turned to records in Japan and Singapore. Then the family of 23 month old Alana Dung -- a leukemia patient at Kapiolani Medical Center -- turned to their neighbors. The neighbors turned to their neighbors, friends and coworkers. Dung's search for a compatible bone marrow donor made it into the papers; fax machines purred across O`ahu. By the time the latest drive for the Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Registry opened its doors yesterday at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, over 1,000 people turned out. Some waited nearly 3 hours to give their few ounces of blood. Dung's plight also caught the attention of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, which yesterday pledged a $200,000 endowment to support the Hawaii registry, and another $50,000 to help cover the cost of testing the of samples collected over the next week and a half. In addition, administrators at the University of Hawaii said today that campus chatter has been strong enough to stir up hopes of holding a donor registration drive at the UH-Manoa campus. Finally, as proof that the aloha spirit thrives anywhere, a local internet service provider has donated a web page for Dung at http://www.hula.net/~idc/alana.html. Doctors say Dung only needs about a cup of marrow, which could boost her chances of recovery to 70 percent. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL BOLSTERS BLANCO'S STAND The University of Hawaii Board of Regents met today in a special meeting to discuss whether Regent Joseph Blanco should be reappointed to the board, despite now holding a position within Gov. Ben Cayetano's administration. Although no action was taken, a proposed draft of new bylaws that would protect against conflicts of interest was presented. Also submitted, comments from the Deputy Attorney General saying that there is nothing in board rules preventing Blanco from serving in both positions. Some BOR members, noting that Blanco sought the Deputy Attorney General's opinion on his own, said that it was at least clear that Blanco was working to make sure that everything was "on the level." Desmond Byrne, head of the watchdog group Common Cause Hawaii, also spoke at the meeting. Byrne insisted that even the mild impression that there's a conflict of interest could be damaging to the BOR and the Governor's Office. In addition, Byrne said that many other universities nationwide prohibit duality in the employment of their regents. Byrne noted that in some states, Regents are elected. The board's personnel committee will meet next week, where the new bylaws could be passed. The draft bylaws state, in part, that anyone appointed as a regent must disclose their own potential conflicts of interest. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: NEW WARSHIP COULD BRING $13 MILLION It's not built yet, but when it is, it will be 500 feet long, crewed with 350 sailors and armed with Tomahawk missiles, 54-caliber guns and six torpedo tubes. It will also be find a home at Pearl Harbor, Navy officials announced yesterday. The USS Hopper, still under construction at the Bath Iron Works in Maine, will eventually be the eighteenth surface ship based in Honolulu. The crew payroll will total about $13 million annually, officials say, and that means more employment and business for the state. "This will help our economy," said Sen. Daniel Inouye, "bringing new residents and revitalizing business in our community." With a displacement of over 8,000 tons, the USS Hopper still boasts a top speed of more than 30 knots. As an Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer, the USS Hooper is designed to battle airplanes, other surface ships and submarines. Three other ships in the class are already home-ported in Pearl Harbor. The USS Hopper scheduled to be commissioned in June of next year. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FORMER HONOLULU PROSECUTOR INDICTED A federal grand jury yesterday indicted 35-year-old George Parker, local attorney and former city deputy prosecutor, under obstruction charges for allegedly accepting money to pressure a Halawa prison inmate to keep quiet. According to U.S. Attorney Steven Alm, Parker accepted a total of $30,000 in 1994 from drug dealers William Batkin and John Bowley. In return, Parker allegedly met with Frank Moon, in prison on drug charges, and repeatedly urged him not to cooperate with the federal investigation. At yesterday's hearing, where Parker's request for no bail was eventually denied by Federal Magistrate Francis Yamashita, U.S. Attorney Marshall Silverberg also claimed that Parker owes as much as $50,000 in outstanding child-support payments and over $100,000 in back state and federal taxes. Parker's attorney called the drug money charges "bogus," and contested the $50,000 child-support figure reportedly claimed by Parker's ex-wife. The indictment currently only seeks the forfeiture of the $30,000 paid by Batkin and Bowley. Parker could also face up to 35 years in prison. In an unrelated investigation, Parker's law license was suspended earlier this week by the Hawaii Supreme Court. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES HAWAII-BORN actor Jason Scott Lee, star of several Hollywood films, has returned to the islands to play a part in a different sort of project. Lee and his colleague Richard Chamberlain have lent their names to an environ- mental education program established by the city. Lee is to appear with Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris in a television public-service announcement, filmed last week "on location" at Nuuanu Stream. Harris yesterday gave Lee an award of merit for his help... DEMEROL, a controlled substance, was supposed to be administered to patients at Hilo Hospital. Instead, say Big Island police, a 35-year-old nurse had been stealing the narcotics. The nurse was arrested after an internal investigation found the patients did not receive their drugs in at least four incidents over the past weekend. She was booked yesterday, and placed on administrative leave until official charges are filed... GOOFS were many in this year's instruction books and worksheets for the state's new "simplified" tax forms. In its first year of use, the N-11's accompanying documentation sported 17 mistakes, most of them in the sample worksheet. State tax officials insist the errors are obvious enough to most residents. Even so, officials say, if someone's tax bill is short because of the mistakes, they won't be penalized... LEAVING his home in Pauoa yesterday afternoon, a 44-year-old Booth Road resident wouldn't be stopped by anything -- or at least not by a woman lying in the path of his car. Police arrested the man for attempted murder after he rolled over a 39-year-old female acquaintance, who reportedly placed herself in the roadway to stop him. The driver was allegedly under the influence of drugs. The victim suffered bruises and scratches... KULA residents are coming together to see if they can save the neighborhood gymnasium after a fire damaged much of its foundation on Wednesday. Maui County Officials aren't sure the city can pay to repair it, despite the heavy dependence school and community groups have on the aging facility. The fire was started by a 12-year-old girl, who started a fire in the grass outside which spread under the gym... TEMPS: O`ahu 86/71, Kaua`i 81/70, Moloka`i 82/69, Maui 83/70, Hilo 81/67 CASTS: Some showers, trades to 25MPH. Surf on North Shore to 8, west 6 feet. SATURDAY'S TIDES: High 6:14 p.m.; Low 6:14 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Thursday, April 18, 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: DEBATE OVER PROPOSED GAMBLING STUDY FLARES A floor debate in the state House yesterday got heated over a bill -- already passed by the Senate -- that would initiate a study of the economic potential and dangers of legalizing shipboard gambling and horse-race betting. Speaker Joe Souki at one point threatened to eject Rep. Cynthia Thielen from the proceedings after she insisted that senators be allowed to continue debating the issue. Mizuguchi had called a vote on the bill after 18 senators had spoken, but Thielen insisted that there was more to be said. "Gambling will be bad for Hawaii," Thielen protested, "You can bet on that." Mizuguchi maintained that there was more than enough opportunity for input, as eight of the senators who went to the floor were against the study. The House eventually voted to forward the bill to the House Finance Committee. "It's the legislature's responsibility to study the pros and cons," said Majority Leader Annelle Amaral, later adding that some representatives were being "closed-minded" in refusing to look at the potential benefits. Thielen, along with several other representatives who opposed the study, charged that it would be biased because the agencies performing it -- including the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and the Hawaii Hotel Association -- were already in favor of legalized gambling. Rep. Ed Case, who said he favors the study, suggested that the field of participants be broadened to include some anti-gambling groups, which to date include the police department and the State Attorney General. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: ANTENNA EXPLOSION TARGETS SCHOOLS Cellular antennas are cropping up everywhere, sometimes in residents' backyards -- and soon, on public school grounds. The explosive growth in Honolulu's telecommunications industry may best be demonstrated by the fierce bid war between three upstart wireless-phone companies who want to scatter their antennas atop buildings throughout O`ahu. With the swift expansion, however, some people are concerned the companies are moving too fast. Some residents are concerned that there may be health risks posed by the low-level electromagnetic field generated by such antennas. The companies contend, however, that all studies have proved there to be no danger. The state apparently agrees, with Health department officials yesterday reasserting that the antennas are safe. With the blessing of education officials, two companies plan to install antennas at Mililani High School. In return, the school will get lease money and possibly receive free digital phone service. One of the two companies, VoiceStream Wireless, plans to lease antenna sites from several other island schools. The other, PrimeCo, is still gearing up to offer its service this Fall. A Kahala condo tenant's protest over the proposed placement of an antenna atop her building has drew attention to the issue earlier this week. The condo owners had agreed to lease the building's rooftop to the company without consulting its residents. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: PAIR INDICTED FOR LAUNDERING DRUG MONIES The financial backing of a Maui surgery center three years in the planning may have come from cocaine and crystal methamphetamine (or "ice") sales. Maui medical analyst Henry Blakley, 60, and 39-year-old attorney Richard Frunzy were indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury, after having allegedly laundered more than $300,000 in drug money. According to U.S. Attorney Steven Alm, convicted drug dealer John Bowley gave the money to Frunzy in 1993. Frunzy then gave it to Blakley, both of them part owners of Hale Nani Partners -- the partnership which this year had finally won preliminary approval to establish a outpatient surgery center on Maui. Blakley, managing director of Hale Nani, then used a variety of schemes to get the funds into company accounts, Alm said. One other shareholder in the company, former House speaker Daniel Kihano -- now part of Honolulu's city administration -- was not named in yesterday indictments. The omission was hailed by Kihano's associates as a vindication, contrary to rumors of his involvement. The indictments come after a joint investigation by the FBI and the IRS. In all, the indictment involved over 110 money laundering counts. Each carries a maximum fine of $500,000 and a 20-year jail sentence. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES UNLOADING a barely-used warehouse in Campbell Industrial Park could raise $10 million for the city, said Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris. A city council committee approved the sale of the property, which sports 125,000 square feet of space, on Tuesday. In the past, the warehouse has been a bus garage and a place to stash Christmas decorations. Council Budget Chairman Duke Bainum said yesterday that the city's already gotten a bid for $8.2 million. For $1.8 million more, the upcoming year's operating budget could be balanced... UNABLE to secure a menu or a job application from the owner of The Kappo Aoki restaurant, two armed men yesterday settled for his wallet. Police say the 32-year-old victim was preparing to open the eatery when the robbers approached him just before 4 p.m. After asking about the restaurant's menu and job opportunities, both suspects displayed handguns. They locked the owner in the bathroom, and took money that was hidden in the kitchen... NEXT Wednesday will bring the grand opening of the new Kihei Public Library. The new $4.5 million facility will house over 30,000 books and a variety of other media. Once a community library, it first had a home 15 years ago in the old Kihei School. In 1988, it joined the state library system. The library will be backed with a $100,000 trust set up by prominent island publisher K. C. Edwards... SEVEN current and former Big Island police officers have filed a lawsuit against their former police chief, Victor Vierra. The class-action suit alleges that Vierra and three other police executives -- including Hawaii County Police Chief Wayne Carvalho -- rigged promotion exams. Also named are former Deputy Chief Francis DeMorales and former Maj. Richard Carter. The lawsuit seeks $10 million in damages... REPRESENTATIVE Patsy Mink announced yesterday that she's found the state $3 million for local pollution control efforts. The money will come from a revolving fund under the federal Clean Water Act, and will go to the state Department of Health to enforce environmental laws, monitor environmental hazards and prepare for emergency cleanup efforts. With contributions from the state, the local project has now received over $4 million... TEMPS: O`ahu 85/72, Kaua`i 81/71, Moloka`i 83/70, Maui 81/69, Hilo 80/67 CASTS: Morning showers, trades to 25MPH. North Shore surf to 6 feet. THURSDAY'S TIDES: High 4:52 p.m.; Low 11:35 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Wednesday, April 17, 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: HOUSE APPROVES INDUSTRIAL STUDY OF HEMP Supporters say it could be an industry that may revive the weakening, sugar- free economy on the Big Island. Opponents say its an attempt to eventually legalize marijuana. Apparently enticed by the economic possibilities, the state House today approved a proposal that would initiate a study of "non- psychoactive industrial cannabis hemp." The study, which would be performed by the state's agribusiness development program, comes after two House committees rejected a bill that would have legalized growing marijuana for industrial purposes. Lawmakers were concerned that the marijuana -- which could be used to create fuel or fabrics -- would also contain a psychedelic element known as THC. The proposed study, which now goes to Senate for consideration, would explicitly center around hemp that has minimal concentrations of THC. According to supporters, hemp could be a prosperous alternative to cotton farming in the garment and paper industries. County police officials contend that it is practically impossible to tell the difference between low-THC industrial marijuana and the high-THC breeds that are favored for illegal drug purposes. If eventually passed by lawmakers, the study's findings would be presented during next year's session. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SENATORS TO LET SAME-SEX BATTLE PLAY OUT A bill that would place the question of changing the state constitution to ban same-sex marriages on November's general election ballot is right back where it was just over a week ago. As a result, if there are enough votes in the full senate, it can now be brought to the floor and passed. Senate President Norman Mizuguchi had earlier referred the bill a second time, to the senate Health Committee. The move, Senate Judiciary Chair Rey Graulty said last week, was to make sure it would die with the end of the legislative session on April 29. The additional referral was protested by senate minority leader Michael Liu, who challenged Mizuguchi on Monday by saying his maneuver violated the state constitution. Mizuguchi had overruled the challenge, and Liu and another senator walked out in protest. Senate leaders yesterday rescinded the second committee referral. Now, if nine senators vote to do so, the bill can be pulled out of the Judiciary Committee. Then, it would take 17 votes for the full senate to pass it. Graulty said today that there's little chance it will happen. "This bill just refuses to die," Graulty said. "We'll just let the votes speak for themselves." Liu is confident that the bill has a chance of passing. Other senators say they're frustrated to see their peers expend so much time on just one issue. Liu insists the bill is an important one, saying that it has national implications. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FIRST ISLE "DEADBEAT DAD" INDICTED An arrest warrant was issued today for Maui doctor Steven Dubin, who is now the first person in the state to be named in a federal indictment for allegedly failing to pay child support. Dubin is charged with willfully failing to pay child support payments to the mother of his two teenage children, who now live with their mother in California. Dubin also faces four counts of income tax return violations. According to court documents, Dubin owes about $50,000 in child support. According to U.S. Attorney Steven Alm, federal legislation passed in 1992 allowed for more aggressive prosecution of deadbeat parents who live in a different state from their children. "There was a 13 month period where he willfully failed to pay his child support," Alm said today, "and Dubin filed income tax returns for the years 1989 to '92 in which he under-reported his gross income from $22,000 to $50,000 a year." Dubin's office in Kahalui was raided by federal investigators two years ago, and all financial records were recovered and examined. If found guilty, Dubin could face six years in a federal prison. Additionally, he faces a maximum prison term of three years for each of the four tax violations. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FIRST COURT DATE COMES IN SHAMPOO PARLOR STING The first of four women arrested last month on charges of prostitution and practicing unlicensed massage pleaded not guilty today in district court. Hyuk Nelson was arrested March 21 at "Seventh Heaven," a body-shampoo parlor that claims to provide "Asian relaxation therapy." In March, Honolulu police conducted an undercover investigation into several similar businesses, and four other women -- Sonia Chi, Kyong Choe and Min Lloyd -- were arrested on similar charges. Howard Luke, Nelson's attorney, said the prostitution charge may be unfounded. "I have a real question as to whether Ms. Nelson understood exactly what (the undercover officer) was requesting." Luke also said that regulations are less than clear in defining exactly what constitutes massage. If convicted, Nelson faces a month in jail and a $100,000 fine for each count. Court appearances for the other defendants are still pending. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES FANS of the popular TV series "Hawaii Five-O" can snatch a link to the 70s police show with a used car. A black, 1974 four-door Mercury Marquis seen in several episodes will go up for auction later this year at a first-of-its- kind Hawaii Five-O Convention (a la the ubiquitous Star Trek gatherings) to be held later this year. The current owner, John Nordlum, was a stand-in for show star Jack Lord, and received the car as a gift when the series closed in 1980. Driven almost daily, it has 250,000 miles on the odometer... REVERSING a vote taken April 1, the O`ahu chapter of the state police union today rescinded its earlier endorsement of Arnold Morgado for mayor. Eight members of SHOPO's Honolulu chapter board met this morning in response to concerns raised by its rank-and-file members. After taking their endorsement back from Morgado, they voted to give it to Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris... MISSING for seven months, 4-year-old Ryan Anderson was recovered in New Mexico earlier this week after her mother was pulled over under suspicion of driving under the influence. Ryan was illegally separated from his father, Haleiwa resident Brad Anderson, in September by Valerie Safian. Ryan, who will be returned to Hawaii within a week, was discovered at the home of one of Safian's friends after the DUI arrest... UNIFORMS may begin cropping up in Hawaii's public schools, thanks to yesterday's approval of a voluntary uniform policy by a Board of Education committee. Provided the majority of the school's community favored introducing them, schools could begin asking students to dress in uniforms. Families opposed to them could get a waiver. Supporters say the plan could save parents money, while opponents say its a threat to individuality... POLICE had to use pepper spray to break up an early-morning brawl at Restaurant Row today. The fight broke out in the Blue Zebra Cafe, and among those in the tangle were two former UH football players. Leuea "Junior" Tagoai was arrested for assaulting a police officer and a restaurant employee, while Faamita "Mika" Liilii was arrested for harassment... TEMPS: O`ahu 85/72, Kaua`i 81/71, Moloka`i 83/70, Maui 81/69, Hilo 80/67 CASTS: Morning showers, trades to 25MPH. North Shore surf to 6 feet. THURSDAY'S TIDES: High 4:52 p.m.; Low 11:35 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Tuesday, April 16, 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: MARINES GUILTY, BOTH SIDES CLAIM VICTORY Marine Lance Cpl. John Mayfield, 21, and 25-year-old Cpl. Joseph Vlacovski were found guilty today of disobeying a direct order. Their penalty in the court-martial, however, will only be a seven day confinement to the Kaneohe Marine Base and an eventual honorable discharge. The men had refused an order to submit to a DNA sampling on the grounds that the federal government's maintenance of a gene bank is unconstitutional and could lead to "genetic discrimination" and other questionable experiments. A decision by the military judge yesterday to allow two DNA privacy experts to testify in the trial had been hailed by the defense as a victory. By allowing the expert witnesses, defense attorney Eric Seitz says, showed that the court is willing to consider that the Marines' refusal to comply may have been a reasonable one. The prosecutor continued to insist that the case only involved their refusal to follow an order, and not their allegations of civil rights violations. The judge agreed. Even so, the Marines say they're still satisfied, as their fight had led to a pivotal change in military policy. Last week, the Pentagon announced that it would reduce the length of time they would keep DNA samples from 75 to 50 years, and would allow military personnel to request that their samples be destroyed when they leave the service. "At this point," Vlacovski said, "there are now protections in place for everyone else." When they complete their service, they will be allowed to collect their benefits, including financial aid for college. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SENATOR WALKS OUT OVER SAME-SEX SPAT Senate Minority Leader Michael Liu walked out on a senate vote yesterday after Senate President Norman Mizuguchi refused to hear Liu's challenge that he violate senate procedures when another committee was put between a constitutional amendment measure and a full senate vote. Last week, Mizuguchi referred a bill which would have amended the state Constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage to the Senate Health Committee, claiming that the move would reset the 20-day minimum a bill must remain in committee before returning to the senate floor. By doing so, Sen. Judiciary Chair Rey Graulty said it was now technically impossible for the bill to advance. Liu said yesterday that Mizuguchi's claim that the 20-day period starts over with the latest -- rather than the first -- committee referral essentially infringes the constitutional right to recall. Mizuguchi quickly ruled against Liu's challenge, and Liu moved to overturn his call. Liu's protests were rebuffed as "out of order" by Mizuguchi, and when Mizuguchi called a vote on a different matter, Liu and fellow Republican Sen. Whitney Anderson walked out. Sen. Richard Matsuura, who initially backed Mizuguchi's call, said ignoring Liu's objections was unwise. "Now we look like hell," Matsuura said. Later, Liu issued a statement calling the Democratic leaders of the Senate "hypocrites with no respect for the law." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: COUNTIES TAKE FIREFIGHTER RAISE TO COURT Despite arguments by union attorneys that the debate doesn't belong in a courtroom, Circuit Court Judge Daniel Heeley will rule next week whether to support or defer a pay-raise granted to Hawaii firefighters by an arbitration panel earlier this year. Officials from all four counties have since insisted that they cannot afford to give them the 7.2 percent raise. "The arbitrator found that there was in fact an ability to pay," said union lawyer Dennis Chang today. Ivan Torigoe, attorney for Hawaii County, said the claim doesn't make sense. "How can it be said that the arbitrators considered ability to pay," Torigoe said, "when they don't even know what it's going to cost?" Chang countered that the arbitration had already given the state and counties several ways to cover the cost of the raise: increase taxes, reallocate current funds, or bring themselves further into debt. Regardless, Chang said the debate over honoring the increase should be put before the legislature, not a judge. County attorneys also allege that the panel failed to follow the established state guidelines for granting the pay raise. Heeley's decision is expected next Tuesday. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SENATORS DEFER TO REGENTS ON BLANCO APPOINTMENT The UH Board of Regents will meet this Friday to discuss the possibility of writing new rules to address potential conflicts of interest by its members. The special meeting was called after members of the Senate Executive and Judicial Appointments Committee raised questions about Gov. Cayetano's re- appointment of Regent Joeseph Blanco, despite the fact that he currently works as an "executive assistant" within the Governor's Office. Senators deferred on giving Blanco their recommendation last Thursday after he hinted that the Board of Regents could amend their bylaws to address their concerns. Critics have questioned whether Blanco can serve the university fairly while simultaneously holding another state position. This week, Cayetano said he still feels Blanco is the right man for the job, acknowledging that it's the committee's job to ask the hard questions. Desmond Byrne, chair of the political watchdog group Common Cause Hawaii, said the potential for serving conflicting interests cannot be eliminated by adding rules against it. "Other states do not allow duality," Byrne said today. "The idea is for Regents to be citizens." Byrne said his group would be at the April 19 meeting to urge the Board of Regents to forbid Blanco from holding both positions. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- EXACTLY as they had warned, city officials today served notice of violations by SkySigns International. The company uses a helicopter to fly a lighted advertising sign over Waikiki's night sky. The company claims that their practice is protected under the First Amendment, and that the airspace they fly in is outside the jurisdiction of the state and city. The city says the flying sign is covered under ordinances that prohibit portable signs and signs that advertise activities that aren't being conducted on the premises where the sign is placed... TRAFFIC on the H-1 freeway was seriously snarled this morning when a man threatened to jump from the Kaneohe Street overpass in Aiea. Police held back rush-hour traffic at its peak for just over an hour, at one point closing all six lanes in both directions. The "jumper," who has not yet been identified, was eventually retrieved safely. State Department of Transportation officials said that they will not yet consider putting in fences or taller guide-rails on bridges that cross major highways... CONVICTS may soon have to pay for their own defense and court processing costs if a bill approved today by the Budget Committee is eventually approved by the City Council. Supporters say the "service fee" rightfully puts the burden on the people who create the expense in the first place. Under the bill, people convicted of misdemeanors or felonies would have to pay $250. Council members say it could raise half a million dollars each year... THANKS for all your words of support! Yours truly has been chosen to serve one more year as editor of the UH-Manoa student paper. That means you're going to have to deal with getting all this stuff from me for at least another 380 days. And once again, special thanks to my sweetheart Jen, for ever convincing me that I really can do too much -- and love it! TEMPS: O`ahu 83/81, Kaua`i 80/71, Moloka`i 83/69, Maui 82/69, Hilo 81/69 CASTS: Some showers, trades to 25MPH. North Shore surf to 4 feet. WEDNESDAY'S TIDES: High 4:15 p.m.; Low 9:31 a.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Monday, April 15, 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: DNA TESTING CONTESTED IN MARINE COURT-MARTIAL A first-of-its-kind court-martial trial opened today at the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, as two Marines have initiated the first challenge against the Department of Defense practice of collecting DNA samples. As far as Lance Cpl. John Mayfield and Cpl. Joseph Vlacovsky are concerned, the debate focuses around the constitutionality of the military forcing them to contribute to a DNA bank. Prosecutors assert, however, that the trial is not a civil one. "We're only looking at whether they disobeyed a order by a superior officer," said base spokesman John Millman. "This isn't a constitutional case." The two men insist that the military hasn't proven that it can keep the results of DNA tests private, and that future abuses of the information could lead to "genetic discrimination" by health-care providers and insurers, as well as the military. Their defense will dispute that the original order to submit to the DNA sampling was unlawful. Defense officials say the prime reason for the genetic bank is to make the future identification of remains less difficult. The case has already garnered the attention of nationwide civil-rights activists and other specialists, and last week the Hawaii dispute prompted a fundamental change in Pentagon policy. Now, military personnel can request that their genetic samples and records be destroyed when they complete their enlistment. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: DOMESTIC ABUSE TRIAL FACES CONTRARY TESTIMONY A man convicted five years ago for the beating death of his wife is facing another trial, this one for the alleged assault of his current girlfriend. 45-year-old Alexander "Boy" Carvalho, who was paroled last year after serving several years in prison, is being charged by city prosecutors that he threatened and punched 41-year-old Nora Pacheco two months ago. The trial opened today. The case against Carvalho, however, will have to depend on statements Pacheco made earlier this year, when she said Carvalho hit her on Feb. 3. As a result of those claims, Carvalho was arrested and released on bail before his trial on Feb. 27. Pacheco didn't appear in court however, and later claimed Carvalho told her not to testify against him and also tried to choke her on Feb. 5. Now, Pacheco is saying nothing happened. "(Carvalho) never once touched me," she said last week, and has since recanted all of her previous testimony. Today, Pacheco again insisted that Carvalho was innocent, saying she had accused him of abuse because she was jealous from seeing him talking to other women. Although Pacheco has said she will maintain her revised testimony under oath, prosecutors are going ahead with their case. Carvalho was at the center of a statewide controversy in 1991, when he was convicted of manslaughter for the 1987 beating death of his wife Cathie. His 10-year maximum sentence was criticized as too lenient. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: TEEN HURT IN 40-FOOT FALL A 16-year-old girl remains in critical condition today after falling from the balcony of a 10th floor Waikiki hotel room Saturday night. Police say the girl, tentatively identified as Honolulu resident Keala Awa, fell about 40 feet to the lanai of a unit on the sixth floor. The Canadian couple in that unit said the sound of the fall was loud enough to wake them. "I had a gut feeling it wasn't a car accident," Kate Jenby said. "Sure enough, when I looked out the window there was a body lying out on the lanai." The victim was taken to Queen's Medical Center. Honolulu police are looking for witnesses, including a number of others who were reportedly in the room from which the girl fell. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES THREE board members of the Honolulu police union will meet tomorrow to discuss weather SHOPO's endorsement of Arnold Morgado for mayor should be reconsidered. On April 1, the chapter board voted 7-6 to back Morgado over Mayor Jeremy Harris. Since then, supporters of Harris have claimed that the vote misrepresented the wishes of the union's rank-and-file members. SHOPO officials said today that they aren't sure if the union's state board can force the O`ahu board to change its vote... DESPITE the objections by the United Public Workers union, Kauai Mayor Linda Lingle yesterday approved the hiring of a private company to handle island- wide trash collection. According to county officials, the new arrangement will create the largest home-pickup recycling program in the state. Lingle said the move to hire Waste Management of Hawaii, Inc. will save the city $500,000. Many Maui homes will be given special containers to accommodate automated trash pickup... HUNGRY employees of downtown offices no longer have to worry about sore feet too. Mayor Jeremy Harris and a number of city leaders joined the Hawaii Public Transit Authority today in dedicating a new downtown shuttle service. The buses, featuring pollution-free electric engines, will provide free rides to nearby restaurants at Restaurant Row, Aloha Tower Marketplace, and the Maunakea Marketplace in Chinatown. The shuttle will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a six-month pilot program starting tomorrow... GOLFERS had one less spot to play today, as the owners of the Honolulu Country Club closed down the course to give over 600 school kids a chance to survey the adjacent waters of Salt Lake. The field trip was organized by teachers and community members in order to teach students about protecting the environment. State Department of Health officials say the area's plant and bird life are being threatened by pollution. The country club operators say everything from oil to refrigerators have been found in the lake... POLICE are still investigating the diving death of a 53-year-old Japanese visitor yesterday. Officials say the woman was scuba diving with a charter group off Waikiki when she surfaced unconscious. Dive operators brought her back to the Hilton Hawaiian Village pier and she was taken to Straub Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police have reportedly taken her scuba tank as evidence... TEMPS: O`ahu 85/72, Kaua`i 81/71, Moloka`i 83/70, Maui 83/70, Hilo 81/68 CASTS: Cloudy, some light rain, winds to 20MPH; North Shore surf to 6 feet. TUESDAY'S TIDES: High 3:38 p.m.; Low 9:02 a.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Friday, April 12, 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: CITY MAY CITE FLYING SIGN OPERATORS Prompted in part by complaints by residents and environmental groups, the city has asked an upstart company to voluntarily stop flying its lighted advertising sign over Waikiki. Despite a valid waiver allowing SkySign International to fly a helicopter in the evening hours, Deputy Managing Director Ben Lee said today the attached 36-foot wide light-grid -- which scrolls, flashes and blinks a variety of advertising messages -- is in clear violation of at least two county regulations. "It is in violation of the city sign ordinance, as well as the aerial advertising ordinance." Company officials responded today that their "place of business" isn't regulated by the city. David Bettencourt, attorney for the company, said today that the helicopter flies in federal airspace, outside the control of the county and the state. "The right to engage in first amendment activities, which advertising is, is granted by the constitution to every citizen," Bettencourt said. "That's all that's being exercised here." If SkySign doesn't voluntarily comply with the city's request to stop, Lee said, it will receive a citation for the violations on Monday. Meanwhile, members of the city council have begun work on a bill that would prohibit aerial advertising for any purpose. That is expected to be unveiled next week. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN CLARIFICATION PASSES Saying that it would be irresponsible to hold back, Sen. Milton Holt yesterday urged lawmakers to vote either for or against a measure that reaffirmed the state's existing exclusion of gay couples from the definition of marriage. Without another word, the Senate voted unanimously to approve it. The bill reasserts a 1994 law that defines marriage as being between a an and a woman. It is hoped that by passing it, the senate can help the state Attorney General fight a 1990 lawsuit filed by three gay couples. When the suit comes to trial later this year, the state must demonstrate a compelling reason to maintain its current ban on gay unions. The bill was first brought up last Thursday in an unusual maneuver by Sen. Milton Holt, who it in his Consumer Protection Committee -- despite the established jurisdiction over the issue by the senate Judiciary Committee. After review by senate leaders, however, it was reincarnated and brought to yesterday's full senate vote. In order to smooth the feathers of senators who disapproved of Holt's move, senate president Norman Mizuguchi this week put Judiciary chair Rey Graulty in charge of representing the senate in conference meetings with the House. This clarification bill is different from another "constitutional amendment" measure that would have put the issue of same-sex marriage to a public referendum. That bill was effectively killed in the senate on Wednesday. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: HOOKED MAN RECOVERS, THANKS RESCUERS It was a tuna that started the trouble nine days ago for 45-year-old Dave Baker. While fishing about 1,000 miles south of Honolulu, Baker -- a California native -- caught the big one. It thrashed in the boat, however, and during the struggle Baker's hook made a shallow gash in his foot. The wound got infected, Baker fell ill, and on Monday he became the focus of a rescue operation that involved the U.S. Army, Coast Guard, and a parachuting team of Navy SEALS. Today, he was wheeled out of Tripler Army Hospital so he could publicly thank the countless people who he says saved his life. "I can't thank 'em enough," Baker said. His sister Barbara, who flew in from California when she heard the news, also expressed her gratitude for Hawaii's heroes. Baker's doctor, describing the injury as "aggressive but superficial," reported that he can't yet say how long it will be until Baker can walk out of the hospital. When Baker has fully recovered, he said he will race back to Christmas Island where his boat and his girlfriend -- who first notified authorities when Baker's fever set in -- are waiting. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BIG ISLE MURDERER SENTENCED TO LIFE Shannon Rodrigues, 23, was sentenced to at least 45 years in prison today for a double-murder at the old Hilo airport two years ago. "There was a callous disregard for human life," said Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamaura, who handed down the automatic sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole. The mothers of Rodrigues' two victims -- 22-year-old Mark Miyasaki and 23-year-old Timothy Nicholas -- were there for the sentencing. "There is no justice, no justified punishment for what they did," said Elizabeth Miyasaki later. "It'll never ever bring back Mark." Gwendolyn Nicholas said she had begged the judge to impose the stiffest sentence possible. "My son is gone forever," she said. "All I have is his grave-site." Rodrigues was convicted Oct. 9 for his role in the attempted robbery and execution-style murder of the two men. As part of a plea bargaining agreement Rodrigues had earlier testified against William Hirano, who was convicted last year for 2 counts of second-degree murder. Hirano's sentencing will be on May 3. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES SAYING "the law treats the public unfairly," Gov. Cayetano said today that he supports a House bill that would cut payments to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs from its revenues collected through using ceded lands. The bill would exclude the values of improvements the government has made to ceded lands, such as the Honolulu International Airport. Earlier this week, nearly 200 demonstrators rallied at the state Capitol to protest the bill... MILITARY police have fenced off a section of beach at Kaneohe Marine Base, after discovering that a Hawaiian monk seal has chosen the spot to give birth. Her pup was born earlier this week, and for the mother's sake, military police are glad she's chosen the restricted location to nurse her newborn. Five years ago, the same seal gave birth on a public beach on the North Shore. That time, it was harder to keep crowds of onlookers away... TRACES of poison were found yesterday in a well in Kalihi, prompting the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to shut it down. Poisons once used to control termites -- chlordane and dieldrin -- were detected in the well, and seven others are also being monitored. Health officials say the trace amounts do not pose a serious threat, although if consumed in quantities over several years, there may be a slight risk of cancer... AGRICULTURE officials had to tell a 14-year-old boy on Wednesday that he'd have to say goodbye to his pet hamster. The hamster was declared on a mandatory form filled out during the flight. State investigators say the boy was not happy to hear that hamsters are banned in this state, due to the threat of their carrying rabies or destroying local crops. The boy will not be penalized, officials say... WATER safety officials today posted jellyfish warning signs along south- facing shores on O`ahu, from Ala Moana to Waikiki beach. In addition, signs went up on the Leeward coast from Makaha to Pearl Harbor. The city says more than 30 stings from box jellyfish were reported, with no serious reactions suffered by victims. No beaches were closed... TEMPS: O`ahu 82/71, Kaua`i 71/69, Moloka`i 82/69, Maui 83/82, Hilo 80/69 CASTS: Warm, clear, trades to 25MPH. Surf on the North Shore to 4 feet. SATURDAY'S TIDES: High 1:38 p.m.; Low 7:16 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Thursday, April 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: SOVEREIGNTY GROUPS RALLY AGAINST NATIVE HAWAIIAN VOTE At both the state Capitol and the UH-Manoa campus yesterday, the message from several Hawaiian groups was the same: oppose the Native Hawaiian Vote. The vote, formerly promoted as a "plebiscite," is being held worldwide later this year to determine if native Hawaiians want to establish an independent nation. As the vote is being organized by the Hawaii Sovereignty Elections Council -- a state agency -- many native Hawaiians feel it will only be used against the sovereignty movement. At the state Capitol, a number of native Hawaiian organizations claimed the vote would make achieving Hawaiian sovereignty a state-controlled -- and thus unlawful -- process. The HSEC insists, however, that the vote is just a first and necessary step along the long path to self-determination. Meanwhile at UH, Ka Lahui Hawai`i founder Mililani Trask also spoke out against the vote. "It only give the government a right to deny native Hawaiians a right to their own self-sufficient government," Trask said. Acknowledging that there are several native Hawaiian groups out there that oppose the vote, she said her group was among the largest and most unified. Trask also had some choice words for Bumpy Kanahele, leader of the Waimanalo-based group Nation of Hawaii. Referring to Kanahele as a convicted felon, Trask wondered aloud how the Nation of Hawaii could say it supports peace while supporting terroristic activities. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FEE WILL RETURN FOR HANAUMA VISITORS In an exhausted 7-2 vote yesterday, the Honolulu City Council voted to bring back and restructure visitors' fees at Hanauma Bay. Under the new fee system, non-residents would pay $3 to walk down to the popular shoreline. In addition, everyone -- resident or not -- would have to pay $1 for parking. The expected $2.4 million revenue from the fee would go directly to a special fund set aside to clean and maintain the popular nature preserve. Before the vote, Councilman Jon Yoshimura urged his peers to pass the reformed fee structure, noting that they have been swaying back and forth on the issue for the last three months. Last year, the council had implemented a $5 fee for nonresidents to cover the maintenance costs (estimated initially at approximately $900,000, but recently revised to $2.4 million). After concerns that charging tourists was unconstitutional, the council repealed the fee a few months later. Then, the city parks department established a donation system, putting up signs asking visitors to voluntarily pay $5 to get in. It is hoped the new fees -- specifically the flat parking fee -- will assuage some officials' concerns that non-residents are being unfairly targeted. Because a permit will be required to revive fees at Hanauma Bay, their implementation isn't likely until early next year. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SENATE KILLS SAME-SEX AMENDMENT BILL A controversial bill that would have amended the state constitution to explicitly outlaw same-sex marriage has been declared dead by senate leaders. Senate President Norman Mizuguchi yesterday added the Health Committee to the list of committees that would have to hear the bill before it can reach a vote by the full senate. Since legislative procedures require a measure be held in committee for at least 20 days, the move makes it impossible to beat Friday's deadline for passing constitutional amendments. Although the bill was already being held indefinitely in the Judiciary Committee, lobbyists and citizens phoned and faxed protests to the members' offices urging them to revive it. Judiciary Chair Rey Graulty said yesterday that he hopes the referral to the Health Committee will make it clear that the bill will not pass this session. Meanwhile, senators will vote today on another bill that would define some reasons why same-sex marriages are excluded by a 1994 law. The bill, which has survived a series of legislative twists since it was slipped before a committee last Thursday, is intended to strengthen the state's case in a pending lawsuit challenging the exclusion of gay marriages. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: TEXAS PRISONS SEND HEFTY BILL FOR PRISON CARE The first medical bill from Texas prison operators arrived this week, and its $25,000 charge has state officials wondering if they will run out of money. Nearly 300 island prisoners were sent to two Texas prisons late last year, in the hopes of cutting costs and easing overcrowding. The $25,000 bill only covers the cost of medical expenses incurred by the transplanted inmates for the month of January. Nearly 80% of the bill comes from treating a single Hawaii inmate at Dickens County Jail, who suffered a heart attack that month. Even so, with two more bills on the way, state prison officials are adamant that they can't take any more surprises. Officials point out that the corrections division's fixed budget pays for Hawaii prisoners whether they're in Texas or in the islands. No funds were allocated for urgent emergency care expenses like those behind the January bill, legislators say. "We don't expect an inmate to have a heart attack every month," said corrections division head Ted Sakai. He said if costs exceed the year's allocation, they will have to scramble to find it somewhere else in their budget. Inmates are all screened for potential health risks before being transferred, Sakai said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: AIRPORT DRUG BUST HAS HELLS ANGELS CONNECTION Federal and state officials last week made the biggest drug bust ever in Honolulu International Airport history. Police and U.S. agents arrested 19- year-old Crystal York on Wednesday after she stepped off a flight from San Francisco. After consenting to a pat-down, law enforcement officers found a package containing 12 pounds of crystal methamphetamine (or "ice") taped around her waist. Two other men were also arrested in the case, including 44- year-old Carl Serrano -- York's boyfriend -- and island resident Robert Martinez, 59. Court documents filed this week show Serrano is a member of the San Francisco chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle group. York told investigators she was supposed to have delivered the drug to Serrano, who would then bring it to Martinez. A similar transaction took place last year, York said. At a hearing yesterday, York was determined to be a flight risk and was ordered to remain in jail until her trial. Meanwhile, federal agents are reportedly investigating whether the incident is related to a possible attempt by the Hells Angels to enter the island drug trade. Officials say the motorcycle group is heavily involved in the methamphetamine trade on the East Coast, and has been investigated in several other cities nationwide. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FLYING SIGN CALLED AN EYESORE Members of the Outdoor Circle, a prominent citizen's activist group, are not very pleased with the latest craze in advertising. Since Monday, a company called SkySigns International has been putting a lighted message into the skies over Waikiki. The 36-foot light grid is carried by a helicopter that only flies at night, leaving only its message visible in the sky. As it's carried in the air, company officials assert, it is not restricted by the state's billboard law. The Outdoor Circle disagrees, saying that although it doesn't violate the language of the law, it clearly violates it's intent. The group today asked the company -- which reportedly runs similar operations in several other U.S. cities -- to voluntarily ground themselves. If not, the Outdoor Circle said it plans to start a campaign to discourage local companies from hiring the airborne ad company. Federal officials confirmed today that the company has been granted a waiver in order to fly at lower altitudes between 7 and 10 p.m. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES AFTER waiting nearly two decades for a long-promised park, residents of downtown Honolulu were frustrated to hear that the city wanted to turn the dusty parking lot into a gym and shopping spot instead. Several community members turned up yesterday at a city council hearing to reassert the need for open space and a Head Start child-care branch at the property, located at the corner of Smith and Beretania streets... WASHING your car on condominium property won't lead to citations or fines after all. Earlier this month, condo owners were warned by the city that car washing streetside could be a violation of the federal Clean Water Act -- meaning fines of up to $25,000. After 10 or so warnings had gone out, however, public outcry have prompted Mayor Jeremy Harris to call off the car wash ban and work on rules that are more relevant to Hawaii residents... EDITH Kanaka`ole Stadium in Hilo will resound with cheers and song tonight, as the annual Merrie Monarch Festival gets under way. More than 20 hula halau from Hawaii, California and even Japan will grace the stage tonight, tomorrow and Sunday. Meanwhile, 13 women will vie for the title of Miss Aloha Hula. Kahiko (traditional) hula will be showcased tonight, and `auwana (modern) hula tomorrow. Saturday brings the highly-anticipated awards ceremony... SINCE Mayor Jeremy Harris never said whether he supported a contested 7.2 percent pay increase for state firefighters, Council Budget Chair Duke Bainum said yesterday that it was clear that the mayor was against it. Harris today asserted that he has taken no stand on the matter, saying the decision is by default solely in the hands of the city council. All other Hawaii mayors have come forward to oppose the raise, which they say they can't afford... TEMPS: O`ahu 83/70, Kaua`i 80/68, Moloka`i 83/68, Maui 84/70, Hilo 80/67 CASTS: Rising surf to 8 feet; cloudy with showers, trades to 30MPH. FRIDAY'S TIDES: High 12:47 p.m.; Low 6:07 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Wednesday, April 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: ALOHA TOWER SUED FOR JANUARY EVICTION The January eviction of a restaurant and neighboring bar at Aloha Tower Marketplace is being contested with a federal lawsuit. The Florida-based Honolulu Limited Partnership, which had run Sloppy Joe's and Fat Tuesday at the retail complex, filed a lawsuit this week claiming Aloha Tower Associates breached its contract by failing to warn them of the evictions, or of their alleged failure to meet the terms of their lease. Aloha Tower Associates had shut down the two establishments, claiming unpaid back rent. The operators had reportedly stopped paying rent when a dispute arose over the placement of barriers and plants at the complex. As the lease terms granted ATM management the right to raise rents after more than 70 percent of the complex was occupied, the lawsuit also calls into question exactly when the needed number of tenants opened up. The federal suit was filed here on behalf of Louisiana- based Fat T, which franchises the trademark Fat Tuesday bars nationwide. Documents filed say, in part, that Fat T couldn't resolve any problems with Aloha Tower Associates because it was not given copies of official notices that management sent to the restaurant's local owners. --------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: CAYETANO ASKS FEDS TO SPARE STATE IN AVIATION BATTLE Japanese officials refused to let United Airlines fly to Korea. In response, the United States held back on letting Japan Airlines fly direct to Kona. Caught in the middle, Gov. Ben Cayetano said yesterday, is Hawaii. "I can't condone any action that holds the state hostage because of an issue that doesn't involve Hawaii," he said. Cayetano testified before a Honolulu meeting of the U.S. Senate Aviation Subcommittee, headed by Sen. Daniel Inouye and Rep. Neil Abercrombie. At issue is Japan's jurisdiction over allowing or forbidding U.S. airlines from flying from their shores to Seoul. According to United executives, the right to fly the Japan-Korea route was already established in a 1952 agreement. Japanese officials disagree. United claims Japan is trying to protect their inefficient airlines from American competition. The dispute prompted the U.S. Department of Transportation to hold back on JAL's request to open a Japan-Kona route. Until things are worked out, Cayetano urged, U.S. officials should grant JAL a six-month provisional approval to fly to the Big Island. A representative for Continental, a competing airlines, testified that the dispute is also threatening their operations in Guam. Continental also supports the provisional approval of JAL's request. --------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: ISLE MORMONS BLAST PEER OVER SAME-SEX INVOLVEMENT In an effort to distance themselves from other religious leaders in the legislative fight over same-sex marriage, members of a Mormon group today criticized Jack Hoag -- leader of lobbying group Hawaii's Future Today -- for his part in supporting a senator's controversial maneuver to pass a measure aligned against gay unions. Don Harryman, speaking for Affirmation Gay & Lesbian Mormons, said the continued support for the measure shows that politicians will "subvert the American democratic process itself to enact their rabid homophobic agenda." According to the group, Hoag -- a bank officer and regent of UH -- is also a member of the Mormon church. Last week, Sen. Milton Holt slipped a purpose clause into an unrelated bill to define marriage as an enterprise for only a man and woman. Although the modified bill was killed, the clause was revived in another committee with the support of key senators. Harryman said Holt and his committee violated established procedures that require advance notice of upcoming bills and an opportunity to testify. "The process of public notice and participation was thwarted," Harryman said. Only Hoag and the anti-gay coalition, he said, knew what was going to happen and was ready to support the gutted bill. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: HOSPITAL REDUCTIONS CUT MANAGEMENT After a four-month analysis of its staff structure, Queen's Medical Center announced this week that it will cut back on management while maintaining its general staff. Center executives say that as of next month, 140 management positions will be eliminated -- the majority of them being reassigned as staff. According to center president Arthur Ushijima, the reassignments will eventually mean lower pay for administrators. However, their current salaries will be maintained for at least another year, he said. For those holding the management positions which were cut outright, the center has developed a voluntary severance arrangement. The move leaves Queen's with 160 management positions, and a staff-to-management ratio of 11 to 1. Prior to implementing the restructuring program, executives say, that ratio was 20 to 1. After things settle, Ushijima said, the restructuring program will focus on other employee categories. When all is said and done, the center should be more efficient and better prepared to operate in a more dynamic health-care environment, he said. Queen's Medical Center employs nearly 3,000 people. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FIRST HAWAIIAN'S OREGON VENTURE ADVANCES First Hawaiian Bank's plan to open a bank in Oregon are moving forward, after the Federal Reserve Board approved the expansion earlier this week. The first branch of Pacific One Bank is expected to open in about three months, provided the last few needed approvals of state and federal agencies. Eventually, the Portland-based enterprise will have 31 banks, including twenty five branches in Oregon, five in Washington and one other in Idaho. The five Washington branches will be run by First Hawaiian subsidiary Pioneer Federal. When fully operational, company officials say, it will be among the ten largest banks in the region. First Hawaiian is also continuing with its plans to take over American National Bank, a four-branch operation based in Washington. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: REPRESENTATIVE TO RUN FOR MAYOR OF BIG ISLAND Following on the heels of retired judge Ken Takahashi's announcement of candidacy earlier this month, Representative Virginia Isbell, 63, today officially entered the race for mayor of the Big Island. After 15 years of service in the House, Isbell said she feels that the future of the state may lie in Hawaii County. Running as a Democrat, Isbell will directly challenge both incumbent Yamashiro and Takahashi for the party's nomination. Five others -- including former Hawaii mayor Lorraine Inouye and Kona council chair Keiko Bonk-Abramson -- are expected to join the race. "I offer a leadership that they've never had before," Isbell said today, identifying her greatest challenge as reaching voters in Kona, on the other side of the island. Bringing the eastern and western communities on the Big Island closer together will be among her priorities, as well as promoting ecotourism and easing obstacles to growth in small business and agriculture. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES CATHERINE Suh will spend another month in Hawaii, after a federal judge today denied her attorney's request to submit Suh to a mental exam. Her lawyer said Suh's panicked mental state has made it difficult properly defend the Illinois fugitive in extradition proceedings. Prosecutors argued that mental capacity has nothing to do with the extradition process. The next hearing was scheduled for mid-May. Suh fled to the islands when she was convicted in Chicago last year for murdering her boyfriend... WHETHER for economy or luxury rooms, hotels on four of the five major islands saw record high occupancy rates in February. According to a report from a tourism accounting agency, the statewide average occupancy was nearly 90 percent. Only the Big Island saw a drop, about 1 percent lower than last year. The survey also found the average room rate for the month was the highest its been in over seven years -- $120. Overall hotel revenues were estimated at $229 million, 17 percent higher than the previous year... HERBERT Naihe of Hilo pleaded guilty this week to sexually molesting six children. Naihe had worked with the Child Protective Services program, which placed him with families that needed help in caring for their kids. Naihe faces a 10 year prison sentence, set in a plea agreement in which he would waive the right to request probation. The assaults occurred between June and December of 1992... THOUGHT to be a regular visitor to Wailua Bay, a 20-foot tiger shark may have given Kaua`i beachgoers a scare on Sunday. The reports prompted county officials to close Wailua Beach, although the presence or size of the shark could not be confirmed. Shaken by the sighting, a visit the next day by manta rays -- whose wings can appear similar to shark fins when they surface -- sent swimmers crying shark again... THE REVEREND Paul Osumi, whose nuggets of wisdom have graced the pages of _The Honolulu Advertiser_ for nearly four decades, died Monday after a fight with pneumonia. Osumi, 90, was said to have the largest congregation in the state, his words finding a home on millions of island refrigerator doors and office bulletin boards... TOMORROW night brings the big interview to determine whether I can stay on as editor of the UH newspaper next year (the stress evidenced by today's writing quality). The position is largely responsible for allowing me the opportunity to remain in school -- and publish Ka `Upena. Don't fret yet! I'll figure out a way to maintain the Hawaii NewsList even if things don't go as hoped... TEMPS: O`ahu 85/71, Kaua`i 70/69, Moloka`i 84/69, Maui 84/71, Hilo 83/68 CASTS: Partly cloudy, scattered showers, trades to 20MPH; weak surf. THURSDAY'S TIDES: High 11:45 a.m.; Low 4:45 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Tuesday, April 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: SAME-SEX BILL MOVES FORWARD DESPITE DISPUTE In the state senate, the ends may have justified the means in the fight of some lawmakers to keep the same-sex marriage issue alive. After day-long conferences yesterday, senate leaders killed a bill -- gutted and modified with a "purpose clause" that defined marriage as being "between a man and a woman" -- that was passed last Thursday. The clause will live on, however, as lawmakers further decided to slip it into a more appropriate bill. The last- minute modification by Consumer Protection Committee Chair Milton Holt was quickly criticized by other senators, as the same-sex issue was under the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee. Judiciary Committee Chair Rey Graulty was outraged that another committee had made a move on its turf. With the issue again under his leadership, Graulty said today he was glad that the issue was still alive. As a result, the marriage clarification will be heard by the Judiciary Committee later this week. Holt's clause basically repeated a 1994 law defining marriage as a man-woman union, but asserts it must be so "for the perpetuation of our society, protection of the social order, and the general health and welfare of the citizens of the state." Last week, Holt said his hope was to help the state fight a lawsuit in which it must demonstrate the state's "compelling interest" in banning gay marriages. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: STRANDED SAILOR SAVED BY PARACHUTING SEALS Carrying food, medical supplies and other survival gear, four Navy SEALS from Hawaii yesterday parachuted to the rescue of an injured sailor stranded nearly 1,000 miles south of Honolulu. Dave Baker was fishing aboard his 46- foot boat Zingara last week when his foot was jabbed by a hook. Within a day, Baker developed a fever, and his SOS was heard by another boatman docked at Ala Wai Boat Harbor. When panic set in on Monday, the Coast Guard was called. Unable to carry out a rescue so far from Hawaii, they called the Navy. Just after 7 a.m. yesterday, the SEALS boarded a C-130 aircraft and spotted the Zingara anchored off Fanning Island. Determining the island to be too small for either a plane or helicopter to land, Navy officials say the SEALS decided to skydive nearly 4,000 feet to get to Baker. Jumping into the ocean just after 1 p.m., the SEALS boarded the Zingara and stabilized Baker with intravenous drugs. Now, officials say, the rescuers will pilot the Zingara on a two-day journey to Christmas Island, which is large enough to land a transport plane on. From there, he will be flown to Honolulu for treatment. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: YOSHIMURA HEARS CONDO OWNERS PLEAS Nearly 50 condominium residents and their supporters met with City Councilman Jon Yoshimura today, in the hopes of convincing him to revive the city's efforts to implement its lease-to-fee conversion law. Many were outraged that the council had decided to back off their plan to condemn the Kuapa Isle subdivision in Hawaii Kai, in the face of legal opposition from landowner Bishop Estate. The law was intended to give lease holders a chance to buy the land under their units at a fair price. The residents told Yoshimura that the estate's high lease rates and inflated property appraisals led to several bankruptcies. The residents also charged the estate with trying to coerce them into buying the land under their units at unrealistically high prices. "This is tantamount to extortion as far as I'm concerned," said lease holder Andrea Hathaway, who presented Yoshimura with a basket of mailings from Bishop Estate warning her that if she didn't buy now, the price would go up within three months. Although Yoshimura does not want the lease-to-fee law repealed or changed, he told the condo owners that the city will most likely wait for the courts to decide whether or not the law is constitutional. "I know that what you folks want is you want us to proceed with Kuapa Isle," he said. "That's not going to happen." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: RICHARDS BACKED FOR WATER COMMISSION SEAT A senate committee tonight voted to support the appointment of Herbert Monty Richards to the State Water Commission. Richards, a Big Island businessman, was appointed to the commission by Gov. Ben Cayetano eight months ago. Several local environmental groups had charged that Richards had not disclosed a number of financial connections to developers while previously serving on the Commission on Water Resource Management. While Richards admitted he failed to file the required disclosure forms, he assured senators that it had been "quite some time" since he had any direct contact with the companies in question. He added that he hadn't been initially asked about his connections. Richards reportedly invests heavily in Dole Foods, and had financial dealings with parties now involved in the dispute over the Waiahole ditch water system. Members of the Senate Committee on Executive and Judicial Appointments heard several hours of testimony this afternoon, but decided that the claims of ethical misconduct were unfounded. They voted to recommend the senate confirm Richards' appointment at a full meeting later this month. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES HONOLULU police today remembered the moral enlightenment brought to them by former HPD chaplain Sister Roberta Derby, who died of cancer yesterday. Derby, 72, had retired from the force in March, after years of service as the department's counselor, hostage negotiator and friend. She had recently moved to California to join her congregation. Chaminade University, where Derby had taught English, will hold a memorial Mass on Monday... DESPITE dwindling funds, Hawaii will receive $1 million in federal funds to support the criminal justice system in Hawaii. Last year, the state's allocation was more than $2.5 million. According to Rep. Patsy Mink, the state is fortunate to get the money, as other jurisdictions are taking deeper cuts. The money is earmarked for alternative sentencing and drug treatment programs, as well as domestic and child abuse support services... REMEMBER the record-breaking 89-degree heat that roasted Honolulu on Sunday? Yesterday the all-time high for April was set even higher. Temperatures on O`ahu cleared 90 degrees. Weather forecasters say the hot and humid conditions could drag through Friday, thanks to a storm system to the north that's holding a subtropical blanket over the state... BIG ISLAND mayor Stephen Yamashiro has his first official challenger. Ken Takahashi -- who retired five years ago from his post as a federal judge in Washington, D.C. -- filed nomination papers this week to run as a democratic candidate for mayor of Hawaii County. Takahashi has said his platform will focus on enhancing the Big Island police force and fighting unemployment... BISHOP Estate will be featured Wednesday night on PrimeTime Live, ABC's weekly newsmagazine. Earlier last month, news anchor Sam Donaldson had flown to Hawaii to conduct interviews for the segment. Among those who faced Donaldson's grilling were Trustees Henry Peters and Gerard Jervis, Rep. Cynthia Thielen and Haunani-Kay Trask... PEARL Harbor is now home to 23 submarines. Earlier this week, the USS Pasadena -- a 360-foot nuclear submarine -- moved into its new berth at the Navy's submarine base. With a crew of over 130, the Pasadena is expected to pump another $5 million into the island economy... TEMPS: O`ahu 87/73, Kaua`i 82/71, Moloka`i 84/71, Maui 86/70, Hilo 84/69 CASTS: Partly cloudy, warm with 20MPH trades; North Shore surf to 8 feet. WEDNESDAY'S TIDES: High 10:19 a.m.; Low 3:13 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Monday, April 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: LAWMAKERS MAY FURTHER CUT UH BUDGET The University of Hawaii, recently home to some of the more passionate fights over state budget cuts, could find its funding slashed by 15 percent next year. Both the state Senate and House are planning to hear separate bills this week that would essentially diminish the effect of Act 161, a law passed last year that granted UH the authority to keep all funds collected from tuition. The law was also passed to ensure the state would not reduce it's general fund contribution to the university, despite potentially increasing tuition revenues. The House Finance Committee passed a bill on Thursday that would let UH keep only 85 percent of its tuition revenues -- a reduction of nearly $53 million. House Finance Committee Chair Calvin Say said that concern for other state departments and their dwindling budgets prompted the house bill. Senators, meanwhile, are looking to push back the implementation date of Act 161 for another year, to take effect for fiscal year 1998. The law currently mandates that UH get $352 million each year from the state general fund -- the same amount it got in 1994. It also requires legislators to increase that allocation should their actions require the university to implement pay raises or establish new programs. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: WOMAN TOPPLED IN EGG HUNT, GIVES BIRTH A Waipahu woman who was "trampled" at the Honolulu Zoo's Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday gave birth to a healthy son early yesterday morning. 22-year-old Waipahu resident Elena Fontanilla said she ended up in the path of a crowd of eager parents and children at the annual egg hunt. When the crowd surged past her, she said she was pushed to the ground -- landing on top of her 2-year- old son Christopher. Nine-months pregnant and due to deliver this Friday, Fontanilla said the tumble caused pain in her stomach. Her yells for her husband Ronnie were drowned out by the loud egg counts of other families, she said. Help eventually arrived, and Fontanilla was taken to Kaiser Hospital. According to hospital officials, Fontanilla began experiencing contractions while in the ambulance, and through doctor-induced labor she gave birth to 7- pound, ten-ounce Brandon shortly after 3 a.m. He is her third child. Still in the hospital's care, Fontanilla yesterday received a visit from Lois Hasegawa, a Meadowgold Dairies representative. On behalf of the event's sponsors, Hasegawa apologized and dropped off some baby toys. Fontanilla said she had no grudges against the zoo or the egg hunt's organizers, adding she was mostly disappointed by the frenzy exhibited by other parents. While the incident is still being investigated, city officials asserted today that future egg hunts at the zoo would probably still continue. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: FEDERAL EXEMPTIONS GRANTED TO FOUR AIRLINES Although all U.S. airlines are required to be flying only the quietest of aircraft by the end of 1999, four air carriers were granted exemptions to the rule last week. Hawaiian and Aloha Airlines -- two of the state's largest airlines -- and Alaska-based companies American International Airways and Continental Micronesia will be allowed to stick with their current fleet. Nearly all other airlines will have to upgrade to quieter "stage three" aircraft. The exemptions were granted through the efforts of Sen. Daniel Inouye. The high cost of compliance was the main reason for the exemption request, Inouye said, pointing to the need to support competition in the Pacific Rim. A spokesman for Aloha Airlines said last week that the exemption could save the company $10 million. Aloha had already started moving towards compliance, the costs causing concern among investors. Airline officials say the move should also keep the cost of air-faresThe exemption does not cover Mahalo Airlines, since it was not in business when the federal laws were first introduced in 1990, Inouye said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: INTERNET RADIO HAWAII STARTS PLEDGE DRIVE After nearly ten months of accolades and explosive growth, Hawaii's first online radio station is facing a premature end. Internet Radio Hawaii, the personal project of Kailua resident Robert Abbett, is facing its first and potentially last licensing fee. Abbett, a popular radio personality from decades past, started IRH on his own web server using real-time sound software from RealAudio. "They, like myself, are still struggling to make the internet work we do pay off," Abbett said. IRH's contract for trial use of the software expires in about a month, after which Abbett must pay RealAudio at least $3,000 or close up shop. In an attempt to save the station, Abbett has kicked off a grass-roots pledge drive. "Just like you do with public radio and TV," Abbett explained. IRH has been featured in several local publications, popular among former islanders and newcomers alike for allowing them to hear Hawaiian music, news, comedy and commentary from anywhere on the internet. Abbett estimates 6,000 people listen in on IRH each day. "If we got a dollar from each," he said, "We'd be sitting pretty." For more information, Abbett can be contacted at rabbett@www.hotspotshawaii.com, or tune-in the station direct on the web at http://www.hotspotshawaii.com/IRH-Home.html. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES TRAVELERS to and from the Midwest will soon have a new airline to choose . American TransAir, which claims to be one of the ten largest airlines in the country, will open a route from Indianapolis to Maui on June 1. A summer-only route to Honolulu is also available. The Honolulu route will be run from June to September. To promote the flights, American TransAir is pushing a special one-way fare of $249 for travel between June 19 and July 3... KKCR will be the call letters of a new radio station coming to Kaua`i, thanks in part to the support of the federal government, the Kekahu Foundation -- a local nonprofit agency -- and the Eagles. A $38,000 gift from the popular rock group has given the station, which will broadcast at both 90.9 and 91.1FM, a head start in getting on the air. Another $20,000 is needed before Kauai Community Radio can make its debut late this year... SUSPECTS in sexual-assault cases will not be required to take tests for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The House Judiciary Committee last week killed a bill that would have required the tests, despite the support of the Attorney General's office and all four county police departments. Committee Chair Terrance Tom said disagreements between other agencies -- such as the city prosecutor's office and the governor's office -- led to the bill's end... AMERICAN Hawaii Cruises announced last week that they would be retiring one of their two cruise ships. Company officials said the aging SS Constitution will never return to Hawaii waters. The $60 million cost to refit the Constitution was too high, they said. Their other luxury-liner, the recently renovated SS Independence, will remain in service... HOT enough to fry an Easter egg? The temperature in Honolulu yesterday reached 89 degrees, the all-time high ever recorded for the month of April. Weather forecasters say it also breaks last year's record of 86 degrees. Limp winds and blindingly clear skies are cited as the culprit... TEMPS: O`ahu 87/73, Kaua`i 83/71, Moloka`i 84/70, Maui 85/72, Hilo 83/70 CASTS: Warm, sunny, trades to 15MPH. Surf to 4 feet on all shores. TUESDAY'S TIDES: High 7:13 a.m.; Low 12:44 p.m.

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Friday, April 5, 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: UH TO HIRE ADVOCATE FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS Native Hawaiian students and faculty at UH who feel they've been the target of discrimination will have their own voice in the university administration. University officials yesterday announced a new student advocate position, to be created specifically for hearing and investigating discrimination complaints filed by native Hawaiians. A candidate search should be underway by summer, UH officials say, and the spot should be filled before the start of the fall semester. Last year, Center for Hawaiian Studies Director Haunani-Kay Trask had demanded the university establish the position after a UH professor had campus security remove two Hawaiian sisters from his geology class. The students claim that the ejection was racially motivated. At the time, university officials had maintained that the existing student advocate office was adequate. The complaint was dismissed by the university in March, by which time several anti-racism rallies had been held at the UH-Manoa campus. The announcement comes one day after another such rally, where native Hawaiian members of the campus community condemned racism and defended the sisters. University officials would not comment on whether the creation of the new position was the result of the rallies or Trask's comments. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SENATE PRESIDENT CRITICIZES SAME-SEX MOVE Calling the maneuver "flawed" and "inappropriate," Senate President Norman Mizuguchi criticized the actions of a senate leader who yesterday slipped a definition of marriage that excluded gay unions into another bill. Milton Holt, chair of the senate Consumer Protection Committee, changed a bill six hours before a legislative deadline as a last-ditch effort to keep the issue of same-sex marriage alive. It was passed 5-4 by the committee last night. "It's better than nothing," Holt said before introducing the modified bill. Holt said he was frustrated that another bill -- one that would have amended the state constitution to ban gay marriages -- was shelved by Judiciary Committee Chair Rey Graulty and other key committee members. Mizuguchi confirmed today that jurisdiction over the subject was indeed held by Graulty's committee. After the Judiciary Committee had spent nearly three years discussing same-sex marriage, Graulty said, it was unthinkable that another committee would try and take matters into its own hands. "This is a circumvention of senate rules," he said today, adding that with Mizuguchi's blessing Holt's bill will be returned to committee on Monday. That would effectively kill it for the current session, he said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: CHILD-SUPPORT SLIGHTERS FACE JAIL State representatives have passed a bill that would add jail time as punishment for failing to pay child support. The House Judiciary Committee this week approved the bill, which would crack down on deadbeat parents by suspending their drivers' licenses. If they're then caught driving without a license, they would serve a three-day mandatory jail sentence. Judiciary Committee Chair Terrance Tom said the threat of jail time is the only way to get repeat violators to shape up. In addition, the bill stipulates that professional licenses would also be rescinded if deadbeats don't pay up within a month of losing their drivers' licenses. The senate's version of the bill doesn't include the penalty of jail time, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Rey Graulty said yesterday that the House committee's move may in fact be an attempt to kill the measure given the reluctance of most legislators to add to the prison overcrowding problem. Graulty added that he is reluctant to implement the suspension of drivers' licenses, because the computer equipment needed to cross-reference the information is not yet in place. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: POLICE COULD DISARM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE If police officers spot a firearm while reporting to investigate reports of domestic abuse, they would be able to confiscate them without filing legal documents under a bill passed yesterday by the senate Judiciary Committee. The measure is seen as another important advance in the fight against domestic violence, which the Honolulu Police Department had earlier identified as a top priority this year. HPD officials yesterday said they wholeheartedly support the bill, saying that it would give them a chance to keep dangerous domestic situations from getting more violent. If passed, officers would be able to take guns found in plain view, even if they had not been used against victims. Currently, restraining orders must be filed before police can take guns from a home. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES TAKING a popular downhill bike ride on Maui proved fatal for a 17-year-old Washington man this morning. The victim was riding with a group down Crater Road on Haleakala at about 9 a.m. this morning when he apparently lost control of his bicycle on a hairpin turn and fell into the path of an oncoming tour bus. He was airlifted to Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was pronounced dead... KANEOHE Marine Cpls. John Mayfield and Joseph Vlacovsky will appear at their court martial hearing on April 15, following their refusal last year to submit to DNA tissue sampling ordered by their superiors. The pair claim the specimen program, created in the hopes of better identifying fallen soldiers in future conflicts, was a violation of their privacy. The Marine Corps had recently defeated an injunction filed against the program... SALVATION Army officials are stunned, after their warehouse of food and supplies for the needy was robbed last night for the third time this week. The Kuluwela Mission House was ransacked, thieves again making off with five boxes of food and toys but leaving behind computers and a fax machine. So far, nearly $4,000 in goods have been stolen. The mission supports about 130 families each month. To help, call (808) 521-6551... SIGNS went up at several O`ahu beaches today announcing the arrival of some unwanted holiday weekend visitors. A swarm of Portuguese man-o-war, pushed by southerly winds, have arrived on south-facing shores. Water safety officials say there were 20 stings in Waikiki, and several at Ala Moana Beach Park. There were no reports of major shock reactions. The stinging creatures will be around at least until tomorrow afternoon, officials say... PROSECUTORS and law professors from China today toured the Honolulu Prosecutor's office to observe how the American legal and judicial system operates. Local law enforcement officials point to cooperation as the key to fighting crime on both sides of the Pacific, especially in battling the booming crystal-methamphetamine trade between China and the U.S... KA `UPENA can now be read on the web at yet another site -- this one put up by yours truly. I'm testing to see how easy it is to update daily, and I've provided a link to my own personal archive of past editions. I figured it was about time this online newspaper shared its home with that of the Hawaii NewsList. Try http://www.aloha.net/~prophet/kaupena.html... TEMPS: O`ahu 85/75, Kaua`i 83/74, Moloka`i 84/72, Maui 84/72, Hilo 82/71 CASTS: Mostly clear, warm with weak trades. Surf on North shores to 5 feet. SATURDAY'S TIDES: High 5:36PM; Low 10:45AM

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Thursday, April 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: LAST MINUTE MANEUVER ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE Faced with a midnight deadline, Senate Consumer Protection Committee Chairman Milton Holt may have gone too far today in the fight of some lawmakers to ban same-sex marriages. Minutes ago, Holt's committee passed a bill 4-6 that clarifies the definition of marriage under Hawaii law as valid only between a man and a woman. The Judiciary Committee has continued its refusal to hear a bill that would have amended the state constitution for a ban on gay unions, and there were no other related bills currently active in committee. In order to get something through before the deadline, Holt gutted a common bill concerning physician and osteopathic licenses and inserted a purpose clause saying same-sex marriages cannot be allowed "for the perpetuation of our society, protection of the social order, and the general health and welfare of the citizens of the state." Holt said he was frustrated that the Judiciary Committee had declared the issue dead and shelved the constitutional amendment bill. Rey Graulty, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said he was appalled at Holt's actions, saying that the tactic was a violation of senate procedure. Graulty vowed to make sure the transplant bill doesn't pass, and adding that he will first urge Senate President Norman Mizuguchi to redirect the bill back into committee. Jack Hoag, spokesman for the group Hawaii's Future Today, conceded that the move was unorthodox. "No doubt it's going to be controversial," he said, "But procedurally, if the Judiciary Committee heard the (constitutional amendment) bill we wouldn't be in this fix." -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: SENATORS PONDER MIDWAY MOVE FOR INMATES The prison overcrowding problem in Hawaii may be solved by shipping inmates to correctional facilities on Midway Island, according to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. With the Navy moving out of its facilities on the island, located about 1,000 miles north of Kaua`i, the island will be practically deserted. Additionally, if the Navy is willing to donate some extra ships, the committee said, they could be docked at the island and be used as prisons. The hearing yesterday comes after Gov. Cayetano has asked state leaders to think of new ways to handle the excess of prisoners in Hawaii facilities. According to state officials, both the Department of Public Safety and Department of Land and Natural Resources have been approached by the governor's office to send delegations to Midway and evaluate the suggestions supported by the committee. As it stands, state prisons are already home to several thousand more inmates than they were designed to hold. Some relief came last year, when 300 island prisoners were transferred to facilities in Texas. Earlier last month, more than $2 million in additional funding was approved to arrange for another 150 prisoners to be sent to the Mainland. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: NEW SYMPHONY LEADER OPTIMISTIC Samuel Wong, former assistant director of the New York Philharmonic, was formally introduced today as the new musical director of the Honolulu Symphony. "I want you to know," Wong said, "that the symphony is probably the most relevant, hip, fun thing you will attend next year." He promised an exciting season next spring, with a repertoire spanning from Beethoven and Mozart to jazz to engagements with Mel Torme. "All in all, it's going to be a star studded season," he said. Coming in after highly publicized financial and morale problems plagued the Honolulu troupe, Wong said the key to reviving the symphony is to draw more people to concerts. "I think there's been some image that the orchestra is very formal or scary," he said. "We're very accessible. We're very much willing to play the people who are coming to the symphony for the first time." Wong, with a long history of holding prestigious musical posts, was overwhelmingly approved by the members, sponsors and fans of the symphony. Wong said he was proud to be part of the new era for music in Hawaii. "Life without the Honolulu Symphony would be a disaster," he said. Many of the concerts will be staged at the recently renovated, historic Hawaii Theatre in downtown Honolulu. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: HAWAII TOO SOFT ON DOCTORS, REPORT SAYS According to the Federation of State Medical Doctors -- a nationwide union of health professionals -- Hawaii ranks third from last in its aggressiveness in disciplining misconduct by doctors. Hawaii averaged only about 1.5 disciplinary actions per 1,000 doctors in the state, compared to the national average of six. According to researchers, other states are nearly 10 times more likely to punish doctors for offenses including incompetence, insurance fraud and sexual misconduct. In Hawaii, questionable medical practices are investigated by the State Medical Board, composed of seven doctors and two citizens appointed by the governor. A spokesman for the board defended Hawaii's health care community, saying the low number of disciplinary actions stems from quality professionals and a supportive peer review system instead of a negligence on the board's part. The highest figures were fore Arizona, with Delaware and the District of Columbia scoring lower than Hawaii. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: ENTREPENEUR HOPES FOR SPAM MUSUBI REVIVAL His pizza company was doing well enough, and when clients began asking for sandwiches he was happy to oblige. Soon after Matt Bowden began making Spam musubis, however, state regulations quashed the venture. But not for long. New rules were put in place last year, requiring everyone -- from supermarkets to mom-and-pop stores -- to keep food in refrigerators and heaters rather than displayed at room temperatures. Opponents said it would ruin the taste of Spam musubi, and indeed since the regulations were put in place the local favorite became more and more scarce. Enter Bowden. After toiling for weeks, Bowden has developed a musubi that can be sold frozen, but can taste as good as a fresh one when heated in a microwave. Called "Mr. Musubi's Microwave Musubi," the next-generation of Spam-and-rice cuisine will be sold in local supermarkets for under $3 for a set of three. "You've heard of safe sex," Bowden told the _Honolulu Advertiser_, "Well, this is safe musubi." Predicting sales of nearly a million a month, Bowden is already setting his sights on similarly packaging bentos and plate-lunch. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES FEARS that native American tribes on the Mainland might move to open casinos in Hawaii, the Senate Finance Committee today put aside a bill that would have allowed betting on horse racing and a state lottery. The gambling bill had been unexpectedly revived earlier this week. After 3 hours of testimony, including opposition from the governor's office and state Attorney General, committee chair Calvin Say made the motion to defer... DOUGLAS Smith, a 45-year-old resident of Waikaloa on the Big Island, died yesterday while diving west of Kawaihae Harbor. Police say Smith was planning on diving to 90 feet, but after not surfacing when scheduled, his girlfriend dove in to investigate. She found him about 260 feet under, police say, with his regulator out of his mouth. He was pronounced dead at Lucy Henriques Medical Center shortly before noon... FIREFIGHTERS were unable to save a house from being destroyed this afternoon, but they did manage to rescue approximately 80 birds -- including parakeets and canaries -- before smoke and flames could claim their lives. The residence on Alewa Drive had been home to a family of five, some of whom were apparently amateur bird breeders. Nearby residents reported hearing the birds panic as smoke spread through the neighborhood. The family was insured... WONDERING if there are any Hawaii-lovers in your neighborhood? The Hawaii NewsList is now open to passing along blurbs announcing or suggesting a "Hawaii Club" meeting anywhere you are. You'll have to be willing to serve as the contact person, and have your e-mail address sent to several thousand island fans. The NewsList can also help your Hawaii Club establish contact with other clubs worldwide. Write prophet@aloha.net with your questions... TEMPS: O`ahu 84/74, Kaua`i 80/73, Moloka`i 83/71, Maui 84/73, Hilo 79/69 CASTS: Cloudy, warm, trades to 15MPH. Surf on all shores below 4 feet. WEDNESDAY'S TIDES: High 4:50PM; Low 11:15AM

<> ----------[ K A ` U P E N A K U K U I ]---------- <> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Net of Light Wednesday, April 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: SENATE CONSIDERS QUARANTINE EXEMPTION Lawmakers are considering putting the first crack in Hawaii's long-standing quarantine requirement for imported animals, but one only wide enough to let seeing-eye or service dogs through. By state law, all animals must be kept in quarantine for four months, or 120 days, as a defense against a rabies outbreak in the island. Under a measure passed yesterday by the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the governor would have the authority to grant exceptions to the quarantine requirement, provided the dog passes state- defined rabies inspections. If passed by the full senate in the coming weeks, the bill could also give Hawaii residents with guide dogs the freedom to travel out-of-state and reenter without trouble. Testifying before the committee, 18-year-old Kapi`olani Community College student Elliot Tomai said he and his family essentially had to live in the quarantine station in Halawa to make sure his guide dog didn't lose his special skills during the four month ordeal. The bill received strong opposition from the state Department of Agriculture, which is currently involved in a lawsuit challenging the state's quarantine law under the American with Disabilities Act. Department representatives said their case would be jeopardized if the state began granting exceptions based on a resident's need rather than on animal health concerns. After the committee approved the bill, Gov. Ben Cayetano said he would be eager to exercise the limited authority to make exceptions, adding that as a dog owner he'd be more than happy to see more reforms of the restrictive quarantine law. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: PROPOSED STATE BUDGET $175 MILLION SLIMMER The budget proposal introduced today by Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Donna Ikeda has the most severe reductions ever proposed for the state. Acting to preserve specific state programs -- including human services and education -- Ikeda has proposed the elimination of 1,300 state jobs and the implementation of a payroll lag for state employees. Other cuts include a $37 million reduction in the state's contribution to its retirement system, an $27 million budget cut for the state Business and Economic Development office, and shifting the entirety of the Hawaii Visitors Bureau's $25 million budget out of the general fund. In all, the state budget would be $175 million smaller than the one for this fiscal year. "It's a very austere budget," Ikeda said today. "If it didn't affect health or safety... we didn't fund it." Most of the positions slated for elimination are currently unfilled, Ikeda said. In addition, the payroll lag would save $23.5 million. That's less than half of what Gov. Cayetano had originally requested, however. The state welfare program would suffer no reductions under the plan, but budget increases requested by the program will not be granted. The university is also a prime beneficiary of Ikeda's budget, saving UH from an anticipated $14 million budget cut. Relief would also come for the Department of Education, which would not have to take a proposed $3 million cut. The budget plan now goes to the full senate for a vote. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BUDGET LENIENCY OFFERED IN TRADE FOR UH TIME Nestled in a legislative bill that would reform the state's part in funding the University of Hawaii, Sen. Donna Ikeda has added a measure that would let UH keep $9 million of its revolving and special funds -- if it gives up two hours of each day during the academic year. The growing rush-hour congestion on Honolulu roads prompted Ikeda's proposal, which asks the university to start it's first classes at 9:30AM, rather than the current 7:30AM. As the UH funding reform bill is geared largely in favor of the university, Ikeda said yesterday, her proposal would give UH a chance to help out O`ahu residents. Ikeda estimates the scheduling change could reduce early-morning traffic congestion by about five percent. UH-Manoa has traditionally been a commuter campus, with the vast majority of its 22,000 or so students living off- campus. Although the UH administration is eager for the chance to keep more of its money, some officials are worried the two-hour adjustment might in fact impact traffic little, but adversely affect students and faculty. Among concerns for students is the fear the change could reduce the number of hours they could work at part-time jobs. UH has one of the highest percentages of non-traditional students, many of whom hold some form of employment. Ikeda, however, said she figures most students would be happy to sleep in longer, and predicted that some of the long-standing parking problems at the campus would also be alleviated. -----------------------------------------------------------------------==:]>- Subject: BITS AND PIECES FINGERPRINTS taken from the body found buried near Kawainui Marsh land Friday have confirmed what police have suspected all along: the body was indeed that of 32-year-old Sherry Lynn Holmes. Holmes was the girlfriend of John Nahale Miranda, who died in a police shoot-out on Sand Island two months ago. Police say the meticulous care taken to seal the body, which was fo