Retired ILWU leader Tommy Trask has been hospitalized at Straub Hospital and is being treated for lung cancer. Ex-ILWU leader Trask
being treated for cancerA Straub spokesman today said Trask has been receiving radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy.
Trask, 68, retired as the ILWU's international vice president for Hawaii in August 1994.
He had been associated with the ILWU for more than 40 years, the last 15 as its local head.
HILO -- Big Island Fire Chief Nelson Tsuji should accept responsibility for possible cheating on a Fire Department promotional exam, fire Capt. Desmond Wery says. Big Isle fire chief blamed
for possible exam cheatingHe made the comment yesterday as the County Council's Finance Committee considered creating a commission to oversee the department. That measure was proposed after a promotion candidate allegedly received advance answers to interview questions in May.
An investigation by county Civil Service Director Michael Ben found cheating probably took place, but there wasn't enough evidence to prove it.
"I think it's about time the fire chief accepted some responsibility," Wery said.
Tsuji answered, "I deny all these allegations."
He said he was limited in his response because a union grievance regarding the alleged cheating is still pending.
Tsuji agreed with some of the recommendations in Ben's report, such as tightening custody of the list of questions in advance of a promotion interview.
But asked about the perception that a candidate won't be promoted without backing the right political candidate, Tsuji responded, "I can't comment on that."
Convicted prostitutes wouldn't be allowed on Waikiki sidewalks at night, under a City Council proposal to make the tourist mecca a prostitution-free zone. City revamps effort to oust
prostitutes from Waikiki at nightIt is the latest effort by the city to curb the problem, after a Circuit Court judge ruled in July that the state nuisance law couldn't be used to keep prostitutes out of Waikiki.
"So what we've done is to totally create a new type of statute to result in the same" thing, said City Councilman Duke Bainum.
Bainum yesterday introduced legislation that excludes people convicted of prostitution from remaining in Waikiki from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for a two-year period.
The bill, modeled after a similar ordinance in Portland, Ore., would create a zone bounded by Kalakaua, Kapahulu and Kuhio avenues, including all streets, alleys, public parking lots, parks and other publicly owned property in the area.
Bainum said restricting access to convicted prostitutes is another crucial step in cleaning up Waikiki for residents and tourists. Bainum said he doesn't believe prostitution will expand outside the zone due to the law, because most of the clientele for prostitutes are confined to Waikiki.
A prostitution-free zone may be enacted in Chinatown if things work well, he said.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffPolice yesterday charged a 20-year-old man with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a man in Waipahu on Friday night. Man charged
in stabbing deathIulai Amani, who has no permanent address, is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, police said.
Amani is accused of stabbing Brynner "Bryan" Auelua, 19, at a Pupupuhi Street apartment complex during an argument. After confronting a group drinking near his girlfriend's apartment, Auelua allegedly was struck with a baseball bat and stabbed.
Amani admitted to stabbing Auelua in a statement to police, homicide Detective Anderson Hee said.
WAILUKU -- Two men aboard a Hobie Cat missing since Monday night off Kaanapali were found drifting about 10 miles away in Lanai waters by a helicopter fire rescue crew. Boaters found
adrift off LanaiThe men, a 22-year-old Maui resident and 25-year-old Oregon visitor, were found yesterday morning, Assistant Chief Clayton Carvalho said. Neither were injured.
The men left a beach near Mala Wharf in Lahaina in the mini catamaran at 5 p.m. Monday.
