Man indicted for illegally importing frogs
A 52-year-old Manoa man pleaded not guilty Thursday to illegally importing four poison dart frogs last year.
Charles Nishihira is facing a maximum five-year prison term and a fine of between $50,000 and $200,000 for allegedly importing restricted animals without a permit.
An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment April 8 charging Nishihira with bringing the frogs into the state on March 19, 2014.
Nishihira is free after posting bail of $2,000. His Circuit Court trial was scheduled for the week of June 22.
The small frog gets its name because its skin glands contain an alkaloid toxin, which it derives from the ants it eats in its native habitat.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Mokulele plane has engine fault
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the reported engine trouble experienced by a small commercial plane Wednesday shortly after takeoff from Kahului Airport.
The FAA said a single-engine Cessna 208 operated by Mokulele Airlines returned to Kahului just after departure. The Cessna, with four aboard, landed without incident at 9:35 a.m., the FAA said.
Flight 1922 was heading to Waimea when the Cessna Grand Caravan experienced engine trouble shortly after the 9:30 a.m. takeoff, the airlines said.
The two pilots "performed a textbook landing," and "there was never any danger to the passengers or the crew," a Mokulele news release said.
One passenger got on the next Mokulele flight to Kona; the other waited for a flight to Waimea, an airline spokeswoman said.
Humane Society euthanizes 10K
HILO » The Hawaii Island Humane Society euthanized more than 10,000 animals last year, but only a small portion of them were considered eligible for adoption.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Thursday that only 337 dogs and cats were put down because they couldn’t find a home in 2014 by the Humane Society. The remaining animals were mongooses, chickens, feral cats or ill, injured or aggressive animals.
The Humane Society takes in about 41 animals per day, which is exacerbated by pet overpopulation and inconsistent spay and neuter rates.
The Humane Society receives almost $2 million in county funding and took in more than $900,000 in donations last year.
