Newswatch
The committee yesterday also passed a companion bill that would extend certain benefits to any two people who are barred from marrying - such as a widowed mother and unmarried son, or gay couples - but only if the amendment is approved by Hawaii voters during next year's elections.
Committee Chairman Terrance Tom, an opponent of same-gender marriage, emphasized that the "reciprocal beneficiaries" measure is not an acknowledgment that gays are entitled to marital benefits.
"It's not a domestic partnership bill, it is not a gay rights bill, it is a fair bill that applies to all people who cannot legally marry," he said.
Unofficially, however, it is a forgone conclusion.
"A lot of people recognize that given the economic situation of the state, this is probably about as good as it can get," said Mary E. Tiles, a UH-Manoa philosophy professor and a member of the faculty bargaining team. The contract's language makes it one of the strongest agreements in recent years, Tiles said, posturing the union for fall 1998, when the next round of negotiations begin.
The tentative 78-page agreement, from July 1, 1995, to July 1, 1999, includes a 4 percent raise or "step" increases annually on July 1 for the next two years. No retroactive pay raises will be awarded.
Carter, 37, was the last of 154 procrastinators who waited until the last day to walk into the office to file nomination papers for a neighborhood board seat.
"The Martin Luther King holiday threw me off," she said.
The commission staff reported 467 applications received as of 4:30 yesterday. Between 100 and 150 more are expected to be added to that total once the final mail ballots are counted.
There are 456 seats available on 32 neighborhood boards. Only 80 people had filed for candidacy two weeks ago.
The suspect has 61 prior arrests.
A 33-year-old woman, who agreed to give the man and his friend a ride to Waikiki, told police the man refused to get out of her car when his friend left.
He drove her to Pier 38, raped her and then stole the car, the woman said. She reported the rape at 3:45 a.m. from the New Eagle Cafe on N. Nimitz Highway.
A short time later, the suspect allegedly robbed two attendants at a gas station at 605 Puuhale Road.
Police located the suspect in the downtown area. He allegedly rammed an officer's Cushman and attempted to ram another Cushman and a police car with the stolen vehicle.
He fled with police in pursuit. He was arrested after the stolen car broke down in Aiea at 4:37 a.m.
The officer in the Cushman was in fair condition today at Queen's Hospital.
The couple from England were waiting outside Waimea Falls Park on Kamehameha Highway when two boys approached them about 12:40 p.m. and tried to rob them, police said.
The couple fought back and the woman, 41, was stabbed in the abdomen. Her husband, 46, was slashed in the arm.
Passers-by called for help from lifeguards at Waimea Bay. The lifeguards attended to the couple and detained the youths at the Waimea Bay jumping rock.
The woman was flown to Queen's Hospital where she is in fair condition. Her husband was treated and released.
- ID sought on remains found off Pali
- Tourist charged in head-butting
- Body found may have been visitor