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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Lingle vows Akaka Bill support
Gov. Linda Lingle says a federal commission's recommendation on the native Hawaiian recognition bill will have no bearing on her administration's efforts to win support for the legislation in Congress.
"Whether they will be fair or not remains to be seen, but it's irrelevant as far as our efforts in Washington," Lingle said yesterday. "They will continue as enthusiastically as they have been."
Lingle was responding to concerns raised by Hawaii's congressional delegation, among others, over the composition of Hawaii's advisory panel to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, which held a hearing on the so-called Akaka Bill this week.
Critics say the Republican-appointed committee is stacked with opponents of the measure.
Lingle, a staunch supporter of the Akaka Bill, which would recognize a native Hawaiian governing entity, repeated her support yesterday in a speech to the Sixth Annual Native Hawaiian Convention.
"This commission will do what it will do. We don't control that," she said. "I wanted them to know we won't stop in our efforts. We believe it's the right thing for the Hawaiian people and for the state of Hawaii, and we'll continue to make our case."
UH researchers earn awards
The University of Hawaii Board of Regents has selected UH-Manoa researchers Robert Bidigare, Ralf Ingo Kaiser and Michael C. Liu as recipients of the 2007 Regents' Medal for Excellence in Research.
The award recognizes scholarly contributions that expand the boundaries of knowledge and enrich the lives of students and the community, said a news release from the university.
Bidigare, a professor of oceanography at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, researches bio-optics, pigments, the foundation of the marine food web and the effects of ultraviolet (UVB) radiation. He has won best-paper awards from the Geochemical Society and the Japanese Phycological Society.
As a professor of chemistry, Kaiser conducts research that has expanded our understanding of how molecules form in extraterrestrial environments. The emerging results are beginning to explain the astro-chemical and astro-biological evolution of the universe, and he has established himself as a leader in this field.
Liu, an associate researcher in the Institute for Astronomy, has worked on observational projects as diverse as proto-planetary disks, brown dwarfs, distance scales to galaxies, star formation and stellar population analysis to galaxies from infrared imaging. He is one of the most widely cited young astronomers in the field of extrasolar research.
Recipients will be recognized for their contributions to the university, along with other UH award winners, at a systemwide ceremony on Sept. 5.
Printer to recycle phone books
Hagadone Printing Co. announced Tuesday that it will be recycling old phone books for the public as part of its Paper Back program.
The company is asking people to drop off their phone books at its loading dock area, which is the entrance after the flagpole. Hagadone is at 274 Puuhale Road, just off Nimitz Highway.
For more information about the company's ongoing Paper Back program, visit www.hagadoneprinting.com/printGreen/paperBack.html.
Flynn to discuss spaceflight lab
Luke Flynn, director of the Hawaii Space Grant consortium and Space Flight Laboratory at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, will discuss the laboratory in a free lecture at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 544, Pacific Ocean Science and Technology Building, 1680 East-West Road.
For more information, call 956-3132 or see www.higp.hawaii.edu/prpdc.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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NORTH SHORE
Campers warned about brush fire
A brush fire that burned about 20 acres in Mokuleia was 50 percent contained at 8:20 p.m., said fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
The fire had blackened land mostly on the rocky cliffs on the mauka side of Farrington Highway, on the Haleiwa side of Camp Erdman.
The camp, with cabins on the ocean side of the highway, was not in immediate danger, but the Fire Department had advised campers of the fire and to be prepared to evacuate if it should threaten it.
The fire's location made it difficult to extinguish, and the blaze was being fought mainly with helicopter water drops.
The Fire Department planned to have a fire watch overnight.
Small fire erupts near old sugar mill
Two acres of brush burned yesterday afternoon in Waialua near the old sugar mill.
The fire created black smoke after burning some tires in the area, fire officials said.
The blaze, which began shortly before 2 p.m., did not threaten any structures and was contained at 3:21 p.m.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Search for missing kayaker abandoned
The Coast Guard has halted its search for a Lanai man missing on a kayak trip.
David Lorenz, 39, departed on separate kayaks with his friend Martin Nai from Kaumalapau Harbor, southwestern Lanai, at about 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
The Coast Guard launched a search after they were reported missing Sunday night, and found Nai on his kayak at 11 a.m. Monday 25 miles west of Kaumalapau.
The empty kayak used by Lorenz was found by the Coast Guard Tuesday about 45 miles west of Kaumalapau Harbor.
Coast Guard officials said they covered more than 6,000 square miles before discontinuing the search last night.
WAIKIKI
2 are arrested in alleged assault
Police arrested two men yesterday morning for allegedly assaulting and threatening a 23-year-old man in Waikiki.
The victim was walking in Waikiki at about 4:20 a.m. when a 24-year-old Kapolei man allegedly came from behind and punched him in the face, police said.
The victim fell to the ground, and the 24-year-old man allegedly pinned him down while a 25-year-old Salt Lake man allegedly kicked him in the ribs, police said.
The victim sustained a fracture to his left eye, police said.
Officers searched the area and found the two men at a nearby club, at 205 Lewers St., police said.
Police conducted a field lineup, and the suspects were both identified and arrested.
Police arrested the 24-year-old at 5 a.m. on suspicion of second-degree assault and second-degree terroristic threatening.
The other suspect was arrested on two outstanding warrants and on suspicion of second-degree assault.