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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Widening project will close H-1 again
The H-1 freeway will be closed in both directions between Halawa and Pearl City on Monday and Tuesday between 9:30 p.m. and 4 a.m.
During the closures, crews will install freeway signs and expansion joints. There were also closures this week as part of a freeway widening project.
For up-to-date information, call the state Transportation Department's hot line at 587-6316 or visit www.h1widening.com.
Food bank sets goal of $425,000 for drive
The Hawaii Foodbank and its sponsors are hoping to round up 550,000 pounds of food and $425,000 in its annual food drive this year.
The food bank launched the 17th Annual Statewide Food Drive yesterday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, drawing close to 300 guests from more than 100 organizations, according to a Hawaii Foodbank news release.
The food bank is urging the community to participate in the drive to help feed the hungry. Among the drive's sponsors are the Star-Bulletin, First Hawaiian Bank, KGMB-9 and KSSK.
Those interested in learning how to organize a food drive or fundraiser can call 836-3600, ext. 40, or e-mail foodbank@hawaiifoodbank.org.
UH regents reaffirm 5% raise for McClain
The Board of Regents has reaffirmed an earlier vote to give a 5 percent raise to interim University of Hawaii President David McClain.
The regents gave McClain a glowing performance review in July, praising his "tremendous leadership, integrity and the ability to move the University of Hawaii forward over the past year, despite many challenges."
Last month, the regents voted to give McClain a retroactive raise to $341,256, effective July of last year, said Carolyn Tanaka, UH vice president for external affairs. However, because of a technicality, the regents had to reaffirm their vote Thursday.
McClain became interim president in June 2004 after the board fired former President Evan Dobelle after negative second- and third-year performance reviews. The firing was later rescinded, and Dobelle resigned after receiving a $1 million settlement plus payment of his attorney fees and a $125,000 a year, two-year faculty research position.
In November, McClain took himself out of the running for the permanent UH president's job. A search for a permanent president is ongoing. McClain's interim term expires Aug. 15.
Taking Notice
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State Rep. Kyle Yamashita (D, Pukulani-Ulupalakua) has participated in a training institute by the
Council of State Governments-WEST.
» The Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross and Central Pacific Bank have named the Honolulu Fire Department as the Red Cross True Blue Hero for October.
» Soroptimist International of Waikiki has presented its Making a Difference for Women award to Kathryn Xian, an award-winning producer/director.
» Thelma Kimura, longtime Honolulu Board of Water Supply employee, has been given the 2005 William Y. Thompson Award from the Hawaii Water Works Association for distinguished service.
» Former Hawaii resident Linda Petta was recently honored for 15 years of service to the Rural Community Assistance Corp., a nonprofit organization that aids rural and tribal communities on the mainland.
» Lynne Ajifu was recognized as one of the nation's most innovative educators in the 2005 ING Unsung Heroes awards program.
» John Kearns, interim dean for the College of Business Administration and history and humanities professor at Hawaii Pacific University, has been selected as a member of the Pacific Century Fellows, Class of 2006.
» Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has awarded $1,000 scholarships to Mona Fa'asoa and Michelle-Yvette Rose, students at Honolulu Community College, for academic success and community service.
» Sophomore Elaine Owen of St. Andrew's Priory has been selected for Mensa, the organization for people whose IQ ranks in the top 2 percent in the world.
» Carlos Juarez, dean of the College of International Studies at Hawaii Pacific University, has been awarded a Fulbright grant to the Czech Republic. He is delivering a series of lectures on "International Conflict Management: Mediating the Hardest and Most Intractable Cases" at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. Juarez will also complete an external review of Masaryk University's Master in Arts degree program in international relations and European studies. He also organized a conference on Central European politics.
» Alexander & Baldwin Foundation has awarded $1,000 to the Arc in Hawaii, a nonprofit organization for people with developmental disabilities, to start up a therapeutic drumming program.
» The Hawaii Foodbank has received the following grants: $5,000 from Jean & William K.H. Mau Foundation, $3,000 from G.J. and Ellen Foundation and $10,000 from Harry Chow Wong & Nee Chang Wong Foundation.
» The Seagull School at Kapolei has received $1,000 from Sam's Club. The school will use the money to buy a new television and DVD/VCR player for the adult day services program and a digital camera for the preschool.
» The city Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts announced the award of $5,000 grants under a new performing arts program to Chamber Music Hawai'i, Hawaii Youth Symphony, Nova Arts Foundation, IONA Contemporary Dance Theatre, University of Hawaii Department of Theatre & Dance, the Alliance for Drama Education and Tau Dance Theater.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Cooking fire causes $105,000 in damage
Big Island fire officials said a Hilo house was damaged by flames started by a cooking fire yesterday.
The occupant of the single-family home was trying to put out the fire with a garden hose when firefighters arrived, a Hawaii County Fire Department news release said.
The fire had set a cabinet above the stove ablaze and extended into the ceiling and rafters above the kitchen, the fire officials said.
The fire, located at 69 Kapualani St. in the Kawailani district, began just before 7:56 a.m. and was brought under control by 8:11 a.m. and extinguished at 8:34 a.m.
Fifteen firefighters fought the blaze, and had to pull the ceiling to put out smoldering fires in the attic, the Fire Department said.
Damage to the house was estimated at $105,000.
HONOLULU
Motorcyclist dies after collision with car
A 36-year-old Honolulu man died Thursday from injuries suffered while riding a motorcycle Tuesday.
Police said the motorcyclist broadsided a car that was on Isenberg Street turning left into the First Hawaiian Bank parking lot makai of North King Street.
The car had been traveling southbound and the motorcycle was traveling in the opposite direction when the accident occurred at 10:25 a.m. Tuesday.
The motorcyclist had been taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition and died two days later at 8:50 p.m.
Police said he was wearing a helmet.
Missing woman reports to police station
A 23-year-old woman, who was reported missing last month, walked into the downtown police station, where she saw her photo posted Thursday.
Alexandria Kaan was the subject of a Dec. 5 CrimeStoppers bulletin.
Before that, Kaan had last been seen talking to an ex-boyfriend near Sinclair Library at the Manoa campus of the University of Hawaii at 4 p.m. Nov. 1.
Kaan contacted police at 11:05 a.m. Thursday.
Suspected bank robber arrested and charged
Police have arrested and charged a 22-year-old man suspected of robbing two banks.
Police arrested Tyler Lee on Thursday on a warrant in an unrelated case. Lee was charged with two counts of bank robbery.
Lee is suspected of robbing the Beretania branch of American Savings Bank on Dec. 29.
He is also a suspect in the Jan. 5 robbery of the Makiki branch of Hawaii National Bank. The suspect in both cases was seen with a weapon tucked in the waistband of his jeans.
Teenager stabbed during rumble at park
Honolulu police said a 16-year-old boy was stabbed during a rumble between two groups of young adults last night at a Honolulu city park.
The two groups met sometime prior to 12:20 a.m., police said.
The victim was stabbed by an 18-year-old man armed with a sharp instrument, police said. The victim was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center, where he was reported in good condition, police said. Police have classified the case as a second-degree attempted murder. The suspect is at large.
COURTS
5 indicted in theft of vehicles and lumber
An Oahu grand jury indicted five men, including one who barricaded himself inside a Waialua home in November, for allegedly stealing $40,240 worth of lumber in July and the flatbed trailer it was on.
Curtis P. Worsham was arrested Nov. 9 at his sister's Waialua house on Kanalu Street after a nearly five-hour standoff with police, which also prompted a lockdown at Waialua Elementary School.
Worsham was indicted Wednesday, along with Wiltron S. Ramos, Paul D. Pruse Jr., David Botelho and Joseph C. Mason, for first-degree theft of custom-made 10-foot lengths of maple veneer lumber from the Pictures Plus lot at Campbell Industrial Park between July 20 and 21, according to a police affidavit.
Worsham and Pruse were also indicted on second-degree theft of the flatbed trailer and chassis belonging to Matson Navigation Co. valued at $13,000, the affidavit said.
In addition, Worsham was indicted in the theft of a semitruck from Direct Support Resources on Kalaeloa Boulevard, which was allegedly used to transport the flatbed trailer, the affidavit said.
The suspects were caught on videotape cutting the lock to the Pictures Plus gate, driving the tractor rig, hooking up the flatbed and driving off the lot, the affidavit said.
Bookkeeper accused of forgery and theft
A Salt Lake man has been sued by an interior design company for allegedly stealing company money by forging checks.
SB Island Interiors LLC, doing business as Studio Becker, sued Kenneth J. Peters Jr. and his bookkeeping company Kenquest yesterday for allegedly forging company checks and using its "credit instruments" from Aug. 10, 2004, to March 18, 2005.
On March 21, Peters disappeared after his Mercedes-Benz was found in the brush along the cliffs of Makapuu. Peters turned up March 25 at Honolulu Airport as he returned from a trip to Thailand.
Studio Becker, a kitchen, bath and wardrobe design company, hired Peters and his company to generate checks to pay vendors and for operating expenses and payroll, the complaint said.
Peters was arrested Nov. 3 on suspicion of 15 counts of forgery.
Police had also been investigating Peters for allegedly forging checks and stealing more than $100,000 from Flight School Hawaii, where he was a student and later did accounting work.