WASHINGTON -- President Clinton has named the owner of a Honolulu real-estate corporation the next U.S. representative to the Pacific Community, an international organization that promotes economic and social advancement in the south Pacific. Clinton names
By Pete Pichaske, Phillips News Service
Sullivan to postKaren Lau Sullivan, owner and vice president of Hoaloha Ventures Inc., is a former staffer for the East-West Center in Honolulu.
She succeeds City Councilman Mufi Hannemann in the unpaid, part-time position. Sullivan served in the White House during the Carter administration. She also worked as an aide to U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink and former Rep. Cecil Heftel.
The Pacific Community was formerly known as the South Pacific Commission.
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Daniel Akaka, one of Congress' most persistent critics of labor and civil rights abuses on the Northern Mariana Islands, is taking another stab at correcting the problems. Akaka tries to halt
By Pete Pichaske, Phillips News Service
Marianas immigrantsAkaka this week introduced a bill to align the islands' immigration policies with U.S. policies.
Critics have charged that tens of thousands of immigrants have poured into the Marianas in the past 20 years. The flood of immigrants, many illegal, has formed the foundation of the commonwealth's booming textile industry. But it also has led to complaints of labor and civil rights abuses.
A recent federal report called the Marianas a "Chinese prov-ince" for the production of garments labeled "Made in USA."
Akaka called the islands "an international embarrassment to the United States."
The bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, takes aim at immigration policy. Aides said that approach has the best chance in Congress, where resistance to interfering in the island's economy is high.
A similar bill last year won only preliminary approval.
The state has settled a breach of contract lawsuit against a Rhode Island company that originally installed the new computer system for the Child Support Enforcement Agency. Computer firm to pay state
Network Six Inc. will pay the state $1 million over four years as part of the court settlement. It also negotiated a financial agreement with the company that took over the installation of the $35.7 million Keiki system for keeping track of child-support payments.
Network Six originally was awarded a $20 million contract for the system in 1993, but the contract was terminated in 1996 and the state child support agency hired another contractor to complete the job.
The system was originally projected to cost $11.6 million, but agency Administrator Michael Meaney blamed delays because of the switch in contractors for an increase in cost to about 2 times the original estimate
"We're glad we got this behind us. It was a fair settlement," said Cynthia Quinn, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office.
There were problems with late and missing payments when the system first went online in July, but Quinn said the Keiki system has been certified by the federal government, and the agency passed an audit last month.
22-inch snake found among nursery pots
A nonvenomous 22-inch gopher snake, recently found at the Palms of Paradise Nursery in Hilo, may have come to the Big Island from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., aboard a container filled with plastic nursery pots.The snake is being held at the state plant quarantine station until arrangements can be made to send it to an out-of-state reptile holding facility.
Law raises age for kids to be in safety seats
Children up to age 4 will have to be buckled into child safety seats as of July 1, under a bill signed into law by Gov. Ben Cayetano.Current law requires car safety seats for children until age 3.
"This bill adopts the recommendations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration," Cayetano said. "Increasing the age from 3 to 4 provides better protection to our young children since seat belts are not typically designed for their size."
The governor also signed a bill Thursday that exempts small construction projects under $250,000 from noise requirements, and one that shortens the time period from 180 days to 30 days for the Health Department to review and grant or reject properly completed applications for noise permits.
SHOPO president quits, moving to mainland
Bennie Atkinson III has resigned as president of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.Atkinson, a police lieutenant, is retiring from the Honolulu Police Department on July 1 and plans to move to the mainland.
SHOPO Vice President Dennis Kunitake will succeed Atkinson as president, and Maui Chapter chairman Michael Kaho'ohanohano is the new vice president. Both will serve until Dec. 31.
Cat adoptions made easy, inexpensive
With June dubbed Love-A-Cat month in Hawaii, the Hawaiian Humane Society offers special incentives to help more cats find new homes.Other activities are planned to help protect all cats on Oahu.
"Double adoptions" is the term for taking home two cats or kittens for one adoption fee.
Free ID tags for all cats on Oahu are offered by the Humane Society at 2700 Waialae Ave.
A $5 microchip ID also may be picked up from the society on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- and by appointment at the following veterinary clinics:
Aina Haina Pet Hospital, 373-2111; The Cat Clinic, 732-8884; East Honolulu Pet Hospital, 396-3333; Family Veterinary Clinic, 484-9070; Feather and Fur Clinic, 254-1548; Haiku Veterinary Clinic, 235-6405; Kapalama Pet Hospital, 841-2861; Newtown Veterinary Clinic, 488-3667; Pearl City Veterinary Clinic, 456-2221; The Pet Doctor, 733-8828; Waianae Veterinary Clinic, 696-4161.
Another goody is a free microchip ID with purchase of an Adopt-A-Cat T-shirt at Crazy Shirts. Buyers each receive a certificate for a cat microchip ID from the Humane Society. Also, each cat adoption from the Humane Society brings a coupon for a free T-shirt.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffSuspect being held in Hilo-area shooting
HILO -- Police were holding a 49-year-old Mountain View man in connection with the shooting death of another man in the Panaewa area of Hilo early this morning, they said.Police responded to a "shots fired" call at 1:29 a.m., police said. Officers found 37-year-old Randolph Hall of Hilo lying on the property of an Auwae Road home with several gunshot wounds.
Hall was pronounced dead at Hilo Hospital at 2:20 a.m.
The suspect was arrested at the scene and later booked for second-degree murder.
Police declined comment on the type of weapon used or recovered, a possible motive or if the men knew each other.
Man robs City Bank's Dillingham branch
Police are searching for a man who robbed City Bank in Kalihi.A man entered the Dillingham Boulevard bank at 2 p.m. and presented the teller a demand note, threatening that he had a weapon.
He then ran away with an undisclosed amount of money.
The man is described as in his 20s, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 160 pounds with a tan complexion and long black hair.
S.Kona flower-packing building burns to ground
CAPTAIN COOK, Hawaii -- A large wooden building used for packing flowers burned to the ground about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, the Fire Department said.The cause of the fire on Napoopoo Road in South Kona is under investigation.
Loss of the building was put at $250,000. Surrounding buildings valued at $200,000 were saved, the department said.
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