Free Republic

Prosecutors have charged a man accused of punching a turban-wearing man while yelling racially-charged insults. Brock R. Stainbrook, 35, of Seattle has been charged with malicious harassment and fourth-degree assault in the Aug. 24 incident at the 7-Eleven store on Fourth and Denny. According to the statement of probable cause, Stainbrook abruptly threw change on the ground, then punched the victim on the side of the head. Stainbrook then allegedly yelled, "You're not even American, you're Al-Qaeda. Go back to your country." A store employee then intervened and told Stainbrook to leave the store, the document said.Stainbrook allegedly broke a...

He kissed my mother. She loved it. Even though she was on stage with a dozen other “grandmothers,” she waited patiently for her turn to receive a kiss from singer Don Ho. We were at the Cinerama Reef Towers Hotel in Honolulu for the Don Ho show, filled with music, dancing and comedy. Audience participation was a major part of Ho's show, and bringing the grandmas on stage brought shrieks of laughter throughout the room.

A new poll to freep. This one doesn't usually get hit by Freepers and they do occasionally report on poll results on the local news. Do you think 1st Lt. Ehren Watada should face a court martial for refusing to go to Iraq?

Ancient Hawaiians started building their monumental temples at least three centuries earlier than previously thought, a new study suggests. They also spent more time building them, renovating and constructing new temples in waves depending on the island's political situation. "This research provides conclusive evidence that the Maui temple network grew and expanded over a period at least five centuries," said Michael Kolb, an anthropologist at Northern Illinois University and author of the study. "It's clear that the temple system evolved as part of a long trajectory of social and political change that also saw a shift from ancestral to sacrificial...

By Diana Leone dleone@starbulletin.com The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council will ask for continued commercial fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, despite a presidential order yesterday that will ban it in a large region declared as a monument, a council member says. Westpac council member Edwin Ebisui said the council thinks fishing is "palatable and consistent with a monument or reserve." "Westpac's position is and has been that the two fisheries going on up there (bottom-fish and pelagic) have been for years absolutely consistent with marine protection," Ebisui, Hawaii member of the council, said yesterday by telephone from a meeting...

By Diana Leone dleone@starbulletin.com President Bush is expected to announce in Washington today that he wants to make the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a national monument. In doing so, Bush would establish permanent protection for the 1,400-mile-long, 100-mile-wide section of the Hawaiian archipelago and coral reefs, a move that environmental groups, native Hawaiians and others have been seeking for years. "Building on all the work that was done in the last five years under the marine sanctuary process, the president has decided to elevate the designation of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands area to national monument status," said a statement released yesterday...

GOP concerns prevent bill from being heard this week A bill to start the process of recognizing native Hawaiian sovereignty has been blocked in the Senate, according to Hawaii Sen. Daniel Akaka. In a meeting with reporters in his Washington office today, Akaka said he has been told by Republican Senate leaders that the bill will not move this week. In reaction, Hawaii’s senior Sen. Daniel Inouye asked the Senate Democratic leaders to prepare a “motion of cloture,” which could force the entire Senate to vote on the bill either next week or when the Senate returns from its August...

FALLUJAH, Iraq » After three days of measurable progress, American forces trying to take full control of Fallujah are confronting an insurgent force that has renewed energy. And as American and Iraqi forces spread their grip across the city, the constant skirmishes of close urban combat and burst-in searches door to door are revealing more about insurgent tactics, including sleeper cells. Last night, forces braced for a significant counteroffensive by Iraqi rebels -- an effort coinciding with the "Night of Power," an annual Islamic holy day marked by intense spiritual devotion, which is said to cleanse sins and determine...

Webcasting of Hawaiian music likely to end, thanks to new fees By HARRY EAGAR Staff Writer KAHULUI — Webcasting of Hawaiian music from Maui is about to end, victim of both a decision on royalty payments announced on Thursday and the fact that advertisers are not yet ready to support it. That hits both commercial webcasters, like Pacific Radio Group, and non-commercial enthusiasts like L.D. Reynolds of Hawaiian Jamz. Pacific Radio Group’s KPOA Hawaiian station has been webcasting, but President Chuck Bergson says it will suspend the online programming in July. Part of the reason is a royalty decision by...