Isle Coast Guard reserves called to heighten security
Thirty-one Hawaii Coast Guard reservists have been called to active duty following the Sept. 11 attacks, to strengthen homeland security operations.The reservists will perform waterside security, vessel inspection, search and rescue operations, investigations and also serve with the joint armed services staffs.
The 31 local reservists have joined the 2,800 members nationwide, more than a third of all Coast Guard reservists, who have been activated.
Coast Guard reservists differ from other armed forces reservists who usually deploy as a group by training, drilling and working with active duty forces.
Hawaii asks Japan for help in boosting tourism
Four Congress members from Hawaii asked Japanese Ambassador to the United States Shunji Yanai yesterday for cooperation in luring Japanese tourists back to Hawaii, underlining the Pacific resort island's safety.This came yesterday as Japan's tourist industry asked the Japanese government for financial aid to help offset plunging profits as thousands of people cancel overseas flights following the terror attacks in the United States, news reports said yesterday.
In Washington, D.C., the four, including Sen. Daniel Inouye and Rep. Pasty Mink, told Yanai the Sept. 11 suicide attacks on New York and Washington have hit Hawaii's tourism, the island's mainstay industry, hard, Japanese embassy officials said.
UH teachers union opens checkbook to food bank
The University of Hawaii faculty union has voted to donate $100,000 to the Hawaii Foodbank and is urging its members to match the gift.UH Professional Assembly President Alex Malahoff said the union generally does not use members' funds for anything that does not relate directly to their employment, but the current economic crisis is different.
"No person in Hawaii ought to ever go hungry. People who have lost their jobs and their livelihoods need the support of those of us still working," Malahoff said in a news release issued yesterday.
Expansion set for UH-Hilo facilities
HILO >> Additional facilities for a research center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo will be constructed with $2.75 million released by Gov. Ben Cayetano, Big Island Sen. Lorraine Inouye announced.The money will go for the third in a series of phases for the University Park, which is now primarily the home of several headquarters buildings of Mauna Kea observatories.
The money will be spent on roads, sewer systems, water lines and utilities, Inouye said. Construction will start in May 2002 and be completed near the end of 2003.
The site for research buildings is now entirely below Komohana Street, but later phases will expand into more than 300 acres above the street.
Fund-raiser to fight lupus scheduled on Sunday
The Hawaii Lupus Foundation's annual bazaar, plant and craft sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at McKinley High School cafeteria.There will be a white elephant booth of clothes, household items and books and craft and plant vendors.
Admission is free. For information, call 538-1522.
HMSA, Kaiser receive top levels of accreditation
Health plans of the Hawaii Medical Service Association and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii have received the highest designations by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.HMSA is one of the first carriers in the nation to achieve the highest levels of accreditation for both its Preferred Provider Plan and Health Maintenance Organization plans.
HMSA's PPO received "full accreditation" and is the only PPO plan in Hawaii to achieve such distinction.
Health Plan Hawaii earned "excellent" accreditation for its commercial and Medicare HMO plans.
HMSA is one of the first carriers in the nation to achieve the highest levels of accreditation for both its PPO and Health Maintenance Organization plans.
Kaiser earned "excellent" accreditation for its commercial, Medicare and Medicaid HMO plans.
It was the first HMO in Hawaii to receive three-year "full accreditation" in 1995 , and the status was renewed in 1998.
Plans were evaluated against requirements in consumer protection, member service, access to care and provider credentialing.
Bob Hiam, HMSA president and chief executive officer, and Bruce Behnke, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii president and regional manager, said residents can be assured by the ratings that they are receiving quality medical care from the state's two leading health plans.
Honolulu Club workout to aid in cancer research
The Honolulu Club will host a Workout for Hope fitness fund-raiser Saturday to help find a cure for cancer and HIV/AIDS.Hundreds of Hawaii residents are expected to participate in the fund-raising event, starting with registration at 9 a.m. and the workout running from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the rooftop deck.
Leading the fitness drive will be Kari Anderson of Seattle's Pro Robics and Pepper Von of Step 1 Sacramento Dance & Fitness, as well as Honolulu Club fitness instructors.
Participants will have a chance to learn some of the latest fitness moves, as well as some unique styles such as Honolulu Club's "Salsarobics" techniques.
Funds will be used to support patient care and research at the City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute.
City of Hope alumni attending from Hawaii will be Didi Ah Yo, Chris Pablo and Danette Hiura.
The public is invited to use an official sponsor form to collect donations for the event.
Forms are available at Honolulu Club and other fitness facilities in Honolulu, by calling 800-934-9196, or visiting the Workout for Hope Website at http://workout.coh.org.
Kuakini chemo unit will be named for Nakamura
Kuakini Health System's Chemotherapy Unit will be dedicated to the late Dr. Jeffrey Nakamura at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on the seventh floor of the Hale Pulama Mau building.Nakamura, who died in 1991, was former director of medical education at Kuakini Medical Center.
He was known for his contributions to medical research, especially connected to the HTLV-1 virus, which can cause fatal and aggressive T-cell leukemia.
He helped identify the rare virus and created methods to screen for it.
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. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffLEEWARD OAHU Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Sixth teenager arrested in Waianae park killing
Another teenager was arrested and charged with murder yesterday in the beating death of a man whose half-nude body was found at Waianae District Park.The boy is the sixth person arrested in the July 14 murder of 35-year-old William Van Winkle. The boy was charged as a juvenile and taken to the Alder Street detention facility.
Calvin Dole and Branden Adkins, both 18, also have been charged with murder and three other boys, ages 15, 16 and 17 were arrested in the case.
HONOLULU
3 male suspects sought in road-rage shooting
Authorities are searching for three male suspects in a road-rage shooting Saturday that left a 22-year-old woman hospitalized. The shooting occurred about 10:30 p.m. on the H-1 freeway eastbound near the Kalihi overpass, after the woman and her passenger got into a traffic incident then argued with occupants of another vehicle, police said.Police said the woman remained hospitalized yesterday at Queen's Medical Center with a wound to the upper chest. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Kevin Wong at 529-3079, CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a wireless phone.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
California woman dies after 3-car crash on Maui
LAHAINA >> A visitor injured in a three-vehicle crash on Maui has died, police Sgt. Champ Wright said yesterday. Maryam Mogadam, 25, of Carlsbad, Calif., had been confined at Maui Memorial Medical Center after being injured in the crash at 7:10 p.m. Sunday while driving a car on Kula Highway south of Ohana Street.Police officer William Hankins said the car traveling in the Ulupalakua direction tried to make a U-turn and was struck by a pickup truck going in the opposite direction. Hankins said the car was then hit by a second vehicle heading toward Ulupalakua.
