The Rev. Robert J. Spitzer, a Hawaii-born Catholic priest now teaching philosophy at Seattle University, will take the position of president of Gonzaga University in Spokane on July 1. Priest born in Hawaii will
head Gonzaga UniversitySpitzer, 46, is the son of Blanche H. Spitzer of Honolulu and is a 1970 graduate of Punahou School.
He graduated from Gonzaga in 1974 and went on to earn master's degrees from St. Louis University, Gregorian University and Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and a doctor of philosophy degree from American Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
Blanche Spitzer said her son decided to become a Jesuit priest while a student at Gonzaga, which is a Jesuit university.
She is Catholic, and her husband, the late Arthur H. Spitzer, was Lutheran. A Punahou graduate, he insisted that their five children go to Punahou.
"That was the deal -- they would all go to Punahou, then they could go to any Catholic college," she said.
She said her son will be in Hawaii this month for a brief vacation before taking the reins of the 111-year-old university.
Gonzaga University faces a declining enrollment -- 4,500 this year -- and budget cuts of up to $1.5 million, according to a Spokane Spokesman-Review story.
Spitzer was chosen after a year-long search by the school's board of trustees, which ousted his predecessor a year ago, the Spokane newspaper reported.
ipHe has directed the Seattle University Institute of Professional Ethics and is a popular lecturer, conducting seminars on business ethics for corporations and at conventions.
Governor approves bill to buy Waiahole Ditch
Gov. Ben Cayetano has signed a bill authorizing the state to pay $9.7 million to purchase the Waiahole Ditch, and said the deal will be closed by early July.He predicted the measure will help spur the economy, leading to new employment in addition to the 1,600 jobs in companies dependent on the water source.
The 25-mile irrigation system, owned by Amfac/JWB Hawaii Inc., carries water from Windward Oahu to Central and Leeward Oahu. Formerly used for Oahu Sugar Co. fields, the water will be used by the state as a resource for truck farmers.
"Preserving the ditch is essential to develop diversified agriculture on Oahu," Cayetano said in a release. "The state will get a return on its investment by charging user fees for the money spent from the sale of bonds to purchase and repair the water system."
The governor cited agricultural businesses that can expand production once water has been guaranteed, including Del Monte, Sugarland Farms, Aloun Farms, Garst Seed and 100 small farmers in the Mililani area.
Tripler hospital seeks military blood donors
Tripler Army Medical Center has issued a plea for blood donors among military retirees and family members, as well as active-duty forces.The hospital's Blood Donor Center is in special need of type O negative blood, but needs all donations, according to a release.
The center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays in Room 2A207. Donations also may be made at a mobile unit at the following locations:
June 22 and 30: 9 a.m. to noon, Schofield Barracks Kaala recreation center.
State surveying seniors about telephone scams
Senior citizens targeted by telemarketing schemes are being surveyed by the state Office of Consumer Protection.Short questionnaires are being distributed through senior groups, and also may be requested from the agency.
Jo Ann M. Uchida, executive director, said the agency receives sporadic complaints from people who have been victims of telephone marketing scams. But the survey also seeks feedback from people who have not been bilked of money to get a view of how widespread solicitation among senior citizens is.
Forms are available from the Office of Consumer Protection or by calling Consumer Dial at 587-1234. They are also available at www.hawaii.gov/dcca/ocp.
Medical school offers community health plan
University Health Alliance recently introduced a new health-care plan, UHA 2000, that it says has cost-benefits while giving members freedom to choose doctors.UHA is part of a health-care system envisioned by the University of Hawaii medical school faculty. UHA President Laura Kunewa said the new plan is a partnership with physicians.
Members are encouraged to choose a personal physician from a network of 1,100 doctors. For a fixed co-payment of $7, they receive services such as physicals, office visits and specialist care.
UHA pays for 80 percent of most services for members choosing nonparticipating physicians.
Proposal would charge fees for use of state parks
Only one person testified against proposed user fees for state parks, which will likely mean an admission charge for Diamond Head State Monument."I'm afraid that if you do charge fees, it may become a cash cow . . . to support the state parks system," said state Rep. Barbara Marumoto, whose district abuts the landmark volcanic crater, which logs about 1 million visitors per year.
"There is such pressure on the department to raise money."
The public hearing last night was on proposed rule changes that would allow the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to charge for use of all state parks. Fees could be set for parking, camping and other activities such as group use by more than 25 people and special events that now require a permit. A fee for commercial photography and filming could be assessed.
A fee of $1 per day or $10 per year for entry to the crater has been discussed, said state parks Administrator Ralston Nagata. A fee per private vehicle might be $5 per day or $30 per year. Commercial vehicles could be charged from $10 to $40 daily based on their passenger load. Discussion on amounts is at the conceptual stage, he said.
BOE satisfied but wished it had more time for picks
Board of Education members are satisfied with the process they took in selecting the new schools superintendent and state librarian. But given the chance to do it over again, they would have taken longer."We really fast-tracked it and paid the penalties for that," said Mitsugi Nakashima, who headed the ad hoc search committee.
Six months would have been a more reasonable period, he said. "All and all, we came out better than expected under the short term we had."
The board over the weekend unanimously chose Paul LeMahieu, executive director of the Delaware Education Research and Development Center to head Hawaii's public school system.
LeMahieu grew up in Kaaawa and attended Kaaawa Elementary and St. Ann's in Kaneohe.
The board also chose Virginia Lowell, who heads the Nassau Library System in Massapequa, N.Y., to take over Hawaii's statewide library system.
The search committee had sped up the selection process hoping to have the new superintendent and state librarian on board by July 1 and avoid having to appoint someone during the interim, Nakashima said.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffMotorcyclist killed in Hawaii Kai accident
A 23-year-old man was killed this morning in a one-motorcycle accident on Keahole Street in Hawaii Kai.Traffic was rerouted in the area for more than three hours following the 2:30 a.m. accident while investigators examined the scene.
The motorcyclist was taken to Queen's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 5:30 a.m. Further details were not immediately available.
Waianae man arrested in purse-snatching case
Charges are pending against a 19-year-old Waianae man who allegedly grabbed a purse from a Japanese tourist in Waikiki.The man reportedly took the woman's purse near Koa and Kaiulani avenues at 9:40 p.m. Sunday and fled, police said.
He dropped the purse when witnesses chased him. Officers found the man hiding in a parking lot about an hour later.
Army checking injuries suffered by infant
A 5-month-old girl remains in stable condition at Tripler Hospital while police and Army investigators try to determine if the child was assaulted.A Schofield Barracks couple June 8 noticed swelling to the baby's head and took her to the hospital for examination, police said.
They said doctors noticed numerous other injuries as well.
Suspect in forgery case reports to police station
Gary Eugene Cruz, named by CrimeStoppers on Saturday as wanted for questioning in a forgery investigation, turned himself in the next day at the Honolulu police station.Cruz, 42, was arrested on a second-degree forgery charge, according to a CrimeStoppers release.
The charge is for allegedly using a stolen University of Hawaii purchase order to buy computer equipment at a May 6 "Small Business on the Move EXPO" at Blaisdell Center.
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