Suit alleges abuse by ex-Fort Shafter priest
A 48-year-old man who says he was an altar boy when he was a teenager in Hawaii is suing retired Holy Family Catholic Academy Administrator the Rev. Maurice G. McNeely for allegedly sexually abusing him in 1976.
At the time of the alleged abuse, McNeely was a military chaplain at Fort Shafterand priest of Holy Family Parish, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court Thursday.
The man, who identifies himself in the lawsuit as John Doe No. 87, said his father was in the military stationed at Fort Shafter, and the family lived across the street from the church.
He said he had repressed memories of the abuse until two years ago. He is also suing the Catholic Diocese of Bismark in North Dakota, which he says was responsible for assigning and supervising McNeely.
McNeely was administrator of Holy Family Catholic Academy from 1987 to 2001. He now lives in Michigan.
Following his retirement McNeely wrote the book "Catholicism Without the Guilt."
City spikes abuse charge against journalist
City prosecutors said Friday they have dropped an abuse charge against local TV personality Taizo Braden.
Police arrested John Taizo Braden, 32, Sept. 16. He was charged with misdemeanor abuse of a family or household member. Braden posted $1,000 bail and was released the same day.
Braden reports on traffic for Hawaii News Now’s "Sunrise" program.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Victim’s kin keep woman out of jail
A woman who pleaded no contest to negligent homicide in a Maui crash that killed a 96-year-old man will not go to jail.
The family of the victim did not want to see 48-year-old Roxanne Cumming behind bars.
Maui Circuit Judge Richard Bissen sentenced Cumming to 30 days in jail Thursday for her involvement in last year’s crash that killed Masami Nikaido. The Maui News reported that Bissen soon changed the sentence to a year of probation and $17,000 in restitution after learning Nikaido’s relatives told lawyers they did not want a jail sentence for Cumming.
On April 11, 2010, Cumming was driving a Ford van when she rear-ended the Toyota Nikaido was driving.
In court, Cumming cried while she apologized to the family.
New firm will run Kauai recycling site
Resource Recovery Solutions is taking over Oct. 12 as the new operator of the Puhi Metals Recycling Facility, Kauai County announced.
Current operator Abe’s Auto Recyclers will reduce its operations and limit the items it will accept.
Commercial firms cannot dispose of scrap ferrous metals, white goods (such as appliances) and vehicles through Oct. 11. Residential haulers may not dispose of vehicles but may dispose of scrap ferrous metals and white goods throughout the transition.
The Puhi Metals Recycling Facility is the only site on Kauai with a permit from the state Department of Health to receive and process scrap ferrous metals, white goods and vehicles.
Call 241-4846.
