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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
>> Laurie Fujikawa, a fourth-grade teacher at Kapunahala Elementary School in Kaneohe, has received a Time-Warner Cable National Teacher Award for the second year in a row. She won $1,000 for using the Oceanic Cable in the Classroom program and was honored this summer at an awards event in Washington, D.C.>> Sherry Fujii of Kapaau on the Big Island won a $1,000 2003-2004 Jaycee War Memorial scholarship to the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
>> The Honolulu Federal Credit Union has awarded $1,000 scholarships to Janelle Mekaru of Moanalua High School, Elliott Inamasu of Iolani School, Aaron Augustin of Saint Louis School, Beverly Clemente of Sacred Hearts Academy and Nathan Lowry of the University of Washington.
>> Bethany Nishimoto of Aiea has been awarded the Martin Seven Health, Physical Education and Recreation Scholarship at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.
>> Four graduating seniors from Leilehua High School received $500 scholarships from the Wahiawa Lions Club. They are Leanne Jones, Erika LaPuente, Danielle Salantes and Todd Tomita.
>> Kolea Zimmerman, a graduate of Waiakea High School in Hilo, received the prestigious Angier B. Duke Memorial scholarship at Duke University in Durham, N.C. The award covers tuition for four years, worth more than $100,000, and includes a six-week summer study program at Oxford, England.
>> Damien Memorial School has given Senior Gold Medal Academic Awards to Daniel J. Kishinami in art; Paul A.C. Higa in English, Japanese language, science and social studies; Josef M. Aurelio in journalism, religion and Spanish language; Jared Y. Menor in photojournalism; and John T. Tubera in music.
General excellence medals went to Higa, valedictorian (gold), Ellison A. Alquiza, salutatorian (silver), and Christopher F. Butay (bronze).
Nicholas P. Zieser won the Damien Alumni Award for Superior School Spirit and Service; Marc A.R. Yago, Christian Brothers Award for Service to the Damien Community; and Jarrett R. Takayama, Board of Directors Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service.
Soane M. Sevelo won the Virilier Age Award, which goes to the senior who best exemplifies all that is expected of a student at Damien.
HONOLULU'S NINTH POLICE CHIEF IS SWORN IN
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MAKING HER MARK
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School's mystery odor not from closed landfill
State Department of Health workers found nothing unusual at the closed Puu Palailai landfill yesterday that could have caused an odor that forced the evacuation of nearby Makakilo Elementary School on Thursday.The capped landfill, closed in 1994, is three blocks from the school and 75 feet from the nearest homes in Makakilo. It emits methane gas and hydrogen sulfide, and underground fires burn and smolder.
Health Department workers interviewed school personnel about which direction the odor was coming from and determined that the landfill could not have been the source, said department spokeswoman Janice Okubo.
On Thursday morning, 25 students and six adults who complained of dizziness, nausea and headaches were taken to area hospitals where they were treated and released.
The principal evacuated classrooms to two designated safe areas from about 8:44 a.m., when a teacher smelled a propanelike odor.
School returned to normal operations at about 10:30 a.m. after fire hazardous-materials specialists checked air quality and found nothing.
U.S. Sen. Akaka doing well following surgery
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka was "doing great" after undergoing a skin graft Thursday and will only spend a day or two in the hospital, his spokesman said.The procedure was performed at the Queen's Medical Center to help heal an ankle injury he suffered when he was struck by a golf ball.
Spokesman Paul Cardus said physicians reported that everything went well and that the 79-year-old Akaka, D-Hawaii, will remain in the hospital for a day or two.
Doctors want Akaka to remain immobile so that the skin graft will take. The wound is expected to take several weeks to fully heal, Cardus said.
Akaka's public schedule for the rest of this month, including speaking engagements in Hawaii and Japan, has been canceled. He had been scheduled to address the annual Native Hawaiian Conference at the Hilton Hawaiian Village next week.
Akaka, who will turn 80 on Sept. 11, was struck on his left ankle by a golf ball during a charity golf tournament in Northern Virginia in mid-July.
By Star-Bulletin staff
HONOLULU
Electrical short causes fire at downtown bar The fire that damaged a downtown bar yesterday was caused by an electrical short in an extension cord into which a refrigerator was plugged, according to fire officials.
Fire officials estimate damages to Amy's Place at $60,000 to the structure and $30,000 to its contents.
No one was injured in the 7 a.m. blaze yesterday at 49 N. Hotel St.
Fire officials recommend that any large appliances, including air conditioners and refrigerators, be plugged directly into wall outlets, not extension cords.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Police charge driver in crash that killed 2 Big Island police charged an 18-year-old Volcano man yesterday with two counts of manslaughter and one count of first-degree negligent injury in connection with a head-on collision that killed two people last week.
The suspect, Stanley Keliiholokai, also was charged with unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, driving under the influence of an intoxicant, reckless driving, driving without a license and failure to render aid.
He is being held in lieu of $30,500 bail.
Keliiholokai was driving a white Mitsubishi four-door sedan on Aug. 19 toward Hilo on Volcano Highway when he allegedly tried to pass several cars in a no-passing zone, police said.
The car collided head-on with a tan Chevrolet two-door sedan driven by Rogelio Manahan, police said. The collision occurred near the intersection of Nahelenani Street in Volcano.
Police said Keliiholokai's front-seat passenger, Clinton Kaleiwahea, 31, of Volcano, and Manahan's wife and front-seat passenger, Jeannette E. Manahan, 53, of Elmhurst, N.Y., were killed in the crash.
Suspects sought in theft of tractor
Big Island police are searching for thieves who stole a tractor from a Pepeekeo farm.Police said a red Craftsman GT5000 tractor was reported stolen from the farm sometime between 7 p.m. Wednesday and 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
A grader and other attachments were allegedly taken, police said.
The tractor and attachments' value are estimated at more than $7,500. Police believe the suspects loaded the tractor and the attachments on a truck and hauled them away.
Anyone with information is asked to call officer Vernon Ferreira of the South Hilo Patrol at 961-2213 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers