IOLANI Palace is the only royal palace in the United States. Home of kings
It first was built in 1845 on land formerly occupied by a heiau, and was home to Kamehameha III, IV and V, and King Lunalilo. The current palace, on the same site, was built by King Kalakaua in 1879. Australian architect T.J. Baker called the structure "American Florentine."
On Feb. 12, 1883, Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani held a coronation celebration, in the style of European royalty, at the grounds' bandstand to mark the ninth year of their reign.
Safety restraints not used
By Gary T. Kubota, Maui correspondent
in fatal Maui crashesWAILUKU -- An infant and a man who died in separate motor vehicle accidents within 24 hours of each other on Maui were not wearing safety restraints, traffic investigator Jamie Becraft said.
"It would have given them a better chance of survival," Becraft said.
Shawn M. Russell, 21, of Kihei died yesterday after the vehicle he was driving on Piilani Highway toward Maalaea crossed the center line and collided with another vehicle going in the opposite direction.
In a separate accident Monday, a 2-month-old girl carried by her grandmother died after the van they were riding in failed to yield to traffic in Haiku.
The grandmother, Shirley Medeiros, was listed in critical condition yesterday at Maui Memorial Medical Center.
Becraft said the van carrying the infant had a child seat but it was not being used at the time of the crash. A 4-month-old child who was in a child safety seat in the other vehicle survived without injury, he said.
In the south Maui crash, Russell also wasn't wearing his seat belt, he added.
The driver of the other vehicle in that crash, Renato P. Romero, 25, of Kihei was upgraded from critical to serious condition at Maui Memorial yesterday. His passenger, Brookie Reilly, 19, also of Kihei, was listed in critical condition.
Becraft said the two were wearing only their shoulder harnesses and not their lap belts.
3rd isle Marine ousted over anthrax shots
By Gregg K. Kakesako, Star-BulletinPvt. 1st Class Roman Lezo, a helicopter mechanic who has refused three orders to take the military's mandatory anthrax immunization shots, has become the third Kaneohe Marine to be discharged for failing to take the anthrax inoculations.
To date, five island service members -- three Marines, one Air Force airman and one Pearl Harbor sailor -- have been discharged over the anthrax inoculations.
Lezo, 20, was supposed to face a special court-martial on July 23 at Kaneohe Bay.
Lezo of Sherman Oaks, Calif., was charged with two counts of disobeying an order to take the shots and dereliction of duty because of his actions.
There also was another charge of disrespect to a noncommissioned officer in an incident that is unrelated to the anthrax case.
Lezo had been demoted in rank, had his pay docked, given extra duty and restricted to his barracks because of his refusal.
His father, Roman Lezo Sr., said his son is hoping to go to college and work part-time after his discharge becomes effective.
A total of 14 Kaneohe Marines have refused to be immunized.
The military maintains that the vaccination is safe and approved by the Food and Drug Administration and has been in use since 1970.
Critics believe more testing is needed and question the need for mandatory inoculations.
Maui orders 10% cut in water use
WAILUKU -- Maui County officials today declared a drought warning requiring a 10 percent reduction in water use for Valley Isle residents living in areas from Kanaio to Haiku. There is a 30-day reprieve for farmers.The county water department said the reservoir level at Piiholo is less than half of its 50 million-gallon capacity and that the forecast is for continuing dry weather.
Molokai Airport getting share of funds for projects
Molokai Airport will receive $1.17 million to improve its terminal access road and parking lots.The funds are part of $11.5 million the governor released in April for more than 60 construction projects, according to an announcement from his office yesterday.
The projects generally will improve highways, airports and schools, and more than $2 million has been earmarked for improvements to public libraries.
Hilo International Airport will get $2.25 million for baggage-claim relocation and roof replacement. Hilo's State Office Building will receive $1 million to replace its air conditioning system.
In another project, $955,000 will go to construction of rockfall protection along Honoaiilani Highway on Maui.
Heptachlor can accumulate in cucumbers -- state
Cucumbers grown on former pineapple and some sugar lands can accumulate levels of heptachlor epoxide exceeding federal limits, the state Departments of Health and Agriculture said today.Health risks from eating contaminated cucumbers are insignificant, DOH toxicologists said. But farmers and homeowners are advised not to plant vegetables in soil treated with heptachlor.
Two samples of Japanese cucumbers were found to contain heptachlor epoxide at levels above federal standards in the past 15 months. Heptachlor was used to attack termites in urban areas and to control ants in fields. State Health Director Bruce Anderson said, "This advisory is a precautionary measure and consumers can feel confident that eating locally grown vegetables is safe."
Cayetano will chair Western governors
Gov. Ben Cayetano has been elected chairman of the Western Governors' Association, an independent nonprofit organization representing the governors of 18 states.The association allows the Western governors to identify and address key issues.
Cayetano today leaves for a family vacation. Sunday, he will deliver the commencement address at the University of California at Los Angeles, College of Letters and Science.
Cayetano returns to Hawaii next Wednesday.
Correction
The name of the infant who died in a traffic accident Monday in Haiku, Maui, was incorrectly reported in a story yesterday. Police have declined to release the name of the 2-month-old infant.
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffAuthorities charge man with burglary of 6 homes
Police charged a 28-year-old man in connection with the burglaries of six homes.John E. Abraham was charged yesterday with six counts of burglary, police said. He is being held on $90,000 bail.
Police said fingerprints from the homes matched Abraham's.
Woman allegedly threated to kill with kitchen knife
A 39-year-old Pearl City woman was charged yesterday for allegedly threatening to kill a man with a kitchen knife.Cynthia Arrington was charged with first-degree terroristic threatening, police said. She is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Arrington reportedly threatened to kill the man while pointing a kitchen knife at him Monday morning, police said.
Police want information on child-stealing woman
Local authorities are seeking information about a 32-year-old woman who is wanted in Oklahoma for child stealing.Jeannie Kay Pullin is believed to be traveling with her boyfriend, Kelly Adam Kress, 31, and three children, all with the surname Pullin -- Kaysi, 13, Ramee, 10, and Kristina, 8.
Airline tickets allegedly purchased with a stolen credit card indicate they may be in Hawaii.
Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI office on Oahu at 521-1411; the Maui police juvenile unit at 808-244-6480, or Missing Child Center-Hawaii at 753-9797.
Two firefighters treated after fighting brush fire
WAILUKU -- A firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and another for a bruise to his chest from a fire hose while battling a blaze that burned about 40 acres of brush and sugarcane in south Maui.Assistant Fire Chief Alan Cordeiro said the two injured firefighters were not hospitalized.
Cordeiro said the fire, which began at 11:06 a.m. yesterday came as close as 300-yards from homes near Kaiwahine Street. It took nearly seven hours before firefighters brought the fire under control.
He said fire officials have not determined the cause of the fire or a damage estimate. The blaze burned about a quarter acre of sugarcane owned by Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
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