16 of 19 clubs found with safety violations
Inspectors have found fire safety code violations in 16 Oahu night clubs in unannounced visits to 19 clubs last week, said Lloyd Rogers, battalion chief of Honolulu Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau.There were a total of 47 violations that ranged from over-crowing, illegal deadbolts or latches on fire exit doors to less serious problems, officials said. The problems included fire extinguishers and automatic extinguishing systems that had not been serviced according to schedule, and non-functioning exit lights.
The clubs have two weeks to correct the problems or face warnings that could result in criminal misdemeanor prosecution or fines.
Inspections will continue through the end of the month before deciding if they should become permanent, Rogers said.
Officials planned for the visits last month after 99 people died in a Rhode Island nightclub fire and another 21 people died in a stampede during a fire at a Chicago nightclub.
Services, motorcade planned for slain cop
Police have issued traffic advisories for funeral services for slain Honolulu police officer Glen Gaspar this week.Services will be held Friday at Borthwick Mortuary's mauka chapel at 7 p.m. Call after 5 p.m. Police will close Maunakea Street between Vineyard Boulevard and Kukui Street from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Additional services will be held Saturday at Kamehameha Schools from 11 a.m. to noon. Call after 8:30 a.m. Afterward, a police motorcade will travel from Makuahine Street to North School Street, Liliha Street, Vineyard Boulevard, Lusitana Street, Kinau Street, Victoria Street and then to South Beretania Street. The motorcade is scheduled to pass in front of police headquarters at 801 S. Beretania St. at about 12:15 p.m. where officers will be standing at attention.
The motorcade will then proceed from South Beretania Street to Punchbowl Street, Pali Highway and then Kamehameha Highway to Hawaiian Memorial Park for burial at 1 p.m.
Police will be stopping traffic along the route.
City managing director released from hospital
City Managing Director Ben Lee was released from the Queen's Medical Center yesterday after spending a week hospitalized with pneumonia."We're all glad to hear that he was released (yesterday) and that he's home," city spokeswoman Carol Costa said.
Lee, who entered the hospital on March 3, will not be returning to work right away, Costa said. Deputy Managing Director Malcolm Tom has been fulfilling Lee's duties in the meantime.
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
Achievements
>> Julie Rukstad has been appointed chief financial officer of three health-care facilities in East Hawaii, the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. announced.Rukstad will oversee the financial operations of Hilo Medical Center, Kau Hospital, and Hale Ho'ola Hamakua (formerly Honokaa Hospital).
Rukstad, born in Rangoon, Burma, was vice president of finance for Hawaii Pacific Health.
>> Dr. Olaf Jorgenson, director of curriculum and instruction with Mesa Public Schools, Arizona's largest urban school system, has been named headmaster for Hawaii Preparatory Academy in Waimea on the Big Island. He will begin his tenure in July, succeeding current headmaster John Colson, who will remain as the middle-school principal.
>> Todd Dickenson, of Kalani High School, will participate next month in the National Youth Leadership Forum on Law in Washington, D.C., joining more than 350 other high school students chosen for the forum.
>> Campbell High School student Cary Kawamoto is one of 15,000 finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Jocylynn Stephenson, another Campbell student, is one of 775 finalists who qualified for the National Achievement Scholarship Program.
>> Kay Fujimoto Ono, instructor of business technology at Leeward Community College, has been named recipient of the 2003 Western Business and Information Technology Educators (WBITE) Award.
She is past president of the Hawaii Business Education Association. She received the 1995-1996 Hawaii Business Education Association's (HBEA) Outstanding Post-Secondary Educator Award and the 2000 Leeward College Outstanding Lecturer award.
Michael Fujita, assistant professor of accounting at LCC, will be on the 2003-2004 WBITE executive board as the HBEA president and voting delegate from Hawaii. Jean Hara, LCC professor of business technology, will be on the executive board as awards chairwoman.
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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
HONOLULU
Police say city bus was stopped when car hit it
A city bus had come to a stop when an on-coming car crossed the center line and crashed into it on North School Street about 8:35 a.m. yesterday, police said.The driver of the car, a 78-year-old Kalihi man, remained in critical condition at Queen's Medical Center this morning.
The bus was nearing the end of its route and had no passengers, said Roger Morton, senior vice president of Oahu Transit Services. The bus driver was not injured.
LEEWARD OAHU
Waipahu man dies in head-on collision
A 50-year Waipahu man died yesterday after a pickup truck -- speeding to pass a car -- crossed the grass median and crashed into his pickup truck near Pearl Highlands Center.Police said the victim was driving on Kamehameha Highway near Kuala Street about 3:12 p.m. when the fatal head-on collision occurred. He was taken to Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi in critical condition and died later.
The driver of the other pickup truck, a 20-year-old Waialua man, was taken to Queen's Medical Center where he was reported in guarded condition.
WINDWARD OAHU
Police nab woman who fled prison last June
Police have arrested Tammy Taoy, 36, who fled from the Women's Community Correctional Center in Kailua June 15.Police said Taoy is a career criminal. She was arrested in Kahaluu yesterday morning.
Taoy, also known as Tammy Saragosa and Tia A. Taoy, is suspected of trying to use a stolen Ala Moana Center certificate to buy a $570 Louis Vuitton handbag in August.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Phone scam exploits concern for loved ones
Big Island police are warning residents about a Caribbean-based telephone scam.Police said victims receive calls by pager or voice mail, informing them of an emergency in the family, such as a parent's death or an injured child. Victims are asked to return the call to a number with an 809 area code.
When victims return the call -- which goes to the Dominican Republic and costs $25 a minute -- they are put on hold or get a lengthy recording. The calls average more than $100 each, police estimate. The same phone scam has been used with the 284 and 876 area codes.
EAST OAHU
Fumes killed woman in Waialae house fire
Carbon monoxide inhalation was the cause of death of a woman whose body was found after a house fire Saturday in Waialae.The woman, believed to be the lone resident of 1184 Iki Place, has not been identified. The 11 a.m. fire left an estimated $340,000 damage to the home and a neighboring structure, and caused a traffic jam in the area. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
