Hawaii seniors receive National Merit scholarships
Ten Hawaii seniors, among 14,000 top scorers across the nation on the preliminary SATs, were named National Merit $2,000 scholarship winners today by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.The finalists represented less than 1 percent of high school seniors across the nation. The number of national award winners is based on each state's percentage of graduating seniors.
It takes sacrifice to become a National Merit scholar, but "anyone can do it," said Makamae Masuda of Iolani School. "It just depends on you."
Masuda nearly lost his right hand to cancer his sophomore year but bounced back from surgery and grueling chemotherapy to pursue a career in graphic arts.
One of this year's winners, Farrington High senior Muon Thi Van is an articulate speaker and writer and an avid reader, said Catherine Payne, principal of Farrington High. Even more remarkable is that English is Van's second language. And though she's never taken an art class, she's won national art awards.
Other Hawaii winners are: Steven Y. Okamoto, Hilo High; Jennifer Batoon, Sacred Hearts Academy; Wendy Ching, Moanalua High; Nicholas K. Ho, Iolani; Elizabeth K. Nguyen, Punahou; Kai G. Young, Punahou; Janelle S. Ishida, Molokai High; and Jason Y. Imada, Iolani.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. awarded corporate-sponsored scholarships to finalists Megan Nakashima and Lynn Yamaoka, both from Iolani.
Volcano rescuers renew search for fallen hiker
HILO -- National park rangers and Hawaii County personnel were to resume a search today for a hiker missing since 1 a.m. yesterday when he fell down the seaward slope of a small cinder cone onto a shoreline bench of lava rock.The man, whose name was not released, was making an illegal nighttime hike with seven other people to the restricted lava flow area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
A search by park personnel, county helicopter and rescue boat, and a Drug Enforcement Administration helicopter had failed to find him.
Consul general of Japan to come to Oahu today
The new consul general of Japan will lay a wreath at the Arizona Memorial this afternoon as one of his first official acts in Hawaii.Gotaro Ogawa is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu today to assume his duties.
Ogawa formerly served as managing director of the General Affairs Department of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Lobster, crab fishing prohibited for 4 months
Fishing for spiny lobster (ula), slipper lobster (ula papapa) and Kona crab will be prohibited statewide from Friday to Sept. 1.Fishing for these species is prohibited annually during the summer months to allow the animals to spawn.
"The annual closure of lobster and crab season is designed to protect the populations of these species from overfishing and allow them to reproduce successfully," Bill Devick, Department of Land and Natural Resources Aquatic Resources administrator, said in a news release.
"Without the annual closure, Hawaii's lobster and crab populations would crash."
Copies of state fishing regulations related to all marine species statewide are available at DLNR's Visitor and Education Center, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 131, Honolulu, and at all DLNR Aquatic Resources offices.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffDriver is killed in Makaha wreck
A man was killed in a one-car accident this morning in Makaha when he ran off the road.The accident was reported on Farrington Highway and Kili Drive at 1:48 a.m., police said.
No further details were available this morning.
Man, 30, booked for knife threat
Police this morning arrested a 30-year-old man for allegedly threatening his girlfriend with a knife.The couple were arguing at their Kaaawa home when the woman, 38, demanded the man move out, police said. When she attempted to call police, the man picked up a kitchen knife and reportedly threatened to kill her. He then grabbed her and refused to let her leave. The man fled prior to officers arriving on scene, but returned at 2:20 a.m. and was booked for second-degree assault, first-degree terroristic threatening and kidnapping, police said.
The woman was treated and released at an area hospital for a cut to the scalp.
Man questioned about girl's critical injuries
Police yesterday questioned a Punchbowl man after a 17-month-old girl left in his care was admitted to Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children with critical head injuries.The man, 25, is the boyfriend of the girl's mother. He told investigators he dropped the child while playing with her between 1 and 2 p.m. in their Pele Street apartment.
The girl's mother had left the apartment to go shopping and returned about an hour later to discover ambulance personnel treating her daughter.
The man was questioned but not arrested. Child Protective Services reported no history of abuse involving the girl, police said.
According to a detective's report, the hospital reported that the girl's injuries were "highly suspicious and consistent with an assault." The girl has brain swelling and remains in very critical condition this morning. She also has two black eyes, police said.
Custody battle over girl leads to father's arrest
KAILUA-KONA -- Police arrested a 25-year-old Kona man yesterday after finding him hiding in a closet with the 2--1/2-year-old daughter he removed from her mother's custody.Police charged James Paul Brumaghim of Kealakekua with custodial interference, violating a court order, abuse of a family member, burglary and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. He is being held in lieu of $22,000 bail.
Brumaghim allegedly picked up his daughter at a preschool in violation of a court order, then told the mother he would harm himself and the daughter if she called police, police said.
The mother later went to her apartment accompanied by police and noticed a deadbolt unlocked.
The officer found Brumaghim and the girl in the closet, police said.
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