Honolulu Star-Bulletin from Honolulu, Hawaii • 3

1 1 'V Ground broken for new water park in Kapolei. A-9 4 to. Aw i Maui residents worried after more pets poisoned. A-4 NEWSWATCH AAA (f ODER. 7,1 99 8, Page A-3: Afternoon Jury tainted by homophobia 4 I said they would not release Jurors' names until a later date.

Bright, 30, has already served a year in jail awaiting trial and was to be released last night. He was also fined $2,000. Woods said he would like a "neutral body" to do a "jury autopsy" to see what impact Brewer's sexuality had on their decision. "What went through their minds? Was this an issue or not?" Woods asked. i 1 Depression screenings offered free tomorrow In recognition of National Depression Screening Day, free screenings are available to the public tomorrow at various Oaha and Big Island sites.

The Mental Health Association is sponsoring the screenings with the Hawaii Psychological Association, University of Hawaii, Brig-ham Young University, Kahi Mo-hala, Hawaii State Hospital, Hawaii Black Nurses Association, Castle Counseling Services and mental health service providers. The goal is to educate the public about the symptoms of depression and link people who need treatment to appropriate mental health services, the Mental Health Association said. Sites include Borders at Ward Center, BYU campus in Laie, UH Manoa and UH West Oahu, Windward Mall, Pearlridge Center, Castle Counseling Services, Tripler Hospital and Kahi Mohala in Ewa Beach and in Hilo. For more information call the Mental Health Association in Hawaii, 521-1846. Oahu elepaio suggested for endangered list A small bird that lives only on Oahu mountain forests has been proposed for listing as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Biologists believe there may only be 200-500 of the Oahu elepaio left. If it is listed as endangered, government agencies and private landowners would need to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when projects might affect its habitat. Comments, which will be accepted until Dec. 7, can be sent to Robert P.

Smith, manager Pacific Islands Ecoregion, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Box 50088, Honolulu, HI 96850. Reported by Star-Bulletin staff By Ken Sakamoto, star-Buiietin Stephen Bright hugged his attorney yesterday after being found guilty of third-degree assault for killing hotel executive Kenneth Brewer. 'I don't think my brother got says a gay lolling victim's sister By Susan Kreifels Star-Bulletin Gay-rights groups call it "homophobic panic," the kind of reaction that may have provoked Stephen Bright to brutally beat a gay man to death rather than walk away from his sexual advances. It's the same reaction that could color a jury's verdict as well, they say.

was found guilty yesterday of the lesser offense of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of a year in prison, for killing hotel executive Kenneth Brewer, a 58-year-old gay man. who testified that he is not gay, told jurors that he thought Brewer was heterosexual when he went to Brewer's condominium a year ago for drinks after meeting him in a gay bar. When a naked Brewer later wanted sex, Bright said he hit the victim in self-defense, thinking he would be sexually assaulted. 'Systemic discrimination'? William Woods, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Education and Advocacy Foundation, More people will be eligible for food stamps in November Some noncitizens regain services cut in 1996; others get a 5- to 7-year extension By Harold Morse Star-Bulletin Food stamps for some noncitizens will be restored Nov. 1, Gov.

Ben Cayetano has announced. Among those who will again be eligible for food stamps are noncitizens who were legally in the United States on Aug. 22, 1996; are age 65 or older; are under age 18; or receive disability or blindness assistance. Also eligible are American Indians born in Canada and members of a Hmong or Highland Laotian tribe. Eligibility of some groups such as refugees, Cubans, Haitians and Amerasians will be extended five to seven years.

We welcome this action by the federal government to make good on its promise to help needy noncitizens who were dropped from the food stamp program by federal law two years ago," Cayetano said yesterday. "Nevertheless, the state of Hawaii continued to aid low-income families with cash assistance even though Congress had revoked their welfare eligibility." Hawaii welfare programs have reduced benefits while requiring people to work or look for work or undergo job training, Cayetano said. "The federal extension is important because some would have become ineligible in the near future," said Susan Chandler, the director of the state Department of Human Services. details, call the Food Stamp Program Office at 586-5738. said homophobia triggers "systemic discrimination" that has been helping defendants for the last decade in trials involving violence against gay victims.

"They think they are going to be raped by a gay, and they're so scared, they could kill them," Woods said yesterday. "The reaction goes way beyond the scope of the situation." i4 tit i ASM1" BY CRAIG T. KOJIMA, The government charged Bright with murder in the second degree. But the defense said Bright was guilty of nothing, acting only in self-defense against sexual assault. Jurors, who deliberated 3Vi days, rushed away from the media yesterday to avoid answering questions on their verdict.

Circuit Judge John Lim's chamber staff rtTrrif'r'Y-'-'-'-----" Sur-Bulletin phobia can't be used as a defense for taking the life of an innocent, law-abiding human being." Deputy Prosecutor Wayne Ta-shima would not comment on the verdict. City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle would not speculate about whether Brewer's homosexuality colored the verdict. Carlisle said the evidence was entirely circumstantial. "Two people know what happened. One is dead," Carlisle said.

Verdict called 'unbelievable' Louise Brewer, the victim's sister, called the verdict "unbelievable. I don't think my brother got justice. "Recently, someone kicked a dog to death and got a year" in prison, she said. Lim said Bright had no criminal record before the killing and had been gainfully employed but that he would still "throw the book" at Bright because "somebody died." "In part, your indiscriminate use of alcohol put you here," Lim said. Bright had drunk heavily the night he met Brewer.

Woods said the law should be strengthened so that a misdemeanor cannot be considered in a crime involving killing. Carlisle agreed, saying murder law should be based on actions rather than state of mind. Housing plan sent for second Council OK Procedural error held up a downtown project offering affordable units ByPatOmandam Star-Bulletin The Honolulu City Council is hoping to get it right the second time around in approving the "Block downtown housing project. Two weeks ago, the Council approved a resolution supporting the $167 million twin-tower affordable-housing project. But Deputy Corporation Counsel David C.

Laxson on Sept. 29 told the Council the measure was incomplete and inaccurate, necessitating a new resolution. This morning, Council Policy Committee Chairman Jon Yoshi-mura cited the procedural problem: The entire development and lease agreement was not attached to a floor draft of the resolution. The committee used today's second chance to re-question city officials and developers for nearly an hour on how much money the project will generate for the city's park dedication fund, and what checks and balances there are to avoid financial difficulties. City planner Keith Ishida assured the panel the city, developer Block and Associates and others will ensure its completion.

Block J's developers are proposing 913 housing units on a site bounded by Pali Highway, South Beretania, Queen Emma and Kukui streets. There will also be commercial space and 1,896 parking stalls. The new approved resolution now heads to the full Council. study finds Nuclear weapons storage sites STATE WEAPONS 1. New 2,450 2.

Georgia 2,000 3. Washington 1.685 4. 1,350 5. N.Dakota 1,140 6. Wyoming 592 7.

..550 Montana 550 8. Louisiana. 540 9. Texas 350 10. Nebraska 255 1 1 1 60 Virginia 160 12.

Colorado 138 150 Souroa: Niturtl Rmoutom Defens Council No distinction under law Deputy public defender Jack Tonaki spoke with jurors after the trial but would not comment on what was discussed. Tonaki said that under the law, there is no distinction on whether a sexual assault involves a gay person or straight person. Making a distinction would be an "unethical argument and inflame prejudice. If you sat through the whole trial, you would be satisfied that kind of argument was never used." Tonaki has said fighting back in self-defense against the threat of sexual assault is the same whether it involves women or men. But Woods said if homosexuality is Involved in a trial, "that colors it." The Gay and Lesbian Community Center, in a press release, said the verdict "underscores the need for more education so that homo- 5a: tion depots: Bangor Naval Submarine Base in Washington and Yorktown Naval Weapons Station near Norfolk, Va.

The Navy has eliminated nuclear-capable Tomahawk warheads from its surface warships, and there are no more free-fall bombs on its aircraft carriers, Norris added. "And the Navy does not routinely send out its patrol submarines with nuclear-armed warheads," Norris added. Since 1992, nuclear weapons have been withdrawn from 12 states, including Hawaii, according to the study. In assessing the nuclear threat in five countries, the National Resource Defense Council said 36,000 nuclear bombs still remain in the arsenals of the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China. tig, Crews clean up Bellows Workers cut vegetation and cleaned unexploded ordnance from the ground at Bellows Air Force Station yesterday in preparation for returning 139 acres to the state of Hawaii.

Above, Brad Lasater looked at the business end of a piece of machinery used to trim haole koa bushes. Right, Lasater displayed blank ammunition and simulated booby trap caps found in the area. ft I WlK WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO. An update on past news AAA 'Captain Honolulu' was kids' favorite QUESTION: Whatever happened to "Captain Honolulu," who had a TV show in the 1960s? Ans JSWER: Robert "Bob" Smith, who hosted the "Captain Honolulu" cartoon show for 10 years, died of cancer on Oct. 17, 1997, in Fresno, where he had lived since 1991.

He was 69. Smith started at station KHVH now KITV in 1958 as an announcer. He took on director and producer duties before the show began in 1959. Smith initially played a character named "Sgt. Sacto," the right-hand man to Captain Honolulu, who was never seen when the show first went on the air.

Later, when the station changed owners, Smith assumed the Captain Honolulu role because children knew him as the host of the show. Smith's signature was a "mask" he'd shape by turning his hands upside down against his face, encircling his eyes with his thumbs and index fingers. The Captain Honolulu show went off the air in May 1969. Smith continued at the station until 1976, working as a promotion manager then program director. Smith left Hawaii in 1976.

He worked in advertising and radio in Fresno, moved to Modesto in 1981 for more radio work, then returned to Fresno in 1991. By Crystal Kua, Star-Bulletin Ever wonder what happened to a person, event or issue that has been in the news? Well find out for you if you call the City Desk at 525-8640 or write us at P.O. Box 3080. Honolulu 96802. What ever happened to runs Wednesdays.

CORRECTION Oahu condominium resale prices last month were down 21.5 percent from September 1997. A chart in Hawaii Inc. yesterday had an incorrect percentage of change. Isles' nuclear weapons have been moved out, the Lualualei Naval Magazine, declined to discuss the issue. The study, conducted by the Natural Resources Defense Council and released earlier this year, ranked New Mexico first with 2,450 nuclear weapons; followed by Georgia with Washington, Nevada, and North Dakota, 1,140.

These top five states account for 70 percent of the total. Other states with nuclear weapons are Wyoming, Missouri, Montana, Louisiana, Texas, Nebraska, California, Virginia and Colorado, the study said. The study authored by William Arkin, Robert Norris and Joshua Handler was a follow-up to a 1992 survey that ranked Hawaii 17th with 275 nuclear warheads. That number was a drop from a high of 345 in 1985, when Hawaii ranked 14th. At that time, 100 B-57 and B-61 nuclear free-fall bombs and 50 Tomahawk sea-launched cruise missiles warheads were believed to have been stored at Barbers Point Naval Air Station, and 125 nuclear warheads at the Naval Magazine at West Loch on the Waipio Peninsula in Pearl Harbor.

Norris told the Star-Bulletin that it is believed that most of the nuclear weapons were first moved from Hawaii to San Diego and then later consolidated in one location. With the closure of Alaska and Hawaii's sites, the Naval Air Station in San Diego is "believed to be the only remaining nuclear storage depot supporting the Pacific Fleet," the study says. But Norris believes that the storage of 325 Tomahawk cruise nuclear warheads are now split between the two coastal ammuni A 1992 survey said 'Hawaii had 275 nuclear 'warheads; now there are none to be found By Gregg K. Kakesako Star-Bulletin Hawaii, once believed to have stored as many as 275 nuclear weapons, no longer holds any at Lualualei or at West Loch in Pearl Harbor, according to an independent study. I It is not known when these nuclear weapons were moved out of the state, since it has always been the military's policy neither to confirm nor deny the storage of such weapons.

Even last week during an interview with the Star-Bulletin, Capt. Shawn Morrissey, commander of it iC dTi rf.