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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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UH sells 298 acres for $100M
The University of Hawaii finalized plans to sell 298 acres in Kapolei for $100.14 million to the Hunt Development Corp. to help finance the construction of a new UH-West Oahu campus.
The university and Hunt held a signing ceremony Monday in Bachman Hall at UH-Manoa to mark the agreement, Hunt officials announced. The state is putting up $35 million for the construction.
Groundbreaking for the new campus is expected next year, with the completion of the first phase of the campus by fall 2009. Hunt plans a housing and retail development next to the campus.
New stadium security chief hired
Andrew Chang has been hired as chief of security at Aloha Stadium, manager Scott Chan announced last week.
The 45-year-old Kunia resident has spent the last 17 years as a security officer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and as a part-time security officer at Aloha Stadium. Prior to that, he worked for five years as a corrections officer for the state.
Chang is replacing Herbert Naone, who was indicted on federal extortion charges in April 2006 and will be sentenced in February. Naone used his position as head of security at Aloha Stadium and his friendship with James Rodenhurst, a former night-shift supervisor in the enforcement section of the Honolulu Liquor Commission, to extort thousands of dollars from two nightclubs in exchange for overlooking liquor violations.
Exhibit showcases Taiwanese art
An "Aloha from Taiwan" multicultural art exhibit will be on display at the Honolulu Hale Courtyard from Sept. 18 to 26.
A collection of original works by Taiwanese and Taiwanese-American artists will be showcased to share the artistic traditions and creativity of Taiwan with the people of Hawaii. The exhibit is presented by the Hawaii Chapter of the Taiwanese Association of America.
The exhibit is free and open to the public, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more information, call 227-8554.
Fee increase proposed for refuge
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing fee increases at its Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai.
The new proposed entrance fee would be $5 per visitor 16 or older, up from the current $3 fee, the service said in a release.
The cost of a kamaaina annual pass would rise to $20 from the current $12. The service is also proposing an expanded amenity fee of $20 per person for Crater Hill guided hikes.
The service says the fee increase will cover increased costs at the refuge and allow it to remain open seven days a week.
The refuge on Kauai's north shore has not increased entrance fees since November 2000, the release said.
Written comments on the proposed fee increase can be sent to the Refuge Manager, Kauai National Wildlife Refuge Complex, P.O. Box 1128, Kilauea, HI 96754.
Comments may also be made in person to Mike Hawkes or Bob Dieli, supervisory park ranger, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday at the refuge, or by telephone at 828-1413. E-mail comments may be submitted to Bob_Dieli@fws.gov. All comments must be received by Sept. 15.
East-West Center wins contract
The East-West Center has been awarded a $98,000 contract to provide technical support for Vietnam's HIV national estimates and projections for 2007.
The Family Health International contract also calls for extending the ongoing analysis and advocacy project to Haiphong.
The center began developing computer models for tracking and projecting the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, a decade ago.
Software developed by the East-West Center now enables national health programs throughout the region to analyze local HIV epidemics and to develop effective responses.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
Victim critically injured in beating
Police are looking for a group of men who beat up and critically injured a man in Kalihi early yesterday morning.
The case is classified as an attempted murder.
Police said they were patrolling in the Kalihi area at about 3 a.m. yesterday, when a 46-year-old man told officers that he and a 41-year-old man were beaten by seven to nine men. The victims were found on Kohou Street near Honolulu Community College.
Both men were taken to the Queen's Medical Center. The 41-year-old suffered multiple facial fractures and was in critical condition. The other man was treated and released. Police did not yet have a description of the suspects.
Man charged in sex assault
Charges were filed against a 38-year-old man Friday for seven counts of third-degree sexual assault on two girls, police said.
Troy Pacheco, of an unknown address, assaulted the girls, 12 and 13, from August 2006 to July 2007 while living in the same household, police said. He was asked to leave after the older victim reported the incident.
Police arrested Pacheco Wednesday on Koapaka Street. His bail was set at $50,000.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Blaze destroys Big Island home
Big Island firefighters responded to a blaze that engulfed and destroyed a home in Oceanview yesterday morning.
Firefighters were sent to a home at 92-1807 Hukilau Drive. The single-story wooden home with metal roofing was in flames when firefighters arrived at 4:39 a.m., the department said in a written news release.
The fire department said the roof collapsed and that no one inside the home. The fire was put out an hour later, and there were no injuries. Fire investigators had not determined the fire's cause and a damage estimate.