AGBAYANI GRADUATES FROM HPU
KEN IGE / KIGE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Local boy Benny Agbayani, a Boston Red Sox outfielder, received his Bachelor of Arts degree last night from Hawaii Pacific University. HPU President Chatt Wright, left, grinned as Agbayani, who played for the New York Mets in the 2000 World Series, presented him with a baseball.
Hawaii ranks poorly in tobacco control
Hawaii ranked poorly in three categories in a national survey of state tobacco control efforts but still placed slightly higher than most states.The American Lung Association analyzed tobacco control laws in four areas: youth access to tobacco, smoke-free air, tobacco program funding and cigarette excise taxes.
Hawaii's scores: B for the cigarette tax; D's for tobacco prevention and control spending and youth access policy; F for smoke-free air.
Douglas Yee, president of the American Lung Association of Hawaii, said the report "shows that Hawaii is going in the right direction but that we still have a long way to go."
He said other counties need to join Maui and Oahu, which recently banned smoking in restaurants.
The Legislature also must look closer at use of tobacco settlement funds for tobacco prevention and control, Lee said. "Now is the time to make tough decisions on tobacco control that will save lives."
An estimated 19.7 percent of adults and 24.5 percent of high school students smoke in Hawaii, resulting in about 174 deaths per year per 100,000 population, according to the Lung Association.
Hawaii placed among the top 10 states for its B grade for cigarette taxes. The state tax on cigarettes was raised to $1.20 per pack by last year's Legislature. It will increase to $1.30 per pack June 30, this year, and $1.40 per pack on June 30, 2004.
Ala Wai Canal festival will be held Jan. 19
The Waikiki Community Center will hold its 18th annual Ala Wai Canal Challenge, a fund-raiser that features a canoe race and Hawaiian makahiki games, on Sunday, Jan. 19.The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with a Hawaiian blessing and canoe procession from McCully Bridge up the Ala Wai Canal to Ala Wai Community Park, near the canoe halau. This year's honoree will be the late Henry Ayau.
"We always honor a special water person or persons at the event," said Waikiki Community Center Director Dave Hamil. "His family will be in the (opening ceremony) canoe."
Quarter-mile canoe sprints and Hawaiian land games including stone bowling, spear throwing, stone throw and tug of war will be held from 9 a.m. to about 1 p.m. Entertainment will include the Kamehameha Schools Choir and a Tahitian Dance group, Hamil said.
Sponsoring a team of 12 (six paddlers and six land participants) costs $300 and includes T-shirts, lunch, snacks and entrance fee. Food will be available for sale to onlookers, and after the registered competitors complete the land games, the public can try them for free, Hamil said. For more information, call 923-1802.
Start off the new year with a new you
"New Year, New You: A Capitol Ideal" will be the theme of a health and fitness fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17 at the state Capitol.The fair will be open and free to the public.
Kaho'omiki, Hawaii's Council on Physical Activity at the Capitol, is sponsoring the event to stress the importance of physical activity, nutrition and other healthy lifestyle choices to lawmakers.
A large part of Hawaii's population is inactive, unfit and overweight, resulting in health risks such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, the organization points out.
More than 60 exhibit booths are planned. Participants can test fitness equipment, join in traditional and nontraditional forms of physical activity, have screenings and health risk assessments, sample healthy foods, pick up free recipes and more.
Health and fitness experts will be available for consultation, and many community health agencies will provide free information.
CPR classes offered to Leeward residents
The Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross is collaborating with the Seafarers Training Center at Kalaeloa to offer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first-aid classes to Leeward Oahu residents.Classes are offered every third Saturday of the month at the Hawaii campus of the Harry Lundberg School of Seamanship at Kalaeloa.
The Seafarers Training Center is at 117 Wright St., the former Navy Exchange site. Enrollment is limited. Call the American Red Cross at 734-2101.
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[Taking Notice]
>> Winners of the Sixth Annual Hawaii Kai "Festival of Lights" Christmas Boat Parade were:
COURTESY PHOTO
Cormac O'Carroll's barge tied for first in the barge category of the Hawaii Kai Marina Community Association's Christmas Boat Parade. The barge was decorated to resemble Capt. James Cook's ship, the Revolution, as he was discovering the Hawaiian Islands. It was captained by Jay Fernandez.
Boats 20 feet and under: Wendy and Tre D'Innocenti, first place; Bob and Jan Bright, second place; Bill Aspengren, third place. Boats over 20 feet: Richard Rosic, first place; David Joslin, second place; Jane and LeRoy Brown, third place.
Barges: Cormac O'Carroll, Jeff and Courtney Krantz, tied for first place.
>> Hawaii Pacific University has awarded more than $27,000 in grants for research projects to eight faculty members through the Trustees' Scholarly Endeavors Program.
Recipients include Christopher Fung, assistant professor of anthropology; David Horgen, assistant professor of chemistry; Laurie Leach, assistant professor of English; Gunter Meissner, associate professor of finance; Adele NeJame, assistant professor of English; Louis Primavera, assistant professor of biology; Mark Tjarks, English instructor; and Arthur Whatley, professor of management.
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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. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
CENTRAL OAHU
Navy man killed in Kunia Road crash
A 32-year-old Pearl Harbor sailor died this morning after his car veered off Kunia Road and flew in the air near Wheeler Army Airfield.Police said the sailor was traveling south on Kunia Road about 1:40 a.m. when the accident occurred.
He was thrown from his car and pronounced dead at the scene.
His name was not released pending notification of his family.
Police said the sailor was speeding and not wearing a seatbelt.
Police thought there may have been another victim in the accident and conducted a ground search. The Honolulu Fire Department's Air One helicopter also was called to the search, but no victim was found.
WINDWARD OAHU
Utility pole falls near Kahuku Sugar Mill
A utility pole infested with termites fell this morning, bringing down power lines and blocking traffic on Kamehameha Highway in the Kahuku Sugar Mill area.Police said they closed the Kaneohe-bound lane at 5:05 a.m. to allow for repairs. Repairs are expected to last the day today, said Fred Kobashigawa, Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman.
Honolulu
2 MidWeek fugitives captured in Las Vegas
Two men who were among the 11 fugitives featured on the cover of MidWeek in June were arrested yesterday in Las Vegas, leaving only one fugitive at large.The two are John "Horse" Rodrigues and Robert Maldonado.
Rodrigues was arrested on a parole revocation warrant from previous drug convictions, while Maldonado was arrested on a federal drug warrant and parole revocation warrants stemming from previous robbery and sexual assault convictions.
The lone fugitive who has not been arrested is Delphine Abbott, who is wanted on sexual assault charges.
CrimeStoppers has received dozens of tips about the fugitives on the cover of MidWeek, police said.
Anyone with information about any fugitives may call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
EAST OAHU
2 suspects sought in home robbery, assault
Police are looking for two men who broke into an Aina Haina home early yesterday, tied up the resident and fled with valuables, including two vehicles.The victim, 55, reported he was asleep when he was awakened by the beam of a flashlight. He said he was confronted by two men who demanded money, tied his wrists and ankles, and struck him in the face.
The robbers were described as 25 to 30 years old, 5-feet-8 to 5-feet-10.
COURTESY OF KITV
A police investigator dusted a Mercedes, allegedly used to ram a police car in Waikiki, for fingerprints yesterday.
Police find car used in attack on officer
Police have recovered a silver four-door Mercedes Benz sedan that they believe rammed into a police patrol car and sped toward an officer in Waikiki Saturday.While investigating a burglary, police found the car parked near the 3100 block of Harding Avenue in Kaimuki. Paint chips and damage on the sedan matched the description of the car in the Waikiki incident.
Police are searching for the driver of the Mercedes and asking the public's help to find him.
Police said an officer ordered the driver to stop but he hid behind the steering wheel and drove toward the officer.
The driver was described as in his 30s, clean shaven, with a slender build and short black hair.
The driver was wearing a blue polo shirt, blue dress pants and a wide-brimmed straw hat.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Detective Larry Lawson directly at 529-3088. Anonymous calls may also be made to CrimeStoppers.
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The Courts
Alleged Honolulu thief faces federal charges
A man allegedly responsible for four armed robberies in Honolulu in the last two months of 2002 was indicted yesterday on federal charges of obstructing interstate commerce.A federal grand jury charged Jay Young Kwon with three robberies that occurred last month. He is charged with forcefully taking property from the Black Pearl of Tahiti, Ala Moana Comics Arcade and Happy Pawn.
The federal Hobbs Act applies in these three cases because the stores sell goods out of state.
Honolulu police had charged Kwon earlier with robbing the Stoplight Relaxation massage parlor on Nov. 20.
Kalihi man indicted in Waikele killing
An Oahu grand jury has indicted Moses L. Thompson for the Dec. 15 killing of Eugene Rios at a Waikele stoplight.Thompson, also known as Marcus L. Thompson, 24, of Kalihi was also charged yesterday with two firearms offenses.
Rios, 31, of Waipahu, was one of two men who approached a car carrying Thompson and four others at Lumiaina and Kamehameha Highway on Dec. 15, and confronted them about a car break-in.
A passenger in the car, later identified as Thompson, fired one shot, hitting Rios in the neck. Rios later died at St. Francis Medical Center-West.
