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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Kamehameha best in chess
The state champion
Kamehameha Elementary School Chess Team placed first for coach and player division during the National Elementary Chess Championships in Denver.
The eight-member team also came in fourth place for K-6 Blitz, sixth for K-3 Blitz and 24th for K-5 division. The Kamehameha team is under the direction of Guy Ontai, Cornelius Rubsamen and Gary Ontai. For additional information, visit the Hawaii Chess Federation at www.hawaiichess.org.
Marine medical staffs join quake relief effort
U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific is sending medical personnel and relief supplies to an area of Indonesia devastated by Saturday's earthquake.
The relief effort is intended "to reduce further loss of life and human suffering," according to a news release issued yesterday by the Marine Corps Forces Pacific, based at Camp Smith on Oahu.
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck an area near Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Saturday. The death toll rose to 5,427 today, according to the Associated Press.
Doctors, nurses, medical technicians and supplies are being sent. The joint operation includes U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force stationed on Okinawa, and Air Force, Army and Navy forces stationed throughout the Pacific.
The action comes as part of the U.S. government's response to the Indonesian government's request for humanitarian aid.
"All U.S. government agencies involved are working in a concerted effort to speed assistance to the disaster area," said Lt. Col. Michael Ramos, head of the Current Operations Branch. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this tragedy."
No significant troops or equipment are scheduled to leave from Hawaii, a Marine spokesman said.
5 to be recognized for work with autism
Five residents will receive awards tomorrow at the Local Autism Heroes luncheon.
They are:
» Kalma Wong, the mother of two autistic children and founder of the Hawaii chapter of Cure Autism Now in 2003.
» Christine Williams, WALK NOW Honolulu's top fundraiser for the past two years and a skills trainer for autistic students.
» Naomi Grossman, president of the Autism Society of Hawaii, whose 16-year-old son is autistic.
» Laura Cook, co-founder of the Hawaii Autism Resource Team. Her son is considered cured of autism after six years of treatment.
» State Rep. Dennis Arakaki, who has served on the Cure Autism Now Hawaii chapter's committee.
Mayor Mufi Hannemann will present the awards at the Willows Restaurant. The free lunch is hosted by Cure Autism Now and is open to the public.
Seating is limited. For reservations, call 393-5218.
Storm disaster office changes its affiliation
The state-federal Disaster Recovery Center that assists residents who suffered damage caused by severe storms will transition into a U.S. Small Business Administration Business Recovery Center today.
The Business Recovery Center will continue to help with completing loan applications, answering questions about their disaster loan program and explaining how these loans work.
The recovery center is at Kahala Mall, 4211 Waialae Ave., and will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other centers are at Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Highway, and on Kauai at 4280 Rice St., Lihue.
For more information, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or 800-462-7585. Also, visit www.fema.gov.
TAKING NOTICE
Arts competition announces winners
Winners of the "Kaha Ki'i, An Artistic Discovery" Congressional Arts Competition of Hawaii sponsored by U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie:
The top Best of Show, Marisa Torigoe of Iolani School for her work "Rebirth to a Better Today."
In the 2-Dimensional Art (drawings, paintings, prints, sketches) category, the first-place winner was Kahealani'ikapuanani Tan of Farrington High School. In second place was Gerald Fernandez, also of Farrington; and in third place was Kathy Jetnil of University Laboratory School.
In the Photography/Computer Generated Art category, in first place was Maile Smith of La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls; second, Christie Pang of McKinley High School; and third, Roger Bong of Mililani High School.
"Taking Notice" also runs on Thursdays and Saturdays.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Big Isle police find 4,640 marijuana plants
Vice officers from Kona and Hilo recovered 4,640 marijuana plants Thursday in South Kohala during a marijuana eradication mission.
Most of the plants were found growing on the makai side of Route 190 between the 15- and 16-mile marker in the Puuanahulu area, police said.
Officers found 18 plots of mature plants on state land in the Puuanahulu hunting area.
Each plot contained 200 to 300 mature or maturing marijuana plants.
Cultivators grew plants atop containers filled with water and nutrients, police said.
Anyone with information on the persons responsible for growing the marijuana is asked to call Lt. Mitchell Kanehailua at 326-4646, ext. 226.
CENTRAL OAHU
Sacred Hearts priest is injured in car crash
An Oahu Catholic priest was on his way to celebrate Mass at a Waialua church Sunday morning when he was seriously injured in an accident on Kaukonahua Road.
The Rev. James Anguay, 61, is in critical condition at the Queen's Medical Center. He is a member of the Sacred Hearts Fathers, serving as director of the vocation formation program at the Sacred Hearts Center in Kaneohe.
"He is showing improvement, thank God," the Rev. Chris Keahi, provincial of the Sacred Hearts Fathers, said yesterday.
Anguay drives to Waialua each Sunday morning to help with Sunday services at St. Michael Church, Keahi said.
The Hawaii-born Anguay recently returned to Hawaii after serving several years on the mainland, he said.
Police said he lost control, veered left and struck a utility pole in the 6:05 a.m. crash near Poamoho Street.
HONOLULU
2 homeless women allegedly forge checks
Police have charged two homeless women, Toni Riley, 38, and Natashia Baza, 26, with second-degree forgery for allegedly trying to cash a stolen business check.
Police said the two women entered the Hawaii USA Federal Credit Union at about 11:40 a.m. Wednesday.
Police said Riley tried to cash the stolen check and used stolen identification provided by Baza.
The teller became suspicious and police were called. The women were arrested Wednesday and charged Friday.
Bail for Riley was set at $11,000, while bail for Baza was set at $22,000.
Man arrested after woman punched in face
Police arrested a 31-year-old man after he allegedly admitted assaulting a woman Thursday near Aala Park outside downtown Honolulu.
Police said that at about 10:30 a.m., the woman, 45, was crossing the street at Aala and Beretania streets when a man suddenly punched her in the face three times and kicked her right leg, causing her to fall.
The man then grabbed her purse and walked away, police said.
As officers arrived, the suspect dropped the purse and told them that he had just assaulted the woman, police said.
The victim identified the suspect as her attacker, and police arrested him for investigation of second-degree robbery.