Nuuanu woman bled to death from stab wound

The 88-year-old Nuuanu woman who was stabbed allegedly by her daughter apparently bled to death, according to the Department of the Medical Examiner.

Dorothy Y.K. Stribling died Monday at the Queen's Medical Center from a single stab wound to her chest. The stabbing occurred at Stribling's home, 114 Rosebank Place. Her daughter, Claudia Warner-Gonzales, 61, of Alewa Heights, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Stribling's death.

Senate OKs bill to ban candy sales at schools

Candy or ice cream sales would be banned at Hawaii public schools under a measure that is close to passing the state Legislature.

The Senate approved the bill 21-2 on Monday, and another version previously passed the House. The two “;no”; votes came from the Senate's only Republicans.

The legislation says candy and ice cream have minimal nutritional value, and state law should comply with nutrition guidelines to promote student health and reduce childhood obesity.

Sen. Sam Slom of Hawaii Kai says the Department of Education should concentrate on learning rather than enforcing bans on enjoyable foods.

The measure will be sent to Gov. Linda Lingle if the House agrees to the Senate's version, or if negotiators from both chambers craft a compromise bill.

Moanalua team heads to Mock Trial nationals

Moanalua High School won the 2010 state high school Mock Trial contest at the Hawaii Supreme Court on Saturday, and will compete at the Philadelphia nationals in May.

The final four teams included Kauai High School, St. Joseph School (Hilo) and Punahou School. They argued before Chief Justice Ronald Moon and Associate Justice Mark Recktenwald of the Supreme Court, and Chief Judge Craig Nakamura and Associate Judge Daniel Foley of the Intermediate Court of Appeals, a release said.

“;The teams have been competing against each other since January,”; said the competition organizer, Caprice Itagaki.

She and coordinator Jason Woo are members of the Hawaii State Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division, which sponsors the contest.

The fictional civil action case for this year involved claims by the parents of a young man who died from injuries caused by a crowd-crushing incident at a rap concert.

Forum hosts candidates for lieutenant governor

The six Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor are scheduled to meet for an upcoming “;speed dating”; forum.

The event will allow the audience to sit in a circle with a candidate for 13 minutes each before they move on to the next candidate. The Saturday event is sponsored by Progressive Democrats of Hawaii and Americans for Democratic Action of Hawaii.

The Democratic candidates are Rep. Lyla Berg, Sen. Robert Bunda, Sen. Gary Hooser, Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu, Sen. Norman Sakamoto and former Democratic Party of Hawaii Chairman Brian Schatz.

The announced Republican candidates are attorney Adrienne King and businesswoman Dana Wedemeyer-Steele.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Kauai to start automated trash pickup

LIHUE » Kauai County and the United Public Workers union have signed a supplemental agreement allowing for the start of automated refuse collection on the Garden Island.

County Engineer Donald Fujimoto said yesterday that the agreement allows the county to implement the collection service for up to 3,200 homes in Puhi, Lihue and portions of Hanamaulu starting July 1.

The county will provide the households with 96-gallon bins. They are designed to work with a refuse truck with a mechanical arm.

Officials say the service will enable one operator to service up to 33 percent more collection units per day than a manual collection system that requires three employees.

Plans call for most households to be converted to automated trash pickup over the next several years.

Reef rehab work damages coral

A federal report says 125 concrete slabs accidentally landed on live coral habitat in December during a state project to enhance an artificial reef off Keawakapu, Maui.

The state initially reported that it appeared about 50 slabs hit the reef.

A preliminary assessment performed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the rest of the 1,400 modules weighing 2,800 pounds each landed on sand.

The report listed three restoration options, including no action, because any further movement of the modules from wave action is unlikely.

It says full removal could cause additional injury, and towing could create a larger injury footprint. The report says selected modules could be extracted without further coral injury.