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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Telescope meetings changed
The time for public-comment meetings on the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been changed because of scheduling conflicts.
The meetings, all on Maui, will start at 7 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. as announced earlier, and will run to 10 p.m. The meetings will be held Wednesday at Cameron Center Auditorium; Thursday at Hannibal Tavares Community Center, multipurpose room; and Friday, Kula Community Center.
3 isle schools chosen for national honor
The U.S. Department of Education named three Honolulu elementary schools as "Blue Ribbon Schools" for improving state test scores or consistently scoring in the top 10 percent of the nation.
Kauluwela Elementary School in Liliha, Lunalilo Elementary School in McCully and Nuuanu Elementary School were nominated Nov. 4 and were named as winners yesterday, according to a news release from the state Department of Education.
National blue ribbon public schools are selected based on two criteria: schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance on state tests; or schools whose students, regardless of background, rank in the top 10 percent in their state test scores.
Nuuanu Elementary also received the award in the 1985-86 school year.
State to get $1 million for better port security
The state will receive more than $1 million in federal homeland security funding to enhance security at Honolulu Harbor and other island ports.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, announced yesterday that Hawaii will receive three grants. The largest, $1,070,290, will go to the state Department of Transportation Harbors Division. The state will also get $189,000 for buffer zone protection. The city and county of Honolulu will receive $50,020 for transit security.
The announcement came a week after the Senate unanimously passed the Port Security Improvement Act. The bill, presented to President Bush yesterday, "will dramatically improve the security of our ports and of our other transportation systems," Inouye said in a release.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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CENTRAL OAHU
Soccer coach awaits sex assault charge
A longtime Oahu youth soccer coach is in a Honolulu Police Department cell block, accused of sexually assaulting one of his players, a 7-year-old boy.
The coach, 65, of Wahiawa, was arrested Thursday afternoon at Kaala Playground under suspicion of third-degree sexual assault.
Police expect to charge him today.
The boy told police he was sexually assaulted by his coach after a physical exam revealed the boy had a sexually transmitted disease.
The alleged assault happened at the coach's Wahiawa home.
The suspect runs a summer indoor youth soccer league. He also coached five teams in the league this past summer.
According to state law, a person commits the offense of sexual assault in the third degree if he knowingly subjects someone younger than 14 years old to sexual contact or causes the minor to have sexual contact with him.
Sexual assault in the third degree is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
HONOLULU
Laundry damaged in Halawa warehouse fire
An investigator was looking for the cause last night of a one-story warehouse complex fire that occurred in Halawa Valley, Honolulu Fire Capt. Jerry Spencer said.
A laundry business at 99-899 Iwaena St. was damaged, but the extent was not yet known, Spencer said.
The fire was reported at 7:01 p.m. and under control by 7:21 p.m., he said.
Thirty-five firefighters, five engine companies, a ladder and a hazardous materials unit responded, Spencer said. The hazmat workers determined that no hazardous materials were involved, he said.
Police find stolen ID during traffic stop
Police arrested a 30-year-old man who allegedly stole a woman's ID on Tuesday.
Police said the man was stopped for traffic violations at 11:41 Thursday night at Kapiolani Boulevard and Pensacola Street.
The officer noticed an identification card on the dashboard and learned that it had been reported stolen from a 21-year-old woman.
The driver was arrested for investigation of unauthorized possession of confidential information and driving without a license.
Police said that other stolen property was found inside the car, and the man was also arrested for investigation of second-degree detaining stolen property.
Man arrested with IDs belonging to others
Police arrested a 21-year-old man who was allegedly carrying IDs and credit cards belonging to two other men.
The suspect was arrested about 5:15 p.m. Thursday in downtown Honolulu on outstanding warrants.
During a search, officers said they found identification and credit cards belonging to two men, ages 33 and 35.
Police arrested the suspect for investigation of two counts of unauthorized possession of confidential personal information.