Newswatch Star-Bulletin staff and wire service

---

Lingle OKs funds for roadwork

Gov. Linda Lingle has released $255,000 for construction on Kalanianaole Highway to make entering and exiting Hanauma Bay easier and safer for motorists.

The state funds will be matched with $1.02 million in federal money.

The project includes widening the highway to add a left-turn lane for vehicles entering and an acceleration lane for vehicles exiting Hanauma Bay, installing guardrails, signage and pavement striping.

Construction is scheduled to begin in January and completed in March.

UH to get $1.3M in federal funds

The University of Hawaii is receiving $1.3 million from the National Science Foundation for two research projects, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye announced yesterday.

About $1 million will fund research to compare achievement among middle school students learning algebra based on the availability of networked computer technology in the classroom.

A little more than $300,000 will be used to study denitrification and nitrogen fixation in the Gulf of California and adjacent waters of the eastern tropical North Pacific.

UH documents now on the Web

Some budget documents kept secret from the public Friday during a University of Hawaii Board of Regents meeting are now available online on the UH Web site.

The documents include UH President David McClain's recommendations on the university's budget request to the governor and the Legislature but do not include the budget requests and priorities from each campus.

Some documents, including estimates of tuition revenue, are accessible only by a password.

Under a new procedure, members of the public who want to see documents given to the regents Friday are asked to formally request them in writing and are told the documents will be available up to 10 days after the regents had decided on the budget.

Regents said they will review the new procedure and whether to continue it at next month's meeting.

UH Vice President for Legal Affairs Darolyn Lendio said the university is trying to reach a balance.

"We're trying really hard to meet the public desire for transparency but yet protect privacy interests and privileges afforded us under the law," she said.

State Office of Information Practices attorney Lorna Aritani said last week that documents that are discussed in detail at a public meeting need to be disclosed.

Hilo library to get makeover

The state has released $724,000 for renovations at Hilo Public Library.

The money will pay for improvements to the library's entrance, parking lot, restrooms, exterior windows and emergency lighting, Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday.

The work is needed for the library to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and improve safety for patrons, the state said.

The projects are scheduled to be completed next August.

Advertiser gets new publisher

Lee Webber, publisher of the Pacific Daily News on Guam, has been named president and publisher of the Honolulu Advertiser, the newspaper announced yesterday.

Webber, 60, replaces Michael J. Fisch, who has held the top post at the Advertiser since May 1998. Fisch, 55, will become president and publisher at the Journal News in Westchester, N.Y., also owned by Gannet Co., according to the announcement.

Webber started at the Pacific Daily News in 1970 and became publisher in 1983, it said.

The change comes as at least 29 Advertiser employees are leaving the newspaper, having accepted an early-retirement package aimed at reducing the staff. The paper had about 575 full-time employees.

Police, Fire, Courts Star-Bulletin staff

---

HONOLULU

Man is accused in assault, break-in

Police arrested a 25-year-old man after he allegedly attacked a man and broke into a couple's home early yesterday.

Just before 1:48 a.m. on Young Street, the suspect punched a 52-year-old man in the head without provocation, causing a cut behind the right ear and a concussion, police said.

The suspect walked down the street and broke into an apartment where a 61-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy lived, police said. The woman awoke when the suspect broke into her living room window, police said.

The woman and the boy locked themselves in the bathroom, and police said they heard the suspect throwing and breaking things in the apartment. The suspect tried to break down the bathroom door to get to the woman and boy before police arrived, police said.

The suspect asked the officer to kill him, before locking himself in a rear bedroom, police said.

Police said the suspect fled through a bedroom window but was caught later, police said. He was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and two counts of first-degree burglary.

Domestic dispute leads to 2 arrests

Police arrested two people Tuesday morning after the estranged wife of one of the suspects reported an auto theft.

On Monday a 34-year-old woman reported that her husband allegedly stole her car. At 12:31 a.m. Tuesday, officers found the car being driven at Rycroft and Keeaumoku streets.

The wife withdrew her complaint and opted to file for a temporary restraining order against her 32-year-old husband, who was found with a 23-year-old woman in the car.

The husband was arrested on suspicion of driving without a license, while his passenger was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized entry of a vehicle.

Woman allegedly steals computer

Police arrested an 18-year-old woman Tuesday for an alleged workplace robbery last month.

At about 10:30 p.m. July 26, the suspect and three other men entered a Kalihi workplace and allegedly took a 26-year-old woman's laptop computer. Police said when the victim tried to stop the suspect, one of the group grabbed her shirt and told her not to stop her.

Yesterday the victim saw the suspect and called police. Officers arrested the woman on suspicion of second-degree robbery.

LEEWARD OAHU

Forgery allegedly tried at Wal-Mart3

Police arrested an 18-year-old man who allegedly tried to cash a forged check at Wal-Mart.

The man entered the Pearl City Wal-Mart at 1000 Kamehameha Highway early yesterday and tried to cash the check, police said.

Police were called, and officers arrested the man on suspicion of second-degree forgery.

CENTRAL OAHU

Man, 53, accused of sexual assault

A 53-year-old Wahiawa man was arrested yesterday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.

Police said the girl is a family member and reported to police that the man allegedly sexual assaulted her prior to Sept. 18, 2006.

The suspect was arrested yesterday morning on suspicion of first- and third-degree sexual assault. He was later released pending further investigation.