HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii veterans have joined efforts to get records from a classified base updated so those suffering from radiation exposure can get better medical care.
Mark Hada, of Maui, and Alan Hollingsworth, of Oahu, were assigned to the Tonopah test range — often called Area 52 in Nevada.
Hundreds of Air Force veterans stationed there now report road blocks in getting treatment. That‘s because the government won’t acknowledge their assignment.
Mark Hada in the 1980’s(Mark Hada)
Hada said he has lipomas, including a large one on the back of his neck that he had to have removed.
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He has debilitating headaches and breathing problems too.
Lipoma on Mark Hada’s neck(Mark Hada)
Hollingsworth said a lot of his friends reported having tumors — including Dave Crete, a Nevada man who also served at the site.
“I have a brain cyst. I have a tumor in my lungs. I have three tumors on my thyroid,” Crete said. He also has one on his forehead.
Dave Crete in the 1980’s(Dave Crete)
He suffers from chronic bronchitis.
“My lung function is 67%,” he said.
Crete’s kids were also born with tumors or autoimmune disorders.
Crete, Hada and Hollingsworth were all in the Air Force in the 1980s and assigned to the nuclear testing site.
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Hollingsworth has not had the chronic issues as the others, and believes that’s because he was only at Tonopah for two years. But he is worried. He does an annual physical and is closely monitored.
Alan Hollingsworth in the 1980’s(Alan Hollingsworth)
“Am I testing for the right things? Are they looking for the right things?,” Hollingsworth said.
Tonopah veterans cannot get the same care and compensation as others who were exposed to dangerous chemicals.
“Our documentation shows we were stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, but we never worked at Nellis. We always flew from Nellis,” Hada said, adding they were flown from Nellis to Tonopah Test Range, where they worked for four, 10-hour days.
They’d be flown back to Las Vegas to spend their days off.
Nuclear testing started there in the late 1950s and continued for years.
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“It was all contaminated. The soil is contaminated. The air is contaminated, the groundwater is contaminated,” said Crete, who found an environmental assessment report that was done in 1975.
The report said the areas on the range “are contaminated with plutonium from tests carried out in 1963.”
The report said more recent tests scattered “some beryllium and depleted uranium” — all highly toxic.
The document concluded with, “as long as the nation chooses to maintain an up-to-date nuclear weapon stockpile” facilities such as the “Tonopah Test Range must continue to exist.”
Crete said the water they drank, bathed in and cooked with while they all lived on the military installation, was all contaminated.
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Crete started a nonprofit group called The Invisible Enemy to help others assigned to the Nevada testing sites.
Collectively, the group of several hundred veterans have been pushing for change so they can get the care they need and other benefits.
The Invisible Enemy is gaining traction as awareness of their plight spreads.
Crete said they are not asking the government to declassify everything or reveal sensitive information. He said they just want the military to acknowledge that they were there.
“Allow us to go to the VA,” he said.
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Hada said he wants the Tonopah Test Range to be listed as a presumptive location with presumptive conditions that can be treated.
In September, a bill was introduced in Congress that would acknowledge those exposed to radiation at the Nevada Test and Training range.
The legislation is still in its infancy but does have strong bipartisan support.
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Southwest Airlines overnight flights are coming soon.
Fox – LA
Travelers thinking about visiting Hawaii can get good deals right now if they can travel in the first half of 2025.
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Southwest Airlines is running a 40% off fare sale for select flights to Hawaii from Dec. 3 to May 22, 2025.
The sale prices are available on nonstop itineraries and flights with layovers, and include flights to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. (Southwest will soon add red-eye flights from Phoenix to Hawaii.)
But you’ll have to act fast to get the best deals. The offer expires at 10:59 p.m. Arizona time on Thursday, Nov. 14.
Here’s how to shop Southwest Airlines’ 40% off Hawaii sale.
Does Southwest fly to the island of Hawaii?
Yes. Southwest offers flights to Hawaii via five airports:
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Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Oahu.
Kahului Airport in Maui.
Lihue Airport in Kauai.
Hilo International Airport on the island of Hawaii.
Kona International Airport on the island of Hawaii.
Southwest offers nonstop service to Honolulu and Maui from Phoenix.
How much can you save on flights to Hawaii?
Southwest is advertising up to 40% off base fares. Sale fares aren’t available for all flights and availability is limited; travelers can save the most if they’re flexible with their travel dates.
The Arizona Republic found a Dec. 8 nonstop flight from Phoenix to Honolulu for $204 one way, a $117 discount from the original fare of $321.
We also found a Dec. 11 nonstop from Phoenix to Maui for $198, a $113 discount from the original fare of $311.
What is the Southwest promo code for 40% off?
To get up to 40% off fares to Hawaii, enter the code “HAWAII40” when booking at southwest.com.
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What are the blackout dates for Southwest Airlines’ Hawaii sale?
Blackout dates for flights from the continental U.S. to Hawaii are Dec. 18-28, 2024, Feb. 13-16, and March 17-April 19, 2025.
Blackout dates from Hawaii to the continental U.S. are Dec. 28, 2024-Jan. 6, 2025, Feb. 21-23 and March 14-April 27, 2025.
Details: southwest.com.
Exclusive first look: New Chase Sapphire Lounge at Phoenix Sky Harbor
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Kailua-based dive company with hundreds of five-star reviews is vowing to do better after an incident last week prompted questions and community backlash.
It’s video of five scuba divers clinging to each other in waters off Hawaii Kai Wednesday that has Aaron’s Dive Shop reviewing its protocols.
The company told HNN the trouble began with a last minute change in the dive site made by the captain and dive leader.
“I was shocked, honestly,” said Aaron Nicolas, a former employee. “I can tell you at least when I was working for Aaron’s, professionalism was not our issue. We had a very good track record.”
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Nicolas worked for the company for two years, leading dives in the same area. He believes Wednesday’s group switched to the more difficult route.
“It’s a shallow dive about 30 to 40 feet and you would just go to this Buddha statue and come back,” explained Nicolas.
“The other one is roughly 90 feet so if you’re not as proficient they generally don’t take you out there. It can get really currently out there.”
The group reported being adrift for two hours before a passing sailboat called the coast guard for help.
On Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Aaron’s Dive Shop only reported the incident after the sailboat put the call out on the emergency channel.
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Federal law requires that when someone goes missing an operator needs to notify the nearest authorities without delay.
But a boat captain at Kewalo Basin says it’s sometimes a difficult call when divers are involved.
“That captain may not have known how long those people were under the water,” said Zack Tidd. “I mean, you don’t want to call if it’s for nothing so you want to make sure a rescue is really needed.”
The Kailua based company in a full statement to Aaron’s Dive Shop said:
We are grateful that all divers returned safely and without injury following last week’s incident. We extend our thanks to the good Samaritans who assisted in locating the missing divers. Statements from both the captain and dive leader indicate a last minute decision was made to change the dive site; however, our documented protocol was not followed in executing this change. The dive leader took responsible steps to maintain safety, including having proper surface marker buoys and keeping the group together while separated from the boat. We are currently reviewing what occurred and our current protocols with our dive and boat staff to prevent similar incidents in the future. We have also submitted an incident report to our certifying agency in an effort to get outside critique and recommendations to improve our protocols and training. Aaron’s Dive Shop is proud of our excellent safety record, and we remain fully committed to upholding our high standards through consistent training and rigorous oversight.
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Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
HONOLULU (AP) — Gytis Nemeiksa’s 18 points off of the bench helped lead Hawaii to a 76-66 victory over Pacific on Monday night at the Rainbow Classic.
Nemeiksa added 10 rebounds for the Rainbow Warriors (3-0). Marcus Greene added 18 points while shooting 6 for 12 (0 for 5 from 3-point range) and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line while they also had seven rebounds. Tanner Christensen had 14 points and shot 4 of 8 from the field and 6 of 9 from the free-throw line.
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The Tigers (3-1) were led by Elijah Fisher, who recorded 21 points and seven rebounds. Elias Ralph added 17 points and eight rebounds for Pacific. Lamar Washington had 11 points and four assists.
Nemeiksa scored 11 points in the first half and Hawaii went into the break trailing 37-35. Greene’s 16-point second half helped Hawaii finish off the 10-point victory.
NEXT UP
Up next for Hawaii is a matchup Sunday with Weber State at home. Pacific hosts Northern Arizona on Thursday.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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