Military retirees aim to cut obesity in isles

A group of retired military leaders concerned about young people nationwide being too fat to join the armed services is focusing on Hawaii’s obesity rates and want to see healthier meals served in schools.

Forty-two percent of young people in Hawaii ages 17 to 24 were overweight and a vast majority of them wouldn’t be allowed to join the military, according to a report expected to be released today by Mission: Readiness, a group of more than 200 retired generals, admirals and other senior military leaders.

The group drew attention last year when it released a national report titled, “Too Fat to Fight,” claiming overweight children are a threat to national security. Similar state-specific reports have been released in Kentucky, where 51 percent of young people were overweight, and in Georgia, where the figure was 44 percent. The focus is now on Hawaii because of the large military population here, said Mike Kiernan, the group’s spokesman.

“There’s a large military presence where this message really resonates with the citizens of Hawaii,” he said.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Woman’s identity to be withheld until family gets to Maui

WAILUKU » Maui police are waiting for the family of the victim of a suspected homicide to arrive from California before releasing her identity.

Lt. Wayne Ibarra says the family is expected to arrive on Maui this week to positively identify the woman who was found dead Thursday near Nakalele Point. Ibarra says an autopsy was conducted Monday. A cause of death won’t be released until after she is identified.

The woman had been seen arguing with a man, who jumped into the ocean when police arrived. Police found her body in a rocky area below the roadway.

Ibarra says the 38-year-old man from Santa Cruz, Calif., has been hospitalized since Friday when he was rescued from a reef. Police have not released his name. He has not yet been arrested.

Homesteaders’ farmers market to open Saturday

HILO » A farmers market offering products grown by Native Hawaiian homesteaders is set to open in East Hawaii this weekend.

Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports that so far six vendors have signed up for Saturday’s opening of the Keaukaha Panaewa Farmers Association’s Hawaiian Farmers Market. There is space for 38 vendors at the one-acre site leased by the association.

Organizers hope the market encourages more Native Hawaiian farming. The market has been in the works for about 15 years.

Farmer Milnor Lum says he wants to see a farmers market in every region of the homestead community.

Products to be sold include vegetables, fish, poi and crafts.