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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Punahou wins 'Green' honor
Punahou School was named the "greenest school" in America this week by the Green Guide magazine. The school beat 67 others for the honor because of its energy-efficient Case Middle School, environmental classes and projects, and goals of healthy eating and reduced use of harsh chemicals, said the environmental magazine.
Kuapa Pond now safe after sewage spill
Officials removed warning signs near Kuapa Pond in Hawaii Kai yesterday after test results indicated that water quality levels are back to normal, said Lee Mansfield, manager of Hawaii American Water.
The private company provides waste-water services to that area.
During the early morning hours Sunday, a vehicle struck part of a polyethylene bypass line at the 700 block of Lunalilo Home Road.
About 2,500 gallons of raw sewage spilled onto the roadway and was discharged into Kuapa Pond. Signs were posted at private parks located on opposite sides of the marina. Fliers were also passed out.
Oahu lifeguards warn of jellyfish invasion
The Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division issued a box jellyfish advisory for today and tomorrow.
Officials advised beachgoers to stay out of the water if they are allergic or do not want to be stung. Areas that are commonly affected include Waikiki Beach, primarily in the "pond" area on the Ewa side of the Kapahulu groin. Other areas include Hanauma Bay, Pokai Bay, Makaha Beach and Waimea Bay.
Bridge in Makaha reopens after fire
The state Department of Transportation reopened Makaha Bridge No. 3 on Farrington Highway near Kili Drive to all traffic yesterday afternoon after three weeks to repair fire damage.
All vehicles are being allowed to pass over the bridge after additional foundation work. The pedestrian walkway also was repaired. The bridge was damaged by fire on July 27.
Transportation officials said additional work to remove debris and excess soil will be finished next week.
SHINING STARS
Zia selected for Junior Achievement board
Hoyt Zia, publisher of Hawaii Business Magazine since 2004, has been elected to serve on the board of directors of
Junior Achievement of Hawaii Inc.
He was with the Amfac/JMB Hawaii Inc. law department from 1991 to 1995, when he accepted an appointment as chief counsel of the Export Administration, Department of Commerce, in Washington, D.C. He returned to Honolulu in 1999 as executive director of the nonprofit Pacific Telecommunications Council.
Dr. Kahn Lau, a native of Los Angeles, was also elected to serve on the Junior Achievement board. After graduating from the University of Missouri School of Optometry, he moved to Hawaii in 1989 to become a partner in LensCrafters.
Hawaii Arts Alliance named
Erik M. Takeshita the new director for the
ARTS at Marks Garage, an exhibiting and performing arts gallery in Chinatown. He formerly served as senior policy aide and project coordinator for the mayor's office in Minneapolis, where he championed the development of the Minneapolis Plan for Arts and Cultures.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs awarded a $10,000 grant to Hui Kako o Aina Ho'opulapula for a feasibility study of the economic use of Pu'u O'o Ranch at Pi'ihonua, a recreation/retreat destination. The hui is a nonprofit organization that serves those on the Hawaiian Home Lands wait list for homestead leases.
The North Shore Country Market received $20,000 by the HEI Charitable Foundation to establish an organic farm and training center for youth and families on the North Shore. The market was established in 1994 to provide social and economic opportunities for low- to moderate-income farmers, growers, chefs and artists.
Andrew Gines of Saint Louis School was one of 300 students to attend the International Youth Democracy Summit in Washington, D.C. and Charlottesville, Va., this month.
"Shining Stars" runs Sunday through Thursday.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
Motorcycle fatality was Kailua man
The city Medical Examiner's Office identified the 30-year-old motorcyclist who was killed yesterday in an accident on Pali Highway as Matthew D.A.U.H. Kaiahua of Kailua.
Police said Kaiahua's motorcycle crashed into the back of a Toyota passenger van, which had stopped after being involved in a separate three-vehicle accident on the Pali.
The three vehicles were involved in a collision in the left Kailua-bound lane of the highway about a half-mile mauka of Nuuanu Pali Drive.
Police said speed was a factor in the accident, and Kaiahua was not wearing a helmet.
This was the 58th fatality on Oahu, compared with 51 at the same time last year.
Boy is held in alleged sexual assault on bus
Police arrested a 14-year-old boy who allegedly sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl on a school bus.
Police said the incident happened at about 9:30 a.m. Friday as the students were on the bus headed to a school outing.
Police arrested the boy for investigation of first-degree sexual assault.
WEST OAHU
Aiea condo fire badly injures 2 men
Two male workers, 49 and 22, were seriously injured yesterday in a fire at the Colonnade on the Green near the Pearl Country Club.
The 3:20 p.m. fire at 98-711 Iho Place was, however, considered minor.
The two seriously injured men were taken to Straub Clinic & Hospital. A 25-year-old man was treated and released at the scene.
Brush fire shuts down traffic on Kunia Road
Police closed Kunia Road due to a brush fire about three-fourths of a mile north of Anonui Road.
Firefighters contained the fire at 3:35 p.m. about a half-hour from the time it was reported at 2:56 p.m. The fire was likely caused by a vehicle fire, a fire official said.
About 15 acres of brush was consumed.
Traffic was turned around at Anonui Road and at Hawaii Country Club, police said.
Eight companies, five engines and three tankers responded to the brush fire.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Equestrian injured when her horse hits pickup
OMAO, Kauai » An 18-year-old woman was injured Tuesday afternoon when she lost control of her horse and ran into a pickup truck, officials said yesterday.
The woman, who was not identified, was transported to Wilcox Hospital for treatment. The horse was also injured, but officials could not say how seriously it was hurt.
According to police, the woman was riding her horse on a trail next to Omao Road when she lost control of the horse, and it ran into the side of a truck traveling north on Omao Road. The driver of the pickup truck, a 45-year-old man, was not injured.
Big Isle police launch late look for escapee
HILO » Big Island police initiated an escape investigation regarding a jail inmate missing since Aug. 7 after reading about the case yesterday in the local Hilo newspaper.
Police spokeswoman Chris Loos said the department had not yet received notification that Wren Kealoha Evans, 28, is missing from the Hawaii Community Correctional Center, but they started looking for him after reading about him in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
Police charged Evans in January with 18 counts of theft, forgery and related offenses, holding him in lieu of $100,000 bail. Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy said additional misdemeanor charges later brought the total to 44 and the unposted bail to $125,550.
By court order, Evans was released periodically for drug treatment sessions, and was discovered missing from a session at 8:20 a.m. Aug. 7, McCoy said. The treatment program, Big Island Substance Abuse Council, quickly reported the escape to Evans' probation officer, but the jail did not learn about it until 12:40 p.m., when a guard called the treatment program asking where Evans was, McCoy said.
The guard then assumed that the probation officer reported Evans' escape to police, since he was technically in her custody, but she apparently did not do so, McCoy said.
Lester Oshiro, the Judiciary official in charge of probation in Hilo, said the case is under investigation, but he did not have enough information to comment.