Newswatch
Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Blaisdell Center bars large bags from events
City officials are asking people attending events at the Neal Blaisdell Center to leave large bags, including backpacks, handbags and briefcases, at home.Because of the heightened national and statewide security alert, city officials are asking Blaisdell attendees not to being any bag larger than a small purse or fanny pack.
Larger bags, including diaper bags or coolers, may be searched, or Blaisdell security may bar the patron from entering with the bag.
There is no place to check in any baggage or large containers at the center, city officials said.
At the Waikiki Shell, coolers larger than 18 inches in length will not be permitted. Only backrests will be allowed for the lawn seating area.
For more information, contact John Fuhrmann at 527-5418.
Honokaa High gets $250,000 donation
HONOKAA, Hawaii >> An anonymous donation of $250,000 to Honokaa High School will create a research center in the school library and a state-of-the-art production center, Principal Art Souza said.Souza said the donors are local residents who "wanted to make a contribution, a commitment and a difference in public education." He said the individuals approached him six weeks ago and presented the gift the week of Dec. 15 after reviewing a proposal from the school.
"It was a tremendous Christmas gift," Souza said.
About $80,000 of the gift is earmarked to replace 1960s-era encyclopedias and other outdated reference materials. Money was also to be set aside for a bank of 30 research computers in the library and upgraded video capabilities to allow school-wide broadcasting.
[ TAKING NOTICE ]
>> The Hawaii Police Athletic Federation has awarded scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,500 for the 2003-2004 school year to Keani Alapa, Marissa Nishimura and Bronson Sismar, of the University of Hawaii at Manoa; Samanta Alapa, of Dana College; Brandi Barefoot, of Dixie State College; and Kurt Nakashima, of California Polytechnic State University.
>> Christine Neves, secretary to the director of administrative services at Kapiolani Community College, has been awarded the University of Hawaii Community Colleges Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Service. She started working at Kapiolani in 1996.
>> Sharon Minichiello, associate professor of history and former director of the University of Hawaii-Manoa Center for Japanese Studies, has been awarded UH's Ohana Award for Outstanding Service to Students. She began teaching at the UH in 1985 and received the Board of Regents' Medal for Excellence in Teaching three years later.
>> Sabrina F. Hall, of Honolulu, has received a national Mark of Excellence Award, placing second in the in-depth radio reporting category at the recent Society of Professional Journalists convention in Tampa, Fla. She was an honor student at Kapiolani Community College and is now a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Maryland.
>> The University of Hawaii Pacific Business Center Program won a national award for the second year in a row for technical assistance to the Development Bank of American Samoa. It is the recipient of the National Association of Management and Technical Assistance Center's Project of the Year Award, an honor its has won three times since 1998.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffMan charged with sex assault of girl, 17
Police charged a 25-year-old man last night with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl last week.Thomas Jonathan Monis was charged with seven counts of second degree sexual assault and five counts of fourth-degree sexual assault in connection with assaults that police said happened last Friday and Saturday. Monis was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Valley Isle man killed as van hits 2 poles
A 58-year-old Maui man died last night in a one-car accident in Waikapu, police said. Joseph Villarimo, of Hana, was a passenger in a 1989 Dodge van that was heading toward Wailuku on Honoapiilani Highway about 8:46 p.m., police said.The driver of the van, 62-year-old Barbara Clarkson of British Columbia, Canada lost control of the van at the intersection with Kuihelani Highway, crossed over a raised traffic island, knocked over a traffic light pole, then continued on before hitting another traffic light pole, police said.
Villarimo was pronounced dead at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Police said both Villarimo and Clarkson were wearing seatbelts.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
