Hawaii tops nation in health care
Hawaii ranks highest in the nation in health care quality in a study released today -- a position threatened by the state's ailing economic health, officials say.
quality, a new survey reportsState Health Director Lawrence Miike says he can't see how the state can maintain such a ranking "given the current economic climate and the cuts to public health budgets that are being proposed in the Legislature."
For example, he said, the Senate's proposal to eliminate district health offices "would leave neighbor islands without the leadership essential to address local public health needs."
Lawmakers also are concerned about health issues, said Sen. Rosalyn Baker, Senate Ways and Means Committee co-chairwoman.
Restroom survey urges student help
Public schools are doing their best to maintain clean, adequately stocked and safe restrooms, but students need to help, principals say.Involving students was one suggestion noted in a DOE survey released yesterday that focused on problems plaguing restrooms and what schools are doing to solve them.
"It appears without student involvement, it's very difficult to come up with a solution," Francine Grudzias, a DOE educational specialist, told the school board's student services committee yesterday.
More than 75 secondary principals statewide participated in the survey.
Restrooms are inspected as part of the DOE's annual school inspection program, but this is the first look at the condition of restrooms in the intermediate and high schools.
Smoking, vandalism, loitering and trash appeared to be the most common complaints, followed by students being intimidated or threatened. Gambling occurs in some schools.
Problems seem to be cyclical and sporadic. One restroom may experience vandalism one semester but not the next. Smoking may be a problem in one restroom but not in another restroom.
Access to restrooms that are sometimes closed for maintenance or because of repeated vandalism did not appear to be a significant problem, as had been thought.
The Student CrimeStoppers program at Aiea High may be partly responsible for that school's success in curbing gambling, loitering and vandalism.
Students can call a hot line to anonymously report smoking or other prohibited activities. The key, Grudzias says, is for administrators to follow up immediately.
Symphony offers deal on Blaisdell schedule
The Honolulu Symphony has told city officials it would voluntarily vacate its Blaisdell Concert Hall home for two months in the fall of 1999 to accommodate the "Miss Saigon" production in exchange for getting the venue that September to open its Pops season and begin its 100th anniversary."We feel we made a large step forward toward an agreement," said symphony board member Ken Robbins, who declined to discuss the specifics of the symphony's latest plan. "This compromise proposal represents a minimal adjustment for 'Miss Saigon.' Now the ball is in their court."
Eagle Eye Entertainment of Toronto, Canada, wants to stage the musical at the concert hall September through November. But that conflicts with the symphony season and is the period when the organization, which is expected to break even this year financially, generates most of its revenue.
Symphony officials, Robbins and the president of the musician's union met yesterday with city managing director Bob Fishman and deputy auditoriums director Lynn Char.
Robbins said the symphony would adjust its usual September through November fall schedule in exchange for using the hall in September.
That would give "Miss Saigon" an uninterrupted run for "a slightly shorter period" than they want, he said.
SHOPO files complaint against state, counties
A union representing the state's police officers has filed a prohibited practice complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board.The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers yesterday charged that the governor and county mayors are violating the collective-bargaining law by refusing to negotiate an agreement for 1999-2001.
The union says it gave employers a "notice of intent to negotiate" and a schedule of negotiating sessions on March 5.
The first session was scheduled for last Monday when Gov. Ben Cayetano and the mayors or their representatives met to sign SHOPO's 1997-99 contract.
During the meeting, the union was notified of the employers' refusal to start negotiations, Bennie Atkinson, SHOPO president, said.
Mayor Jeremy Harris said negotiators have until October to start negotiations. He said Honolulu has a new police chief and Maui's chief is retiring. Those departments need time to put together proposals.
Security watch fair will help fight crime
Neighborhood Security Watch Fair promises to help educate citizens on crime and how to fight it from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Kailua Intermediate School, 145 S. Kainalu Drive.Windward watch coordinators want to bring members of Neighborhood Security Watches and Community Policing Groups together -- to share experiences, review and analyze reported data, generate new ideas and help reduce property crime.
State program to honor community volunteers
A state program will honor volunteers tomorrow whose efforts range from building houses and playgrounds, to raising fresh vegetables, to counseling drunken drivers and intervening on behalf of mentally ill homeless people.The Governor's 1998 Kilohana Awards for Outstanding Volunteerism will be presented to 23 awardees in an 11 a.m. ceremony at Washington Place.
The award, presented to individuals in youth, adult and senior categories, and to group projects and businesses, will go to:
Oahu: Jackson Bauer, Adele Chong, Shige Yoshitake, Moon Book Club, GTE Hawaiian Tel Operator Services.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffBody found Kahaluu fire scene,
A 25-year-old man was found dead in a second-floor bedroom of a Kahaluu residence damaged by fire yesterday.
suspicious circumstances suspectedDetective Anderson Hee, acting head of homicide investigations, said police are looking into "suspicious circumstances" regarding the fire.
Hee did not provide further details.
Firefighters responded to the 1:20 p.m. alarm at 47-849 Kamehameha Highway and had the fire under control at 1:38 p.m.
Waikiki beating victimin critical condition
Police are searching for suspects in connection with a beating this morning in Waikiki that left a 25-year-old man in critical condition.Officers discovered the Honolulu man severely beaten and unconscious at 12:01 a.m. at 234 Beachwalk Ave., police said.
The victim was taken to Queen's Hospital.
Detectives have classified the case as an attempted murder.
Drugs, weapon seized during arrests in Hilo
HILO -- Police arrested a 23-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl for drug and firearms offenses yesterday at a house on Kukuau Street, officers said.The man is being held, but the girl was released, police said.
Police seized 1.5 ounces of crack cocaine, an undetermined amount of crystal methamphetamine, 1.5 ounces of dried marijuana, and a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun in the raid, they said.
They also confiscated $2,766 in cash and a 1988 Honda.
Big Island marijuana targeted by police again
OCEAN VIEW, Hawaii -- Big Island police seized 2,016 marijuana plants in an operation from Ocean View, Kau, to Milolii, South Kona, yesterday, they said.In three days this week they have seized 5,360 plants.
In a separate case, they seized 208 plants, drug paraphernalia, and a small amount of dried marijuana at a home in South Kona.
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