Newswatch
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Wednesday, April 24, 1996
But legislators are giving the governor the authority to impose furloughs if state revenues drop.
The furloughs would save about $60 million in the coming fiscal year.
Lawmakers also decided to institute a payroll lag, meaning state workers will receive one less paycheck in the coming year. They won't lose any money - just receive their paychecks later.
Gary Rodrigues, state director of United Public Workers Local 646, says workers would be hurt by the measures.
Fire Chief Anthony Lopez acknowledges the eventual goal is cross-training, meaning firefighters will be trained to be paramedics and paramedics will be trained to be firefighters. Lopez says that would put more emergency services in neighborhoods.
But Patricia Jones, a 15-year paramedic, says she is unsure if she and other women could pass the physical test for firefighters, which is extremely demanding.
Jones says there are just four women among Oahu's 1,078 firefighters.
A City Council committee will hold a workshop tomorrow on the proposal to eliminate the Health Department and place emergency services in the Fire Department.
Eleven people have been killed in traffic accidents so far this year, compared with six at the same time last year.
Police Lt. Charles Hirata says drunken driving seems to have contributed to at least five of deaths.
One of those killed had been drinking, got into an argument in a van and stepped out of the moving vehicle, hitting his head on the pavement.
By Star-Bulletin staff
The 22-year-old Kawela man was held overnight in a police cellblock.
James M. Boreczky, 33, had just spent a week relaxing on the North Shore with his brother. Unable to sleep, he was waiting at a bus stop shortly after midnight Monday, hoping to catch a bus to the airport for his return flight to Chicago when three men on two bikes approached him, asking for a light, said his brother, Bill Boreczky.
When he told them he didn't smoke, the men left. James Boreczky was walking back toward his brother's Velzyland home when the trio returned and attacked him. Neighbors hearing his cries called police but the men had fled. They took his suitcase, leather jacket, airline ticket and wallet.
After undergoing facial reconstruction surgery Monday, Boreczky was discharged from Castle Hospital late yesterday. Steel pins and screws were inserted into parts of his face that were fractured after the men apparently held him down and kicked and punched him.
Boreczky and his girlfriend, who flew in yesterday, are expected to stay at a Waikiki hotel for the next few days before returning to Chicago Friday.
Castle Hospital yesterday opened a fund for Boreczky after receiving numerous calls from people asking how they could help. Donations can be sent to the fund in care of the hospital, 640 Ulukahiki St., Kailua 96734.
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