Millennium Moments
The City and County of Honolulu elected its first mayor -- Democrat Joseph James Fern -- in November 1908. But it would be 60 years later before the neighbor-island counties would get their own mayors. First mayors
In 1905, the Territorial Legislature created for each county an elected Board of Supervisors, each headed by a chairman, according to "Firsts and Almost Firsts in Hawai'i" by Robert C. Schmitt. With Fern's election as mayor, Oahu County was redesignated the City and County of Honolulu.
In 1969, the neighbor islands finally installed their first mayors, all of them Democrats: Shunichi Kimura on the Big Island; Antone K. Vidinha on Kauai; and Elmer F. Cravalho on Maui.
Maj. Gen James T. Hill, outgoing commander of the 25th Infantry Division, was to receive his third star today and depart to become the commanding general of the Army's I Corps at Fort Lewis in Washington state. Ward takes command of
25th Division as Hill departsReplacing Hill, who came to Hawaii in 1997, is Maj. Gen. William E. Ward. Ward received the division's colors at the Schofield Barracks change-of-command ceremony today.
Ward comes to the 15,000-member division from Egypt, where he served as chief of the Office of Military Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
He commanded a battalion in Alaska while serving with the 6th Infantry.
While a brigade commander with the 10th Mountain Division, Ward's unit was the first to enter Somalia as part of Operation Restore Hope, the African humanitarian relief mission.
Man-of-war invasion closes Kauai beaches
LIHUE -- A Portuguese man-of-war invasion caused by strong tradewinds has forced the closure of more than seven miles of beach along Kauai's east shore. Beaches at several popular parks may remain closed for the Labor Day holiday weekend.Signs were posted from Kealia Beach to Lydgate Park Beach yesterday. Included in the closure are Kapaa County Beach Park and resorts in the Kapaa area. Kaleo Hookano of the county Parks and Recreation Division said there were no reports of stings, but he said lifeguards yesterday were cleaning up large numbers of beached animals.
Isle youngsters qualify for free vaccinations
Hawaii children ages 6 through 18 can qualify for free vaccines starting today through Aug. 31, 2000, under the Hawaii Immunization Teen Vax project, state officials said.The project will allow important vaccines such as Hepatitis B, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), chicken pox, and Td (tetanus and diptheria) to be provided free to physicians, hospitals and clinics in Hawaii, said state Health Director Bruce Anderson. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has awarded Hawaii $1.2 million for the immunization project. These shots are recommended by the center as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"Children who begin a vaccination series during this period will be permitted to complete the series according to the recommended schedule," Anderson said. "Many of these vaccines are required first entry into schools in Hawaii."
Parents can call their health plan for more information or call the Hawaii Immunization Program at 586-8332.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Elderly woman beaten by man at nursing home
A 52-year-old man was arrested yesterday for beating an 82-year-old woman with a wooden cane at a Waipahu nursing home, police said.The two started arguing at 4:30 p.m inside their Akihiloa Street care home, police said.
A caregiver separated them but returned and found the man yelling and the elderly woman on the floor.
The woman was taken to Queen's Hospital with several bruises to her face and head and may also have multiple fractures, police said. She was in critical condition this morning.
Man, 19, under arrest in ex-girlfriend's kidnap
Charges are pending against a 19-year-old man who allegedly kidnapped his former girlfriend Sunday night from the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store in Waipahu.Patrol officers arrested the suspect Monday in Kalihi at 6:25 a.m., about seven hours after the incident was reported.
A police auto-theft detective spotted the suspect's van parked at Kapalama Avenue and Palapala Place near Kapalama School and reported the location.
The girl, 17, had bruises and contusions to her left eye and neck but was not seriously injured, police said.
Police recovered two glass smoking pipes with residue that reportedly tested positive as illegal drugs.
Kaimuki bank robbed by 5-foot-4-inch man in 20s
Police were looking for a man who robbed the Bank of Hawaii Kaimuki branch this morning at 8:45 a.m.The suspect passed a demand note to a teller. No weapon was seen, police said.
The suspect fled on foot.
He is described as in his early 20s, about 5 feet, 4 inches tall with a medium build.
He was wearing a white baseball cap and a beige flannel plaid shirt.
Woman arrested in armed robbery of ABC Store
Police arrested a 42-year-old woman in connection with the armed robbery of an ABC Store at 2301 Kuhio Ave. at 10:59 p.m. last night.The woman was apprehended in Kalihi, and the money was recovered.
Coke bust nets $10,000 worth of crack, powder
HILO -- Two men, a woman and a girl were arrested yesterday for possession of cocaine at a house in Paauilo north of Hilo, police said.Officers recovered an ounce of crack cocaine and an ounce and a half of powdered cocaine, with a total street value of $10,000.
They also seized $1,000 in cash.
The suspects were released pending further investigation.
The Courts
Suit filed in effort to protect 4 species
A conservation group has filed suit in federal court to save rare Hawaiian invertebrates.The Center for Biological Diversity, represented by Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, filed yesterday against Bruce Babbitt, secretary of the Interior, and Jamie Clark, director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to protect four rare species -- Blackburn's sphinx moth, Newcomb's snail, the Kauai cave wolf spider and the Kauai cave amphipod -- under the Endangered Species Act.
The suit says Fish and Wildlife indicated in 1997 it would list these species as threatened and endangered but did not list them within a required one-year time limit.
Passenger accused of unruly behavior
The FBI has filed a criminal complaint in U.S. District Court against a passenger on a Japan-to-Honolulu flight who allegedly assaulted and threatened flight crew members.FBI Special Agent Mark Mahon, in his affidavit filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, said passenger Seth Waterhouse was aboard Continental Flight 908 en route from Narita to Honolulu yesterday when he allegedly began to harass passengers and flight crew members, who then refused to serve him more alcoholic beverages.
Mahon said Waterhouse allegedly made threatening gestures when he was denied more alcoholic beverages. The defendant also is accused of smoking in one of the airplane's lavatories, which is against federal law.
High court allows attorneys to resign
The state Supreme Court has granted the requests of three attorneys to resign from the practice of law in lieu of discipline, including a former candidate for Honolulu prosecutor.Resigning effective Sept. 27 were Gordon Bronson, 54, Reinhard Mohr, 57, and Sandy C. McKee, 41. Documents that set forth factual allegations against the attorneys are confidential.
Bronson, who was admitted to the Hawaii bar in 1973, was a candidate for prosecutor in 1980 but withdrew from the race a few days before the primary election. His name remained on the ballot, and he finished a distant second to Charles Marsland, who went on to win the general election.
Bronson was suspended from law practice in 1985 after his conviction in federal court for making false statements to a grand jury and for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
He was sentenced to two years in prison and released after serving more than a year. After filing for reinstatement in 1991, Bronson was readmitted to the bar in 1993.
Mohr, admitted to the bar in 1976, is a former executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii. He ran into difficulties in 1984 when he was charged with two drug counts, accused of giving small amounts of cocaine to a police informant. The charges were dismissed.
Justices suspend 3 from practice of law
The Hawaii Supreme Court has suspended attorneys William H. Elkner and Eugene P. Ventayen from the practice of law, effective last Friday.The court said the suspensions were for their separate failures to cooperate with Office of Disciplinary Counsel investigations of their conduct in six cases and three cases, respectively.
Elkner and Ventayen will remain suspended until further notice as investigations continue.
The court also issued a restraining order to enjoin attorney S. Jay Matsumaru from the practice of law effective last Friday, following his recent federal convictions for wire fraud and visa fraud.
