|
Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
|
USDA recalls Lean Cuisine dim sum
A batch of frozen meals has been recalled after consumers found plastic bits in the dim sum.
The recall of 9-ounce packages of Stouffer's "Lean Cuisine Asian-Style Pot Stickers" was announced yesterday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The action came after people reported finding small pieces of plastic in the chicken and vegetable dumplings, which are packaged with rice and dipping sauce.
The pot stickers produced by Nestle Prepared Foods are sold in retail stores nationwide.
It is not known whether packages from the recalled batch were sold in Hawaii.
The recalled items can be identified by the package code "5262595512," the words "Best before Oct. 2006" and the establishment number "P -7991" printed on the right side flap.
People may return an item to the store where it was purchased or call Nestle Consumer Services at 800-993-8625.
Frozen packages totaling more than 54,000 pounds were voluntarily recalled by Nestle, according to the federal announcement. No reports of injury were received.
Maui disaster center teams with Sun computer
The Pacific Disaster Center on Maui and Sun Microsystems will develop and deploy warning systems for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, according to the East-West Center.
The arrangement stems from the pair's teamwork supporting development of an early-warning system for Thailand's Disaster Warning Center, an East-West Center news release said.
"Our partnership with Sun is especially significant as we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the tragic Indian Ocean tsunami," Pacific Disaster Center CEO Ray Shirkhodai said in the release. "Especially in light of last year's catastrophes, our center remains committed to building national capabilities throughout the region, and to mitigating the impacts of future disasters as much as possible."
Clark Masters, Sun's executive vice president of industries, said in the news release, "Sun is proud to be a member of this team -- coupling Sun's enabling technologies with PDC's vast knowledge and creating life-saving solutions."
The Pacific Disaster Center will provide research and analysis support to develop more effective policies and information products for disaster management and aid agencies, according to the East-West Center.
Driver in fatal plunge into harbor was drunk
An attorney whose car went into the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor was legally drunk at the time, according to a preliminary report from the city Medical Examiner's Office.
Michael McCarthy was pronounced dead after rescue crews pulled him from the submerged car Jan. 14.
His 15-year-old step-granddaughter, Alena Yokum, was rescued by a passer-by who dived into the harbor.
Yokum, who had called 911 as the car filled with water, was released from the hospital two days later.
Dr. William Goodhue, first deputy medical examiner, said yesterday that McCarthy had a blood-alcohol level of 0.225 percent. That is well above the state's legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Officials also determined McCarthy suffered trauma to the head, the preliminary report said.
Police have said the accident occurred as McCarthy was backing his car out of a parking stall at the Waikiki Yacht Club, hitting two parked vehicles before plunging into the water.
Missile radar rig back at Pearl Harbor
The military's $900 million, 28-story Sea-Based X-Band Radar is back at Pearl Harbor after spending the weekend off the coast of Maui.
The Navy said the high-tech, fifth-generation semisubmersible modified oil-drilling platform had to be taken to the waters off Maui on Friday so it could be offloaded from the motor vessel Blue Marlin.
The Marlin transported the radar platform from Texas, where it was constructed. It arrived here on Jan. 9.
Once afloat, the 50,000-ton radar platform was towed back to Pearl Harbor yesterday, where it will be renovated and repainted over the next few weeks before departing for Adak in the Aleutian Islands later this spring under its own power.
The radar platform was transported around South America because it was too wide to go through the Panama Canal.
Nominations sought for heritage awards
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting nominations for the 2006 National Preservation Awards until March 1.
The annual awards recognize success in preserving, rehabilitating, restoring or interpreting America's architectural and cultural heritage. Winners will be honored at the National Preservation Conference in Pittsburgh from Oct. 31 through Nov. 5, the trust announced recently.
Five different awards are described and nomination forms available at www.nationaltrust.org/preservation_awards.
Additional information is available at 202-588-6236, awards@nthp.org or Preservation Awards, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America's communities.
Taking notice
» The
Arc in Hawaii, an advocacy nonprofit organization for people with developmental disabilities, has received a $5,000 grant from
Gannett Foundation to update computer equipment and $4,300 from the
Hawaii Medical Service Association Foundation to start a therapeutic drumming program.
» Catholic Charities Hawai'i has received $10,000 from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation to provide bilingual medical emergency cards for poor and elderly immigrants, and $50,000 from the McInerny Foundation for two playground sets at the Maili Land Transitional Housing Program.
» The First Hawaiian Bank Foundation has awarded $5,000 to Helping Hands Hawaii for its Ready to Learn Program.
» Pacific Guardian Life, in partnership with the General Insurance Agents of Maui and National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of Maui, has donated $10,000 to Ka Hale A Ke Ola, which helps the homeless with emergency shelter and transitional housing.
|
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
|
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Kentucky visitor drowns
KEALIA, Kauai » A rough tradewind swell has been blamed for the drowning of a 49-year-old Kentucky man Sunday afternoon at Donkey Beach.
A call to 911 reported the man was about 50 yards from shore and unable to return to the beach.
Bystanders were able to pull the man, identified as Sandy Preston from Fort Thomas, Ky., from the ocean and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him.
Rescue specialists from the Kapaa fire station and lifeguards from the Kealia tower, about two miles away, also responded, but they could not revive him.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to county officials.
According to Kauai Fire Department officials, Preston is the second person to die by drowning this year on Kauai, but the first in the ocean.
Surf on Kauai's east side was in the 6- to 8-foot range Sunday afternoon, but choppy and disorganized with the tradewinds in the 15-knot range.
Firefighters are still at work on Big Isle fire
KAILUA-KONA » Big Island firefighters continued mopping up a 600-acre brush fire yesterday at Puuwaawaa Ranch, 13 miles northeast of Kailua-Kona, they said. Reported Saturday afternoon, the fire was thought to have been set by multiple lightning strikes.
Heavy rain yesterday at nearby Waikoloa provided only a little assistance, with most of the rain missing the burn area, they said. Working into the night, bulldozers had managed to cut a fire break around the entire perimeter, although work was hampered by darkness and rough ground, fire officials said.
A second small fire in the area Saturday night and another yesterday were quickly brought under control, they said. Lightning apparently also set off a fire alarm at Waikoloa Elementary School, but there was no fire and no damage.
WINDWARD OAHU
2 teen boys accused of attacking uncle
A 52-year-old Waimanalo man was hospitalized in critical condition early yesterday after he was attacked, allegedly by his nephews.
The suspects, ages 13 and 14, were arguing with their uncle at about 12:25 a.m., and that turned into a fight, police said. Kailua police said that during the fight, the suspects hit their uncle in the head with an unknown object.
The victim suffered head injuries and was taken to Castle Medical Center in critical condition.
Police arrested the two teenagers for investigation of second-degree attempted murder.
LEEWARD OAHU
Boy, 17, is arrested in assault on his mom
Police arrested a 17-year-old boy after he allegedly broke his mother's sternum last week by punching her in the chest.
The incident took place at about 6:45 p.m. Thursday in Waianae, police said. The boy had been hiding but turned himself in to police on Saturday at the Kapolei Police Station, where he was arrested for investigation of second-degree assault.
Man allegedly hits police officer at beach
Police arrested an 18-year-old man after he allegedly struck a police officer several times in Waianae over the weekend.
The assault took place at 1:44 a.m. on Saturday after several police officers had responded to a report of a large fight at Ulehawa Beach Park No. 1.
One of the officers was speaking with two men when the suspect allegedly came up from behind and punched the officer in the back of the head.
The officer turned around, and the suspect punched him at least two more times in the face, according to police. The officer subdued the suspect and arrested him for investigation of assault against a law enforcement officer.