O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
WINDWARD
73-year-old critical after van incident
A 73-year-old man was in critical condition last night after being struck by a van in Kane'ohe.
The accident happened on Kamehameha Highway near Kea'ahala Road at 6 p.m.
The man was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, and a nursing supervisor at Queens said he remained critical at 10 p.m.
Police continued to investigate into the night and parts of Kamehameha Highway remained closed.
HONOLULU
Fluoride topic at meeting
The effects of fluoridation in drinking water will be discussed at the Nu'uanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood meeting at 7:15 p.m. tomorrow at Booth District Park.
The board will also discuss the replacement of no parking signs that have been damaged or stolen on the mauka side of Rosebank Place, and repairs to the sidewalk on Henry Street between Laimi Road and Klebahn Place.
The board will be in recess in December.
Nimitz accident kills motorcyclist
A 34-year-old military man was killed yesterday morning when his motorcycle hit a concrete retaining wall on Nimitz Highway.
Police said witnesses reported that the man, who had an 'Aiea address, was riding beside another motorcyclist when the accident happened.
The two had been speeding 'ewa-bound on Nimitz toward the airport at about 4 a.m. and were weaving in and out of traffic, witnesses said.
As they neared Kakoi Street, the man, driving a 2001 Kawasaki Ninja, lost control of his bike and slammed into the retaining wall.
The man was thrown from the motorcycle. Although he was wearing a helmet, he suffered extensive head injuries, police said.
He was taken by ambulance to Tripler Army Medical Center, where he died a short time later.
The accident is under investigation, police said.
Woman sought in bank card theft
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According to police, a thief broke into a car in the Kaka'ako area on May 19 and stole jewelry and a bank card. The card was then used at various bank machines in the Honolulu area.
The woman was described as in her 30s to early 40s, with a heavy build, dark shoulder-length hair and wearing glasses.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on cellular phones.
EAST HONOLULU
Bids sought for city plan
The city is soliciting bids for two phases of the Diamond Head Recreational Management Plan, designed to make recreation safer along the roadway.
The $1 million project will place utility lines underground on the mauka side of the road around the historic monument, restripe the roadway for bicycle lanes and widen the pedestrian walkway, said Carol Costa, city spokeswoman.
The plan came about after residents balked at the city's bike lane proposal. Residents said the bike lanes cut into the road, which they said was busy. The plan is an attempt to make bike lanes, walkways and parking more uniform.
The construction bid will be awarded by the end of the year, Costa said, and construction should begin sometime in early 2002.
NORTH SHORE
Cafeteria work gets go-ahead
The expansion of the La'ie Elementary School cafeteria will have no significant long-term environmental impacts and can proceed as planned, according to a state Office of Environmental Quality Control bulletin.
The proposed project calls for adding 3,600 square feet to the cafeteria, and installing a new septic tank and leach field.
The new area will include an expanded student dining area, expanded kitchen, heater and electrical room, faculty dining room, tray return and wash area, a locker room and an office.
The cafeteria is 30 years old and was designed for 250 occupants. With an enrollment of 900, the school schedules lunch in three seatings beginning at 10:45 a.m.
Comment on flood project
The state Department of Transportation is seeking comment on a project to prevent flooding in front of Kahuku Hospital on Kamehameha Highway.
The state wants to construct box culverts in the area known as Hospital Ditch, in front of the hospital, and a replacement for Ki'i Bridge, which includes drainage improvements.
The box culverts are to reduce ponding and improve accessibility and safety within Kahuku during heavy rain.
Construction is scheduled to take place late next year or early 2003. City, state and federal money will pay for the project.
Comments are due Dec. 8. Address comments and copies to the State Department of Transportation, Highways Division, 601 Kamokila Blvd., Kapolei, HI 96707; R.M. Towill Corp., 420 Waiakamilo Road, Suite 411, Honolulu, HI 96817; and OEQC, 235 S. Beretania St., Leiopapa A Kamehameha Suite 702, Honolulu, HI 96813.
CENTRAL
'Mayor for a Day' speaks
Jonathan Enos, a Mililani Middle School sixth-grader, became "Mayor for a Day" earlier this month at Honolulu Hale for his winning essay on improving Hawai'i.
In his essay, Enos included ways to reduce traffic ("four-day work weeks"), make traveling around the Islands more affordable for residents ("people should be able to afford to see and learn everything about their home"), and drug prevention programs for children ("kids could see and hear people arrested for drug crimes tell their stories in person").
With Mayor Jeremy Harris behind him, Enos, who is active in student government at his school, quickly answered questions about his own career aspiration: "I want to be like governor and mayor."
As for his role model, Enos had an even quicker answer: his mom, Charlotte Vana, who works for the federal government as a secretary at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.
As part of his "pay" as mayor on Nov. 9, Enos had lunch with firefighters, scored baseball caps from the police chief and fire chief, earned various city transportation promotions for TheBus, and a proclamation from Harris.
Motorist still in critical condition
A 43-year-old Waipahu man who suffered extensive head injuries after wrecking his convertible on H-1 Saturday remained in critical condition yesterday at Tripler Army Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said.
Police said the man either lost control of his car while speeding about 1:30 p.m. Saturday or was run off the road by a blue BMW. Witness accounts conflicted.
Anyone with information should call the traffic investigations division at 529-3499.
