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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Global climate conference set
An international climate change meeting will be held later this month at the East-West Center, a spokeswoman for the White House said yesterday.
How many of 17 invited countries will attend the Jan. 30-31 event and exactly what its agenda will be continues to evolve, said Kristen Hellmer, a spokeswoman for the President's Council on Environmental Quality.
How much, if any, of the diplomatic meeting will be public also has yet to be decided, she said.
President Bush invited the "major economies" countries, which together produce more than 80 percent of greenhouse gasses, to meet in Honolulu as a follow-up to a September meeting in Washington.
As the United Nation's summit on climate change concluded in Bali last month, some European nations threatened to boycott Bush's meeting.
Hellmer said the U.S. delegation will include Jim Connaughton, chairman of the President's Council on Environmental Quality, and Dan Price, with the National Security Council.
Hawaii was chosen as "a good location that can easily be reached by the majority of the participants," Hellmer said.
Potential participants include the United States, China, Portugal, Russian, Japan, India, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Korea, France, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Indonesia and Brazil, plus representatives from the European Commission and United Nations.
Kamaole Park in Kihei reopens
Maui County officials partially reopened Kamaole Park in Kihei, a county spokeswoman said in an e-mail yesterday.
People can access the area through the north and south ends of the park, but the middle section remains closed because of damage to the lifeguard tower and beach erosion.
Kamaole Park suffered heavy damage in last month's severe weather.
Water lines have been repaired, public restrooms and showers are available and a temporary lifeguard tower has been placed on the beach, according to the e-mail.
HPU to bestow honor on Nabors
Singer and actor Jim Nabors will receive Hawaii Pacific University's highest accolade, the Fellow of the Pacific Award, at commencement ceremonies Wednesday at the Waikiki Shell.
Nearly 575 degrees will be awarded at the ceremonies beginning at 6:30 p.m., including more than 125 bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing, the largest ever for the program.
Nabors will be recognized for his contributions and service to the community.
Charles A. Sted, Hawaii Pacific Health president and chief executive officer, a member of HPU's Board of Trustees, will deliver the commencement speech.
Jaclyn Petrus from Kahaluu, who is graduating with a bachelor's in psychology; Kellie Peterson from Kapaa, Kauai, who is receiving her master's in communications; and 1st Sgt. Ivan Thompson, of Jacksonville, N.C., who is getting a bachelor's in justice administration, will speak for the students.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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Paint used in attack on officer
Officials charged an Ewa Beach man with first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer for allegedly attacking a police officer with spray paint.
Paul Roylo, 51, was arrested after being subdued with pepper spray, police said.
He is also charged with third-degree criminal property damage and fourth-degree property damage.
The officer found Roylo spray-painting the pavement in front of Ala Moana Center at 11:30 p.m. Thursday and told him to stop, police said. But Roylo walked away and continued to spray-paint.
When the officer approached Roylo again, he allegedly sprayed her with gold paint and continued spraying her during a struggle. Police said he also grabbed the officer's leg, causing bruises.
Roylo was being held at the Honolulu cellblock yesterday on $11,000 bail.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Girl experiences seizure on tour
Coast Guard rescuers helped a 9-year-old girl suffering a seizure yesterday on a boat touring Molokini Crater off Maui.
About 8:15 a.m., rescue officials received a distress call from the 65-foot touring vessel Ocean Odyssey.
The Coast Guard crew responded to the call and brought the girl to emergency crews at Kihei Harbor.
Felon uses gun in alleged threat
Big Island police arrested and charged a Kau man for allegedly using a handgun to threaten a couple's life at Kahuku Park the evening of Dec. 22.
Police said Richard Crapser, 43, of Oceanview, fired gunshots into the air and pointed a handgun at a 26-year-old Kau woman and a 30-year-old Kau man and threatened to kill them. He allegedly struck the woman in the head with the butt of the gun.
Crapser was arrested Wednesday.
He was charged Friday with assault, four counts of reckless endangering, two counts of terroristic threatening and two firearms offenses for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
He is being held at the Kona police cellblock in lieu of $18,000 bail.
Demand for drugs made at knifepoint
KALAHEO, Kauai » A 20-year-old Kauai woman was arrested for brandishing a knife and demanding drugs from a pharmacy.
Brandy Silva entered the Kalaheo Pharmacy partially covered by a scarf at 5:25 p.m. Wednesday, police said.
While yielding a knife, Silva reportedly demanded that the on-duty pharmacist and pharmacy technician provide her with narcotics, police officials said. The pharmacy personnel responded by speaking calmly to Silva and one of them took the knife away from her, officials said.
When police arrived, Silva was arrested on a first-degree robbery charge. No one was injured.
NORTH SHORE
Alcohol involved in kidnap attempt
A 43-year-old man was invited to have drinks with a 41-year-old Waialua woman in her home Friday night and then got "highly intoxicated," grabbed a kitchen knife and told the woman he was kidnapping her, police said.
The incident happened about 10:30 p.m. Police said the woman escaped when the suspect was not aware. He was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and terroristic threatening.