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HSTA board to set date for strike vote
The Hawaii State Teachers Association's board of directors today was expected to set a date for a strike vote.A 60-day cooling-off period, begun when an impasse was declared in contract talks, will expire March 17. Teachers cannot leave their jobs before then.
Meanwhile, talks are scheduled to resume Monday with the federal mediator and the state's negotiating team.
No details have been released on the state's latest salary proposal, offered Feb. 16. But Gov. Ben Cayetano said the offer aligns salaries with professional development and doesn't go above 11 percent.
The union is asking for 22 percent in across-the-board and step increases. The original state proposal offered about 9 percent increases across the board during the last two years of a four-year contract.
Land board decides on Kauai leases, pier rent
Meeting yesterday, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources:
Gave permission to 17 applicants, including farmers and government agencies, to lease 6,500 acres of state land in east Kauai formerly used by Amfac/JMB to grow sugar.
The board previously granted similar approval to agricultural businesses to take over 28,000 acres of state land in West Kauai after Amfac/JMB shut down its sugar operations on Kauai in November.
Each pier owner will be required to enter into a 55-year lease with a lump-sum payment covering the entire 55 years. The payments will be based on square footage of pier area and the value of the adjoining land.
The Land Board is also considering lumping all piers on the bay under a single environmental assessment for future development purposes. A public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Kaneohe Community and Senior Center Auditorium.
UH dedicates new Hilo astronomy facility
HILO -- University of Hawaii officials yesterday dedicated a new $11 million, 35,000-square-foot branch of the Institute for Astronomy at the Hilo campus.The Hilo facility begins with 29 people using its space. It has room for 70 employees. The main office of the institute will remain in Honolulu.
Looking Ahead
Some events of interest
Corrections
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
3 stabbed in argument over parking at club
Three people were stabbed when a crowd of about 30 got involved in an argument over parking at about 3 a.m. today next to a Kakaako club, police said.But when police arrived at the self-park lot, located next to Club Pangopango at 1234 Kona St., the crowd had dispersed.
A 19-year-old woman was stabbed in the chest and an 18-year-old man was stabbed in the lower back. Both are probably in guarded or serious condition and were taken by private cars to Queen's Medical Center for treatment, police said. Another man was taken to Kapiolani Medical Center for cuts, but was treated and released.
Police held about 10 cars at the scene, but the car owners had been at other clubs and were unaware of the incident.
Car plows into Kaiser clinic lobby, injures two
A car smashed into the waiting room of the Kaiser Nanaikeola Clinic in Nanakuli, injuring a man and a woman yesterday afternoon.The mishap at 87-2116 Farrington Highway occurred shortly before 2 p.m. when a white Buick Century driven by a 78-year-old man plowed into the lobby occupied by about 30 people, most of whom escaped injury.
The two injured went by ambulance to Queen's Medical Center, where the man, 39, was treated and released and the woman, 40, was confined in guarded condition.
The driver reportedly had taken his wife to the clinic to pick up a prescription and was upset that he couldn't find a parking place for the handicapped. No charge was filed against the driver, but an investigation continues.
The clinic was to remain closed today, said Kaiser spokeswoman Jan Kagehiro. "We hope it to reopen on Monday," she said.
Bank near airport robbed by man who fled on foot
A man robbed the airport branch of Hawaii National Bank at 540 Lagoon Drive yesterday.He walked into the bank about 12:15 p.m., approached a teller and said he had an explosive device. He was last seen running from the bank with an undisclosed sum of money.
He was described as in his mid-20s, about 6 feet, thin, 160-175 pounds, fair-complexioned and cleanshaven. He was wearing a khaki baseball cap with the letter "D," a green and off-white striped short-sleeved shirt, a white T-shirt and khaki pants. He had a black watch on his left wrist and was carrying a large black backpack.
Anyone with information on this suspect is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Fire razes 2nd Nanakuli home; cause traced in 1st
Firefighters fought an early morning blaze, the second fire to burn a house to the ground within two days in Nanakuli.Tenants of both houses were recently evicted, said fire Capt. Richard Soo. The houses, which are close to one another, share the same landlord.
Six fire companies responded to the 3 a.m. fire that destroyed the abandoned house at 87-1634-H Farrington Highway, said acting fire Capt. Steve Gifford.
Yesterday's fire was at 87-1634-E Farrington Highway.
Damage is estimated at $50,000 to the structure and $15,000 to the contents, which included four or five cars parked on the property, Gifford said.
Fire investigators discovered that an ignitable liquid was used to start the fire in the back of the house and carport.
Two other homes were damaged. A house at 123 Liku St. had $2,000 in damage, and 125 Liku St. had $4,000 in damage.
The Honolulu Fire Department is asking neighbors to report any suspicious activity to the Honolulu Police Department or call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
