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SHARING A TENDER
MOMENT WITH THE WORLD

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Mai Jones kissed her daughter, Amaris Hall, 13 months, while nursing at the Hawaii Breastfeeding Challenge, held at the state Capitol lawn yesterday. The event was held to encourage and support women to breast-feed and had a turnout of 47 mothers who had their babies latch on at 11 a.m. to coincide with other gatherings across the nation and in Canada. They were attempting to set a world record for the most women breast-feeding at one time. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Women's Health, reports that breast-feeding can help women lose their pregnancy weight, lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and improve maternal health. For more information on the benefits and support groups for breast-feeding visit www.breastfeedinghawaii.org.

State Capitol becomes no-smoking zone

The state Capitol is now smoke-free.

Ashtrays were removed and no-smoking signs were posted at the Capitol building yesterday.

Rep. Dennis Arakaki, Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland, Rep. Cynthia Thielen and the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii hosted a ceremony yesterday announcing the change.

The Legislature passed a resolution last session that called for no smoking at the Capitol, allowing community leaders to set a good example for keiki, visitors and community members, proponents said.

"We are thrilled our children and community members will now be able to learn about and participate in the political process without begin expose to deadly secondhand smoke," said Deborah Zysman, director of the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii.

BOE schedules talks at Kahuku and Iao

The Board of Education will continue its series of community meetings next week to discuss public education and promote family and community involvement in the schools.

Each meeting includes a presentation on the Reinventing Education Act of 2004 and offers opportunities for discussion. The meetings run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.:

>> Tomorrow, at Kahuku High and Intermediate School cafeteria;

>> And Wednesday, at Iao Elementary School cafeteria on Maui.

Population of those near retirement up

The number of people approaching retirement age in Hawaii grew by at least 20 percent in each of the state's four main counties from 2000 to 2003, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Wednesday.

The populations of other age groups also increased statewide over the three-year period, but at a slower rate, according to the census.

There were 17,243 people between the ages of 55 and 64 living on the Big Island in 2003, a 28 percent increase from 13,488 from 2000 -- the largest percentage jump among the state's four counties.

The preretirement population grew by 27 percent in Maui County, 25 percent in Kauai County and 20 percent in Honolulu.

Maui County saw the largest increase in baby boomers over the three-year period, with the 42,080 people in that age group representing an 11.3 percent increase.

The largest increase in the number of kids was on Oahu, where there were 61,792 kids under age 4 in 2003, 10 percent more than in 2000.

Kauai and Maui counties each experienced a 5.5 percent increase in the number of people over 65, while slightly smaller increases occurred on the Big Island, 5.3 percent, and in Honolulu, 4.8 percent.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Kona man charged in stabbing of 5-month-old boy

Police have charged a 26-year-old Kona man with second-degree attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a 5-month-old infant boy in his abdomen.

Jerry Francis Liquie, of a Holualoa address, is being held in the Kona police cellblock in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Liquie was arrested at 12:45 p.m. Friday after police responded to a call from the Kona Community Hospital reporting that the infant was suffering from the stab wound in his stomach.

Police took the child into protective custody and later released him into the custody of state Child Welfare Services. The child was later flown to the Kapiolani Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was reported in stable condition.

Kapaau man dies after truck overturns

A 41-year-old Kapaau man died from his injuries yesterday morning when the 1989 GMC pickup truck he was driving overturned inn Kapaau, North Kohala.

Police said the victim, Robert T. Suenaga, was driving on Akoni Pule Highway when he lost control of his pickup truck at 6:31 a.m. yesterday.

Suenaga was thrown when the truck overturned, police said.

He was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said it is unknown whether speed or alcohol were involved.

Police have ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

This is the 33rd fatality on the Big Island this year, compared with 23 the same time last year.

Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Eric Serezo of the Traffic Enforcement Unit at 961-2332.

LEEWARD OAHU

Speeding van crashes and kills 1 in Waipahu

One man in his 20s was killed and another critically injured in a single-vehicle accident early yesterday morning in Waipahu.

Police said a brown Toyota Previa was heading westbound on Farrington Highway at 2:21 a.m. yesterday when it veered onto the raised median and crashed into two traffic control poles.

Police said the minivan continued through the intersection at Mokuola Street and collided into two more traffic control poles.

The Previa overturned and one man was partially ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

A second man, also in his 20s, was taken to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition.

Police said the van had been speeding.

Police said yesterday they had not yet determined which of the two men was driving.

Farrington Highway was shut down for hours between Waipahu Depot Street and Aumoku Street while police investigated the crash scene. Police opened one Pearl City-bound lane at 3:30 a.m.

Coast Guard drops pump to stricken boat

A Coast Guard crew was able to assist a sinking fishing boat about 25 miles northwest of Waianae Friday evening by delivering a dewatering pump.

The 25-foot Elizabeth Y called for help at 6:20 p.m. and a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter and C-130 airplane responded, the Coast Guard reported. The helicopter crew was able to lower a dewatering pump to the boat and the crew reported it was able to keep the flooding at bay well enough to make it back to Waianae Harbor at 10 p.m., escorted by a friend's boat.

HONOLULU

Police ask for help to find missing girl

Honolulu police are asking for public help to find a missing 17-year-old girl who was last seen walking to work yesterday morning.

Pansy Li, who was wearing a light blue T-shirt, blue jeans and Vans shoes with pink trim, has been missing since she failed to show up for work at Kukui Plaza yesterday morning. She was last seen walking on Nuuanu Avenue near Beretania Street at about 7:45 a.m.

Police said she is 5 foot 9 inches tall, weighs about 120 pounds, has three silver stud earrings in each ear, and braces.

Anyone with information is asked to call missing persons detectives at 529-3394.

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Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers