State to look anew at dentist

The state plans to reopen an investigation into a Hawaii island dentist and cosmetic surgeon after allegations surfaced following a Hawaii News Now report that a 23-year-old woman has been in a coma since having her wisdom teeth pulled March 17.

Kristen Tavares is in the intensive care unit of Maui Memorial Medical Center after going into cardiac arrest in the chair of Dr. John Stover, friends and family told the television station. It was the second serious dental case since a 3-year-old Kailua girl stopped breathing, suffered cardiac arrest in the dentist’s chair and later died in January.

Several of Stover’s patients and former employees have made new allegations, and state officials plan to reopen a complaint accusing Stover of abandoning a patient in the middle of eyelid surgery, HNN reported.

The surgery complaint was made about two years ago, and HNN said the complainant was told in January that there was insufficient evidence against Stover.

HNN said Stover’s lawyer, Arthur Roeca, said it would be inappropriate to comment about the allegations against his client. He told HNN that Stover would not be responding to the allegations in the media.

Shooting of dog leads to arrest

Kauai police arrested a 66-year-old Kilauea man after he allegedly shot a neighborhood dog with a rifle, the Garden Island newspaper reported Wednesday.

Police responded to a complaint of an animal shooting on Kuke Street about 4 p.m. Friday and found a 10-year-old golden retriever with a wound on her left shoulder. The .22-caliber bullet was removed and the dog has recovered from surgery, the newspaper said.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of cruelty to animals and first-degree reckless endangerment. Police said he allegedly shot the animal from his property and retreated into his home. He was released from custody after posting $6,000 bail.

Maui budget seeks tax hikes

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa is proposing a $622.6 million budget that calls for property tax increases.

The Maui News says Arakawa presented his administration’s spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 to the County Council on Tuesday. Arakawa says proposed capital improvement projects and other factors are reasons for his proposed hikes in taxes and fees.

The proposed budget includes $116 million for capital improvement projects including upgrades in roads, water supplies, park facilities and waste-water services.

Property tax rates would increase between 6.4 percent and 6.6 percent.

Arakawa says the tax increases could be eliminated if state lawmakers agree to lift a $93 million cap on what Hawaii counties receive from the hotel room tax. Doing that could bring Maui County $17 million in revenue.