Culture and art. Health. The great outdoors. Volunteerism. Reading. Six honored as living treasures
By Susan Kreifels, Star-BulletinThe Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii is recognizing six "Living Treasures" for their longtime contributions in these areas and for "building a more humane society" in Hawaii. The Buddhist center modeled the awards after the Living National Treasures in Japan.
The six will be honored Feb. 12 at an Aloha Banquet at the Hale Koa Hotel. They are:
Earl Bakken, retired founder of Medtronics and inventor of the pacemaker. Bakken started the Health Resource Center on the Big Island and the Five Mountain Medical Committee. He has worked in holistic medicine and is known for his respect of Hawaiian culture.
More than 100 people have been designated as Living Treasures since 1976. Criteria for selection includes showing continuous growth in their fields and making significant contributions to a more humane and fraternal society.
For more information on the banquet, call 522-9200.
Bike path closed after diesel fuel found
The state closed a section of a bike path in Waipahu yesterday after a puddle of weathered diesel fuel was found between the path and a dirt berm near Waiawa Wildlife Sanctuary.The state Department of Health closed the path in the morning and kept it closed until 5 p.m. yesterday.
The quarter-mile section was closed off between the Nagatani Gate entrance road and a Waiawa Stream bridge behind Leeward Community College for cleanup.
Woman killed by shots to her head and chest
An autopsy determined that a woman died of gunshot wounds to the head and chest.The woman was found bleeding Wednesday night in a home at 98-442 Hoono St. in Waiau, which is the residence of 43-year-old Eleanor "Ellie" Wimberly, police said.
Police have not named the woman. She was pronounced dead at Pali Momi Hospital at 7:50 p.m.
Homicide Lt. Allen Napoleon said a man, 39, was arrested for second-degree murder but has not been charged.
'Hornets' will create a buzz leaving Barbers
There will be increased noise near Barbers Point Naval Air Station tomorrow as a contingent of Marine Corps F-18 Hornet jet fighters returns to the mainland.More than 250 Marine Corps reservists and 14 F-18 Hornets from Fort Worth, Texas, have been in the islands for the past several weeks training mainly over the ocean and at Barking Sands' Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai.
The reservists from Marine Air Group 41 started the return trip home yesterday with five jets leaving Barbers Point. Another five are slated to leave at 9 a.m. tomorrow and the last four will take off at 5 a.m. on Sunday.
Discussion will focus on health care financing
Mayor Bret Schundler of Jersey City, N.J., will speak on medical savings accounts, an alternative to traditional health care insurance and health maintenance organizations.The meeting will be at 5 p.m. today at the Outrigger Prince Kuhio Hotel. For more information, call 732-0700.
CORRECTIONS
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffPOLICE/FIRE
Maili woman accused of stabbing her husband
An attempted murder case has been opened after a Maili woman allegedly stabbed her husband in the back.The couple were in an argument in the kitchen of their St. John's Road home when the man was reportedly stabbed with a kitchen knife at 5:15 p.m., police said.
The woman fled and has not been located, police said.
The man was treated at Waianae Comprehensive Hospital.
Sex assault suspect has 2 rape convictions
Police yesterday charged two men in connection with two unrelated sexual assaults.Gregorio Marbou, 49, was charged with third-degree sexual assault. He is being held on $20,000 bail, police said.
Joey K. Yap, 19, was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault. He is being held on $2,000 bail, police said. Yap is on probation for two sexual assault convictions.
Police suspect booze killed man in jail cell
KAILUA-KONA -- A Big Island man died while in a police holding cell yesterday, possibly in connection with alcohol poisoning, police said.Police said Rodell Rudel, 36, of Kaloko Mauka, was found in his cell unconscious and not breathing at 12:45 p.m. He had been found asleep and breathing just one minute earlier, they said.
Rudel was arrested at 11:30 a.m. for abuse of a family member or household member and had apparently been drinking at the time, they said.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of his death.
Big Isle police eager to nab cattle rustlers
NAALEHU, Hawaii -- Police are asking for the public's help in identifying the person responsible for stealing livestock from Makino Road above Naalehu between Jan. 17-23, 1998, The number of cattle stolen was not given.A $1,000 reward is offered by the Hawaii Cattleman's Association. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 939-2520 or Crimestoppers at 961-8300.
THE COURTS
Drug sales suspected at Chinatown shops
U.S. Magistrate Francis Yamashita has authorized the Marshals Service to shut down three Chinatown businesses because of alleged drug trafficking.In granting a seizure warrant Wednesday, Yamashita ruled there's probable cause "to believe the property was used or intended to be used to facilitate federal drug-trafficking felony offenses," said Steven Alm, U.S. attorney.
The warrant authorizes the government to shut down Swing I, Swing II/Dave's Amusement and Amy's Place, doing business at North Hotel and Smith streets on property owned by Anchor Ltd.
The government alleges there were 64 undercover purchases of crack cocaine made at the three establishments last year between Sept. 5 and Dec. 8.
Pregnant employee wins settlement
The Hawaii Supreme Court has upheld a Hawaii Civil Rights Commission decision that Page Hawaii discriminated against a female office manager.The employer had a policy in which no extended leave would be granted in an employee's first year, and Yvette Shaw became pregnant during her first year of employment and was terminated, the commission says. The employer refused to reinstate her after she was cleared to return to work.
The Supreme Court held that the company's policy violates a rule that requires an employer give a pregnant employee leave "for a reasonable period of time."
Awards of $16,500 in back pay, $20,000 in compensatory damages and $5,000 in emotional distress damages were affirmed.
Feds charge man for promoting prostitution
Rodney D. King faces a federal charge of promoting prostitution of a female less than age 18 at a Waikiki hotel.A criminal complaint filed yesterday says King drove the minor to the Hale Koa Hotel on Tuesday "for the purpose of prostitution."
An affidavit says an undercover investigation revealed King was associated with an escort service and one girl working for King was only 15 years old. King is not the same Rodney King who was videotaped being beaten by Los Angeles police officers.
Trial set for guard in drug-smuggling case
One of two prison guards charged in a drug-smuggling operation at the Oahu Community Correctional Center pleaded not guilty yesterday in Circuit Court.Trial for Jason Pang is scheduled for March 22.
Pang is charged with aiding inmate Norman Carlos' escape from the Kalihi prison last July in exchange for drugs, attempting to distribute methamphetamine and hindering the prosecution of another guard, Steven McGuine. McGuine faces identical charges stemming from Carlos' escape.
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