Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Group sells land for $1 for Hawaiian homes
The Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation has agreed to sell the state 3.3 acres in Waianae for $1 to create Hawaiian homesteads.The property and an adjacent self-help housing community is the former home of the Weinberg Village for homeless families.
The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will develop 20 single-family homes expected to be in the $90,000 to $110,000 range. Each lot will cover a minimum 5,000 square feet.
The state expects to break ground later this year.
Foundation Chairman Jeffrey Watanabe said the organization donated the land because it felt a Hawaiian Homes community would complement Ke Aka Hoona, its self-help housing project.
"We finished 75 homes. And we felt that it was really time to also test the formula from the standpoint of a public-private partnership," Watanabe said.
Hawaiian Home Lands Director Micah Kane said the projects will appear as one community sharing the Ke Aka Hoona community center.
"We've looked to them during our strategic planning period as the model way to develop communities," Kane said.
Kane said his department will release details later on plans to construct 1,100 housing units on Maui over the next five years, pumping $91 million into the Valley Isle, and a similar plan for Oahu.
Crash of isle Guard copter in Iraq probed
Authorities are investigating the crash landing last month of a Hawaii Army National Guard helicopter in Iraq in which five soldiers were injured, the state defense director said yesterday.The crash of the CH-47 heavy lift helicopter occurred last month at an undisclosed location, state Adjutant General Robert Lee said.
"We did have a helicopter crash; it was not under combat conditions," he said. "They ran into a sandstorm. In landing in the sandstorm it came down hard and it rolled over," then caught fire and burned.
Names of the injured soldiers -- a pilot, co-pilot and three crew members -- were not released, and Lee declined to discuss details, citing the ongoing investigation.
About 200 members of Hawaii National Guard C Company, 193rd Aviation were called to active duty to serve in Iraq in January. They arrived in the Middle East in March with 14 helicopters.
[ BRIEFLY ]
Alzheimer's workshops are scheduled on Maui
The Alzheimer's Association is sponsoring three workshops on Maui tomorrow and Saturday to help patients and caregivers.Chris Ridley, program coordinator for the association's Hawaii County Office, will present the workshops. Besides her professional background, she has had personal experience with Alzheimer's. She cared for her father as he struggled with the disease for 12 years.
The workshops are scheduled as follows:
» 5-6:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Red Cross Training Room, 1063 Lower Main St., C-206, Wailuku, across the hall from the Alzheimer's Office. Ridley will discuss the difference between senior moments and forgetfulness representing some memory loss. She'll present techniques to enhance memory, current medical information on memory and symptoms of dementia related to memory problems.
» 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the Kaiser Permanente-Wailuku Clinic Training Room, 1st floor, 80 Mahalani St., Wailuku. Ridley will discuss behavior problems that may accompany Alzheimer's disease and related programs, why such behavior may be occurring and present suggestions for coping with illnesses related to the disease.
» 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the Kaiser Permanente-Wailuku Clinic Training Room. Ridley will discuss ways to work with the doctor to get the best health care for a patient and help caregivers become better organized to reduce stress.
The workshop is free but donations are welcome. For reservations or more information, call the Alzheimer's Association at 242-8636.
Hepatitis C training treatments will be held
A training session on current hepatitis C treatments and management tips will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. tomorrow in Suite C-302, Drug Addiction Services of Hawaii, Inc., 1130 N. Nimitz Highway.Professionals and patients are invited to the free course, which is limited to the first 50 people who register by calling 866-762-9295.
Many people may be infected with hepatitis C who don't know it, said Ken Akinaka, head of the Hepatitis Prevention, Education, Treatment and Support Network of Hawaii.
At risk are alcohol and other drug users, people who are homeless, poor, mentally ill, infected with HIV/AIDS, who had blood transfusions before July 1992, ex-offenders, parolees and probationers and war veterans, he said.
He said about 10,000 people die annually in the United States, a number expected to increase to 30,000 in the next 10 years unless more people are tested and treated.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHONOLULU
Police are asking for the public's help in finding the suspect of a bank robbery in Kalihi.
Police look for robber who fled on bicycleThe Kalihi branch of the American Savings Bank on North King Street was robbed about 10 a.m. yesterday.
Police said a man entered the bank, passed a note to the teller demanding cash and walked out with an undisclosed amount of money.
The man was last seen riding a bicycle Koko Head-bound. He is described as being in his mid-30s, 5 foot 3 inches tall and 240 pounds. He has long and wavy hair and was wearing a blue and gray patterned polo shirt, jeans and slippers.
Anyone with information is asked to call 529-3357. Anonymous calls can be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Woman faces charges in fake bus pass case
Police charged a 50-year-old woman with first-degree forgery yesterday for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fake city bus passes.Police said Corinne Arakawa manufactured a small number of counterfeit bus passes. Police arrested her Sunday, a day after they arrested two people for trying to use fake passes to board a city bus in Kalihi.
Police said a college student also was arrested May 11 for using a fake pass.
Arakawa was being held in lieu of $15,000 bail.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
