Nobel Peace Prize recipient Lech Walesa, former president of Poland, will speak at an Oct. 2 luncheon to launch the Art Rutledge Endowment for the Center for Labor Education and Research at the University of Hawaii's West Oahu Campus. Walesa to speak at Oct. 2 luncheon
Unity House President Tony Rutledge established the endowment honoring his father, a Hawaii labor leader for 50 years before his death in 1997. He gave $250,000 to the university last month, with plans to raise an additional $750,000 to support the labor studies program at West Oahu.
Rutledge said Walesa, who founded the anti-Communist Solidarity movement among Polish workers, was invited as speaker because Art Rutledge was born in Poland.
Tickets to the Oct. 2 fund-raiser at the Hilton Hawaiian Village are $60 per person. Tables are being sold at $2,500 for platinum sponsor, $1,500 for gold sponsor and $1,000 for silver sponsor.
Besides the Rutledge endowment, proceeds of the event will be used to set up a scholarship fund for the labor education program which is already established at the UH-Manoa campus.
Rutledge's co-chairmen for the event are William Pearman, chancellor of the UH-West Oahu campus, and former state Gov. John Waihee.
Millennium Moments
THE dynamic growth of the sugar industry, from the 1870s to the 1930s, forever changed Hawaii in many ways, including lifestyle, labor and land use. Sweet industry
One major reason for this dynamic expansion: the formation of the Planters' Labor and Supply Co. in 1882 by growers to tackle common issues like crop diseases, machinery and cane haul roads. In 1895, this group became the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association.
Among the HSPA's first actions, according to "A History of Hawaii" by Linda Menton and Eileen Tamura, was to start a downtown laboratory to find ways to make sugar successful and profitable. It then began experimental plantings in Makiki, where it moved its lab in 1900.
After 74 years there, HSPA sold its site to the city, which made it into Makiki Park.
With its staff of scientists and engineers, HSPA improved most aspects of sugar production and brought Hawaii world-renown in the industry, say Menton and Tamura. Its expertise boosted sugar production here from 289,544 tons in 1900, to 556,871 tons in 1920, to 1 million tons in 1932.
Princess Sayako will visit Big Isle telescope
Japan's Princess Sayako said she looks forward to gazing into space when she visits Hawaii to attend ceremonies honoring the completion of a telescope developed by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.The princess will leave Japan Sept. 12 on a nine-day visit to the islands of Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii, where the Subaru telescope is located. Work began on the $300 million optical and infrared telescope in 1991, and it is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Sayako -- the only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko -- will also attend a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of The Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship. The scholarship was set up by the emperor in 1959 when the imperial couple got married.
UH files countersuit over cloning technique
The University of Hawaii has countersued UH researcher Anthony Perry, involved in a historic cloning of mice, who claims patents on related discoveries belong to him.In July, Perry filed a lawsuit claiming the university sold rights to market his transgenesis technology without his consent. The technique allows scientists to transfer genetic information from one organism into the egg of another.
In the counterclaim filed yesterday, the university says Perry violated the trade secrets act by sharing confidential information on laboratory work.
Perry joined City Councilman John Henry Felix to form a company to market the technology.
"Such actions on the part of Perry and Felix constitute civil conspiracy to cause damage to UH," the counterclaim says.
Roadblocks will be up over holiday weekend
Drinking driver checkpoints go up from tonight through Tuesday over the Labor Day weekend.The Honolulu Police Department roadblocks will be in effect at unannounced times and locations.
Police say 31 people have died as a result of 29 traffic accidents on Oahu this year, compared with 43 deaths from 42 traffic collisions at the same time last year.
Newcomer to Hawaii stole welfare benefits
A woman arrived in Hawaii April 1, 1997, paid $910,000 for a Waialae Iki home April 8, enrolled her child in a private school April 16 and applied for welfare two days later.She has been found guilty of second-degree theft for stealing more than $12,000 in fraudulent welfare benefits.
Circuit Judge Sandra Simms, who heard Lisa Gouw's no contest plea Tuesday, placed her on five years probation, ordered her to repay the $12,000 -- which she paid-- fined her $6,000 and ordered Gouw to perform 300 hours of community service at local shelters for the homeless.
Johnnie Cochran Jr. will address ACLU bash
California attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr., known for his involvement in high-profile cases such as the O.J. Simpson murder trial, will speak at the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii awards dinner Oct. 9.Six people will be honored for their advocacy work at the event. They are Jackie Young of Protect Our Constitution; attorneys Shelby Floyd and Eric Seitz, whose efforts in the Felix case got educational services for public school children with special needs; and Norman Bode, Frances Viglielmo and Irene Du Pont, for their volunteer service to the community.
Tickets for the banquet, at Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, will be $135 each, of which $108 is tax deductible. For reservations, call the ACLU office at 522-5900.
Nature society co-sponsoring event on Maui
The fourth annual Earth Maui Nature Summit will showcase Hawaii's natural environment and indigenous culture this month.Sponsored by the County of Maui and Kapalua Nature Society, "Hawaii's Treasured Islands" will be held Sept. 18-26. The event will focus on the state's current and future efforts to protect and preserve the land and sea.
Activities include countywide ecotours like the state's exclusive hike to the Pu'u Kukui Rainforest Preserve. Winners will be selected by a random drawing.
There also will be an ecoeducational golf tournament, a 1-mile fun swim at Kapalua Bay, a 5-kilometer run, tree-planting and reef cleanups, environmental writing and photography workshops, and interactive adventures for children at the Hawaii Nature Center. Some events charge fees.
For a program and more information, call the Kapalua Nature Society at (800) KAPALUA or (808) 669-0244.
Correction
Pali Kaaihue's last name was misspelled in yesterday's "What Price Paradise?" special section.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Police seeking witnesses to stabbing in Halawa
Police are asking the public's assistance in locating a witness to Wednesday's stabbing at a bus stop in Halawa.A 36-year-old man was sitting at the bus stop near Halawa Housing at 7 p.m. A 35-year-old man grabbed him from behind and demanded money, police said. A struggle ensued and the suspect allegedly stabbed the man.
The suspect was arrested, but detectives need witnesses to complete the investigation. Witnesses can call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Fire guts Niu Valley home; two others damaged
Fire yesterday gutted a Niu Valley home at 5547 Pia St., causing an estimated $230,000 damage to structure and contents.In addition, total exposure damage to two adjacent homes was estimated at $4,500, says Fire Department spokesman Capt. Richard Soo.
Four engine and two ladder companies responded to the 3:38 p.m. call and had the blaze under control at 3:52 p.m. A woman, 69, asleep in the garage studio of the home, awoke to find the rear of the main house in flames, Soo said. She went into the burning house for a cat but was unable to find it.
Brush fire on Molokai forces home evacuations
MOLOKAI -- Families from three homes were evacuated yesterday, as a brush fire burned some 100 acres of land at Hoolehua on Molokai.Assistant Fire Chief Alan Cordeiro said county firefighters who received the call at 3:53 p.m. were still trying to control the blaze this morning.Cordeiro said no houses were burned .
Two teen-age brothers missing since Aug. 2
HILO -- Police are asking for the public's help in locating two teen-age brothers missing from their home for a month.Jason Smith, 16, and Franklin Makaimoku, 13, were last seen at home in Keaau Aug. 2, police said.
Smith is 5 feet 6 inches tall, 145 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. Makaimoku is 5 feet 2 inches tall, 115 pounds,with short black hair and brow eyes.
Anyone with information can call police at 961-2278 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
