Newswatch Star-Bulletin staff and wire

---

Resurfacing of Nimitz, Ala Moana on agenda

State transportation officials will hold an informational meeting Thursday to discuss a planned resurfacing project on Nimitz Highway and Ala Moana Boulevard next year.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Washington Intermediate School's cafeteria at 1633 King St.

Workers are completing resurfacing on Nimitz Highway between the H-1 airport viaduct and downtown Honolulu. State Transportation Director Rod Haraga said that work should be done by the end of the year. Haraga said he wants to take the repaving "all the way to Waikiki."

The project could take up to nine months to complete, and is slated to begin next summer. Workers would repave three miles of Nimitz Highway and Ala Moana Boulevard, from Fort Street to Kalakaua Avenue.

Parts of Nimitz and Ala Moana handle between 25,000 and 80,000 vehicles a day.

Symposium to discuss firefighter safety

The International Association of Fire Fighters is holding its John P. Redmond Foundation Symposium on Health and Safety for the Professional Fire Fighter at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel this week.

The conference, which runs through Thursday, focuses on reducing and preventing firefighter injury and illness.

Tomorrow, a panel of firefighters from the Gulf Coast who assisted with rescue and relief efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will discuss their experiences.

The Washington, D.C.-based association represents more than 270,000 professional firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

For more information, visit www.iaff.org .

---

Taking Notice

» Oceanic Institute won a Hawaii Living Reef Award for its help in preserving and protecting coral reefs in Hawaii's near-shore waters. The award is sponsored by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Coral Reef Outreach Network.

» The City and County of Honolulu's Film Office has been awarded second place for excellence in marketing by the Association of Film Commissioners International. The award was in the category of color or black-and-white ad series/campaign.

The Film Offices of the Hawaiian Islands, which includes Honolulu, other counties and the state offices, also took third-place honors for best theme in the booth award.

» The Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union has recognized four Big Island students for participating in the National Youth Savings Challenge. They were Kiera Isabel, Robert Victorino and Andrew Mannion of Kohala, and Lana Bradley of Kailua-Kona.

» The Estate of James Campbell has given its 16th annual 2005 Kapolei Outstanding Achievement Awards to:

Sunset on the Plains Founding Committee, organization winner of the Community Service Award, and Alex Rodriguez of Ewa by Gentry Community Association, individual winner; Hale O Ulu, an alternative school, education; Mike Fisch of the Honolulu Advertiser, entrepreneur; Grace Pacific Corp., environment; and Frances Rivero of the Boys and Girls Club of Ewa Beach, lifetime service.

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

CENTRAL OAHU

3 injured as stolen car makes U-turn and crashes

The three occupants of a stolen car were critically injured yesterday when they crashed into a Hawaiian Telcom truck on Kaukonahua Road, police said.

The stolen car was Wahiawa-bound on Kaukonahua and came across a city maintenance crew cutting grass and two special-duty police officers directing traffic. The driver made a U-turn, overcompensated and struck the truck at about 9:58 a.m.

The car's occupants -- two men, ages 21 and 25, and a 25-year-old woman -- were taken to the Queen's Medical Center by helicopter. Their conditions were upgraded to guarded upon arrival. The suspects were still at Queen's last night and had not been arrested.

Man in his 60s sought in Wahiawa robbery

Police are looking for a man who robbed a Wahiawa bank yesterday morning.

Police said a man entered the Wahiawa branch of American Savings Bank about 11:50 a.m. and demanded money from the teller, police said. No weapon was seen, according to police.

The man fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

The suspect is described as a man in his 60s, 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with short gray hair, a medium build, wearing a gray T-shirt, blue shorts and a baseball cap.

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

WEST OAHU

Man with bleached hair sought in Aiea robbery

Police are searching for the man who robbed the Aiea branch of American Savings Bank yesterday afternoon.

Police said the man entered the bank about 2:30 p.m. and demanded money from the teller.

The man fled on foot toward Aiea Heights Drive with an undisclosed amount of money, according to police.

The suspect is described as a man in his late 20s to 30s, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 155 pounds, with bleached blond hair and a medium build, wearing a black baseball cap, black buttoned-down shirt and blue denim pants.

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.

HONOLULU

Driver sought after vehicle kills bicyclist

Police are asking for the public's help in finding a hit-and-run driver involved in a fatal accident on North Nimitz Highway at 1:54 a.m. yesterday.

Police said a man riding a blue and white 1999 Giant bicycle was struck by a motorist. They did not identify the victim.

Police said the bicyclist was heading Ewa on Nimitz, possibly in the bike lane, when he was struck by the motorist traveling in the same direction. The bicyclist received multiple injuries including a broken leg, and was taken in critical condition to the Queen's Medical Center, where he died, police said.

Police recovered the right passenger-side mirror, probably from a large truck, sport utility vehicle or van. The right passenger side of the suspect's vehicle likely received other damage, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 529-3499 and ask for Sgt. John Agno or Officer Jaimie Louis-Kahanu.