Tripler Army Medical Center's Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory recently beat all commercial competition for a five-year government contract. Tripler's lab wins
drug testing deal"Civilian industry has been bidding on government contracts for years," a statement from the center said.
"This is a first for military medical organizations, such as the drug lab, who competed alongside civilian industry for the contract and won it."
A commercial laboratory had been testing for the National Guard and Coast Guard urinalysis samples for abusive drugs. With the contract expiring, bids were solicited for a new contract.
Tripler officials said some of the best drug testing laboratories in the world competed for the work. An independent technical panel in Washington, D.C., evaluated the laboratories.
Tripler's lab, which tests about half of the Army's soldiers for abusive drugs, was rated the best in quality and cost effectiveness.
'Go For Broke' memorial ready June 5 in L.A.
Club 100, an association made up of veterans of the 100th Battalion, has raised $130,000 for a memorial to World War II Japanese-American soldiers that will be unveiled in Los Angeles on June 5.The "Go For Broke" memorial will honor the World War II exploits of the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the Military Intelligence Service, the 522nd Field Artillery and the 1399th Engineering.
It is the first mainland monument honoring the exploits of the Japanese-American soldiers.
Island Digest
A free seminar to educate seniors about diabetes, especially Type 2 diabetes, will be held at 9:45 a.m. Thursday at the Kapahulu Center, 3410 Campbell Ave.An American Diabetes Association representative will be available to answer questions.
For information or to register, call 737-1748.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffPOLICE/FIRE
Palisades gunman
By Lori Tighe
pleads not guilty
Star-BulletinWayman Kaua, the gunman who held his wife hostage and kept an entire neighborhood at bay for 24 hours, pleaded not guilty to four counts of attempted murder in the first degree today.
"Mr. Kaua wasn't trying to become a cop killer," said his public defender Todd Eddins. "Conversely, trigger-happy HPD (Honolulu Police Department officers) were indisputably shooting to kill. His wife, friends and family are thankful he lived."
Kaua was trying to avoid a rearrest for a positive drug test while on probation, Eddins said. He held his wife hostage to capture the media's attention to tell his story.
He is blind in one eye, deaf in one ear and part of his face has been reconstructed after he was shot by police in the fall incident at Pacific Palisades.
About 20 members of his family came this morning to his arraignment to support him. Bail was set at $1 million. His trial will begin May 17.
Ewa Beach woman dies after three-car crash
A 23-year-old Ewa Beach woman died today after being taken to Queen's Hospital with critical injuries suffered in a three-car vehicle collision on Kamehameha Highway near Kipapa Gulch.The medical examiner's office identified the victim as Iwalani Ignacio.
Police vehicular homicide investigators said Ignacio's southbound van veered out of control for unknown reasons at 12:49 a.m., crossed the double center line and side-swiped an on-coming sports utility vehicle.
A third vehicle collided with the out-of-control van, police said.
Speed on the part on the van's driver may be a factor, police said.
Ignacio, who works in the Mililani area, was pronounced dead at about 4 a.m. She is the 11th traffic fatality of the year on Oahu.
Police arrest woman in Chinatown stabbing
Police today arrested a 39-year-old woman for allegedly stabbing another woman with a screwdriver during an early morning fight at 101 N. Pauahi St. in Chinatown.Injuries to the 28-year-old woman who was stabbed near her collarbone do not appear to be life-threatening, police said.
Police added the incident appears to be drug-related.
The suspect was booked for assault.
A slashing incident yesterday at the same site appears to be unrelated, police said.
The victim was cut on the throat during an argument at 3:05 p.m.
Two men are charged for beating women
Police have charged two men in separate cases for allegedly beating women.Shane K. Matsumoto, 26, of 1350 Ala Moana Blvd. is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail for first-degree assault, and Ian Crabbe, 37, of 763 Hoopai St., has been charged with two counts of first-degree burglary and felony abuse of a household member .
Driver faces charge of attempted murder
An attempted-murder charge is pending against a 25-year-old Kailua man for allegedly driving his car toward a person early yesterday morning in Wahiawa.Police said the suspect followed two people he had argued with earlier to the 95-700 block of Makaunalau Street.
He allegedly drove his car intentionally toward one of the victims, then reversed and rammed the victim's vehicle before fleeing the scene.
Police had arrested the suspect for driving under the influence before learning of the 1 a.m. Makaunalau Street incident.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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