Aquarium’s beloved monk seal dies

A Hawaiian monk seal that lived at the Waikiki Aquarium for more than two decades has died.

Director Andrew Rossiter said Monday that Nukaau was euthanized following a dramatic decline in his health. He was about 31 years old, which is about 90 in human terms, aquarium officials said. His death was peaceful and painless, said Rossiter.

The monk seal, commonly known as Nuka, was a favorite among staff and visitors. Scientists brought him to the aquarium on July 20, 1983. At the time, a large scar was observed on his abdomen, possibly caused by a shark or from marine debris. Nuka spent more than 25 years at the aquarium, where scientists cared for him.

McCully man enters plea in Palolo robbery

An 18-year-old McCully man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that he stabbed and robbed a Japanese tourist who was lost in Palolo Valley last month.

Kesly Lewis entered his plea before Circuit Judge Richard Perkins and will go to trial the week of Oct. 10.

Lewis faces two counts of first-degree robbery because there were two victims in the incident, police said. The second victim was the car’s driver.

Circuit Judge Michael Wilson will preside over the trial.

Man pleads not guilty in sexting case

A 25-year-old former Niu Valley Middle School teacher’s aide was arraigned in Circuit Court on Monday morning and entered a plea of not guilty to charges that he exchanged sexual text messages with a 12-year-old student.

Cody Onizuka is scheduled to go on trial the week of Oct. 10. He was indicted by an Oahu grand jury on Tuesday on one count of promoting child abuse in the third degree, and one count of violating a restraining order. Third-degree promoting child abuse is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Violating a restraining order is a misdemeanor. Bail for Onizuka is set at $11,000.

Police said Onizuka met the victim at the middle school where he worked with special-needs students in 2009.

Man gets 2 years for bankruptcy fraud

A man who plead guilty to bankruptcy fraud was sentenced to two years in prison Monday.

Ben Fukuyama also must pay $350,000 in restitution. In July 2009 he filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, claiming he only had $140 in cash and $1,505 in his bank account, but he actually hid $350,000 in cash from his creditors and the U.S. bankruptcy trustee.

Fukuyama claimed to have a Kapiolani Boulevard condo worth $375,000 and liabilities of $2.4 million, including a $1.7 million contract to buy a condo in the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Waikiki.

Fukuyama must turn himself in to authorities by Sept. 28.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Sunken wrecks studied off Maui

University of Hawaii and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers have been surveying sunken airplanes and shipwrecks from World War II found along Maui’s southern coast.

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries said Monday the survey team produced scaled drawings and took photographs of six wreck sites. They saw a carrier-based dive bomber, a carrier-based fighter plane and three amphibious assault vehicles.

Their work will be used to evaluate the wrecks for deterioration, and help officials identify when artifacts have been moved or become missing.

The two-week survey provided UH students with hands-on training in maritime archaeology surveying techniques.

U.S. Marines and Army soldiers prepared for major World War II campaigns in the Pacific by training in landing craft and assault vehicles along Maui’s southern coast.

Closed prison might reopen

HILO » Hawaii’s governor is considering reopening a Big Island prison to house inmates incarcerated on the mainland.

Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Monday the old Kulani Correctional Facility, which has been closed for nearly two years, could be reopened as part of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s plan to reduce the number of Hawaii prisoners sent out of state.

Abercrombie has said he wants to expand prison space in Hawaii.

The prison, 20 miles south of Hilo, was closed in 2009 by former Gov. Linda Lingle to save money.

The property has been used as a training camp for at-risk teens. Director Rick Campbell says it’s possible the academy could move to the recently renovated Keaukaha Military Reservation.