Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Tuesday, August 12, 1997

Sales of tobacco
to minors decrease

More merchants appear to be getting the message that it's against the law to sell tobacco to minors.

In random unannounced inspections in the past two months, merchants selling tobacco to minors dropped to 23 percent this year from 44 percent last year, said Elaine Wilson, head of the state Health Department's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division.

The latest results surpassed the state's goal to reduce illegal tobacco sales to 35 percent in 1997, Wilson said.

The overall goal is to bring tobacco sales to youths down to 20 percent by the year 2000.

But it will require continuing education and the efforts of individual store owners, parents and youths before all stores refuse to sell cigarettes to anyone under 18, health officials said.

Education department:
Tax credits say 'college is available'

The U.S. Department of Education estimates 63,000 Hawaii students will benefit from two newly enacted tax breaks for higher education.

Education press secretary Rick Miller said the balanced budget and tax cut bills President Clinton signed into law Aug. 5 include two measures that will benefit working- and middle-class families nationwide who seek a college education.

Miller said tax credits for freshmen and sophomores will make two years of college almost universally available, while a 20 percent lifelong learning tax credit will help those continuing their education.

Based on state enrollments and from Pell Grant data, the department estimates 63,000 Hawaii students can claim tax credits for attending college.

Miller said 28,000 students will benefit from the HOPE tax credits, while an additional 35,000 will benefit from the lifelong learning credit.

Hawaii still wooing nuclear carrier

The Navy's decision to replace the aircraft carrier Independence with the Kitty Hawk in Yokosuka, Japan, next year does not affect a study to determine the home-porting of three other carriers.

The Navy said yesterday that the Independence will be decommissioned next summer and replaced with the USS Kitty Hawk, which will be sent to Japan as part of a planned rotation of naval forces.

Jon Yoshishige, Pacific Fleet spokesman, said the announcement has no bearing on the study to determine the permanent berths for the nuclear carriers USS Nimitz, USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Ronald Reagan.

An environmental impact statement on the berthing of aircraft carriers at Bremerton and Everett Island in Washington's Puget Sound area, San Diego in California, and Pearl Harbor is expected to be released by the Navy next summer, Yoshishige said.

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Police/Fire


By Star-Bulletin staff

Lincoln stretch limo damaged
in Kakaako warehouse fire

Fire heavily damaged a 1992 Lincoln stretch limousine parked in a warehouse with seven other limos at 955 Waimanu St. in Kakaako last night.

No one was hurt in the 8:11 p.m. fire, and the cause may have been electrical.

A burglary alarm went off shortly before the fire alarm, but police said the fire might have set off both alarms.

Owen C. Smith, a director and owner of the business, Exclusive Inc., said one Cadillac, two Mercedes and five Lincolns were inside the building.

The car cost about $60,000 new and is probably worth about $40,000 now, he said.Firefighters had the fire under control at 8:22 p.m. Four fire units responded.

Three men arrested in attack
with bats on family in Waipio

Police arrested three men for attacking a family with baseball bats last night in Waipio Acres.

Police said about 10:10 p.m., a 24-year-old man who was fighting with his 40-year-old wife brought two friends into his Kauopae Place home to attack his wife and a 21-year-old male relative.

Police said a man and a woman who were also at the home were hurt in the attack.

All the victims were taken to Wahiawa General Hospital and treated and released for head injuries.

Police said the suspect was taken to Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi for treatment.

Police said the other two men arrested were 31 and 29 years old.

Cops ask for public's help
in solving Big Isle murder

HILO -- Police are asking for the public's assistance in solving the stabbing death of Nimfa Smyklo, 50, of Nanawale Estates.

Smyklo was found dead of multiple stab wounds at her home on the morning of July 10 after some former tenants of a house she owned stood outside her home shouting at her the night before.

Anyone with further information is asked to call 961-2385 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300.

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