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The Blood Bank of Hawaii has put out an urgent call for blood donors, saying the blood platelet supply has dropped to a critical level. Blood donors needed;
supply is critically lowThis coincides with Gov. Ben Cayetano's proclamation of January as Volunteer Blood Donor Month.
Whole blood is separated into three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma, the Blood Bank says.
"The need for blood platelets, used to heal wounds and clot blood, has been extremely high," said Dr. Robyn Yim, Blood Bank president and medical director.
"We usually operate with a four- or five-day supply on hand, but we have dropped below the one-day level for platelets."
Donors must be in good health, at least age 18, weigh at least 110 pounds and show valid photo identification.
For more information, call 845-9966 or check the Web site www.bbh.org.
Dismissal of Wong's charges to be appealed
Attorney General Earl Anzai said today he plans to appeal a state judge's dismissal of criminal perjury charges against former Kamehameha Schools trustee Richard "Dickie" Wong.Anzai said his office will file a notice of appeal with the state Supreme Court to overturn Circuit Judge Michael Town's November ruling dismissing perjury charges against Wong and his former brother-in-law Jeffrey Stone.
An Oahu grand jury had indicted Wong and Stone in December 1999 after they testified about a Hawaii Kai land deal between the Kamehameha Schools and a partnership involving Stone. But Town said investigators for the attorney general provided improper testimony.
Eric Seitz, Wong's attorney, said he plans to file a cross-appeal with the high court, which will allege misconduct by the Attorney General's Office. Seitz and Stone's attorney John Edmunds have alleged that the Attorney General's Office used its criminal investigations to bolster its attempt in civil proceedings to remove Wong as a trustee. Wong resigned from the estate in 1999.
Demand for driver's licenses jams system
Crowds of drivers descending on Honolulu's licensing offices to get new licenses have created a jam in the city's computer system, officials said.Carol Costa, director of the Customer Services Department, urged the public to hold off until next week, when city computer experts expect to resolve the problem.
A new law that went into effect this week switches driver's licenses to randomly assigned numbers rather than Social Security numbers as in the past.
The city is allowing drivers who want to change their numbers for security reasons, to do so for a fee.
"We are having a lot of people come in, and in many cases the people are feeling it's a mandatory changeover from Social Security to random numbers," Costa said.
"That is not the case. They can wait the entire six years when a license expires."
34-cent postage starts at midnight tomorrow
A penny for your, er, stamp.You'll need it to make that 33-cent stamp valid for mail postmarked after midnight tomorrow.
On Sunday, first-class stamps will cost you 34 cents.
"Generally, people have been picking them up," said Felice Broglio, U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman. "They've been available since during the holidays."
The new first-class stamps, costing 34 cents, come in three types: the Statue of Liberty, a flag flying over a farm and a book of four flower stamps.
A letter dropped in a mailbox tomorrow with a 33-cent stamp, but not picked up and postmarked until Monday, will be delivered.
But letters sent next week without enough postage will be returned to the senders.
Tomorrow
Some events of interest
9 a.m., 99-1054 Manako St.: Aiea Neighborhood Board Meeting.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Pedestrian critical after being hit by pickup truck
A 29-year-old Australian woman was in critical condition this morning after she was struck by a pickup truck while running across a street in Hawaii Kai last night, police said.The woman was hit on Hawaii Kai Drive near Maunanani Street by a truck driven by a 31-year-old man. She was taken by helicopter to Queen's Medical Center.
Police say inattention by both driver and pedestrian may have contributed to the accident.
Waimanalo man arrested in 'road rage' on Pali
A 36-year-old Waimanalo man was arrested after an apparent "road rage" incident on the Pali Highway yesterday.A 19-year-old Kailua man told police the suspect cut him off abruptly while driving Honolulu-bound on the Pali at 2:45 p.m. This caused him to collide with the suspect's car.
The suspect then punched in the window of the Kailua man's car, showering glass on the 19-year-old, cutting his face and arms, police said.
The 36-year-old man was arrested for first-degree criminal property damage.
Waipahu man indicted in New Year's Day killing
A 64-year-old Waipahu man was indicted yesterday after he allegedly killed another man on New Year's Day.David Torres, 64, of Waipahu is charged with shooting Pio Ioane, 40, outside an apartment building on Pupukahi Street at about 3:48 a.m. Monday. The two men had been arguing over a stolen animal cage, police said.
Torres is charged with second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bail is set at $100,000.
He is still being treated at Queen's Medical Center for a heart condition.
Homicide Lt. William Kato said police will take custody of Torres when he is released from the hospital in two or three weeks.
American Savings at Ala Moana Center robbed
The Ala Moana Center branch of American Savings Bank was robbed yesterday of an undisclosed amount of cash by a man who handed a teller a note.Hawaii's first bank robbery of the year was reported at 2:05 p.m.
The suspect was described as in his mid- to late 20s with a bad complexion, 5 foot 6 inches tall and 175 pounds, with heavy a build, slight pot belly and light goatee.
The FBI reported that 24 of 38 bank robberies in Hawaii were resolved last year. A man nicknamed the "Black Beard Bandit" is responsible for seven of the 14 unresolved robberies, the FBI said.
Hikers hurt as wave hurls them into Makapuu rocks
Two male hikers, both in their 20s, were injured yesterday when a huge wave swept them onto rocks at Makapuu Point.They were later rescued by a fire department helicopter.
A 22-year-old man remained in fair condition at Queen's Medical Center this morning. His 25-year-old companion was treated and released yesterday.
They had been on the higher-up lighthouse trail and decided to go down to the shoreline when they were struck by the wave at about 1:30 p.m. They had their backs to the sea when the wave came in, the fire department said. One man suffered a leg injury, and the other a head injury, said Capt. Myles Okada of the fire department's Rescue 2. "They weren't able to walk out under their own power," he said.
Wanted man arrested after exiting stolen car
A man wanted on a warrant revoking his parole was arrested yesterday after he got out of a stolen car in the Waianae district, police said.Peter M. Kanohokula, 24, was apprehended when a Waianae patrolman was checking places Kanohokula was known to hang out. The officer saw Kanohokula get out of a car that was reported stolen earlier. Kanohokula fled, and the officer pursued him for two blocks before an arrest was made.
Kanohokula had been convicted of robbery. The warrant for his arrest was dated Nov. 30.
