Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin Staff
City foresees parking problems at Blaisdell
People going to the Blaisdell Center Thursday and Sunday for graduations and other events should arrive early and even make alternate parking arrangements, the city said.On Thursday the Kalani High School graduation and the John Edward's "Get Psych'd" seminar will be going on at the same time. Sunday is also the Waipahu High School graduation, and a large number of cars are expected then as well.
Postal campaign nets food bank donations
U.S. Postal Service letter carriers gathered 310,312 pounds of food items from Hawaii residents during a May 10 collection drive, a spokesman reported."This will provide a great deal of our core nutrition for about five months," said Brent Schlemmer, director of operations for the Hawaii Food Bank, which will distribute the food.
By island, collections were 250,148 pounds on Oahu, 30,410 pounds on Maui, 23,969 pounds on the Big Island and 5,794 pounds on Kauai.
Shriners wants teen summer volunteers
The Shriners Hospital for Children is looking for teen volunteers for summer work in the medical records, recreation therapy and radiology departments.Teens interested in the six-week session, June 30 to Aug. 8, are asked to call Melissa Mateo, 951-3646, for an application packet and more information. Applications will be accepted starting today until all needs are met.
Various shifts are available, and volunteers are asked to commit to at least one a week. Volunteers must be at least 15 and able to provide recent negative TB test results.
The Honolulu Shriners Hospital has provided free surgical and rehabilitative orthopedic care to more than 21,000 children from Hawaii and the Pacific Basin since it was established in 1923.
Scholarships in Japan available to U.S. grads
The Consulate General of Japan is accepting applications for the 2004 Monbukagakusho and Senshu Gakko Professional Training Scholarships.The three-year scholarship includes one year of Japanese language study and two years of training at a professional school including architecture, electronics, hotel management or photography.
An applicant must be a U.S. citizen, between 17 and 21 years old, a high school graduate and in good health.
Scholarships include transportation to and from Japan, fees, accommodations, a monthly allowance and partial medical coverage.
For more information, contact the consulate at 543-3126.
Conference will address urgent health concerns
The state's most pressing health concerns will be addressed Wednesday through Friday at a Global Health Conference at the Hawai'i Convention Center.
Health care professionals, community activists and public health specialists are expected to attend the meetings, sponsored by the Hawaii Public Health Association.
Among speakers will be Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell, advocate for the health of native Hawaiians; Father Fran Hezel, Jesuit priest and director of Micronesian Seminar, a research and education institute in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia; and Dr. Finau Setaleki, of the Fiji School of Medicine, who will hold a workshop on Pacific traditional medicine.
State Health Director Chiyome Fukino will lead a panel on local public health issues. Other presentations will focus on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), HIV/AIDS, public health policy, environmental health and culture and health. For more information, see www.hawaii.publichealth.org.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffNEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Calif. firefighters join battle in park
Forty U.S. Forest Service firefighters from Mendocino National Forest in California will go on the fire line today to help battle fires ravaging parts of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.Jack Minassian, National Park Service fire management officer, said the California firefighters arrived Saturday night with 15 other support personnel, including safety officers and division supervisors.
With the 21 Big Island firefighters, the force battling the fires totals 76 fire personnel.
The fires begun by lava flows Wednesday have already scarred nearly 5,000 acres of the park.
The park service has put protection of Kilauea Volcano's east rift rain forest as a priority.
"There's a great diversity of rain forest plants to the north of the fire," Minassian said.
Yesterday's 100 percent cloud cover, slight drizzle, humidity returning to normal and light winds helped control the fire, Minassian said. Extremely dry conditions last week allowed the fires to spread quickly. This week's forecast, with possible isolated afternoon showers and higher humidity, is promising, officials said.
LEEWARD OAHU
Arson blamed for fire at St. Francis facility
Firefighters extinguished a fire in minutes yesterday at the St. Francis Medical Center Waianae Dialysis Facility. The fire was intentionally set, said fire Capt. Emmit Kane.Firefighters responded to the alarm at 86-080 Farrington Highway about 12:38 p.m. The facility was closed. Damage was limited to the exterior of the wooden building and estimated at $2,000, Kane said.
EAST OAHU
Burning car sparks fire across from golf course
A burning car ignited a brush fire early yesterday morning on Kalanianaole Highway across from the Hawaii Kai Golf Course, causing the closure of the highway for nearly three hours.The fire was initially reported at 2:38 a.m. as a car fire, said fire Capt. Emmit Kane, but when firefighters arrived, the fire had spread to nearby brush. The abandoned car was located 30 yards off the road. Police shut the highway from Kealahou Street to the Makapuu Lighthouse about 2:43 a.m. yesterday and reopened the highway at 5:25 a.m.
HONOLULU
Man is arrested after burglary and car theft
Police charged an 18-year-old Kaimuki man Saturday with burglary, auto theft and drug charges in connection with a break-in at a Waialae home Friday.Jason Bell was arrested at 8th Avenue after he allegedly burglarized a home at 3828 Pahoa Ave. The 55-year-old female resident was about to leave for work at 7 a.m. Friday when she discovered her purse and car missing, police said.
She called police, who sent out an all-points bulletin on the stolen car. A patrol officer who remembered seeing the car and the driver checked the area and found Bell sleeping in the car with the engine running.
Bell was arrested shortly before 8 a.m. Police said they found drugs and drug paraphernalia on him. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Police nab Kalihi man in beating of girlfriend
After allegedly kidnapping, threatening and beating his girlfriend, a 21-year-old Kalihi man was arrested Saturday morning when he went to the police station to report his car stolen.Police charged Robert Ahn Saturday with kidnapping, terroristic threatening and abuse of a household member. Ahn is also being held on violation of probation.
Police said Ahn got in a fight about 2:30 a.m. Saturday with "some boys" near Fern Elementary School.
The suspect got angry because they damaged his car, and also got upset with his girlfriend, a 20-year-old Kalihi woman, for not moving the car to prevent further damage, police said.
While driving, the man threatened to take the woman to Tantalus, bash her head in and kill her, police said.
He drove her up Round Top Drive and beat her continuously, police said. The woman locked herself in the car and drove off. She reported the incident to police at a traffic stop.
Ahn later reported his car stolen and was arrested at 5:50 a.m. Saturday. He is being held in lieu of $31,000 bail.
Man allegedly shatters girlfriend's windshield
Police arrested a 45-year-old Honolulu man Saturday after he allegedly hit the windshield of his girlfriend's car while she was inside the vehicle.Police said the man and the woman, 48, of Honolulu, got into an argument about 1:30 p.m. along Ohenana Loop in Makalapa, near Aloha Stadium. The woman got into her car, and the man struck the front windshield, breaking the glass and causing bodily injury to the woman, police said.
Police arrested the man for investigation of first-degree criminal property damage.
Theft of quarters ends in arrest of man, 41
Police charged Brian Sato, 41, with second-degree burglary Saturday after he allegedly stole quarters from a pool table at Club By Me at 2334 S. King St.Police were called after the club was closed and locked and the alarm was triggered. Police found the suspect trying to escape with an "armful of quarters," officials said.
Bail was set at $15,000.
WINDWARD OAHU
Girl says acquaintance sexually assaulted her
Police arrested a 26-year-old man Friday in Kaneohe for first-degree sexual assault of a minor. The 15-year-old girl reported that the man, whom she knows, sexually assaulted her.He was released pending further investigation.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
