Newswatch Star-Bulletin staff and wire service

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Judge Milks to speak at UH

Retired state Judge Marie Milks will share stories and insights from her career in law and the judiciary system in a free lecture from 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow in the Yukiyoshi Room, Krauss Hall, University of Hawaii.

Milks, a UH graduate, was the first Asian woman to attend Georgetown Law Center. She became the first Asian woman appointed to Hawaii's Judiciary in 1980 and served until 2004. Call 956-8246 for more information.

Scholarships offered to isle health students

Education scholarships are being offered by Hawaii Health Guide to students pursuing health and wellness careers in Hawaii.

Applicants must be Hawaii residents enrolled in a course of study in a health and wellness profession here in the fall. Applications can be downloaded online at www.hawaiihealthguide.com.

Applications and two letters of recommendation must be submitted by July 15 to Katherine Fisher, HHG H&W Scholarship Committee 2006, Hawaii Health Guide, P.O. Box 562, Haleiwa, HI 96712.

For more information, e-mail info@hawaiihealthguide.com.

Awards will be presented in August at the Hawaii Health Guide Health & Wellness Film Festival on Kauai.

The funds will apply directly to tuition costs at an established school, accredited workshop or cultural practice through lineage of a recognized kumu/apprentice healing tradition.

Mayor to lead group at rail conference

Rail transit is on the agenda this week for Mayor Mufi Hannemann, a member of his Cabinet and two city councilmen.

The mayor, Leeward Councilman Todd Apo and city Transportation Director Melvin Kaku are attending the American Public Transportation Association's 2006 Rail Conference, dubbed North America's largest technical conference for the rail industry.

The conference includes sessions that they will attend on the operation, management and maintenance of rail-transit systems.

The trio will then travel to Washington, D.C., where they will meet tomorrow with federal transportation officials and Hawaii's congressional delegation.

The group then plans to meet with up Councilman Rod Tam, a member of the Council Transportation Committee, on Thursday to tour the TRAX light-rail transit system that has been implemented in Salt Lake City and travel to Denver the next day to inspect that city's light-rail system.

Bar group OKs Lee to serve on board

Honolulu attorney Dale W. Lee's recent appointment to the American Bar Association's Board of Governors was given the thumbs-up by his colleagues here.

"Dale's selection was an easy one to make," said Honolulu attorney James Kawachika, one of two Hawaii members of the American Bar Association's House of Delegates who backed Lee's nomination. "He is highly respected, and his influence really does reach across the country as a result of his work over the years. When it came to his nomination, it was unanimous."

Lee will serve out the remainder of the term for the late Burnham Horace "Hod" Greeley, who died earlier this year.

Lee, a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association since 1974 and a past president, is a partner with Kobayashi Sugita & Goda. He specializes in commercial litigation, tort defense and prosecution. He also serves as a private arbitrator, mediator and adjunct law professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law.

Vegetarian chef to host cooking class

Brian Igarta, a Maui vegetarian chef, will conduct a Wellness Cuisine Cooking Class at 7 p.m. Thursday in Castle Medical Center's wellness Center auditorium.

Igarta will demonstrate recipes from his book, "The Maui Vegetarian ... Cooking with Aloha," and share tips for cooking vegetarian dishes that are both healthy and delicious.

The cost is $15 and includes recipes, instruction and sampling of dishes. Pre-registration with payment is required by today by calling 263-5400 or registering online at www.castlemed.org.

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» U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie has chosen Angelie Angeles, a Waipahu High School student, to serve as a U.S. House of Representatives page this summer in Washington, D.C. Pages work as messengers and perform other light duties in the U.S. Capitol. Angeles, 16, maintains a 3.9 grade-point average and ranks seventh out of 825 in her class.

» Community leaders and entrepreneurs Johnny Baldwin and Dorvin D. Leis have been recognized as 2006 Distinguished Citizens by the Maui County Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Baldwin is general partner of the JKT Partnership, which owns commercial properties in Makawao. He also holds several executive offices within business and community organizations.

Dorvin D. Leis Co. Inc., a mechanical contracting business, is the largest contractor in the state and received Build Hawaii Awards of Excellence from the General Contractors Association of Hawaii in 2004 and 2005.

Leis serves on a number of boards for business and community organizations, including the chairmanship of Construction Development Inc.-Hawaii.

» Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii has recognized Arthur Park as Hero of the Year and Stirling & Kleintop, Top Law Firm, in conferring its Niu Awards.

Park was president of the Volunteer Services board of directors in 2005 and donated his time and funding during a budget crisis. Stirling & Kleintop requires its attorneys to be involved in at least one pro bono case at any time.

» Hawaii Pacific University awarded nearly $40,000 in grants to 26 faculty members to fund research and special projects. Some of the grant recipients include Leroy Laney, economics and finance professor; Eric Abrams, economics professor; Antonina Espiritu, economics associate professor; Joseph Ha, marketing associate professor; Michael Kelly, psychology associate professor; Philip King, psychology professor; Ernesto Lucas, economics associate professor; Gunter Meissner, finance associate professor; Dolly Samson, computer science/computer information systems professor; and Dr. Houston Wood, English associate professor.

» Full Life, which helps people with developmental disabilities on the Big Island, has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation.

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Police, Fire, Courts Star-Bulletin staff

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LEEWARD OAHU

3 are seriously hurt when van overturns

Two women and a girl were seriously injured when a van carrying seven people overturned at about 2:35 p.m. yesterday on Farrington Highway near the Kahe Point Power Plant.

The female driver and a 64-year-old female passenger were in serious condition, and a 12-year-old girl riding in the back seat was listed in serious but stable condition, said Emergency Medical Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic. All were taken to the Queen's Medical Center. Four other children in the van received minor injuries.

"All of these people did have their seat belts, and it is probably what saved their lives," Cheplic said.

HONOLULU

Man is found dead at Sand Island Park

A 57-year-old man was found dead yesterday at Sand Island Park about a half-mile east from the Honolulu Community College Marine Education & Training Center.

A man looking for his dog reported finding the body at 6:30 a.m. The cause of death is under investigation.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Visitor apparently drowns off Big Isle

KAUNAOA BEACH, Hawaii » A 58-year-old male tourist was found Sunday morning floating face down in the sea fronting the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an apparent drowning victim, the Hawaii County Fire Department said.

The man's identity was not immediately released.

He was discovered by his wife and brought to shore by four lifeguards, assisted by four doctors vacationing at the hotel, the Fire Department said.