Coach accused of sex assault HONOLULU (AP) — An Oahu school track coach is on paid leave a day after appearing in court on charges of sexually assaulting a female student. ADVERTISING Erik Tamura, 37, was put on leave Thursday
Coach accused of sex assault
HONOLULU (AP) — An Oahu school track coach is on paid leave a day after appearing in court on charges of sexually assaulting a female student.
Erik Tamura, 37, was put on leave Thursday from his job at Waipahu High School while state education officials investigate the allegations.
School officials say their own investigation found Tamura did not engage in inappropriate conduct. Tamura was allowed to lead a track practice the same day he appeared in court on three counts of third-degree sexual assault.
The father of the victim, now a senior, says the alleged assaults date back two years.
Mayor must pay for wife’s trip
HONOLULU (AP) — The Honolulu Ethics Commission says Mayor Peter Carlisle was wrong to use gifts to the city to pay for his wife to travel to China.
Carlisle must reimburse Honolulu $3,300 for the cost of his wife to travel to China with him in June.
The gifts were earmarked to pay for her trip, but under ethics laws gifts to the city can only be used for public purposes. The commission says that because Carlisle’s wife is not a public official, the money couldn’t be used for her. Carlisle asked the commission for advice about the issue in May, but the commission didn’t issue its determination until January. The commission made it public Thursday.
Auto sales up 4.4% in 2011
HONOLULU (AP) — A new report says production cutbacks by Toyota and Honda after the Japan earthquake and Thai floods hit Hawaii’s new vehicle sales especially hard in 2011.
The Hawaii Auto Outlook released on Wednesday shows new vehicle registrations increased 4.4 percent last year. That’s well below the national increase of 14 percent.
The Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association report also attributes high fuel prices in the first half of the year to holding back sales. Toyota was Hawaii’s brand of choice last year. Nationwide, Ford was the top selling brand. The Big Island saw a 2.9 percent drop in new vehicle registrations.
