HAWAI'I BRIEFS
100 people fall ill at state hospital
Advertiser Staff
An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness at the Hawai'i State Hospital in Kane'ohe has sickened a total of about 100 people since Dec. 9, officials said yesterday.
State Health Department spokeswoman Laura Lott said both patients and staff members have reported symptoms of vomiting, nausea and diarrhea that usually get better within 24 to 36 hours.
Officials have not determined the cause of the illness. They have restricted visitors for those who have symptoms of the disease; kept patients and staff working within one unit at a time rather than floating to other areas; and limited patients going to programs outside the campus while they are sick.
"That's really a precaution to try to prevent the spread of this out into the community," Lott said. She also said the hospital stepped up disinfection of surfaces.
"It's a stomach bug," she said. "These types of things are highly contagious."
Principal named citizen of year
The Kane'ohe Neighborhood Board has named the principal of King Intermediate School, Cynthia Chun, as it's Citizen of the Year for 2004.
Roy Yanagihara, Kane'ohe board chairman, said Chun was particularly recognized for helping students improve academically and socially. She established a mentoring program for students, worked with the community to create better relations with her neighbors and persevered while dealing with an aging school facility and inadequate resources, Yanagihara said.
Windward group looking for tables
One minute the tables were there, the next, they were gone.
On Saturday, volunteers from the Windward Ahupua'a Alliance were running errands in preparation for a fund-raiser. At just after 4 p.m., the truck they were using to gather supplies made the turn at the corner of Kakaina and Hihimanu Streets in Waimanalo. Two large off-white plastic tables, brand new from Costco, slid off the truck. By the time the driver turned around, the tables were gone.
The Windward Ahupua'a Alliance is running community stewardship activities along Kapa'a Quarry Road and at the Waikalua Loko Fishpond in Kane'ohe. The tables are needed for their environmental work. If someone would like to return the tables, call Jim Wood at 223-5535.
Night Market open in Kailua
Santa will be shopping tomorrow at the Kailua Night Market from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Kailua Town Center Parking Garage. The market, sponsored by Kane'ohe Ranch Co. Ltd. and the Hawai'i Farm Bureau Federation, features island- grown fruits, vegetables, flowers and beef. Shoppers can purchase dinners at various stalls. For more information call 848-2074.
HONOLULU
City program's office raided
Police raided a leased city office at 711 Kapiolani Blvd. yesterday and seized documents and computer files.
Officers arrived with a search warrant for offices of the O'ahu Workforce Investment Board, a city-run training and employment program that coordinates job fairs and matches employers with job-seekers.
Board executive director Christine McColgan could not be reached for comment.
The board oversees the city's job training and job placement programs, paid for with millions of dollars from the U.S. Labor Department.
City Managing Director Ben Lee said he had been informed of the search and provided with a copy of the warrant, but could not immediately comment in detail.
Mayor to sign copies of his book
Mayor Jeremy Harris will sign copies of his book, "The Renaissance of Honolulu," at several book stores this week.
• Noon today at Borders Books Music & Cafe, Ward Centre.
• 7 p.m. today at Borders Books Music & Cafe, Waikele.
• Noon tomorrow at Bestsellers, Tamarind Square downtown.
The 224-page book costs $19.95 and proceeds will go to the city's general fund.
McKinley alumni hold fund-raiser
The McKinley Alumni Association will hold its annual brunch and fund-raiser at 10 a.m., Jan. 29, at the Japanese Cultural Center, Manoa Ballroom, 2454 S. Beretania St. The cost is $40 to $50 per person. Reservations are due by Dec. 27. For more information, call Lisa at 566-1353 or e-mail at ltoma@nkcpa.com.
CENTRAL
Free video mail to troops offered
Families and friends of the more than 10,000 Hawai'i-based soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have a new way to communicate with the service members.
Oceanic Time Warner Cable has set up a video mail kiosk at its offices in Mililani where free video messages can be recorded. The service is also available for cable Internet service subscribers via the service's Web site. A Web camera is required for that service.
The U.S. Troop Video Mail kiosk was set up in time for Christmas messages, with an additional kiosk to be opened at the shopping center at Schofield Barracks next month.
Oceanic's president, Nate Smith, said the service is part of its interactive cable services.
Users of the kiosks will be able to record up to 90 seconds of video and send it without having a Road Runner account. The service also will allow the sending of greeting cards and text messages, as well as digital photos.
BIG ISLAND
Man swimming in Kona dies
A 37-year-old man died yesterday after he was pulled from waters off Magic Sands Beach in Kona.
The man was identified as Wilson Oliva, who had no permanent address, police said.
Witnesses told police they saw Oliva swimming at about 2:20 p.m. when he went under a wave, but failed to surface. A lifeguard swam out and brought Oliva to shore, where emergency personnel performed CPR.
Oliva was taken to Kona Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:08 p.m., police said. The case has been classified as a public accident, pending the outcome of an autopsy, police said.
The west side of the Big Island was under a high surf warning yesterday and the waves at the time of the incident were in the 8- to 10-foot range, police said.
