Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Menor and Takumi headed for Maine
Two Hawaii lawmakers instrumental in crafting legislation aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drugs plan to travel to Maine next week to study developments in that state's pioneering prescription drug program, officials said yesterday.Greg Marchildon, executive director of the seniors advocacy group AARP Hawaii, said Sen. Ron Menor (D, Mililani) and Rep. Roy Takumi (D, Pearl City-Pacific Palisades) will join him on the fact-finding trip.
Meetings with Maine officials, including Gov. John Baldacci and Attorney General G. Steven Rowe, are scheduled for Wednesday through Friday.
Menor and Takumi worked on legislation approved in 2002 that would set up a prescription drug program in Hawaii similar to Maine's, known as Maine Rx. That program allows the state to use its buying power to force drug companies to offer bulk discounts on prescription drugs for senior citizens, the working poor and others who have trouble paying for their medicine.
The U.S. Supreme Court in May ruled in favor of the Maine Rx program, saying drug makers did not show why the plan should be blocked. Since then the Maine Legislature has revised the legislation as it works to implement the new program.
The Hawaii program, known as Hawaii Rx, is scheduled to take effect July 1, though lawmakers plan to amend the measure in the next session, Marchildon said. Advocates say the program will help about 228,000 residents who do not have prescription drug coverage.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffWINDWARD OAHU
Teen claims man hit him with a cane knife
Police arrested a 57-year-old Kaneohe man after he allegedly swung a cane knife at a teenager.Police said the victim, a 16-year-old boy from Kaneohe, was riding his motorcycle on private property in the Waiahole Valley Road area on Aug. 6 when he was stopped by the suspect.
The victim told police that the suspect swung a cane knife at him and struck his helmet.
The man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of terroristic threatening, attempted assault and criminal property damage. He was released pending investigation.
Keolu Hills brush fire flares for second day
Firefighters returned to Keolu Hills yesterday to extinguish flare-ups from a Wednesday brush fire at the top of the ridge.Fire Capt. Emmit Kane said four companies responded to hot spots at 10:52 a.m. near Tinker Road at Bellows Air Force Station and spent nearly three hours extinguishing the sites.
The brush fire scorched 70 acres near homes at Keolu Hills. About a dozen homes were temporarily evacuated on Wednesday because of the smoke.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Stabbing victim flown to Oahu for surgery
Big Island police arrested a 19-year-old Keaau man yesterday for allegedly stabbing a teenager during a fight in a Hawaiian Paradise Park home on Aug. 9.Police said the suspect stabbed a 17-year-old male several times at a house on 27th Avenue. The victim ran to a neighbor's house and had a large diving knife in his left arm when officers arrived, according to police.
The victim was taken to Hilo Medical Center and flown to the Queen's Medical Center where he underwent surgery.
Puna man is sought for parole violation
Police are looking for a 48-year-old Puna man on bench warrants for contempt of court and violation of parole.Police identified the suspect as James Ipolani Souza, also known as "Honey Boy," of no known local address. He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 175 pounds, with green eyes, brown hair and a salt-and-pepper mustache.
Anyone with information on Souza's whereabouts is asked to call Detective Lucille Melemai, of the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section, at 961-2377, or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
