The reproduction of Captain Cook's sailing bark Endeavour, which explored the Pacific without bumping into Hawaii, will finally dock in Honolulu this November. Endeavour sailing to Oahu
As of last week, the ship was scheduled to visit only Kona and Port Allen on the neighbor islands. The Hawaii Maritime Center in Honolulu was forced to give up hosting the historic vessel when parent organization Bishop Museum was faced with budget cutbacks by the Legislature.
After a story appeared in last week's Star-Bulletin, Aloha Tower Marketplace completed negotiations to host the ship, which will tie up at Pier Nine, near Gordon Biersch. She sails into Honolulu Harbor on Nov. 7 and leaves the next Sunday. In-between, the ship will be open for tours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Admission is $10; children are $5 and a family pass is $25.
"We kind of picked up the ball when we heard from the Australian Consulate that the Maritime Center was unable to host the ship," said Aloha Tower marketing director Scott Creel. "We would have hated to watch it sail by Oahu as it went from the Big Island to Kauai. It didn't make sense.
"Since we are reviving the "boat days' concept, this was too good a project to pass up. We're extremely excited about being able to share this piece of history with the Hawaii community."
For additional information, call 566-2333.
A five-year telecommunications apprenticeship program, the first of its kind in the state, is planned to start in August. Program to develop skilled work force
By Susan Kreifels, Star-BulletinIt involves a partnership of unions, 18-20 companies and Honolulu Community College.
Rick Almodova, safety coordinator for Hawaii Electricians Training Fund, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1186, said the program was adopted from the international union. It focuses on installer, cable splicer and line technicians.
"Our goal is to have everybody licensed in the state," he said.
Lorraine Akiba, director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, used the apprenticeship program as an example of business, government, education and unions working together to provide a skilled work force to fill business needs.
Almodova said he didn't know how many slots would be available. First priority will go to union members, who also will take 10 semesters of courses designed by the international union and offered at Honolulu Community College.
Tuition will be paid through training and trust funds contributed by participating telecommunications companies and electrical contracting companies.
The unions, including those for GTE Hawaiian Tel and Hawaiian Electric Co., started working with the state about 18 months ago to develop the apprenticeships.
"We've been putting our heads together to make the program work," Almodova said.
Governor signs number of bills
School buses now can use the Zip Lane at all times, and the tax exemption for cigarettes sold to military bases on the isles have been restored under bills signed into law by Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Other bills Cayetano signed into law earlier this week include:
HB 982 (Act 6): Removes from the Department of Land and Natural Resources the authority to manage aquaculture programs; the Agriculture Department now spearheads aquaculture development.
Senate to further study schools plan
A near majority of the state Senate has raised questions about Senate President Norman Mizuguchi's proposal to give the public schools autonomy and taxing authority, but allowed the measure to come before the entire 25-member chamber next week.Yesterday, only eight senators gave their unqualified support, as seven others voiced their reservations while agreeing to advance the proposal. Four others wanted it killed. The lawmakers' positions became clear as the Senate's money, Judiciary and Education panels approved the bill.
Sen. Randy Iwase (D, Mililani), who saw "great problems" with Mizuguchi's idea and voted against it, said the measure should be expanded to include other options, such as earmarking a specific percentage of state general funds.
Sen. Norman Sakamoto (D, Moanalua), who disapproves of Mizuguchi's idea of using the state income tax and a possible retail sales tax to fund education, said he voted yes with reservations solely to keep the bill alive for discussion purposes.
Hula close to official dance of Hawaii
On the first day of the Merrie Monarch Festival competition on the Big Island, the state Senate passed a bill to make hula the official dance of the state.The bill passed the House earlier in the session.
According to the bill, hula is an important tool to teach the history, values and philosophies of the Hawaiian culture.
Sen. Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai) used the passage of the bill to chide Democrats about what he sees as legislative inaction on measures to help the economy.
"Now that we will have hula as our official state dance, I know we will be able to turn our economy around," he said on the Senate floor.
Then he quipped, "I am concerned, Mr. President, that the humuhumunukunukuapuaa still has to go for re-election as the state fish."
Fire at unoccupied home believed deliberately set
An intentionally set fire early yesterday left a charred shell of an old Manoa home owned by the family of former state Rep. Richard "Ike" Sutton.Warner Sutton, Ike Sutton's son, said it's believed the fire had at least three points of origin, two downstairs and one upstairs.
According to an arson detective's report, damage to the house is estimated at $360,000. The Fire Department corrected the home's address to 2445 University Ave., after having given an Alaula Way address earlier. Dozens of firefighters responded to the 6:14 a.m. alarm and had the fire under control at 6:34.
The house lot was purchased in 1908, and construction of the home was done over two or three years, said former Rep. Sutton, who still owns the property. The Fire Department said it responded to a similar fire at the home on Oct. 17, 1994. That fire also was believed deliberately set.
Although the home was run down after being already fire-damaged and unoccupied for more than 12 years, the Suttons had planned to restore it as a historic site, the former legislator said.
Some at the scene said the house was frequented by teens and rumored to be haunted, but Sutton dispute that.
"This was a very, very wonderful piece of Hawaiiana," he said.
Fairchild takes over from Stay at Kahuku Hospital
Wayne Fairchild has been appointed to succeed Gary Stay as administrator of Kahuku Hospital, Daniel T. Ditto, board chairman, has announced.Stay, a retired hospital administrator, held the position voluntarily for eight months to help the hospital make changes and reduce its deficit. Ditto said that Stay, who has returned home to Utah, provided "incalculable assistance" and expertise that the hospital couldn't otherwise have afforded.
Fairchild, who has 20 years of experience with health-care management in California, most recently worked for two full-service hospitals in San Fernando Valley. He and wife, Dara, live in Sunset Beach.
Fairchild said he's impressed with the support the hospital has received in its fight for financial survival. The hospital's deficit, about $53,000 in February, is shrinking, and his goal is to continue that, he said.
"Our fundamental mission is to provide quality care, but we have to survive to do that," he said.
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffA husband and wife were indicted by a federal grand jury for selling fireworks in Hawaii and allegedly not paying taxes on the income. IN COURT
Fireworks dealers face tax charges
Ronald A. and Annyse L. Cloutier are listed in the indictment as sales representatives for Pyrodyne America Corp., a mainland fireworks supplier. They reportedly distributed fireworks to Hawaii retail outlets and also sold them at their own stands in the week before July Fourth and the week before New Year's Day.
The indictment charges that for 1992 through 1994, they did not report more than $800,000 in gross receipts and $250,000 in net profit from their fireworks business. They also evaded more than $70,000 in income taxes owed, the indictment says.
They were charged with conspiracy to avoid tax payment from about December 1991 through about April 1995 by allegedly breaking up deposits into amounts of $10,000 or less and having different persons make deposits into different relatives' accounts, the indictment says.
The defendants also are accused of three counts each of presenting false information on sales, gross income and net profit to tax preparers.
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