Newswatch
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Saturday, March 8, 1997
But while UH scientists are doing leading work in genetic engineering and reproductive biology, the only cloning going on is on plants.
In animal sciences, Chairman Douglas Vincent said, "We really don't have any cloning per se. We have no quails that quack like ducks or anything like that going on."
He said, however, cloning of the lamb Dolly by Ian Wilmut in Edinburgh using DNA from an adult sheep wouldn't have been possible without the knowledge coming from Yanagimachi's research.
"His work is exquisite really, and groundbreaking in many areas of application ... He has been a pioneer in the area."
Yanagimachi says he's doing basic research to improve the quality of sperm for infertile men. "It used to be hopeless but we have found a way to overcome the trouble," he said. "Even if a man does not produce sperm, we can help him to be fertile. We are using an animal as a model but it can be applied to a human."
At least not this year, and not for the next two if the Legislature funds a 17 percent increase in teachers' base pay by 1999.
Hawaii public schoolteachers yesterday voted overwhelmingly to ratify an agreement worked out minutes before they were to go on strike Feb. 20.
"It's evident that a large number of our teachers are pleased with the settlement we were able to work out," said June Motokawa, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association. "They believe the contract is fair and will adequately address the need for dignity and respect."
If funded in full by the Legislature, entry-level salaries will increase from $25,436 to $29,204 by February 1999, and top-level salaries will go from $50,606 to $58,167.
The union will now direct its efforts to the Legislature, which is considering collective-bargaining agreements from several other state employee unions this year. Lawmakers say the teachers' agreement will mean cuts to other programs, especially if other unions with contracts still being negotiated demand similar raises.
Motokawa said early talks with lawmakers leave her optimistic.
And the job still is not done. Officials with both the state and the city said yesterday they are still gathering information from agencies on various contracts.
Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris and city attorneys are scrutinizing the fine print in the city's contract with Waste Management at the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill in Nanakuli to see whether the court ruling will affect operations there.
The ruling last week invalidated Hawaii County's contract with Waste Management Inc. to operate the West Hawaii Landfill at Puuanahulu. It said the contract violated civil service law, as argued by plaintiff the United Public Workers union.
Both Harris and Corporation Counsel David Arakawa concede many similarities between the two operations.
Harris described Waimanalo as "the thing that is closest to the court decision as it affects us."