Briefs 01-05

Police seek Hamakua man

Big Island police are requesting the public’s help locating a 27-year-old Hamakua man who is wanted for questioning in connection with a reported December sexual assault.

Eagle Adam Tobin, who was last known to reside in Waipio Valley or Honokaa, is described as being Caucasian, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, with a medium build, lightly tanned complexion and brown hair and brown eyes, according to the Hawaii Police Department.

Tobin is wanted by police for questioning in connection with an alleged Dec. 28 sexual assault of a woman at a South Kohala beach, according to police.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Police arrest 13 for suspected DUI

Police arrested 13 drivers for suspected drunken driving between Dec. 26 and Saturday; four were involved in traffic accidents.

Police made 1,435 suspected DUI arrests in 2011 compared with 1,513 in 2010.

Kona officers nabbed five drivers while South Hilo officers arrested four. Three motorists were arrested in the Puna District and one was arrested in the South Kohala District.

There were 1,400 major accidents in 2011 compared with 1,451 during 2010.

In 2011, there were 23 traffic fatalities on Big Island public roadways, compared with 27 fatalities during 2010.

Fifteen of the year’s fatalities were attributed to alcohol or drugs, according to the department.

Utilities propose solar water heating plan

HONOLULU — Hawaii electricity utilities are asking state regulators to approve a solar water heating program.

Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light Company want the state Public Utilities Commission to approve the Simply Solar program, which would allow for installing solar water heating without the upfront costs.

Under the proposed program, each utility would provide funding to install solar water heating on qualifying properties. The electricity savings would go toward repaying the cost of installation.

Hawaiian Electric says renters haven’t been able to take advantage of solar water heating because landlords, who don’t normally pay electricity bills for rental properties, have little incentive to install money-saving systems.

The savings and repayment would be attached to the property, for when the homeowner sells or if the renter moves.

Crowds marvel at Oahu North Shore waves

HALEIWA, Oahu — Surf’s up on Oahu’s famed North Shore, where crowds have been flocking to watch the largest waves of the winter season.

A high surf warning is in effect Wednesday for north and west facing shores across Hawaii.

Waves along Oahu’s North Shore were expected to reach 30 feet Wednesday. Forecasters say the surf will lower to 10 to 18 feet by the evening and 6 to 12 feet Thursday.

Officials warned beachgoers to stay out of the water, but KHON-TV reports a bodysurfer needed to be rescued at Waimea Bay Wednesday morning. He was not hurt.

No New Year’s fireworks arrests on Oahu

HONOLULU — Police say no one was arrested for fireworks offenses this year, compared with three a year ago.

This was the first New Year’s under a stricter Oahu ordinance prohibiting non-firecracker consumer fireworks.

There were 40 percent fewer fireworks complaints during this New Year’s holiday week than a year ago. There were 27 citations issued for fireworks violations, down from more than 300 in 2010.

Emergency services officials say two people were taken to hospitals in serious condition with fireworks-related injuries while two others were hospitalized with smoke-related conditions.

State Sen. Will Espero headed the illegal fireworks task force. He said he wants to see a bill passed to provide resources for spot inspections of cargo ships to prevent illegal aerials from arriving in Hawaii.

Discrimination suit against military hospital

HONOLULU — A lawsuit against a military hospital on Oahu claims 10 employees were subjected to racial discrimination.

The suit against the Army and the Department of Defense was filed in federal court last week. The former and current Tripler Army Medical Center employees claim they were harassed with racial slurs and denied training opportunities and promotions dating back to 2004.

Attorney Anthony Bothwell says the group includes Asian, Hispanic, black and Native American workers. Four of them are still in Hawaii. Only one still works at Tripler.

Hawaii News Now reports the lawsuit is seeking $20 million in damages. KITV reports the plaintiffs also want disciplinary action against those involved and for the military to reform how it investigates discrimination complaints.

A Tripler spokeswoman said Wednesday the lawsuit is being reviewed.

Marumoto wants to introduce cargo inspection bill

HONOLULU — State Rep. Barbara Marumoto plans to introduce legislation this year that would enable officials to resume cargo inspections to prevent brown tree snakes from sneaking into Hawaii on planes and ships from Guam.

The Republican said in a statement Tuesday state budget cuts have allowed Hawaii’s inspection program to lapse. She says dogs used for cargo inspections have been given away.

The federal government funds a program to trap and poison the snakes on Guam. The money also pays inspectors to search cargo leaving the island.

Brown tree snakes would threaten Hawaii’s environment if they ever became established here.

The reptile native to Australia and the Solomon Islands ate into extinction nine out of 11 forest birds on Guam since it was accidentally introduced there after World War II.

Rise in air seats to Hawaii expected

HONOLULU — Hawaii tourism officials expect total scheduled nonstop air seats to the islands to increase in the first quarter of 2012 compared to same period last year.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s projections released Wednesday show a 3.8 percent increase, fueled by capacity increases from the U.S. West, Japan, Canada, China and South Korea.

The biggest projected growth among the neighbor islands is a 25.8 percent increase for Kauai. Kahului is expected to see a 5.8 percent increase, followed by Kona with 4.4 percent. Hilo is also expected to benefit from more than 16,000 air seats during the first quarter from Los Angeles and San Francisco because of direct service on United Airlines that began in June.

HTA President and CEO Mike McCartney says the increase indicates strong demand for Hawaii.

Orbitz powers Hawaiian Air hotel, package bookings

HONOLULU — Global online travel company Orbitz is powering hotel and vacation package bookings on the Hawaiian Airlines website.

Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. announced on Wednesday its multi-year private label partnership with Hawaii’s largest airline.

Under the partnership, Hawaiian can provide hotel suggestions for customers who use the airline website to only book air travel. It also allows the airline to award HawaiianMiles for booking hotels and packages.

Hawaiian Chief Commercial Officer Peter Ingram says the airline is excited to leverage the merchandising capabilities offered by Orbitz.

Orbitz Worldwide Distribution President Ronnie Gurion says Hawaiian is a strategic partner for Orbitz because of the market it serves and the airline’s loyal online customer base.

Orbitz says it has similar partnerships with six other top North American airlines.

Monk seal recovers from shark bites

KAPAA, Kauai — A Hawaiian monk seal that had been seeking refuge in a Kauai canal after apparently being bitten by a shark has returned to the beach.

The seal named RK13 had been resting in Moikeha Canal in Kapaa every day for almost a month. She avoided beaches, where monk seals usually rest. She also didn’t use her left front flipper much.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s marine mammal response coordinator on Kauai says the seal had injuries consistent with shark bites.

Michele Bane said the seal likely went to the canal to rest comfortably while her injuries healed. She says RK13 has been recovering well, and has been fully using all of her flippers for the past week.

She’s also been visiting east Kauai beaches.

Task force wants changes to Hawaii foreclosure law

HONOLULU — A task force is recommending changes to Hawaii law that would make it a bit easier for lenders to pursue foreclosures.

The Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force wants changes to the Act 48, which overhauls rules for out-of-court foreclosures. The new law involves a mediation option that was supposed to curb lender abuses.

Since the new law was enacted in May, foreclosures have dropped to around 400 per month, down from nearly 1,000. Most Hawaii foreclosures have been filed in court since May.

The task force recommends changes to the law by clarifying penalties for improper filings.

A provision could render a foreclosure sale under the mediation process void if lenders violated any part of the law.

Hawaii to add sand to eroding Waikiki beach

HONOLULU — State and county officials held a Hawaiian blessing for the start of a $2.3 million project to replenish sand along a long stretch of Waikiki beach.

Kahu Kordell Kekoa of Kamehameha Schools on Wednesday led the ceremony in which officials formed an assembly line to pass sand from the water to the beach to symbolically begin the effort.

The sand in the area has been eroding about one-to-two feet per year. This causes water to rush into seawalls and a hotel restaurant bar during south shore swells and peak high tide.

The project will pump sand from two spots offshore to a one-third mile stretch of the beach by the Moana Surfrider.

The state, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts are sharing the cost.

Family witnessed woman’s fatal Maui fall

WAILUKU, Maui — A Missouri preschool teacher who died on New Year’s Day after falling from a Maui waterfall was on vacation with her family, who witnessed her death, police said.

Susan Stephens of Chesterfield, Mo., was in Maui with her three daughters and husband to celebrate his 50th birthday.

“It was very unfortunate for the family to be present and experience something that tragic,” said acting Maui police Lt. William Gannon of the Criminal Investigation Division.

Stephens, 46, was about to jump into a pond below a waterfall but slipped and fell about 25 feet. She landed on some rocks and suffered massive head injuries. An autopsy earlier this week ruled the death was an accident.

Stephens was “very adventurous” but not the type of person who “goes out and does crazy things,” said the head of the Missouri school where she worked.

“It was really just an accident. Lots of people were doing what she was doing,” said Melissa Tarantino, director of the Chesterfield Presbyterian Church Preschool. “She just slipped and fell.”

Tarantino said Stephens’ husband, Bob, and daughters Rachel, 21, Kristen, 18 and Grace, 13, “really enjoyed being together as a family.”

Stephens made her students feel loved and had a “very sweet and gentle spirit,” Tarantino recalled. “That’ll be definitely a big hole for us at the preschool and the church.”

Stephens had gone on Christian missions to Kenya and elsewhere, and was planning a relief trip to Haiti, Tarantino said.

By local and wire sources