Honolulu Star-Bulletin News /2005/01/13/

Maui hospital to add wing by '07

WAILUKU » Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2007 on a $42 million expansion project that features a four-story wing at state-operated Maui Memorial Medical Center.

Hospital officials, who held the groundbreaking last week, said the addition of 76,000 square feet will provide space for many services, including additional beds for intensive and critical care patients, and an expansion of the surgical center and physical therapy area.

Later this year, construction will also begin on a new medical office building and parking structure at Maui Memorial. The estimated $60 million project is being privately financed and will be developed by Maui Health Care Buildings LLC.

[ Taking Notice ]

» The state Department of Human Services and other top donors have been recognized by Gov. Linda Lingle for their contributions to the Hawaii Foodbank. They were United Airlines, Doubletree Waikiki Hotel, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Hawaii, Curves for Women, Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright, Hawaii Management Alliance Association, Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu Fire Department, ASSETS School, Wheeler Elementary School, University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, First Judicial Circuit Court, Westin Maui Hotel, Pacific Radio Group and Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. State Rep. David Pendleton was the top donor from the Legislative Coalition.

» The Fifth Annual Niketown 5 race in Waikiki raised $78,000 through entry fees for athletic and play programs at Oahu schools. There was a record number of 5,400 participants, 3,000 of them children. Maemae Elementary and Kaimuki Middle schools had the largest turnouts, each raising about $5,500 with 314 participants.

» The 27th annual City Bank Helps Oahu Golf Tournament at the Pearl Country Club raised a record $29,575 for the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce. The funds will be used for the chamber's leadership programs.

» The Hawaii Youth Symphony Association, which serves more than 600 elementary and secondary school students, has received $20,000 from First Hawaiian Foundation. A portion of the grant, to be paid over two years, was used for its Winter Concert 2004, which launched the association's 40th-anniversary celebration.

"Taking Notice" also runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Police, Fire, Courts

By Star-Bulletin staff

NORTH SHORE

Waikiki man thrown from motorcycle

A 30-year-old Waikiki man was critically injured at 3 p.m. yesterday in a motorcycle accident on Kaukonahua Road near Waialua, less than a mile from Kamananui Road.

Police said the motorcyclist was heading toward Waialua when, for some unknown reason, his black 2000 Suzuki motorcycle drifted onto the grassy right shoulder.

The motorcycle fell to the ground, and the man was thrown, police said.

The man sustained possibly critical internal injuries and was medevaced to the Queen's Medical Center, police said.

The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet.

HONOLULU

Man allegedly assaults officer during arrest

Police arrested a 39-year-old man for allegedly assaulting a police officer who was trying to arrest him along Kapiolani Boulevard on Tuesday night.

According to police, the suspect punched the officer in the face and then kneed him in his chest about 11:45 p.m. while the officer was attempting to arrest him on a probation revocation warrant. The suspect was arrested for investigation of assaulting a police officer, two drug offenses and the warrant.

LEEWARD OAHU

Car theft suspect arrested at bus stop

An auto theft suspect tried to elude arrest by attempting to catch a city bus Tuesday night in Aiea, police said.

Police said a patrol officer spotted the suspect at about 11:17 p.m. as he was driving a silver Honda with its headlights off. The officer then learned that the car had been stolen, and went searching for the suspect.

The officer eventually located the stolen car and then saw the suspect waiting at a bus stop near Kamehameha Highway and Hekaha Street. Police arrested him on suspicion of operating a stolen vehicle.

Abandoned building sustains fire damage

Fire caused heavy damage to an abandoned building in Waipahu just before 10 Monday night.

The one-story building, described as an old store and church on the 98-300 block of Waipahu Street, was set to be demolished, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.

Fire officials said the fire might have been caused by homeless people who had been living in the building.

EAST OAHU

Police find robbery suspect who fled

Police located a robbery suspect who allegedly ran off as officers investigated in Hawaii Kai last weekend.

On Saturday a 24-year-old man reported being robbed by another man who came up from behind him, choked him and then took his belongings. When police arrived they found the suspect in the area but lost him after he pushed officers away and ran while police continued their investigation.

Police found the suspect earlier this week and arrested him for investigation of second-degree robbery.

Missing woman was waiting out darkness

A woman who was reported missing Tuesday night in the Makapuu area was found safe yesterday morning by police and fire rescue personnel.

According to the woman's boyfriend, the couple went fishing all day yesterday at the tide pools along Alan Davis beach and Makapuu point. However, they became separated after they decided to take different routes back to their van, which was parked alongside Kalanianaole Highway near the lighthouse trail.

The woman, 45, never made it back to the van, prompting her boyfriend to call police at 9 p.m. Tuesday. After an intensive search overnight by Fire Department rescue crews, the woman was found at about 7:30 a.m. yesterday.

According to police, she got lost in the darkness and decided to wait until daylight to try walking back.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Police searching for felony suspect

Keith Moniz: He has tattoos of koi and a maile lei, and is considered dangerous

Big Island police are looking for help in finding a 27-year-old man wanted in connection with felony offenses in Waikoloa that occurred Dec. 17.

Police said Keith Keola Moniz is known to frequent North Kohala and the Waikoloa and Waimea areas of South Kohala.

Hez is described as 5-foot-1, about 210 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He has a large tattoo of koi fish on his left upper arm and a tattoo of a maile lei over lettering on his back.

Police consider Moniz armed and dangerous and caution members of the public against approaching or attempting to apprehend him.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Zack Houchin at 326-4646, ext. 262; the police nonemergency number at 935-3311; or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or in 329-8181 in Kona.

Fire causes $50,000 in damage, no deaths

OCEAN VIEW, Hawaii » Fifteen people escaped without serious injury yesterday when fire destroyed the main building in their housing compound in rural Ocean View subdivision, 40 miles south of Kailua-Kona, the Hawaii County Fire Department said.

The cause of the 1:37 a.m. fire was not immediately determined.

Fire Capt. Gerald Kosaki said he learned of the number of occupants from the owner of the property, Doaz David. Kosaki saw six or seven adults, leading him to assume that several families lived at the site, he said. Three of the residents were taken to Kau Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, he said.

Fire destroyed the main, one-story structure, which was 768 square feet in size, Kosaki said. A water tank was also destroyed. The loss was put at $50,000. Small buildings that escaped damage were a kitchen structure, a bathhouse and a small bedroom cabin, he said.