Millennium Moments
EARTHQUAKES in Hawaii have been fundamental in building our island chain. Island chain all shook up
Unlike other regions where seismic activity often accompanies tectonic plate shifts, most earthquakes here are linked to volcanic activity, says Paul Okubo in "Atlas of Hawaii," edited by Sonia and James Juvik.
The Big Island, in particular, has been most susceptible to such quakes in recent history since it is the youngest and most unstable of the Hawaiian Islands.
The first recorded quake of magnitude 5 or greater was in 1823 on that isle, says Okubo.
The region's largest one occurred in April 1868, in Kau, an estimated 7.9 temblor that caused a tsunami which killed 79 and wrought much damage.
Since 1918, the Hawaiian Islands have experienced 19 quakes of magnitude 6 or greater; almost all have been on or off the Big Island.
The largest one of this period -- a magnitude 7.2 -- hit at 4:47 a.m. on Nov. 29, 1975, centered at Kilauea Volcano's south flank.
Volunteers this weekend will clean up bulky trash and litter in and around Lake Wilson and the Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area. Volunteers to beautify park
The cleanup will be from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Hawaii Freshwater Fishing Association members, Schofield Barracks soldiers and other volunteers will remove rubbish using boats. The Army also will provide vehicles and hazardous materials identification experts.
Leilehua High School students and Wahiawa community organizations and residents will pick up litter from undeveloped areas of the park. They also will work on improving a trail.
To volunteer, call 586-8505.
School board gives LeMahieu thumbs up
KILAUEA, Kauai -- State School Superintendent Paul LeMahieu received a "more than satisfactory" grade last night in his first review from the state Board of Education.The board met in closed session for slightly more than an hour on LeMahieu's evaluation and then reconvened in open session. Chairman Mitsugi Nakashima of Kauai offered only brief comments.
He said the board found LeMahieu's work "outstanding" in areas such as developing new standards, meeting the requirements of the Felix consent decree requiring that the state provide education for special-needs students, and in dealing with the public.
The board was "generally pleased" with his work on developing a communications plan and modernizing the department, Nakashima said.
"I think we had a very good year, and I think we have the potential for a better year ahead" was LeMahieu's only public response.
LeMahieu came to Hawaii from Delaware in September 1998. The annual review of the superintendent by the school board is not required by law but has been conducted traditionally every fall.
Expert to help hospital align income to debt
Wahiawa General Hospital is in technical default on its special-purpose review bonds for failing to follow the bond covenants.Hospital officials said the hospital is not behind in payments. It is in technical default for not keeping up the required ratio of current income to debt payments due.
The hospital has hired a consultant to address the problem.
The bonds, issued by the state in February 1992, total $16.2 million. The state is monitoring the situation.
Military brings boulder from Okinawa to Oahu
Marines and the Navy lent a hand this week in bringing to the islands an 18-ton memorial boulder from Okinawa.It will be installed at the Hawaii Okinawa Center in Waipio Gentry and unveiled Jan. 8 to commemorate 100 years of Okinawan immigration to Hawaii. On Jan. 8, 1900, 27 Okinawans arrived in the islands.
The USS Mount Vernon transported the boulder to Kaneohe Bay, where a blessing ceremony was conducted by the Hawaii United Okinawan Association.
Blood Bank appeals for Type-O blood donations
The Blood Bank of Hawaii is seeking Type O blood donors.Dr. Julia Frohlich, Blood Bank president, said demand for this blood type has been extraordinarily high over the past few weeks.
"We are at a critical level for donors who are Type O, the universal 'giver,' and we are counting on Hawaii residents to help give the 'gift of life' so that we meet patient needs," she said.
Donors are urged to go to the Blood Bank at 2043 Dillingham Blvd. Anyone 18 or older who weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good health is eligible to donate. For more information, call 845-9966.
Businesses generating grease invited to meet
Grease is clogging the city's arteries -- its sewer lines.Businesses whose activities generate fats, oils and grease must comply with a pretreatment program. Several public meetings have been scheduled to explain the grease interceptor plan.
The city Department of Environmental Services is urging businesses involved in food preparation to attend the meetings, where the process and compliance requirements will be reviewed.
Three-hour meetings starting at 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. will begin Nov. 23 at the Neal Blaisdell Center's Maui Room.
Anyone with questions or interested in attending can contact Mike Maupin of the Department of Environmental Services at 523-4951. Registration can also be done by e-mail at MBA0059@co.honolulu.hi.us.
Massing of Colors planned at Punchbowl
Massing of the Colors takes place Nov. 11, Veterans Day, at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl.The one-hour ceremony begins at 10 a.m., hosted by the Disabled American Veterans. It will include a 21-gun salute by members of Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division (Light) from Schofield. A "missing man" formation flyover by the 199th Fighter Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard, from Hickam Air Force Base also is set.
Gene Castagnetti, cemetery director, will give the welcome; William Paty, former state official, civilian aide to the secretary of the Army and prisoner of war, will give the keynote address. The Marine Forces Pacific Band will play.
TheBus will provide park-and-ride service with buses leaving the Alapai Street express lot at 9, 9:15 and 9:30 a.m. for Punchbowl. Parking will be available at the Alapai Street lot, between King and Beretania streets, or at Honolulu Municipal Building street-level parking.
Buses will leave Punchbowl about 11:30, 11:45 and noon. Regular fares will apply. For bus information, call 523-4582.
Japanese government honors Inouye, 3 others
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and three other Japanese Americans were awarded Imperial Decorations by the government of Japan this week.Inouye earned the award for his "great contributions" toward enhancing the status of Japanese Americans, according to the Japanese Consulate in Honolulu. He created the Japanese-Americans Reparations Law and established the Japanese-American National Museum. He also has worked to improve the security alliance between Japan and the United States.
Dr. Kaoru Noda, professor and vice chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, is honored for contributing to the Japan-American friendship by supporting Japanese foreign students.
Dr. Glenn Masunaga, president of the Hawaii State Dental Association, is recognized for promoting the relationship between Japan and the United States in the dental field.
Hisako Nishimura, an employee of the Japanese Consulate in Honolulu for 40 years, received the award for managing problems regarding Japanese-American registration and nationality.
Kauai awarded grant for disaster prevention
Kauai County will receive a $300,000 grant to participate in a nationwide effort to prevent damage and loss of life caused by natural disasters.The Federal Emergency Management Agency selected Kauai to join nearly 200 communities in Project Impact: Building Disaster-Resistant Communities.
"During the past seven years, Kauai County has been extremely active in ... retrofitting essential facilities, hardening of public buildings for emergency shelters, and public awareness programs," Gov. Ben Cayetano said.
"For taking these disaster prevention actions, Kauai was asked to participate as a Project Impact community."
This disaster prevention program encourages communities to assess risks from natural hazards and to implement strategies and actions that will limit damage before disaster strikes again.
Hawaii and Maui counties had been previously selected by FEMA to participate in the initiative.
"Project Impact looks forward to working with Hawaii to help Kauai County and other communities in Hawaii to save lives and protect property, businesses and vital community services," FEMA Director James L. Witt said.
Company donates van to Puna transit service
PAHOA, Hawaii -- The Hawaii Electric Light Co. has donated a 15-passenger van to the nonprofit Puna Jitney Service, the State Volunteer Services office announced.The service provides transportation for students in afterschool projects at Pahoa School, in a rural Big Island area, where distances are great and public transportation is nonexistent.
The service is expanding to senior citizens and others needing medical and social help, State Volunteer Services said.
This is the third van owned by the jitney service. Two vans were purchased previously with federal grants.
The jitney service was started by the Economic Opportunity Council in 1998 and is now run by the Hawaii Island YMCA. AmeriCorps volunteers and others serve as drivers.
Hawaiian cooperative store focus of exhibit
The native Hawaiian cooperative store of a Hawaiian sovereignty movement has caught the fancy of Japan's National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka.A reproduction of Hale Ku'ai's small Hau'ula storefront will be exhibited in the Oceania Gallery as an example of economic activity of indigenous Hawaiians.
The co-op is the national store of Ka Lahui Hawai'i and sells native Hawaiian products made by native Hawaiians. The works of about 50 Hawaiians will be included in the exhibit.
After discovering Hale Ku'ai's Internet site, museum anthropologist Akitoshi Shimizu showed up at the store last December.
Shimizu said, "When Hawaiians emphasize their ethnic identity in their business activities, they are proposing a Hawaiian model of economy, an alternative to the dominant system of capitalism."
The revamped Oceania Gallery will open March 2001.
Community hospital system changes afoot
A plan to make Hawaii's community hospital system self-sufficient was recently launched by Hawaii Health Systems Corp."In addition to reducing losses over the past two years, we've enhanced our services to generate new revenue while providing new community services," said Thomas M. Driskill, president and chief executive officer.
But Driskill said there is a long way to go before the system is self-sufficient.
The following seven-point plan has been devised:
Establish neighbor island Medicare and Medicaid critical access hospitals.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Police charge suspect in Waianae sex assault
Police charged a 37-year-old man yesterday in connection with the sexual assault of a woman at her Waianae home.Wesley Damas was charged with first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault and first-degree burglary, police said. He is being held on $25,000 bail.
Police said he reportedly broke into the woman's home on Oct. 26 and assaulted her.
He was arrested Wednesday by undercover units.
Pedestrian in Kailua hit by car, hospitalized
A 52-year-old man was critically injured last night when he was struck by a car while crossing the street in Kailua.The man was crossing Oneawa Street, about 100 yards south of Kihapai Street, when he was struck by the car at 9:25 p.m., police said.
The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk and appeared to be intoxicated, according to witnesses.
He was taken to Castle Hospital, then transferred to Queen's Hospital.
The driver, a 25-year-old woman, was not seriously injured.
Earlier yesterday, a 55-year-old man was struck by a drunken driver while crossing the street in Waikiki. A woman, 26, was arrested for investigation of drunken driving and hit-and-run.
