Millennium Moments
OVER the past century, death rates have shifted dramatically. Death rates have dropped as medical discoveries improved public health and better living conditions diminished threats like foreign diseases, famine and high infant mortality, says Robert Schmitt in "Atlas of Hawaii," edited by Sonia and James Juvik. Death rates down in past 100 years
Epidemics in Hawaii became rarer, a far cry from an earlier era when they killed about 15,000 in 1904; some 10,000 in 1848-49; 6,800 in 1853; and 1,700 in 1918-20.
Seven decades ago, in 1925, the leading causes of death in Hawaii were flu and pneumonia, causing 13.8 percent of all deaths; and tuberculosis, 9.5 percent.
By 1993, however, both of those causes had fallen off. Instead, heart disease had grown into the leading cause of death, 30.5 percent; malignant neoplasms, or cancer, 23.8 percent; and cerebrovascular disease, 7.6 percent.
In contrast, heart disease caused just 7.9 percent of deaths in 1925, and cancers, only 5 percent.
Pearl Harbor-based sub straddles dateline
AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Its bow in one year, its stern in another, the USS Topeka marked the new millennium 400 feet beneath the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean.The Pearl Harbor-based Navy submarine straddled the line, meaning that at midnight, one end was in 2000 while the other was still in 1999.
The 360-foot-long sub, which was 2,100 miles from Honolulu, straddled the equator at the same time, meaning it was in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
Some of the 130 crew members were in winter in the north, while others were in summer in the south.
Paralegal receives national award
Nohea Nakaahiki has become the first Hawaii paralegal to win the national Five Star Paralegal of the Year Award.A panel of legal community leaders selected Nakaahiki, of the Honolulu law firm of Carlsmith Ball, from more than 4,000 nominees representing law firms, corporations and government entities.
The Los Angeles-based Five Star Legal & Compliance Systems honored Nakaahiki this month at a special luncheon in Sacramento.
Nakaahiki, a maritime, litigation and transactional paralegal, is the author of "Paralegals: More than Meets the Eye."
She has served as president of the Hawaiian Paralegal Association and regularly volunteers for the Hawaii State Bar Association's Ask-A-Lawyer Hotline.
New road provides access to Kailua shops
A new temporary access road allows patrons to enter the Kailua Beach Center from the beach area despite nearby construction.Tenants said business was down significantly since Dec. 6 because of a sewer line project that turned an adjacent section of Kailua Road into a one-way, one-lane route.
The city is also considering the tenants' request for steel plates to cover pits in the road when work is not being done.
Golf tee time system is working again
Golfers once again can call in to reserve a tee time at city courses, now that a broken cable has been repaired.The automated system, off-line for four days, was fixed late yesterday.
The Ala Wai and Ewa Villages golf courses will be open on New Year's Day.
UPDATE
The Kokua Mau Work Center was flooded with so many gifts and donations following last week's burglary, it is sharing some with other Waimano Home programs for mentally and developmentally challenged people. ‘Thanks so much’
Kokua Mau received hundreds of gifts -- including T-shirts, cameras, radios, wristwatches, jewelry -- and more than $3,000 following a Star-Bulletin story about someone breaking into their center and stealing 35 presents from underneath their Christmas tree.
More than 200 donations came from Hawaii and the mainland, said Yvonne Angut, the center's executive director. And donations were still coming in as of Tuesday.
"I really can't believe it," she said. "Thank you so much."
Extra presents will also be used for upcoming birthdays for the 106 workers at the center, Angut said.
The extra money will go to replace damaged furniture and other items at the center.
Jaymes K. Song, Star-Bulletin
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Man allegedly points gun at wife's boyfriend
Police arrested a man for allegedly putting a handgun to the head of his estranged wife's boyfriend at an Ala Moana apartment.The suspect went to his wife's Kahakai Drive apartment on Wednesday to pick up his son and found the woman's boyfriend in the bedroom, police said. The husband and wife are separated.
He then went to his car to get his gun, police said. He returned and pointed the handgun at the boyfriend's temple but his mother-in-law intervened and stopped him from shooting, police said.
The suspect was arrested for first-degree terroristic threatening.
Nanakuli brush fire damages pawn shop
Sparklers are believed to be the cause of a Nanakuli rubbish fire last night that also damaged the rear of the Dollar Store Pawn Shop at 87-2102-D Farrington Highway, fire officials said.Crackling sounds were heard about 20 minutes after three youngsters playing with sparklers left the area, they said.
Structural loss was estimated at $10,000, with damage to contents set at $2,000. No one was hurt.
Bicyclist injured while trying to cross highway
A bicyclist was taken to Queen's Hospital in critical condition yesterday after being struck by a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a 75-year-old man, police said.The 4:30 p.m. accident occurred at Farrington Highway and Awalau Street in Waipahu. Investigators said the bicyclist, 45, was crossing the highway, when he was struck.
Two teens caught after alleged purse thefts
Police arrested two teen-age boys for purse snatching.The boys, 15 and 16, grabbed purses from two women near Poakalani Avenue in Waikiki on Wednesday night at 11:48 p.m., police said. One woman suffered minor injuries.
Police found the boys at Jefferson Elementary School. They were arrested for second-degree theft and second-degree robbery.
Murderer's accomplice held on new charges
WAILUKU -- A preliminary hearing will be held Monday for Jennifer Biho, formerly known as Jennifer Kong, charged with possession of crystal methamphetamine and other offenses.When arrested this week Biho, 20, was on five years probation for her role in the 1997 murder of Aisha Tolentino, 17, of Lanai. Biho was released on probation after spending nearly two years in jail.
Biho's boyfriend in 1997, Daniel Kosi, was convicted of stabbing Tolentino to death after taking her hostage when police surrounded the place where he was hiding.
Kosi is serving eight life terms for the two murders. Biho received a reduced sentence for testifying against him.
Police said Biho was arrested Tuesday when officers found her and Aaron Yamashita, 35, with the methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a gun, and about $7,900.
In other news ...
Police are searching for a gunman who robbed a Union 76 gas station in Kailua last night .
