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No problems reported in Chevron gas release
There were no reports of health problems caused by the release of toxic gas yesterday from the Chevron oil refinery at Campbell Industrial Park.About 462 pounds of sulfur trioxide and 17 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released when Chevron's sulfuric acid plant shut down at 2:50 p.m., said Bill Perry of the Health Department's Hazardous Evaluation and Emergency Response office.
A stiff wind helped carry the emissions high into the atmosphere, where they apparently dissipated, Perry said.
Fire Department spokesman Capt. Richard Soo said a large buffer of barren land separating the plant from the Honokai Hale housing subdivision also helped prevent wider exposure.
Checks of Honokai Hale, the Ihilani Resort, Makakilo and Kapolei areas detected no problems.
"We had an upset in one of our acid plants and lost circulation in the pumps, forcing us to shut the plant down," said Tom Simons, technical manager of the Chevron refinery. "When we did that, we had to have a release."
Simons said the release lasted less than five minutes.
Chevron followed standard safety procedures and notified the proper officials before conducting its own air monitoring tests, said Simons.
There’s Someone In Here!
Oahu Vietnam veterans group meets in June
The newly formed Oahu chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America will hold its next meeting at 1:30 p.m. June 3.The VVA is the only congressionally chartered veteran's group dedicated exclusively to addressing the concerns of Vietnam veterans. Membership is open to all who were on active duty from Aug. 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, and in-country Vietnam veterans between Feb. 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975.
Meetings will be held the first Saturday of each month at the Center for Aging, Building 110, Jarrett White Road, Tripler Army Medical Center.
Newly-appointed officers are Wendell Hosea, president; Michael L. Bradshaw, vice president; Willie J. Daniels, secretary; Gary I. Matsumoto, treasurer; Lou Parker, membership chair; and Ric R. Ngiralingas, director.
For information, call Hosea at 779-1700.
Legal groups to get AmeriCorps funds
Federal grants will provide $511,358 to Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii and $281,087 to Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink says.This AmeriCorps money comes from the Corporation for National Service and is meant to help reduce such social ills as domestic violence and assist low-income people who are underserved in legal services.
Mink said: "These organizations and the caring individuals who make them possible make a tremendous difference in the lives of our most vulnerable citizens."
Corrections
A story May 3 listed eight Hawaii high school seniors among 2,500 students nationwide to win $2,000 scholarships, as announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. The story failed to include these three students who also won scholarships: Robin W. Burns of Punahou School, Stanley P. Chang of Iolani School and Suzanna Hahn of McKinley High School.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Drink sickens three girls at Leilehua High School
Police are investigating why three girls were hospitalized after drinking an unknown substance at Leilehua High School.The girls drank from a plastic cup at Leilehua High School at 8:30 a.m. Monday, police said. One girl, 16, felt dizzy about 10 minutes later and collapsed. She was taken to Wahiawa General Hospital and later transported to Kapiolani Hospital for Women and Children.
The two other girls also reported not feeling well, and were taken to area hospitals.
Principal Norman Minehira said the unknown drink was not issued by the school, and was brought in by someone.
He said didn't know whether the drink was tainted. He said the girls did not return to school yesterday.
Police hunt suspect who attacked Kauai woman
Kauai detectives are looking for a man who attacked and stabbed a 52-year-old woman at a home in Kehaka."From all indications it seems an attempted sexual assault," Police inspector Melvin Morris said.
The woman, who was stabbed in the chest and suffered a broken arm, was in satisfactory condition this morning at a hospital.
Morris said the attack took place between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Monday while the woman was working as a yard keeper at a home near the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor.
It took her several hours to crawl from the first floor to a telephone on the third floor to call police a little after midnight, he said.
Police have a sketch of the suspect. He was described as 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, and weighing about 200 pounds. He was wearing a light brown tank top and dark-colored shorts, Morris said.
Anyone with information about the attack may call CrimeStoppers on Kauai at 241-6787.
Fire destroys house in Big Isle subdivision
HILO -- Fire destroyed a single-story house in Hawaiian Beaches subdivision south of Hilo yesterday.The Fire Department said the blaze was "possibly suspicious in origin."
Damage to the unoccupied home was estimated at $110,000.
Family escapes blaze; damage put at $100,000
HILO -- Fire heavily damaged a house owned by Stephen Menezes in Paradise Park subdivision south of Hilo last night, the Fire Department said.The fire, of unknown cause, started in an upstairs bedroom, they said. Menezes and three family members escaped without injury. Damage was put at $100,000.
