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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Mountainous waves on the march
A huge northwest swell is predicted to arrive today, bringing waves of 30 to 35 feet this afternoon to north-facing shores.
The National Weather Service says west shores could see surf of 24 to 28 feet.
The surf is expected to start declining tomorrow, but a new large swell should arrive Monday night.
600 will get degrees from HPU on Jan. 10
Nearly 600 students will graduate from Hawaii Pacific University during the school's 65th commencement ceremony Jan. 10.
The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Waikiki Shell.
Dr. Alissa Arp, HPU vice president for research and dean of the College of Natural Sciences, will deliver the commencement speech.
She also will receive the Fellow of the Pacific Award, the university's highest accolade, for her service to the community and higher education.
Three valedictory speakers, chosen for their academic performance, will make presentations during the ceremony:
» Kyle Galdeira, who is receiving a bachelor's degree in journalism, will represent the on-campus baccalaureate programs.
» Kathleen Wilson, an MBA student in marketing, will represent the graduate-degree programs.
» Master Chief Petty Officer Ace S. Tufu, a native of American Samoa receiving a bachelor's degree in human resource management, will represent the military campus programs.
Big Isle contractor ends plans for fence
KAILUA-KONA » A Big Island contractor has agreed not to build a fence that would have hindered access to Lyman's surf break near Kailua-Kona.
The fencing plans at Holualoa Bay were changed after contractor Ronnie Llanes, owner of Hawaii Island Fencing, heard concerns from the community.
He said the fence was never intended to deny access to the public. Instead, it was designed as a security precaution because homeowners in the area had been burglarized several times.
Now, Llanes has decided to build a fence next to a wall that provides safe access to Kamoa Point and the Lyman's surf break, rather than building the fence on it.
"As long as they don't put it so close to the wall that people fall off as they walk across, it's OK," said longtime area surfer Michael McMichael. "But if someone does fall off, the property owners should be held responsible."
[ COURTS ]
Burned unit's owner sues neighbor for fire
An Ewa Beach apartment owner is suing her neighbor in Circuit Court for negligence because smoking on the patio above her unit allegedly caused her apartment to burn down.
Linda Keliikipi alleged in a complaint filed in Circuit Court yesterday that the negligence of her upstairs neighbor resulted in her apartment burning to the ground.
A Honolulu Fire Department's investigation concluded that the fire originated in combustible material at the base of an artificial potted plant, and discarded cigarettes were found in the plant material, the complaint alleged.
Keliikipi claims she repeatedly asked her neighbor not to smoke on the patio above her unit and not to flick cigarette butts into her yard.
Former inmate claims guard assaulted her
A Hawaii woman filed a complaint yesterday in federal court alleging she had been sexually assaulted by a prison guard while she was an inmate at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu.
Maria Zepeda sued the U.S. government, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Department of Justice and the guard, who allegedly sexually assaulted her from mid-2003 to July 2, 2004, while she was held at the detention center.
Zepeda alleged the government and the Bureau of Prisons "knew or should have known of the aforesaid sexual assaults but failed to take remedial steps to stop said assaults or to protect her," the complaint said.
Court suspends lawyer for lack of cooperation
The state Supreme Court suspended Kauai attorney Gilbert P. Kea from the practice of law because of a failure to cooperate with the Office of Disciplinary Council's investigation, the court announced in a news release.
The office was investigating Kea's professional conduct in two cases. The investigation will continue, the news release stated.
Kea is not eligible to practice law and cannot accept any new retainers or clients. He must also return papers, property and unearned advance fee payments.
SHINING STARS
Wilson elected leader of women's group
Shelley Wilson, founder and president of Wilson Homecare, was elected 2007 president of the local chapter board of the Organization of Women Leaders. Wilson Homecare is a home health-care provider on Oahu, established in 1996.
The University of Hawaii-Manoa's College of Engineering received $25,000 from the Science Applications International Corp. to support graduate student fellowships.
Easter Seals Hawaii elected the following new members to its board of directors: Chris R. Dang, an estate planning attorney; Harvey Henderson, a lawyer with Henderson Gallagher & Kane; Dr. Francis Liu, retired chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center; Mark Matheson, vice president of Science Applications International; and Anna Elento-Sneed, a partner with Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing. Renowned chef Alan Wong returns to the board after a year's hiatus.
Suzanne Frazer received the Graduate Student Award for Excellence from the University of Hawaii-Manoa Graduate Student Organization for giving more than 4,000 hours of voluntary service.*
"Shining Stars" runs Monday through Thursday.
CORRECTION
Friday, January 5, 2007
» The Graduate Student Organization Assembly of the University of Hawaii at Manoa honored Suzanne Frazer for her outstanding service to students, the university and the community. A "Shining Stars" item on Page A2 Dec. 28 misspelled her last name as Fazer.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Pickup kills woman on sidewalk
KAPAA, Kauai » A 78-year-old Kapaa woman was hit by a truck while walking near her home yesterday and later died at Wilcox Hospital.
Police officials said that Theresa Fujitani was walking along the sidewalk on Kawaihau Road in the vicinity of Malakea Street at 7 a.m. when a pickup truck ran off the roadway and struck her. The vehicle then slammed into a nearby utility pole before coming to a stop.
The 28-year-old driver of the pickup truck and his 22-year-old passenger were also brought to Wilcox for treatment.
Police said that speed and medication were possible factors in the case.
Maui police seek clues to deadly hit-and-run
WAILUKU » Maui police investigators are asking for a telephone call from anyone who might have information about a hit-and-run vehicle that killed a man Tuesday.
Traffic investigator Lawrence Becraft said other motorists passing by might have seen the suspect vehicle. The vehicle could also have sustained damage to the front bumper or wheels.
Suk Su Ko, 37, of Wailuku died at the scene of the accident on Honoapiilani Highway, about 196 feet north of Keanu Street.
Maui police said Ko was walking in the middle of Honoapiilani Highway at about 4:34 a.m. Tuesday when the driver's-side mirror of a Maalaea-bound vehicle struck him and knocked him to the ground.
The driver turned around and returned to the scene, but by that time Ko had been fatally struck by another vehicle, police said.
Reef shark closes west-side Kauai beach
Salt Pond Beach Park on Kauai's west side was closed for a second day yesterday after lifeguards reported seeing a reef shark in the area.
Kaleo Hookano, water safety officer with the Ocean Safety Bureau, said that lifeguards first sighted what they believed to be a reef shark around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
They closed the area again yesterday morning when the shark was again spotted in the area, officials said.
Lifeguards will make a determination today if the beach will be reopened, officials said.
HONOLULU
Fire damage in Aiea estimated at $350,000
Damage for a fire that ravaged an Aiea storage and moving business are estimated at $350,000, the Honolulu Fire Department reported.
The damage includes about 850 storage containers, two big rig trucks and the warehouse structure.
The fire at Precision Moving & Storage on Oihana Place broke out at about 2:47 a.m. Tuesday.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Man held in alleged threat with chain
An argument between two Kalihi neighbors escalated yesterday afternoon, resulting in the arrest of a 36-year-old man for suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening.
The suspect allegedly threatened a 45-year-old man, his neighbor, with a chain, according to a police report.