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Hawaii drug program gets national award

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy presented the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program an award for Outstanding Investigative Effort this week at the 2004 National HIDTA Conference in Washington, D.C.

Director of National Drug Control Policy John Walters and Drug Enforcement Administrator Karen Tandy presented the award in recognition of HIDTA's work in disrupting drug-trafficking organizations, which led to the arrest of more than 60 individuals, seizure of $585,000 in cash and assets, and confiscation of 15 firearms.

Japanese tech school gives to UH flood fund

A delegation from the Kanazawa Institute of Technology in Japan recently donated 1 million yen, about $10,000, for flood-relief efforts at Hamilton Library, the University of Hawaii Foundation reported.

The donation was made by Kakugyo S. Chiku, director of the KIT Library Center, and Koshiro Moroya, assistant director of KIT Library Center, to President David McClain and other UH officials.

KIT and UH-Manoa have a 22-year academic partnership that includes the College of Engineering, the UH Library and Outreach College.

Since 1982, KIT has sent 20 to 25 of its students from Japan every summer for English-language training at UH-Manoa's Outreach College. The partnership has also included an exchange of materials between the UH Library and the KIT Library Center.

NCL cruise ships will use Maui tomatoes

WAILUKU, Maui » Cruise operator NCL America has agreed to use Maui-grown tomatoes on its vessels in Hawaii waters and is exploring the possibility of also using other locally grown produce, officials said.

The agreement to buy tomatoes from the Maui Farmers Cooperative Exchange was reached after meetings this week on Maui.

Volumes and prices are yet to be worked out. NCL America, a division of Norwegian Cruise Line, is expected to take its first deliveries of tomatoes in about four months, officials said.

"We get fresh, high-quality Valley Island produce, and Maui farmers get a predictable market at a fair price," said Robert Kritzman, executive vice president and managing director of NCL America's Hawaii operations.

Paula Rafanan, manager of the co-op in Kahului, said NCL wanted to buy through an agent rather than direct from farms, but she understood that NCL wants to offer a long-term agreement at a fixed price.

Besides tomatoes, Rafanan said NCL seemed most interested in cucumbers and cabbages.

NCL also is approaching Oahu and Big Island farmers about buying produce, officials said.

NCL has the Pride of Aloha touring the islands weekly, while the ship Pride of America is expected to start sailing next summer.

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» Fluor Corp., operating locally as Fluor Federal Services LLC, has donated backpacks stuffed with school supplies to Pearl Harbor Elementary School as part of its nationwide campaign to support military families and their children.

» Kalani High and Maui High schools have received a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education Smaller Learning Communities Program, as part of a consortium of eight other high schools in Hawaii. Kalani and Maui both have higher-than-average numbers of special-education and Section 504 students.

» Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. Charitable Foundation has donated $150,000 to the YMCA of Honolulu's capital campaign, which will be paid over five years. The campaign wants to raise $30 million for the expansion or building of new YMCA facilities on Oahu.

» Seven hundred runners on Oahu raised more than $5,500 by soliciting sponsor pledges in an open invitational cross-country meet in September for the Lanakila Rehabilitation Center at Central Oahu Regional Park.

» The HMSA Foundation has awarded the Hawaii Foodbank a $50,000 grant to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables through its Ohana Produce Program.

» The 11th Annual Marriott Links to Literacy: A Benefit for the Hawaii Library Foundation golf tournament at Ko Olina Golf Club in September raised $100,000, exceeding last year's total by $15,000. Michelle Wie, the 14-year-old golf sensation, was honorary chairperson for the event.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NORTH SHORE
Swimmer dies after rescue off Sunset Beach

A 41-year-old visitor from the mainland died after losing consciousness in the water off Sunset Beach yesterday afternoon.

Capt. Klaus Van Der Leeden of the city Ocean Safety division said lifeguards motioned to a group of swimmers to come closer to shore, but the man kept swimming away toward dangerous waters.

Lifeguards went out to rescue the man, who lost consciousness as they brought him back to shore. They performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation using a defibrillator.

The man was taken by ambulance in critical condition to Kahuku Hospital, where he later died, police said.

WEST OAHU
Witnesses sought in fatal motorcycle crash

Police are looking for witnesses to a Nov. 19 fatal motorcycle accident in Ewa Beach.

The motorcyclist, a 33-year-old Chinese man, was traveling makai on Fort Weaver Road at about 6 p.m. when his motorcycle collided with a white Honda turning left onto Parish Drive. The driver of the Honda remained on the scene and was not arrested.

Police said a man driving a light-colored sport utility vehicle, possibly a Toyota 4Runner, offered help at the scene. He and any other witnesses are asked to call Officer Jason Hussey at 529-3144.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Body in Kona believed to be 1996 suicide

KAILUA-KONA » The remains of a Big Island man who apparently committed suicide more than eight years ago were found Thursday in the Kona Sunset subdivision, Kona police said.

The victim, who died of a gunshot wound, was identified as Astral Ananda, who was 52 at the time he was reported missing Aug. 28, 1996.

No foul play is suspected, because Ananda had been described by others as despondent and suicidal, and he left a suicide note, police said.

Confirmation of the victim's identity is expected through dental records, police said.

Oklahoma man dies after swept out to sea

HILO » An Oklahoma man died Thursday at South Point when he was suddenly swept out to sea by a wave, police said.

The victim was identified as Darren Fain, 33, of Jennings, Okla., who was visiting Hawaii with relatives.

Responding to a 1:02 p.m. call, police learned that Jennings had been sightseeing and taking photographs. He was caught by the wave while posing for a photo, they said.

Fire Department personnel recovered Fain's body using a county helicopter.