Honolulu Star-Bulletin from Honolulu, Hawaii • 3

INSIDE The Maul prosecutor drops attempted sexual assault charges against a former police officer. A4 A Dunkin' Donuts franchisee is charged with filing false tax returns. A8 Police Fire. A4 cltydeskstarbulletin.com 529-4747 Tender Roast Sandwich nun mo purcnase 01 1 lenoer Roast Sandwich Largs Combo. 'Offer oood thru 33105 onlv.

I Please presort coupon before ordering Limit one coupon per I customer Not valid with any other discount or promotional otter Good at participating KFC restaurants in Hawaii CPN 19 City editor: Ed Lynch elynchstarbulletin.com 529-4758 Thursday, March 24, 2005 Page A3 HAW Beal struck on Iionstai law "We heard what people's concerns were, and I believe we Came out with something that was very said. The agreement was even applauded by the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, which does not support the exception and thinks the anti-discrimination policy should be applied more broadly. "It's not every day you see Bill Woods shaking hands with Steve Hoag," said Roger Fon-seca, an attorney representing the ACLU. "We're not happy with the exception, but we will not stand in the way of compromise." Not everyone was supportive of the proposal. Opponents asked lawmakers hold the bill in committee, arguing that the new law would create a special class of people protected under the law.

governor for consideration. Gov. Linda Llngle has not publicly stated a position on the proposed legislation. The religious exception was crafted with the help of BYU-Hawaii officials. It essentially states that the law, if passed, would not apply to the school's student housing program.

"We feel that it's a fair balance between the interest of the advocates and churches as well as religiously affiliated institutions of higher education," said Steve Keali'iwahamana Hoag, an attorney representing BYU-Hawaii. "Our student housing program, both on and off campus was really not out in the public marketplace." William Woods, an advocate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, thanked BYU-Hawaii officials for working on the compromise. Gay-rights groups and the Mormon Church reach compromise on an anti-bias measure By J. Reyes bjreyesstarbulletin.com A proposal that would prohibit discrimination In housing based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity Is closer to passing in the year, after opposing sides worked out a compromise over a key sticking point. Similar proposals have died in the past largely because of concerns raised by Brigham Young University-Hawaii that the legislation could force the institution to provide housing for gays, lesbians and others whose beliefs run against those 1 vi Lanai High struggles to rebuild girls team A new coach takes over for players not dropped for drinking By Gary Kubota gkubotastarbulletin.com Lanai High School is try-' Ing to rebuild a girls basketball team after the team's two coaches were fired and nine of its 11 players were dismissed over allegations that they drank alcohol together this month during a trip to Oahu.

The news of the coaches' firing and the underage drinking by athletes stunned the tiny island community with a population of about people, including 176 high school students. "We might have a problem, but you know we're a strong school no matter what," said Kim Dupree, whose daughter Chant'e was one of the two team members who did not participate in the alleged incident. On a March 10-13 trip to Oahu for a preseason tournament, nine players all under the legal drinking age of 21 allegedly drank beer that was provided by their coach, Russell Zablan. Zablan and his assistant Dale Kapua were fired. Zablan declined comment, and Kapua could not be reached for comment.

Lanai police are investigating the allegations. Police Lt. Tivoli Faaumu, commander of the Lanai District, said he would not describe underage drinking on the island as a problem, but it was a concern. "We want to step up and be more vigilant in this area to make sure we don't let it get out of control," Faaumu said. He recalled that during a high school graduation party last year, 14 juveniles were arrested for underage drinking who probably had obtained the alcohol from adults.

The school's athletic director, David McHugh, said he hopes the latest incide.nl becomes a lesson in developing positive values and discourages underage drinking. "We've got to educate our kids that this is wrong," he said. "The message is we're small, we're isolated but we're not free of social problems. Kids will only do what they're allowed to do. Everybody has a responsibility in terms of educating our students." As for the basketball team, McHugh said, several girls and a new coaching staff joined the remaining two teammates, Dupree and Christie Ayudan, in drills Tuesday afternoon at the school's gym.

McHugh said many residents have volunteered to help rebuild the program, including the new coach, Verna Del Rosario. "We have every intention of going forward with the season," McHugh said. But he added that he wants to make sure the players are ready to play, so they will not get injured on the court. He plans to make a final decision this week on whether they should continue the season. Parent Kim Dupree said there is a possibility the team will have to forfeit the first game, on April 1, before being ready to compete, but she is happy about the way the school is trying to field a team.

"You are, if you pass this, allowing gays to take copies of the proposed law when they go to attempt to rent or lease, using this law and forcing landlords to rent to them or be sued," said Daniel McGiv-ern, president of Pro-Family Hawaii. "This would be discrimination in favor of gays, first and foremost. It is reverse discrimination against all others." Lleander Jung, a landlord, presented the committee with petitions signed by about 1,500 people opposing the bill. They called the proposal a "thinly disguised attempt to include sexual orientation and gender identity by definition into law to enforce acceptance of same sex, bisexual and or any other sexual orientation which may go against our religious values." DENNIS ODA DODASTARBULLETIN.COM yesterday as he shinned up the Guard change will help his recruiters. "Those-in the 35-40 category are already set in their careers," Anthony added.

Currently the Hawaii Army Reserve has more than 600 soldiers serving in Iraq with the 41 1th Engineer Battalion or with the 100th Battalion, which is assigned to the Hawaii Army National Guard's 29 Brigade Combat Team. Members of the 411th Engineer Battalion were mobilized Jan. 5, 2004, and will be returning home tomorrow after spending a year in Baghdad. Of the 3,600 National Guard soldiers assigned to the 29th Brigade Combat Team, more than 2,200 are from the islands. They began their year-long assignment in Iraq last month.

the Sew York Times Sews Senice contributed' to this report. of the Mormon Church, which sponsors the Laie school. "What (both sides) did this time was they got together and they came up with language that they could both agree to," said Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Colleen Hanabusa (D, Nanakuli-Makua). A proposal already approved in the House would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of classifications protected against discrimination under existing fair housing laws, but exempt religious organizations. After hearing House Bill 1715, House Draft 1, in committee yesterday, Hanabusa said she plans to advance it with some minor changes.

If the full Senate approves the bill, which is expected, the House would have to agree to the changes before it could go to the In Washington yesterday, Army Secretary Francis Harvey said internal Army studies predicted that the service would not meet its recruiting foals for this month and next. Those forecasts follow the official release of statistics for February, when the active-duty Army was 27 percent below its recruiting goal of 7,050. That shortfall was the first time since May 2000 that the Army missed a monthly goal, Army officials said. In the first five months of this federal fiscal year, the Army has met 94 percent of its goal of 29,185 new soldiers in basic training. The Army plans to bring in 80,000 recruits this year 3,000 more than last year to replace those who retire or do not re-enlist.

The Army Reserve is at 90 percent of its recruiting goal so far, but the National Guard, HOOPS SHORTCUT which is at only 75 percent of its goal for this year to date, is a concern, Harvey said. Anthony said the Hawaii National Guard does not release monthly or quarterly recruiting figures. However', he acknowledged that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have drawn heavily on the National Guard and the Army Reserve in Hawaii, have made "it a little tougher" for National Guard recruiters. Peter DeLauzon, spokesman for U.S. Army Recruiting in the Pacific, last night said he did not have figures on Hawaii's enlistment picture.

Lt. Col. Howard Sugai, spokesman for the Pacific Army Reserve, said the Army Reserve's focus has been on retaining the soldiers it has. "So far, we have exceeded that goal, which was to try to keep at least 78 of our first-term a. enlistees.

We are already at 90," Sugai said. Recruiters have heard that there have been cases where their job is made.tougher because of resistance from parents who are not encouraging their children to enlist, Anthony said. However, Anthony'said he does not see Hawaii Army Guard recruiters shifting their efforts away from their target groups: youths 17 to 22 and prior service members. "I don't see the recruiting campaign shifting focus from 17 to 22, to over 35," he said. Despite last week's announcement by the Army that the National Guard and Reserve were raising the maximum age for recruits to 39 from 34 to expand the pool of potential enlistees, Anthony said he does not believe the X1 At the park on the corner of Houghtailing and Halona streets, 8-year-old Chevas Hennessey found a new way to shoot baskets basketball pole and stood on top of the backboard, dropping balls through the hoop to his cousin, 1 0-year-old Angel Stanley.

Recruitment declines for isle The drop in sign-ups reflects a nationwide trend for the Army By Gregg K. Kakesako gkakesakostarbulletin.com Hawaii Army National Guard recruitment was down 6 percent in the last fiscal year, and recruiters are finding it harder to find new soldiers because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maj. Chuck Anthony, Hawaii National Guard spokesman, said for the year ending Sept. 30, Army Guard recruiters signed up 283 new soldiers, down from 302 the previous cal year.

"On the average," Anthony said, "we try to bring in 75 news soldiers each quarter.".