House hopefuls
debate on radio
HONOLULU (AP) — A debate between the candidates vying for urban Honolulu’s 1st Congressional District focused on issues such as jobs creation and the federal government’s debt.
Democrat U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and her Republican opponent former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou sounded off Tuesday on Hawaii Public Radio.
Hanabusa pressed Djou on his vote on a bill with reductions to veterans’ programs and military construction. Djou served six months in Afghanistan. He says he cares deeply about the military and favored spending reductions, not elimination of programs.
Hanabusa says she’ll focus on the nation’s economic recovery while Djou says he would focus on the debt.
No contest plea in racing death
WAIMANALO, Oahu (AP) — A man police say was racing with another driver that caused a crash that killed an 11-year-old boy has pleaded no contest over his role in the Waimanalo death.
Travis Murray pleaded no contest Tuesday to negligent homicide and two counts of assault. He had been charged with manslaughter. He faces five-year prison terms for reach of the three charges when he’s sentenced in December.
Samuel Kassebeer was ejected when the car he was riding in was hit from behind. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Prosecutors say Herbert Kaio-Campbell was the driver of the car that hit Kassebeer. He pleaded no contest to manslaughter and assault but was found dead from an apparent suicide two days before he was scheduled to be sentenced.
Guilty plea in bus stop death
WAIANAE, Oahu (AP) — The man charged with negligent homicide in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 3-year-old boy at a west Oahu bus stop has pleaded guilty.
Potasi Uta Jr. pleaded guilty Tuesday in a plea deal that will put him in prison for 20 years.
Ashton Brown died at the bus stop alongside Makaha Beach in March. Four of his family members were also injured. His father was across the street setting up camp for the reportedly homeless family.
Uta’s family members say they’ve raised money for Ashton’s family.
Under the plea deal, Uta must complete his 10-year sentence for a 2004 burglary before he begins his 20-year term for the negligent homicide case. Prosecutors say he was drunk at the time of the crash.
Firm to help find
athletic director
HONOLULU (AP) — The University of Hawaii plans to spend about $90,000 on a firm to help search for the next athletic director.
The university says it has identified a firm to help review applications and recruit a new athletic director.
Former Athletic Director Jim Donovan was put on leave during an investigation into a botched benefit Stevie Wonder concert.
University President M.R.C. Greenwood told a special state Senate committee the school created a $200,000-a year position for Donovan because of pressure to reinstate him and a lawsuit threat.
Spokeswoman Diane Chang says there have been more than 60 applications for the job so far. She says private donations are being solicited to pay for the search firm’s fees.
The university didn’t name the firm.
Scientists return from opihi research expedition
HONOLULU (AP) — A research team has returned from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands with new information on opihi reproduction.
Scientists with the team that returned Tuesday say they gathered evidence that female opihi live higher on the rocky shore than male opihi. This discovery will help when considering restoration of opihi habitat in populated areas such as Oahu.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the information gathered at the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument will help lead to better management of the highly sought-after delicacy.
Consumers pay a premium for the small limpets that cling to rocks in high surf, making them dangerous to harvest. There have been calls to restrict harvesting in response to concern about dwindling supply.
