Millennium Moments
FLASH back to 1959 -- what a banner year for news. Big year
The biggie, of course, was statehood for Hawaii after decades of talk, attempts and congressional hearings and votes.
U.S. Senate approval for Hawaii as America's 50th state came on March 11, followed by the House on March 12, then signing of the law by President Eisenhower on March 18.
In June, a plebiscite of Hawaii residents approved the move, and Hawaii's first-ever general election was held July 28. The people voted in Republican William F. Quinn as the state's first governor; Oren Long and Hiram L. Fong as their U.S. senators; and Daniel K. Inouye as U.S. representative.
On Aug. 21, Admission Day was proclaimed.
As a compact of statehood, the United States transferred former Hawaiian Government and Crown lands to the state of Hawaii, and placed the land in a public trust.
Also in 1959:
The State General Plan, the first such in the nation, recommended a land classification system.
HILO -- The trial of Albert Ian Schweitzer for the alleged sexual assault of a preschool girl in 1992-94 has been postponed to May 22. Second Schweitzer trial delayed
Schweitzer, 28, is better known as a suspect in the 1991 murder of Big Island newcomer Dana Ireland. The present case is not connected to the Ireland case.
Judge Riki May Amano was forced to postpone the trial yesterday because it conflicted with a civil trial regarding police officers that began yesterday.
Amano scheduled the sex case to begin after Schweitzer's trial in the Ireland case, set to begin Nov. 15, and after his brother Shawn's March 6 trial for Ireland's death.
A third suspect in Ireland's death, Frank Pauline Jr., was found guilty and is to be sentenced Oct. 14.
Vicky Cayetano works to stop illegal drinking
First lady Vicky Cayetano has called on parents to help stop underage drinking.The first lady will appear in a 30-second TV spot in coming weeks to urge parents to talk with their kids about problems and responsibilities associated with alcohol.
She became involved with the campaign through an invitation from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to co-chair the Leadership Committee of Governors' Spouses. The committee is developing the "Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free" initiative, which will address underage alcohol use nationwide.
No sharks sighted but box jellyfish show up
No shark sightings were reported off Waikiki yesterday after a number were reported in recent days, but box jellyfish showed up along beaches at Waikiki, Ala Moana and the Hilton Hawaiian Village.It amounted to an average infestation, which happens about once a month, a city water safety spokesman said.
Box jellyfish were expected along the shoreline in the same spots again today, he said.
Man with heart failure being airlifted to Oahu
U.S. Coast Guard crews departed for Christmas Island this morning to airlift a 76-year-old man from a cruise ship to Queen's Hospital.The Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane will pick up the man and his wife from the Norwegian Wind and transport them to Queen's back in Honolulu.
The man, who is suffering from congestive heart failure, is in stable but serious condition.
State flags flown at half-staff for Morita
Gov. Ben Cayetano ordered state flags flown at half-staff until sunset today in honor of Sony Corp. co-founder and part-time Hawaii resident Akio Morita.Morita died in Tokyo Sunday.
"Hawaii will always be particularly grateful to Akio Morita for his generous contributions to education and the arts," Cayetano said.
WAILUKU -- A red-footed booby taken in after a stormy flight from Oahu to Alaska has left a refuge on Maui and returned to the sky with new feathers. Update
Booby flies again
It was in August that the captain of a yacht sailing to Kodiak turned the seabird over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after completing his voyage, saying the bird had followed him all the way from Oahu.
Suffering from exposure to the cold, the bird was taken to Anchorage, and after an initial period of recuperation was returned to Hawaii.
Maui veterinarian Greg Massey said the booby's feathers were in bad shape when it arrived at the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex about five weeks ago.
While taking antibiotics and other drugs for a respiratory infection, the booby also molted.
Massey said the bird, with a wingspan of at least 4 feet, was taken Friday to windy Hookipa.
"He kind of stood on a rock for a while, flapped his feathers to check out the wind, then finally took off," said Massey.
Gary Kubota, Star-Bulletin
Corrections
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Big Isle man charged in co-worker stabbing
HILO -- A 34-year-old Keaau man has been charged with attempted murder in the stabbing of fellow employee yesterday at a Sears Service Center in the industrial area off Kanoelehua Avenue, police said.Drew K. Shintani is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Responding to an 8:07 a.m. call, police found that the victim, 29-year-old Jeffrey Tosi of Mountain View, had been stabbed three times with a 5-inch hunting knife, they said. Tosi is listed in guarded condition after surgery yesterday.
Fire Department paramedics said the victim was found on the floor, still conscious, with stab wounds in his back.
Skeleton identified from dental records
KAILUA-KONA -- Police have identified a man whose skeleton was found in a remote area of Kailua-Kona Saturday as Dean Cunningham, 50, of Kailua-Kona, they said.Cunningham was identified through dental records. An autopsy was unable to determine the cause of death, but there was no sign of foul play.
The skeleton was found on a back street by a person looking for rocks to build a wall.
Drug center escapee arrested at shelter
A man who escaped Friday from the Hina Mauka Drug Treatment Center was arrested yesterday at a homeless shelter, Honolulu police said.The escapee, 36, was found at the Institute for Homeless Services at 4:30 p.m.
Maui officials probe cause of Kula fire
WAILUKU -- Maui fire officials are investigating the cause of a brush fire that burned 15 acres in Kula and partially damaged a house and a vehicle.The fire near Nalae Road caused an estimated $30,000 in damages to the home of Henry Rice and between $500 to $1,000 in damages to a vehicle belonging to an unknown owner, said county Assistant Fire Chief Donald Moniz.
Moniz said the fire was reported shortly before 3 p.m. yesterday and brought under control at 7:38 p.m. Fire fighters left the scene at 11 last night..
