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Diabetes walk raises more than $215,000

In its most successful fund-raiser, the American Diabetes Association raised more than $215,000 in this year's America's Walk for Diabetes.

More than 1,500 walkers participated in the March charity event at Kapiolani Park.

Funds will be used for diabetes education and prevention programs in Hawaii.

For more information, contact the American Diabetes Association , 947-5979 or 800-DIABETES (800-342-2383), or visit www.diabetes.org.

School program helps spot signs of asthma

The program "Asthma 101" helps school personnel recognize signs of asthma and asthma triggers in school and teaches them how to handle asthma attacks.

Asthma is the leading cause of school absences among island children and results in significant work absences for parents who must provide home care or medical attention for them, the American Lung Association says.

Hawaii children have the highest lifetime asthma prevalence in the nation -- 17.1 percent compared with 12.4 percent nationwide, according to the latest state-by-state comparisons in 2003 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the association said.

For more information, call Brenda Mahuka, program associate, at 537-5966, ext. 307, or Stephen Levine, Maui program coordinator, 244-5110; or visit www.ala-hawaii.org/.

Wahiawa group gives $114,000 to hospital

The Auxiliary of Wahiawa General Hospital has donated $114,000 to the hospital to purchase resuscitation, monitoring and surgery equipment.

The funds were raised during the past two years through the Auxiliary's Gift Shop and Thrift Shop operations.

Auxiliary president Martha Peterson said more than two dozen volunteers and Auxiliary members provided 14,414 hours of service to the hospital in the past two years.

Jack Julius, chief executive officer of the hospital, accepted the donation at a recent Auxiliary board meeting and expressed the appreciation of the board, medical and hospital staff for the work of the volunteers and Auxiliary.

Queen's offers tips for well-balanced life

Dr. Patricia Avila, medical director of the Women's Health Center at the Queen's Medical Center, will provide tips for a well-balanced life in a public lecture at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Queen's Conference Center Auditorium, 510 S. Beretania St.

Her topic is "Living Healthy Through Fitness, Diet and Managing Stress," and she will discuss easy strategies to help manage stress. She'll also explain why managing stress prevents development of many diseases and how to start and maintain life-long fitness program.

Reservations are required because of limited space. Call the Queen's Referral Line, 537-7117, for information and to register.

Reservoir work spurs water conservation call

The Board of Water Supply is asking residents from Waipahu to Makaha to conserve water today and tomorrow while crews complete electrical work for a new reservoir.

The work will start at 4 p.m. today and last for 24 hours.

Residents are asked to use water for essential needs only, including for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene. Customers should hold off on washing clothes or watering their lawns until service is back to normal.

Phone scam targets HECO customers

Hawaiian Electric Co. officials are warning the public about a possible telephone scam involving a fake service charge for homeowners.

HECO officials said they have received reports that a telephone caller who claims to represent the company has offered homeowners a plan to keep home water heaters turned on if there is a power outage. The charge is said to be $3 a month, and the caller asks for a credit card number over the phone.

HECO officials said they are offering no such program and warn the public that no one should ever provide credit card numbers to unknown callers over the phone.

HECO does, however, offer eligible residents a $3 per month credit for allowing HECO to install a small device near their home water heaters, which allows the company to shut them off briefly in case of a possible power outage.

If anyone has questions about a call they may have received they can call 94-POWER (947-6937). Calls may also be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU

Killed policeman is 57th traffic fatality

A 55-year-old reserve police officer who was killed Friday night in a head-on collision in Alewa Heights was Oahu's 57th traffic fatality this year, compared to 45 at the same time in 2004.

The accident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Ilima Drive near Puna Street when the officer's 2002 Pontiac Bonneville crashed into a 2003 white Volkswagen van, police said.

The 49-year-old male van driver and two passengers were taken to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition. Another passenger in the van was uninjured.

Police said the reserve officer was not wearing his seatbelt. The officer was pronounced dead at the scene and had sustained head and chest injuries.

It's the second fatal traffic incident involving a police officer in two days. An off-duty officer hit a 77-year-old woman walking across Moanalua Road in Aiea Thursday night. The woman was pronounced dead at the Queen's Medical Center.

Police said Tatsuye Yoshizumi of Kapolei was in a crosswalk near Nalopaka Place when she was struck by a 2002 Isuzu Rodeo driven by the off-duty officer, a 25-year-old Mililani man, at about 8:45 p.m.

Speed may have been a factor in the accident. The woman was also wearing dark-colored clothing.

High school student arrested for robbery

Police arrested an 18-year-old man in a robbery case in which the victim convinced the suspect he would hand over money at a later date.

Both the 16-year-old male victim and the suspect are students at a Honolulu high school, police said. Police said the suspect confronted the victim on Wednesday and demanded money, but that the victim told him he would give it to him later.

The incident was reported to police Thursday and the suspect was arrested for investigation of second-degree robbery then released pending an investigation.