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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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DOE offers free PSAT next month
The state Department of Education will use funds appropriated by the Legislature to offer a free Preliminary Standardized Achievement Test to 10th- and 11th-grade public school students next month.
The PSAT, which will be administered Oct. 17 and 20, helps students improve scores on the College Board SAT and serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
This year, Hawaii public school students who took the PSAT one time had average College Board SAT scores at least 33 points higher in reading, 35 points higher in math, and at least 38 points higher in writing.
Those improvements more than doubled for those who took the PSAT twice, according to the Education Department.
Maunalaha Stream project starts
A contractor has begun a $686,000 project to restore Maunalaha Stream and three of its bridge crossings damaged by heavy rains in March 2006, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced recently.
Multiple landslides March 22-31, 2006, damaged Round Top Drive, the slopes near it and nearby Maunalaha Valley, which is home to families that lease land from the DLNR.
A city project to repair damaged road sections of Round Top Drive, which has been closed since then, is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
When the city has finished repairs of Round Top Drive, the state will finalize adjacent slope restoration work that it began last year.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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Motorcyclist dies in crash
A 53-year-old man died yesterday in a single-motorcycle accident on the Moanalua freeway that closed part of the freeway interchange near Aloha Stadium just as the University of Hawaii football game was ending.
Police said the accident occurred at 8:52 p.m. on the Moanalua freeway onramp from the H-1 freeway in the eastbound direction. The motorcycle hit a guard rail on the Moanalua onramp in the eastbound direction and the man was ejected. His motorcycle landed below on the H-1 onramp in the eastbound direction.
He died at the scene, said Honolulu Emergency Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic.
Police closed the road leading from the stadium parking lot to the H-1 freeway eastbound as well as eastbound lanes of the Moanalua freeway extension.
Crews seek kayakers off Waikiki
The U.S. Coast Guard was searching last night for three kayakers believed to be missing after a three-person kayak was found floating two miles south of Diamond Head.
The orange, 12-foot-long, three-person kayak was found at about 2 p.m. The kayak had enough gear on it for two or three people, a Coast Guard news release said.
Coast Guard crews launched a search extending four miles out to sea and along shore from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai. A 47-foot rescue boat and a helicopter assisted in the search. There were no reports of overdue people yesterday by 9 p.m.
Anyone with information that can aid in the search is asked to call the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu at 842-2600.
LEEWARD OAHU
Man, 74, dies after being found in sea
Police said a 74-year-old man died yesterday after swimming in the ocean in Kapolei.
The man became unresponsive while in the water about 10 a.m. and was taken to Hawaii Medical Center West where he was pronounced dead.
HONOLULU
Ala Moana victim was local woman
The Medical Examiner's Office identified Friday the body of a woman found in waters off Ala Moana Beach Park as Ok Hartman of Honolulu.
A surfer found the 62-year-old woman floating face down in the reef Thursday morning.
The cause of death has been deferred by the Medical Examiner's Office.
Police have classified the case as an unattended death pending results of the autopsy.
WINDWARD OAHU
Woman tumbles from waterfall
Firefighters airlifted a 19-year-old woman to safety yesterday after she fell 15 feet at Maunawili Falls near Kailua.
Firefighters hiked in and the fire helicopter lowered two firefighters to help bring the woman out at about 11:15 a.m., said Honolulu Fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
CENTRAL OAHU
Man tries to pass counterfeit bill
Police arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly trying to buy beer with counterfeit cash.
At about 10:30 Friday night, the suspect allegedly attempted to purchase a beer at a Wahiawa bar with a counterfeit $20 bill. The bartender noticed the bill appeared fake and called police.