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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Library offers passport service
Aiea Public Library will accept passport applications only by appointment on Thursdays and Saturdays beginning next month.
People interested in getting a passport through the library's Passport Application Acceptance Service need to schedule an appointment by calling 483-7333. More information on how to obtain a passport and a list of public libraries offering the service can be found at www.librarieshawaii.org/ services/passport.htm.
Movable bridge used for Big Island detour
HILO » A portable steel bridge is now being used as a detour on the Big Island's Hamakua Coast while an earthquake-damaged bridge is replaced, the state Department of Transportation said.
The detour is 35 miles north of Hilo near Paauilo. A new permanent bridge will be built to replace the Kawailii Bridge, damaged on Oct. 15. That bridge has been limited to one lane of traffic since the earthquakes, with alternate traffic flows from north and south regulated by portable traffic signals.
New Rotary starts up in Windward Oahu
A new Rotary Club in Windward Oahu, called Windward Sunrise, was chartered on New Year's Eve with 22 members, giving District 5000 its 42nd club in Hawaii.
The club meets at Faith Baptist Church, 1230 Kailua Road, next to the YMCA. The meetings are from 7 to 8 am., include breakfast, and cost $11.
Harvey Gerwig, Windward Sunrise president, said its goal is to end the year with 50 or more members. "We have a very enthusiastic group of people who have completed a number of projects already. We provided both the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for the Kailua Women's Center, and Christmas gifts for the children in the center," he said.
Call Gerwig for membership information at 306-7194.
Rehab Hospital seeking new CEO
The Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific is searching for a president and chief executive officer to succeed Stuart Ho, who plans to retire.
REHAB Director Emeritus Fujio Matsuda, former University of Hawaii president, heads a search committee named by the hospital's board of directors. Others on the committee are Howard Karr, Dr. Myron Shirasu, Dennis Teranishi, Dr. Laurie Tom, Audrey Torres and James Wo.
Applications and nominations are being accepted by mail to Search Advisory Committee, Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, c/o Vice President Human Resources, 226 N. Kuakini St., Honolulu 96817; or by e-mail to fmiyamoto@rehabhospital.org.
SHINING STARS
Women's center gets breast-care grant
Kapiolani Women's Center has received a $25,000 one-year grant to increase efforts to inform women about the importance of early detection of breast and cervical cancer.
The award from the Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund will support outreach services to educate women in rural communities such as Waianae and Waimanalo about breast health and women's health services, said Melia Formento, family nurse practitioner at the center.
The Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program at Kapiolani Women's Center anticipates 680 new cases of breast cancer in Hawaii this year and 30 deaths, based on 2005 data from the American Cancer Society.
Breast cancer is the major form of cancer in American women and the leading single cause of death in women between ages 40 and 55, according to the women's center.
The control program will refer women from urban and rural areas of Oahu to low-cost or free mammography services and clinical breast exams in their own communities.
Free breast and cervical cancer screening will be provided for low-income and uninsured women. For more information on the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, call Formento at 973-3015.
"Shining Stars" runs Monday through Thursday.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Rain helps firefighters to contain forest blaze
WAILUKU » With rain falling, firefighters contained a forest fire that has been burning for several days along the slopes of Haleakala on Maui, officials announced yesterday.
The fire was contained within a perimeter of 2,291 acres in the Polipoli Forest Reserve, county spokeswoman Mahina Martin said.
Martin said that within the perimeter, there were pockets of green forest of 100 to 400 acres.
State forestry officials said the south and east flanks received heavy rain while the north and west flanks had some rain.
The fire was reported last Tuesday by a passer-by in the forest reserve in Kula.
In addition to county firefighters, nearly 50 state and federal forestry and national park personnel have assisted in battling the blaze.
Victim dies of injuries from Jan. 2 car crash
A 44-year-old Kalapana man died Friday from injuries he sustained Jan. 2 in a one-vehicle crash in Leilani Estates.
The victim was identified as David B. McDaniel.
The victim was in the back seat of a 1987 Subaru four-door station wagon traveling east on Leilani Avenue that ran off the road and into a ditch. The driver lost control when the right front tire became loose, police said.
The Kalapana man was flown to the Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu in critical condition and died at 12:32 p.m. Friday.
Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a negligent-homicide investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
This is the fourth traffic fatality on the Big Island this year compared with two at this time last year.
Stabbing at harbor called murder attempt
Kona police detectives are investigating a stabbing Sunday morning at the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor.
Kona patrol units and a Criminal Investigations Section detective responded to an 11:17 a.m. report of the stabbing and found a 47-year-old man with stab wounds to his arm and chest. The victim, a Kailua-Kona man with no permanent address, reported that he and the man who stabbed him had been involved in a verbal dispute the previous night.
Fire Department rescue personnel took the victim to Kona Community Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and released.
The case has been classified as an attempted murder. Detectives from the Kona Criminal Investigations Section are working to determine the identity of the assailant.
Police ask anyone with information about the case to call Detective Reed Mahuna at 326-4646, ext. 238, or the Police Department's nonemergency number at 935-3311.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo. All CrimeStoppers information is kept confidential.
Hilo police officer honored for pot busts
Big Island police officer John Weber, who works in the Hilo Vice Section, received a distinguished-service award from the Office of National Drug Control Policy recently.
Its director, John P. Walters, presented Weber with a citation and a plaque during a White House ceremony in the Old Executive Building on Jan. 18. The citation recognizes Weber for his "professional achievement in the superior performance of his duties" last year.
During 2006, Weber initiated 27 search warrants for marijuana growing operations, Big Island police said. The warrants led to 57 arrests; the seizure of 8,228 marijuana plants, 24 weapons, $35,000 in cash and three homes; and the eradication of 13 large indoor marijuana growing operations and 14 outdoor operations.
Weber serves as "Rappel Master" during marijuana eradication operations and has been directly involved in the eradication of 35,695 marijuana plants in Hawaii County and 2,400 plants in the U.S. territories of Guam and Saipan.
This was the second year in a row that a Big Island police officer received an individual award from the White House, which also handed out group awards to various law enforcement teams for their marijuana eradication efforts.
Last year, the White House honored officer Robert Hironaka.
LEEWARD OAHU
Woman arrested after occupying stolen car
Police arrested a 41-year-old woman who was caught early yesterday in a stolen car.
Police said a patrol officer was checking Maili Beach Park at 1:43 a.m. when he noticed a car parked outside a marked stall. The car was running and in gear, police said.
The officer checked the car's license plate and learned it was reported stolen by a 38-year-old man.
The officer then arrested the woman sitting in the driver's seat for investigation of auto theft.
CENTRAL OAHU
Copper thieves again strike a public school
Police are looking for the thief or thieves who stole $800 worth of copper wiring that provided power to the library at a Wahiawa school over the weekend.
Police said the theft occurred sometime between 5:30 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Monday just outside the library of Wahiawa Middle School, located at 275 Rose St.
Police said the suspect or suspects found the electrical junction boxes, then cut and pulled out a 40-foot length of No. 2 copper wire, which was located underground.
This is the second weekend in a row that a copper theft has occurred at a Central Oahu school.
Sometime between Jan. 19 and Jan. 22, 200 feet of copper flashing and downspouts were stolen from the side of a building at Mililani High School.
HONOLULU
Municipal parking lot used as robbery scene
Two men reportedly robbed a man who was surfing the Internet on the laptop inside his car parked early yesterday morning at a municipal parking lot in Honolulu.
The man was sitting in his vehicle when two men walked up to his car armed with a handgun and took the man's laptop, cell phone, driver's license, credit card and cash, police said.
The suspects also took the keys to the vehicle but fled on foot, police said.