Medical waste disposal remains unsettled
An executive committee met yesterday to consider ways to dispose of medical waste from 10 Oahu hospitals but put off any decisions until it gets more information."We're sort of still involved in discussion," said Richard Meiers, president and chief executive officer of Healthcare Association of Hawaii. "Members are sort of split in which is the best way to go."
More cost information is needed from the two vendors who want to bid to process the waste, he said.
The need to find another way to dispose of Oahu medical waste became critical when Castle Medical Center announced Dec. 30 it no longer would burn waste from other hospitals in its incinerator because of community concerns.
The task force met last week on the dilemma and is continuing to seek solutions.
Harris, Kim continue Waiawa Ridge dispute
The fight between Mayor Jeremy Harris and City Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim over the Waiawa Ridge project has spilled into the neighborhoods -- neighborhood boards to be specific.Harris, in a package sent to about 400 neighborhood board members Friday, urged community leaders to support his veto and to tell Council members how they feel.
The package included newspaper clippings and the telephone numbers of all Council members.
Harris vetoed zoning for the project that allows up to 2,000 homes and 90 acres of commercial land. An override vote takes place Thursday morning.
The mayor said the project gives developer Gentry Development and landowner Bishop Estate too much commercial zoning.
Harris spokeswoman Carol Costa said the mailings were done by volunteers and postage was paid out of the mayor's office budget.
Kim yesterday fired back with a 400-count mailing of her own "to clarify points made by the mayor in a recent mailing to you."
Kim's materials include minutes of her Zoning Committee meeting showing no objections from the administration when amendments were made that the mayor is now challenging.
H-3 takes the load off Pali and Likelike
One of every five Windward commuters travels on the H-3 freeway each weekday morning, according to first-month figures.The highway use "has exceeded our expectations," said state Transportation Director Kazu Hayashida.
If there's been a problem with usage of the 16.1-mile route since it opened Dec. 12, it is speed. The limit is 55 mph but motorists' average speed is between 65 and 70, Hayashida said.
Drivers on Pali and Likelike highways should be noticing an improvement in travel times and speeds because of a reduction in vehicles on each route, he said.
Prior to the H-3 opening, there were an average 53,000 vehicles a day on Pali and Likelike, according to Department of Transportation records. It dropped to 47,000 on Pali and 33,000 on Likelike in the past month.
According to traffic counts taken last week, 21 percent of the morning rush-hour traffic was on H-3. Likelike Highway formerly had 52 percent of the load between 5 and 9 a.m., but now has 37 percent. Morning commuter traffic on Pali Highway is down from 48 percent to 42 percent.
A traffic count Friday showed 25 percent of the Windward-bound vehicles between 3 and 7 p.m. were on H-3, compared to 44 percent on Pali and 31 percent on Likelike highways.
Capture of Pacific boa in Kalihi emphasizes risk of illegal pets
A four-foot Pacific boa captured Sunday along a hiking trail in Kalihi Valley is now in the state Department of Agriculture's plant quarantine station.Hikers reported seeing the snake at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Based on an anonymous call Friday, the snake is believed to have been someone's pet that was released into the valley.
Pacific boas are nonvenomous and may grow up to 61/2 feet. They feed on lizards and small mammals.
"In this capture, the hikers and the anonymous caller are citizens who acted responsibly in preventing the introduction of another alien species into the wild, said James Nakatani, state agriculture director.
"This capture along with the recent find of two snake skins on Maui underscores the role that each of us can take in protecting Hawaii from the importation of snakes and other alien species."
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffLandslide injures 3 tourists
LIHUE - Three tourists were hurt yesterday when a section of the Wailua Valley wall caved in and caused a landslide, rescue workers said.A Canadian couple and a California man were part of a group of 12 people kayaking and hiking along the Wailua River.
Fire officials said the group paddled kayaks about 1.5 miles upstream from the north fork of the main river, then hiked a mile to the waterfall.
The group was sitting next to the waterfall when a large section of its face collapsed, causing rocks and debris to fall on the group, and nearly burying the woman, said Rescue Capt. Kenneth Ponce.
Firefighters responded to the call at 3:20 p.m. The wounded tourists were airlifted out of the area by helicopter, while a rescue boat with two firefighters and a medic were sent up the river by boat, Ponce said.
The injured were taken to Wilcox Hospital.
Suspect arrested in rape case
Police yesterday arrested a Honolulu man for allegedly taking a woman from her home and raping her.The suspect, 35, allegedly kidnapped the woman from her Honolulu home at about 11:15 a.m., police said. He drove the victim to his house and raped her, they said.
The man was booked on three counts of first-degree sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree burglary.
Fire damages house in Lihue
LIHUE - Firefighters extinguished a blaze in a Lihue house on Kapena Street yesterday at 1:45 p.m., said Fire Capt. Paul Silva Jr.The three-bedroom house was gutted by the fire, and damage was estimated at $80,000 Silva said.
No one was home and the cause of the fire hasn't been determined.
Drowning victim identified
WAILUKU - The 65-year-old fisherman who drowned Sunday afternoon after being swept off the rocks by a wave has been identified as Damaso Tabisula of Wailuku.The accident took place at about 1:48 p.m. Sunday about a mile west of the Lahaina pali lookout.
Tabisula was pronounced dead at the scene.
Charito Tabisula, his daughter, was listed yesterday in fair condition at Maui Memorial Hospital.
In other news...
The 25-year-old man who died in a traffic accident on Ala Wai Boulevard Saturday morning has been identified by the medical examiner as Gexuan Chen of Honolulu.
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