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Numbers 'don't add up' from Francis campaign
The state Campaign Spending Commission is still not satisfied with Russ Francis' response to requests for more information about his 1998 campaign.At yesterday's commission meeting, Bob Watada, commission executive director, said Francis had turned in new reports but still lacked the details to show where he raised funds in the closing days of his campaign.
"The key problem is the numbers. They still don't add up," Watada said.
If Francis does not respond to the commission's satisfaction by July 13, he will be fined another $1,000, Watada said.
Francis, who is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat (Rural Oahu, neighbor islands), was fined $1,000 last month by the commission.
He had failed to turn in the required spending reports from his unsuccessful campaign for City Council two years ago.
Francis has contended that the commission rules and election software were misleading.
Expert says cases rare of flesh-eating bacteria
There is no cause for public concern about a potential outbreak of "flesh-eating bacteria," says the state Health Department.Dr. Paul Effler, the state epidemiologist, said the highly publicized case of necrotizing fasciitis recently contracted by 5-year-old Alyshia Shimizu of Wahiawa was not caused by Group A Streptococcus bacteria.
Several other bacteria were identified in Alyshia's case, he said. The importance of the distinction is that other bacteria identified have not been associated with outbreaks of necrotizing fasciitis, says Effler. These bacteria are naturally present in the environment and can, very rarely, cause severe infection in isolated cases, but they do not cause outbreaks, he added.
Ala Wai Canal dredging set to begin this fall
After 22 years, so much sediment has built up where Manoa and Palolo streams flow into the Ala Wai Canal that you can walk on the sludge at low tide.It's so bad that, with heavy rain, it could cause the canal to overflow.
A state project set for this fall will dredge the canal back to a depth of 10 feet and, once the sediment is removed, more than $1 million in grants could help prevent new sediment from draining back in.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is re-evaluating bids for the nearly $10.4 million dredging project, which could begin by November or sooner, said Andrew Monden, chief engineer.
Monden said the Board of Land and Natural Resources is also processing a $595,000 grant for the Ala Wai Watershed Association. The grant will fund specific erosion control projects in Manoa, Kaimuki, St. Louis Heights and Palolo.
"The Ala Wai Canal is being fed by the Manoa and Palolo streams, so if you do improvement to the streams, you will help alleviate all the sediments and contaminants into the canal," he said.
On June 8 the Ala Wai Watershed Association also received a $500,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency which will be used in part to fund educational, cleanup and water quality improvement projects.
The Ala Wai Watershed Association is accepting proposals for community-led projects through July 14. Funds will be awarded to "anyone who basically has a good idea and can organize it and can convince the association that it is for watershed improvement," said Claudia Hamblin-Katnik, watershed coordinator.
Children's law center celebrates first birthday with luau
The Na Keiki Law Center is celebrating its first birthday with a luau from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Child and Family Center's Community Center, 91-1841 Fort Weaver Road.Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii established the center to provide legal advocacy for Hawaii's children.
More than 100 children were represented the past year and more than 250 intakes completed -- exceeding the center's first-year goals, said Judy Sobin, executive director of VLSH.
The private, nonprofit volunteer services agency provides free legal help and referrals to more than 15,000 low-income residents annually.
Na Keiki Law Center represents children in guardianships, adoptions, immigration cases, child abuse and neglect, temporary restraining orders, paternity and post-decree changes in custody.
Volunteers include the more than 200 attorneys of The Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii and the Hawaii Appleseed Public Interest Law Center.
For more information, call Sobin, 528-7051.
Correction
In A.A. Smyser's column Tuesday, the Aloha Chapter, Retired Officers Association, was incorrectly referred to as the Reserve Officers Association.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Fireworks blazes hit mostly brush and rubbish
Brush and rubbish fires accounted for 35 of 37 fireworks-related alarms that Honolulu firefighters responded to on the Fourth of July.The 18 brush and 17 rubbish fires caused no damage to property.
In 1999, the Fourth of July was celebrated on a Sunday, so Monday was also a holiday. There were 19 brush and four rubbish fires on July 4 last year and 21 brush and seven rubbish fires the following day.
By comparison, there were no major incidents reported on the day after the holiday this year.
Driver critical after car crashes into utility pole
A man was critically injured last night when his car crashed into a utility pole in Kaimuki.The unidentified man was headed east in his 1982 Mazda RX7 when he lost control and hit the pole near St. Louis Drive at 7:10 p.m., police said.
He was taken to Queen's Hospital, where he was in critical condition this morning.
Traffic investigators said speed appears to be a factor in the crash.
Suspect arrested, another sought in Waikiki robbery
Police arrested a teen-ager and are searching for another in connection with a robbery last night in Waikiki.A man, 26, was walking near Lewers Street and Ala Wai Boulevard at 10:40 p.m. when a male suspect reportedly grabbed his knapsack, police said. The suspect got into a car with a male driver inside.
When the victim attempted to grab his bag, he was punched several times.
The car was located in Mililani, and one suspect was arrested. The second was still being sought this morning.
Still some hot spots in national park fire
HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii -- Assisted by light rains, crews dousing remaining hot spots yesterday declared a 1,000-acre brush and grassland fire in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park completely contained, the park said.Since hot spots remain, and the end of the rain could quickly renew dry conditions, crews are still not declaring the fire controlled.
The fire came within 30 feet of the Kipuka Puaulu Picnic Shelter, but the shelter was not damaged.
Mauna Loa Road, the picnic area and campgrounds remain closed. Until the fire is extinguished, motorists on Highway 11 should expect delays and temporary closures.
Rangers are already planning to replant fire-resistant native vegetation in 1,000 acres of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park burned during the weekend, they said.
The fire burned through non-native broomsedge and beard grasses introduced in the 1960s. The area consists mostly of relatively young lava flows with the grasses and ohia, a native tree that is not fire-resistant.
Rangers will plant aalii, mamane, naio, and iliahi (sandalwood), all of which are more fire-tolerant.
The planting will be done in a patchwork that officials hope will spread and eventually smother the non-native grasses.
Blaze flares up again near Maui golf course
WAILUKU -- A fire thought to be under control flared up and burned an additional 50 acres of brush land in a gulch near the Pukalani Golf Course yesterday.Assistant Maui Fire Chief Richard Fernandez said the fire was contained but not under control today.
Fernandez said the fire was in a relatively inaccessible terrain near the number four hole. He said the flare-up in the brush fire was noticed about 2 p.m. yesterday. A helicopter dropped water around the perimeter to help contain the blaze.
Fernandez said no one was hurt and firefighters were positioned near several houses to make sure the blaze threatened no homes.
Firefighters fought the blaze Tuesday night and early yesterday morning. It burned an estimated 25 acres on the first day.
