Posted on: Thursday, February 24, 2005
HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Family escapes apartment fire
Advertiser Staff
A family of four is homeless today after their Wahiawa apartment was heavily damaged by fire last night.
The fire in a third-floor apartment at 125 Ohai St. was reported at 6:48 p.m. and brought under control six minutes later, said fire spokesman Capt. Emmit Kane. Three adults and a child were in the apartment when the fire broke out, but they were able to escape unharmed, he said.
Kane said the fire appeared to have started in the apartment's bedroom. He said the residents tried to fight the blaze, but were unable to extinguish it and called for help.
The fire destroyed the bedroom and caused heat and smoke damage to the rest of the unit, Kane said. Two apartments on the second floor suffered water damage, he said.
A 37-year-old man who was declared an escapee when he failed to return to the Laumaka Work Furlough Center Feb. 16 turned himself in yesterday.
Charles E. Winfrey was arrested after he turned himself in at the Laumaka center on Kamehameha Highway shortly after noon. He was turned over to police and arrested on suspicion of second-degree escape.
He was being held last night at the O'ahu Community Correctional Center.
Winfrey left the Kalihi center Wednesday to work at a tree service in Waimanalo, but did not return by 8 p.m. He was serving time for auto theft and probation revocation and was not considered dangerous.
Winfrey faces an additional five years in prison if convicted of escape.
Adm. William "Fox" Fallon will take over as head of the U.S. Pacific Command during a ceremony Saturday at Camp Smith.
Fallon, 60, will replace Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, who has led Pacific Command since May 2002. Fargo's retirement is effective March 1.
Fallon is a Vietnam veteran and naval aviator from Merchantville, N.J. He leaves the Navy's Fleet Forces Command and U.S. Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, Va., a command he has held since October 2003.
U.S. Pacific Command is the headquarters responsible for all air, ground and maritime military forces in the Asia-Pacific region. It is the largest geographical command in the Department of Defense.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is conducting the annual ocean count project Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the following locations:
• O'ahu: Lana'i Lookout, site leader June Kawamata (261-5500); Halona Blowhole, Sue Brovarone (261-8505). • Hawai'i (The Big Island): Keauhou Scenic Lookout, Tom Lynch (808) (896-9151); Hualalai, Bob Harmon (808) 883-3822; Onekahakaha Beach Park, Mary Robertson (808) (969-9456). • Kaua'i: Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Noel Brooks; Kapa'a Lookout, Allen Hill (808) 482-1567. The shore-based humpback whale survey is conducted at more than 65 sites around the Islands on the last Saturdays of January, February and March. Last year more than 1,500 volunteers participated.
The Pacific Whale Foundation conducts a whale count off Maui independently.
Helena Norberg-Hodge, a leading analyst on the impact of global economy on culture, will discuss the issue at 7 p.m. Monday at Church of The Crossroads, 1212 University Ave., and again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Maui Community College Science Room 10A.
Norberg-Hodge believes that people need to become economically literate to understand what economic policies are behind the destruction of forests and rivers and the increasing cost of food and housing.
A $5 donation is suggested. Call Laura Crites at 941-8253 or Chuck Burrows at 595-3922.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has given a $1.1 million federal grant to the state public library system.
State librarian Jo Ann Schindler said the funds will be used to maintain and expand the library's automation system; pay for online cataloging and inter-library loan services; and acquire online databases and other resources.
Online database information services are available on the library Web site at www.librarieshawaii.org. Click on "other databases" to see a list databases offered as a free service to library customers.
A banquet to celebrate Honolulu Hiroshima Kenjin Kai's 50th anniversary will be March 13 at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i's Manoa Grand Ballroom at 2454 S. Beretania St. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tickets are $25 per person.
About 50 visitors from Hiroshima prefecture are expected to attend, said Honolulu Hiroshima Kenjin Kai vice president Wayne Miyao.
Kenjin Kai members celebrating their 80th birthdays this year will be recognized by government officials from Hiroshima. The club is made up of second- to fourth-generation descendants of immigrants to Hawai'i from Hiroshima and has a membership of 300 families.
Games, a petting zoo, dunking booth, pony rides and inflatable jumpers will be featured at 'Aina Haina Elementary School's 25th annual Fun Day.
The free day of games, entertainment and a mini-carnival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 6 at the school, 801 West Hind Drive.
Money raised from Fun Day will go to enrichment programs offered for all students.
A free public presentation on Native Hawaiian resistance movements is set for 7 p.m. Monday at the Ka'iwakilou-moku Hawaiian Cultural Center, Kamehameha Schools.
"Aloha Betrayed" will be presented by Noenoe Silva, associate professor of political science and Hawaiian language at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa.
For information, call Jamie Fong at 842-8655.
Laumaka fugitive returns to facility
Fallon to take helm Saturday
Whale-count locations set
Global economy analyst to speak
Grant to help upgrade libraries
Hiroshima group turns 50
'Aina Haina kids will focus on fun
Professor to talk about resistance
