Newswatch
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Thursday, April 4, 1996
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Thursday, April 4, 1996
Those running the programs are among about 197 exempt, temporary and limited-term Health Department employees notified that their jobs will end.
William Christoffel, deputy director for health resources administration, says the effect will be devastating.
Maui and the Big Island will be without state AIDS outreach workers.
Health Director Lawrence Miike asked for a review of the cuts at a recent Cabinet meeting.
Christoffel says health officials hope the positions will be extended.
And they say their health problems have either gotten worse or will worsen as a result of the cuts.
The telephone survey of 61 general assistance clients released this week supports what social service providers have predicted: reductions in benefits as a cost-saving measure will backfire and lead to greater and more expensive problems for the islands.
"I think it's just poor planning to cut them back, and it's just going to cost more in the long run," said Lawrence Lister, a UH social work professor who directed the March study with two other faculty members.
Executive Director Robert Watada said the commission is looking into whether there was "bundling" made to Mayor Jeremy Harris' 1994 mayoral campaign by three companies affiliated with Realtor Mike McCormack. They are McCormack Real Estate, McCormack Properties and Coldwell Banker McCormack Real Estate.
McCormack attorney John Edmunds, meanwhile, is asking a judge to throw out subpoenas by the state attorney general's office for financial records of 10 McCormack employees, each of whom gave the $2,000 limit, recorded on Jan. 13, 1994.
Campaign spending laws prohibit a person or company from contributing more than $2,000 per election to a candidate. "Bundling" occurs when a company attempts to circumvent the contribution limit by funneling money through employees or associates.
Firefighters responding to the 4:07 p.m. alarm yesterday at 234B California Ave. extinguished the blaze within 20 minutes, fire officials said.
A resident suffered some smoke inhalation while trying to put out the blaze but no one else at home was injured.
Damage to the duplex's contents was estimated at $2,000.
Rescuers located the 25-year-old man at 10:40 p.m., fire officials said.
He was taken to Queen's Hospital where he is in fair condition, hospital officials said today.
The man had gone hunting alone and apparently had injured his knee and ribs in a fall. A Kahana Valley resident reported him missing at 7:20 p.m.
U.S. Customs inspectors caught him with 500 anabolic steroid tablets.
The man, a contract employee for the U.S. military on Wake Island, obtained the Testosterone Undeconate tablets in Thailand for personal use.
He was released pending further investigation after being booked on two felony counts of first-degree promotion of harmful drugs.
- Police roadblocks will be set up through weekend