Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Friday, September 28, 2001

Star-Bulletin editor off to East-West globalization study

Craig Gima, an assistant city editor of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, is among 14 journalists from Asia, Pacific and the United States who were selected as East-West Center Jefferson Fellows to examine the political, social and cultural effects of globalization.

The session will take place Oct. 1-28 at the East-West Center and in the region. During the first week of the session, the group will participate in lectures, discussions and personal study at the center.

Nine Asian and Pacific journalists will then undertake a 16-day study tour to San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Houston. Five journalists will undergo their study tour in New Delhi, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

Upon completion of the study tour, the group will meet at the East-West Center to share their experiences.

Other Jefferson Fellows include: Htin Aung Kyaw, contributing editor of the Nwe Ni Literature; Wang Yanping, director of the Foreign Liaison Department of the China Daily; Chen Juhong, deputy director of the Southern Weekend; Unaloto Ofa Kaukimoce, senior journalist of Fiji Broadcasting Corporation; Guatam Chikermane, executive editor of the Intelligent Investor; Harry Bhaskara, associate managing editor of Jakarta Post; Yamashina Takeshi, staff writer for Mainichi; Ana Marie Pamintuan, managing editor/columnist of the Philippine Star; Amantha Ruwan Perera, journalist for The Sunday Leader; Faye Bowers, deputy international news editor of the Christian Science Monitor; Andrew Cassal, business columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer; Dana Kathleen Hull, staff writer of the San Jose Mercury News; and Jennifer Susan Mattson, producer of Cable News Network.

Attack relief fund collects $320,000

More than 2,500 Hawaii residents and organizations have donated $320,000 to The September 11th Fund, all of which will be used to help the victims, their families and others affected by the terrorist attacks.

Part of the fund will be given to local nonprofit groups to help Hawaii families affected by the attacks. The rest will support the national September 11th Fund for relief efforts in New York City, Washington, D.C., and other affected areas.

Locally, the fund was created by the Hawaii Community Foundation and chapters of the United Way.

18 dengue cases confirmed on Maui

Eighteen cases of dengue fever have been confirmed on Maui by the Centers for Disease Control's lab in Puerto Rico.

Dr. David Sasaki, state public health veterinarian, said the dengue fever lab so far has done tests on blood samples from 32 people.

The 18 positive samples were people living in Nahiku, Hana and Hamoa, he said. One person also lived at Makaalae, where some of the people worked, he said.

Sasaki said there are 41 suspected cases of dengue fever on Maui based on clinical symptoms but said, "We're getting calls from Maui clinics that are ordering dengue tests. There are probably more. We don't know how many yet."

Sasaki said health officials are doing "active surveillance" across the island, asking clinics to report cases where patients have fever and other symptoms for which there is no obvious diagnosis. They are being asked to draw blood samples for tests, he said.

All cases have been locally transmitted, but the source is unknown, Sasaki said.

It's suspected that someone was infected in the Society Islands, where there is a dengue fever epidemic, and brought it to Maui, he said. But that hasn't been confirmed, he added.

The first positive case occurred June 13 and the latest one was Sept. 19, Sasaki said.

Before the Maui outbreak, he said he had been tracking imported cases, people coming into Hawaii who were exposed in foreign areas. From January through the end of August, there were 27 cases and 10 were hospitalized, he said.

"Up to the time we found out about the Maui situation, we were not too concerned. All were documented to occur elsewhere."

Vector control crews were sent to the homes to spray to reduce chances of the disease getting into the local mosquito population, he said.

However, the Health Department didn't hear about the Maui cases right away because some people didn't go to a doctor, Sasaki said.

A physician alerted the department to possible dengue on the island, he said.

Free workshop offers emotional help with crisis

Sunny Massad, a psychologist who owns The Hawaii Wellness Institute, will present a free crisis workshop from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Manoa Valley Theatre.

The 90-minute workshop will provide practical skills to turn crises, such as the recent national tragedy or job losses, into opportunities to survive mentally, emotionally and financially.

Volunteer wellness counselors will offer free private counseling sessions afterward.

Reservations are not necessary but seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The workshop is recommended for teens through adults, but not younger children.

For more information, call Massad at 734-3887.

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Corrections and clarifications

>> Les Keiter is the spokesman for Aloha Stadium. An article on Page A3 of yesterday's Star-Bulletin incorrectly reported he is the stadium's general manager.

Corrections and clarifications The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Publisher and Editor in Chief John Flanagan at 529-4748 or email him at jflanagan@starbulletin.com.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Big Island police open homicide investigation

HILO >> Police are investigating a homicide of a female juvenile in the Hawaiian Beaches subdivision south of Hilo, they said.

The case was reported at 6:02 p.m. yesterday and detectives worked throughout the night on the case. No other details were immediately released.

1 dead, 2 injured after head-on Big Isle collision

HONOKAA, Hawaii >> A Big Island man died and two others were seriously injured in a head-on collision Wednesday on the Hawaii Belt Road near Honokaa, police said.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, they said.

Police said Dennis J. Langston, 44, of Honomu, was pronounced dead at Hilo Hospital. Langston was driving a 1988 Honda Prelude toward Hilo about 5:30 p.m. when his car crossed the center line and hit a 1990 Jeep pickup driven by Mark Weiner, 50, of Waimea.

Weiner and his passenger, John Gildroy, 49, of Waimea, were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital, where Gildroy remained in stable condition. Weiner was transferred to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.

The collision just uphill from Honokaa on the road to Waimea caused a partial road blockage for two hours while the vehicles were removed and an oil spill cleaned.

Police seek 2 suspects in computer store robbery

KAILUA-KONA >> Police are looking for two masked men who robbed a computer store in the Old Industrial Area of Kailua-Kona yesterday.

Around 3:30 p.m., two men entered Island Tech Office Equipment on Kaiwi Street. Police said the suspects were armed with a crowbar and a pistol when they demanded money. The suspects took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled in a cream-colored Toyota, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police officer Sherry Bird at 808-326-4208 or 808-935-3311.

HONOLULU

Street racing suspected cause of fatal car crash

Honolulu police have identified a Schofield Barracks soldier killed in what's believed to be a street race near Ala Moana Center early yesterday.

Police said 26-year-old Staff Sgt. James J. Giannos of Ixonia, Wis. died in the crash at about 2:49 a.m. yesterday.

Giannos and another 26-year-old soldier were in a 2000 black Ford Escort that was racing with another car driven by a 23-year-old man with a 21-year-old passenger on Ala Moana Boulevard. Both vehicles lost control near Atkinson Drive and the Escort crashed into a wall.

The driver and the passenger in the Ford Escort are listed in fair condition at the Queen's Medical Center. The 23-year-old man was arrested for driving under the influence and manslaughter. He was released pending further investigation.

Moped accident leaves man in critical condition

A 22-year-old man was taken to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition after being involved in a moped accident yesterday.

The accident occurred about 5:07 p.m. at the intersection of Kapahulu and Campbell avenues. Motorists traveling mauka-bound on Kapahulu were diverted onto Herbert Street while the accident was being investigated.

LEEWARD OAHU

Man robs teen girl before Pearl City football game

CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department are looking for a man who robbed a 14-year-old girl near the Pearl City High School cafeteria before the school's football game Aug. 31.

About 7:50 p.m., a man approached the girl, grabbed her wrist, stole her purse, jumped into a vehicle and fled, police said.

The suspect is described as a man in his early 20s, 6 feet and 220 pounds. He has black hair and a dark complexion. Police said he was wearing a dark nylon-type cap, white T-shirt under a dark tank top and K-Swiss white athletic shoes. Police said he is known to frequent the basketball courts in Pearl City.

Anyone with information can call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

CENTRAL OAHU

4-acre brush fire was set on purpose, fireman says

A brush fire officials believe was maliciously set scorched up to four acres of land in Waipio Gentry yesterday, said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Richard Soo.

Fifteen firefighters responded to the blaze near Ukee Boulevard at 3:32 p.m. The fire was extinguished at 6:35 p.m.

Some residents in Waipio Gentry experienced a power outage at 4:25 p.m. after a utility pole was affected by the brush fire. Power was restored at 4:45 p.m.

WAIKIKI

Off-duty officer nabs alleged purse snatcher

An off-duty police officer caught a male purse-snatching suspect after he allegedly robbed a 72-year-old woman in Waikiki on Wednesday night.

The woman was walking toward her apartment building around 11:08 p.m. when the 15-year-old suspect grabbed her purse from behind, police said. The victim fell to the ground and the suspect pulled her purse from her left arm and fled, police said.

An off-duty police officer saw the suspect running, caught him and held him until other police officers arrested him.