FBI conducts 7 raids in gambling probe

Federal agents backed by Honolulu Police Department officers raided two homes and five businesses in Honolulu from Monday evening through Tuesday morning, an FBI agent confirmed.

No one was arrested and no charges have yet been filed in connection with the raids, which involve an illegal gambling investigation, said FBI Special Agent Tom Simon.

The homes were both units within the Palolo Valley Homes public housing complex while the businesses were the Thai House restaurant in Kaimuki, and four smaller businesses at Maunakea Marketplace in Chinatown.

UH honors senator, novelist with diplomas

The University of Hawaii will award honorary degrees to Sen. Daniel Akaka and Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami at commencement ceremonies next week.

Both will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters when the university’s Manoa campus confers master’s and doctorate degrees on May 12.

Akaka is retiring after representing Hawaii in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades. He also served in the U.S. House for 14 years. Murakami has been a writer-in-residence at Manoa this school year.

Fisherman’s body is found off Wailua

Maui County fire rescue personnel on Wednesday recovered the body of a fisherman who apparently drowned in the ocean near Mile Post 44 on the Hana side of Wailua.

The victim, 39, of Deer Park, Wash., told a friend he was going fishing, and the friend later heard someone yelling for help, firefighters said. The friend made his way down to the shore, where he saw the man sink in the water and disappear.

Fire rescue units responded about 3:18 p.m. and began an ocean search. Fire personnel recovered the body of the man about 200 feet offshore in water 20 to 25 feet deep.

The fire department helicopter brought the body to shore about 4 p.m.

Puna man, 51, dies after crash of motorcycle

A 51-year-old Hawaii island man died Wednesday from injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash at Route 130 and Leilani Avenue in Pahoa.

The Puna man was riding a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle west on Leilani Avenue at 9:54 a.m. when he failed to stop at the stop sign, went through the intersection onto a private driveway and hit a gate, Hawaii County police said.

The man was not wearing a helmet.

He was taken to Hilo Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 1:12 p.m.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a coroner’s inquest case and ordered an autopsy.

Because the crash occurred on a private road, it is not counted toward the official traffic fatality count, police said.