SUV OVERTURNS ON H-2
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Tow-truck operator Michael Medeiros uprighted a Ford Explorer on the H-2 Freeway near Wahiawa. According to Medeiros, he was driving southbound when he got a flat tire. He said he lost control of his vehicle and veered into the other lane. Police said the Explorer then apparently hit the center divide before flipping over onto its top. According to police, the female driver of the Explorer was taken to the hospital and was reportedly in stable condition.
Health journal offices moving to university
The editorial office for Ecosystem Health, the leading international journal for research on the relationship between ecosystems, human health and sustainability, is being established at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.Dr. Edwin Cadman, dean of the school, said its selection to house the journal "demonstrates they growing recognition of both the medical school and University of Hawaii as world class and committed to becoming the leading research and teaching institution in the Asia-pacific Region with a focus on global society's most significant issues."
Professor Bruce Wilcox, chairman of the medical school's new Division of Ecology and Health, will be editor-in-chief of the journal, which has been published since 1996 out of the University of Guelph in Canada.
The journal includes peer- reviewed articles on global change and human health, emerging infectious disease, conservation medicine, ecosystem management and sustainability, ethics and social equity.
Queen's will offer child-safety lecture
Parents, grandparents and caregivers can learn some simple steps to prevent injuries to children at a free public lecture at 6 p.m. July 31 at the Queen's Medical Center Conference Center, 510 S. Beretania St.Speakers will be Beth Freitas, registered nurse who manages the Neuroscience Institute and chapter co-director, Think First Hawaii, and Mike Minuto, registered nurse and clinical coordinator, Center for Best Healthcare Practices and Keiki Car Seat Fitting.
More than 3 million children under age 14 are taken to emergency rooms each year for serious injuries resulting from car crashes, drowning and bike and pedestrian incidents. More than 2,500 die, Queen's said.
Reservations are recommended because space is limited. Call the Queen's Referral Line at 537-7117 to make a reservation.
Castle wellness center will open doors Sunday
A formal blessing, entertainment, demonstrations, free health screenings and tours will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday during opening of Castle Medical Center's new Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Medical Plaza and Wellness Center.The three-story, 38,500-square-foot building was constructed at a cost of $10 million with substantial support from the Weinberg Foundation and other donors to provide the Windward community with better access to health resources.
For more information, see www.castlemed.com/html/topstory.htm.
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>> Steve Okamoto has joined the American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific Inc. as the director of Estate and Asset Services. He has worked as an agent with Occidental Life Insurance Co. [Taking Notice]
>> The Outdoor Circle has installed Lester H. Inouye, a landscape architect and certified arborist, as its first male president in its 90-year history. Inouye has served as vice president and board member of the club since 1997.
Other officers elected include Alan Fujimori, first vice president; Betsy Connors, second VP; Neal Yokota, third VP; Beverly Harbin, fourth VP; Marcy Fleming, treasurer; Gayle Tasaka, assistant treasurer; Paula Ress, secretary; Jo Best, Irma Cunha, Steve Mechler, advisers.
>> John Young, a veteran of the travel and hospitality industry since 1989, is the new general manager of the Maui Myth & Magic Theatre. His responsibilities include management of the sales, marketing and operations departments for the theater and current hit production "'Ulalena."
>> Nalani Matsuo, manager of administrative services of Tesoro Hawaii, has been named president of the board of directors for People Attentive to Children (PATCH), a child-care resources and referral agency. Leona Seto-Mook is vice president; Sherri Aoyama, secretary; and Natalie Kiehm, treasurer.
>> The Society of Asian Arts of Hawaii has elected Timothy Choy, president; William Hughes, vice president; Sati Benes, secretary; Ernest Lee, treasurer; James Cahill, Rhoda Hackler, Steve McClaren, board of directors; Roger Bellinger, Vivien Stackpole, William Won, Leatrice Fung, Choy, Hughes, McClaran, Hackler, standing committees.
>> Paul N. Brussow has been promoted from associate to associate principal and manager of technical services at Rider Hunt Levett & Bailey, a property and construction consulting firm.
"Taking Notice" runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Please send items to City Desk, Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
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>> Kona resident Rhonda Robison and her house guest Kea Wells are not members of the Religion of Jesus Christ church in which Dennis Shields is a pastor. A story on Page A-1 yesterday incorrectly suggested they are members. Also, state law allows medical marijuana patients to have up to three ounces of "useable" (dry) marijuana per patient. Yesterday's story incorrectly stated that patients could have one ounce. Corrections and clarifications
>> The Hawaii Nature Center's Web site is www.hawaiinaturecenter.org. An incomplete address was given in the July 7 Travel section on Page F6.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
NORTH SHORE
Fire razes abandoned Sunset Beach building
Fire this morning destroyed an abandoned three-story building on the grounds of the landmark Crawford's Convalescent Home in Sunset Beach.Fire officials were investigating the cause of the fire that left only the concrete walls standing. The building, part of the convalescent home complex at 58-130 Kamehameha Highway, has been vacant for some time, fire officials said. No one was injured.
The fire was reported at 12:41 a.m. Three engine companies and two ladder companies brought the flames under control at 2:05 a.m. The fire was extinguished at 4:06 a.m.
HONOLULU
Injured 6-month-old spurs assault probe
Honolulu police have opened an second-degree assault investigation after a 6-month-old boy was admitted to the Tripler Army Medical Center with a rib fracture and abdominal injury.The boy was admitted at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday with a still-healing rib fracture, police said.
Robbery in Waikiki brings arrest of 2 men
Police charged two men yesterday with a robbery that occurred in Waikiki in June.Justin Yadao-Damo, 18, of Palama, and John Rodrigues, 25, of North School Street, were charged with first- and second-degree robbery. Their bails were set at $50,000 each.
Police said Rodrigues and Yadao-Damo were in a pickup on June 11 when they approached two men walking to their cars on Hobron Lane.
The suspects threatened to shoot the victims, took cash from one man and assaulted the other, police said.
Patrol officers pursued them to Kalihi where they abandoned the truck and ran away. The two were arrested after police determined their identities through investigation.
Alleged CD thief tries to sell discs to owner
A 46-year-old man was arrested after he broke into a car in Chinatown, stole a box full of compact discs, walked around the corner from the scene of the crime, and unknowingly tried to sell the stolen items to their owner, police said.Police said a witness saw a man leave a car near the corner of Pauahi Street and Smith Street about 11 p.m. with a box of CDs. The man walked around the corner and tried to sell it to a 60-year-old Kaimuki man, who immediately recognized his property and contacted police.
The suspect was arrested at the corner of Pauahi and Bethel streets for detaining stolen property and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. The man has a prohibition for being in the Chinatown Weed & Seed district and was arrested for a geographical restriction violation.
2 acquitted of alleged knifepoint threats
A Circuit Court jury found local recording artist and producer Jeffrey Rasmussen and a co-defendant not guilty of charges they terrorized a Kaimuki man at knifepoint and forced him to sign over ownership of his truck and two mopeds in December.The jury deliberated for less than half a day yesterday before acquitting Rasmussen, a past Hoku award winner, and acquaintance Thomas Reed-Freimark of first-degree robbery and kidnapping charges in the Dec. 29 incident.
Both could have faced 20-year prison terms if convicted.
"I'm glad this is all over after all the accusations made against me, because they were not true," Rasmussen said outside the courtroom.
Reed-Freimark was accused of holding a knife to the neck of Spangler Lewis, whom he did not know personally, and threatening to cut his throat and kill his family.
Deputy Prosecutor Julian White said the incident apparently stemmed from a dispute over repair work Lewis had done to Rasmussen's car, causing the artist to miss some singing engagements.
Rasmussen was charged as an accomplice.
Queen's settles with doctor for $150,000
The Queen's Medical Center reached a $150,000 settlement with a former University of Hawaii researcher who claimed he had been retaliated against for raising a discrimination claim.The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the claim five years ago on behalf of Dr. Shyamal Premaratne, contending the hospital was retaliating by notifying the Immigration and Naturalization Service that he had not been employed by Queen's.
Premaratne had been doing research in one of Queen's laboratories but was not on Queen's payroll. He was supervised by the UH Department of Surgery and was paid through the Hawaii Residency Program.
After Premaratne left the program, Queen's discovered a letter had been sent to INS that purportedly came from the hospital, on hospital letterhead, incorrectly stating that Premaratne was a Queen's employee. Queen's contacted the immigration officials with the correct information.
"There was never any intent to cause him problems with Immigration, but once (Queen's) found out, they needed to make sure the record was clear," said Queen's outside counsel Steven Nakashima.
Because of the passage of time since the claim was filed, loss of witnesses and difficulty producing documentation, Queen's felt it was in the best interest to settle the claim and move on, Nakashima said.
Premaratne, who is no longer here, and the local counsel for the EEOC could not be reached for comment.
