Military set to evacuate Americans from India
Military personnel from Hawaii reportedly are traveling to India to help the U.S. Embassy with its evacuation plan.The State Department urged the 60,000 Americans in India yesterday, including hundreds of U.S. diplomats and their families, to leave the country because of a risk of conflict between nuclear powers India and Pakistan.
Department officials said the Associated Press, quoting a senior U.S. military official on condition of anonymity, said a small group of military personnel from the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii is going to New Delhi to review the U.S. Embassy's evacuation plan.
A Pacific Command spokeswoman told the Star-Bulletin she could not confirm the report, but added that "the State Department has not directed the military to evacuate any American citizens overseas."
Salt Lake librarian picked as Employee of the Year
A Salt Lake-Moanalua Public Library children's librarian has been chosen as the state public library system's 2002 Employee of the Year.Nyla Fujii-Babb, known as "Aunty Nyla," has worked in the Hawaii library system for 32 years.
The system's spokesman, Paul Mark, called Fujii-Babb "a great asset to the library system. We're lucky to have her."
In 2000, Fujii-Babb was selected to be a featured teller at the 28th annual National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tenn.
In 1993 the library system named her Manager of the Year, an award no longer offered.
Gov. Cayetano will join journalistic ethics panel
Gov. Ben Cayetano and a panel of television and newspaper journalists will explore "Ethics in Journalism" Thursday during a discussion moderated by attorney Jeff Portnoy.The public is invited to attend the discussion at the 'Olelo Studios at 1122 Mapunapuna St. from 6 to 8 p.m.
Other panelists include:
>> University of Hawaii journalism professor Gerry Kato.
>> Honolulu Advertiser Deputy City Editor Ken Kobayashi.
>> Honolulu Star-Bulletin editorial writer Cynthia Oi.
>> KITV4 News Director Tod Pritchard.
>> KHON-TV reporter Gregg Takayama.
>> Attorney Peter Olsen.
UH Board of Regents OKs 2 dean appointments
The University of Hawaii's Board of Regents announced yesterday that it has approved the appointments of two departments' interim deans.Peter Tanaka was approved as interim dean of the Manoa campus' Outreach College, and Barbara Kooker was approved as interim dean of the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene.
Tanaka, who has been with the university since 1987, is filling in for Dean Victor Kobayashi, who began a six-month sabbatical leave on May 20, the university said in a news release.
Kooker, who has been with the nursing program for 20 years, takes over for Dean Rosanne Harrigan, who is taking a faculty position in the university's John A. Burns School of Medicine, the university said.
Blood Bank of Hawaii plans 9 drives this month
The Blood Bank of Hawaii has organized nine blood drives for this month.Drives will be held at:
>> Laie Shopping Center on Monday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>> Kailua's Times Super Market next Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
>> Kaneohe's Times Super Market on June 9, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
>> Mililani's Wal-Mart on June 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
>> Town Center of Mililani on June 15, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>> Kapolei's Big Kmart on June 22, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>> Kahala Mall on June 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>> Castle Medical Center on June 28, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
>> Waianae Mall on June 29, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.To donate blood you must be in good health, 18 or older, weigh 110 pounds or more and have a valid photo ID. For more information, call the blood bank at 845-9966 or go to www.bbh.org.
Lane closures to affect Kalanianaole Highway
The Department of Transportation has announced the following Kalanianaole Highway closures for Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.:>> Two town-bound lanes between Analii Street and Ainakoa Avenue will be closed for resurfacing. Left turns onto side streets will be prohibited, but U-turns will be allowed at Kilauea Avenue and at Analii Street.
>> One Koko Head-bound lane will be closed from Kaimoku Place and West Hind Drive for waterline work.
Motorists can expect delays.
Friends of Hawaii Charities gives $700,000 to 91 groups
Friends of Hawaii Charities gave $700,000 to 91 local charities yesterday at an awards luncheon.The charities include:
>> American Red Cross Hawaii Chapter
>> Bobby Benson Center
>> Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council
>> Boys & Girls Club of HonoluluFriends, the charity branch of the Sony Open in Hawaii, was incorporated in 1998 to benefit nonprofit organizations. Each year, the charity raises most of its funds from the Open, which is held in January at the Waialae Country Club.
The charity's president, Anthony Guerrero, said: "We are pleased to support 91 community services agencies with project funding. We have generated over $2 million over the past four years and contributed it to the specific needs of dedicated nonprofit service organizations in our state."
The Friends' 2003 open will be held Jan. 13-19.
Honolulu Boy Choir to sing for Shriners
The Honolulu Boy Choir will present a concert this week to benefit the Aloha Temple Shriners' patient transportation fund."Children Singing for Children" will be held in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel's Monarch Room from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.
No-host cocktails will be offered beginning at 6 p.m.
General admission to the concert is $20. First- and second-row tickets are $25.
The patient transportation fund pays for travel and housing for patients of Shriners Hospital for Children and their parents.
For tickets or more information, call 536-9333.
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>> Hawaii Coffee Co. makes the Lion Coffee and Royal Kona brands. A story in Hawaii Inc. Thursday mistakenly said the company processed the Hawaiian Isles brand. Corrections and clarifications
>> The title of the Smithsonian Institution exhibit featured in a Page A1 story Tuesday is "Kaho'olawe: Rebirth of a Sacred Hawaiian Island." The article had an incorrect title. Also, Parsons-UXB Joint Venture and its subcontractors contributed $62,000 toward the $185,000 exhibit. The article did not mention their contribution.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
WAIKIKI
HPD looking for suspect in jewelry kiosk heist
Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man who robbed a jewelry kiosk at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center earlier this month.
The suspect approached the Royal Gem International Kiosk about 10 p.m. May 21, asked to see two diamond rings, grabbed both rings from the kiosk employee's hand and fled, police said. The rings are valued at $5,400.
Police said a security guard caught up with the suspect, but the man allegedly pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the security guard and struck him in the face with the butt of the weapon.
A bystander also gave chase but also stopped when the suspect pointed the handgun at him, police said.
The suspect is believed to be in his late 20s, between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a medium build, black hair and tan complexion.
He was wearing a blue baseball cap with the word "DaKine" on the front, a blue sweat suit and white athletic shoes.
The suspect told the kiosk employee that he was from Kauai and was getting married soon.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Detective Robert Cravalho at 529-3873 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME by cellular telephone.
HONOLULU
Carjacking suspect also wanted in kidnap case
Police are looking for a 23-year-old man in connection with a carjacking last month.David James Taylor is also wanted on a $35,000 Department of Public Safety warrant for violating the terms and conditions of his supervised release in a kidnapping case that is pending trial.
Police want to question Taylor for an April 23 carjacking on Kapiolani Boulevard.
Police said a 52-year-old woman was stopped at a red light at the University Avenue intersection when a man entered her sport utility vehicle on the passenger's side, opened the driver's side door and pushed her out of the car.
The vehicle was recovered the following day opposite 23 Prospect St.
Taylor is 6 feet tall, 170 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion.
He has "TAYLOR" tattooed across his back and Chinese characters tattooed on his upper right arm.
Police said Taylor frequents Kalihi and East Honolulu areas.
Anyone with information about Taylor's whereabouts is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME by cellular telephone.
Princess Kaiulani Hotel attack results in capture
Princess Kaiulani Hotel security officers apprehended a 47-year-old man after a flight attendant was assaulted and robbed in the elevator about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.The victim, a 39-year-old Japanese woman, suffered minor abrasions to her neck and head.
She was treated at Straub Clinic in the hotel and released.
Truck crash is a splash at Waialae intersection
A truck knocked over a fire hydrant at Koko Head Avenue and Waialae Avenue about 5:49 yesterday morning, shutting down the intersection and sending water gushing over 30 feet into the air.Firefighters from the Kaimuki fire station were able to shut off the valve to the hydrant by 6:30 a.m. The intersection is the site of some construction, and the hydrant was recently installed by the contractor.
Drunk-driver checkpoints to continue until Aug. 19
Random checkpoints set up throughout the state to spot drunk drivers will continue until Aug. 19, the Honolulu Police Department said.The times and locations of the checkpoints will be unannounced.
Police Chief Lee Donohue said, "We just don't want to see a happy occasion end in tragedy."
According to HPD, five people have died this year because of alcohol- or drug-related car accidents.
Twenty-seven people have died so far this year on Oahu in traffic collisions, compared with 27 for the same period last year.
Police said speeding was a factor in 11 of the fatal crashes.
