---

MONK SEAL SNOOZES IN KAAAWA

'ALOHI BIKLE / COURTESY TO THE STAR-BULLETIN Afternoon commuters along Kamehameha Highway in Kaaawa drove past a Hawaiian monk seal sleeping on the beach yesterday. Residents said the seal had been lounging in the spot since early morning.

---

Lingle picks Ginoza to fill attorney post

Gov. Linda Lingle has selected Lisa Ginoza as the state's second-highest lawyer.

Ginoza will begin her new job as first deputy attorney general on Jan. 18. She will be second in command to state Attorney General Mark Bennett and will replace Richard Bissen, whom Lingle recently tapped to head the state Department of Public Safety.

Ginoza has been a partner with the law firm McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon since 1996. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law, where she received her law degree.

Ginoza received her undergraduate degree from Oregon State University and graduated from Kailua High School.

---

BACK TO TOP
|

[ Taking Notice ]

OFFICERS

» The American Marketing Association has elected Kevin Sakamoto, director of the Honolulu City & County Employees Federal Credit Union, as president of its 2004-2005 board of directors. Lee Collins, vice president of marketing for the USS Missouri Memorial, has been named president-elect. Immediate past-president Timothy Deegan of Deegan & Associates is chairman of membership; John Flanigan of First Hawaiian Bank, treasurer; and Aaron Tangonan of Tiki's Grill & Bar, secretary.

ACADEMIC AWARDS

» Victoria Sheverda of Kealakehe High School on the Big Island has been selected as a member of the National Society of High School Scholars for outstanding academic performance.

» Write In the Middle, a nonprofit corporation formed by Punahou teacher Jonathan Koshiba, has announced the winners of its annual writing competition to encourage personal development and expression or students in grades six through eight. Winners included Elise Timtim of Punahou (Insight Category), Julia Bond of Mid-Pacific Institute and Trihn Nguyen of Aiea Intermediate (Voice) and Laurel Pepe of Mid-Pacific Institute (Overall Excellence). District finalists were Tiffany Ganotisi, Jennifer Aderson and Chris Hargitt of Ilima; Gregory Evans of Aiea; Alexandria Schreiber of Wheeler; Michael Alisa and Aaron Kamiya of Kahuku; Kylie Haitsuka of King; Nicole Costales of St. Joseph; Michael Donch of Holy Family Catholic Academy; Maile Makuaole of St. Ann's; Carlos Quintana of the Education Laboratory; Evan Masutani of Kamiloiki; Kamalei Hee of Liliuokalani; and Eric Wong of Aina Haina.

---

---

Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU

Kidnapping story likely false, police say

Police said the woman who was found naked and duct-taped in Manoa late Tuesday night was probably not abducted as she had initially told officers.

Police said the woman, who works as a bar hostess, was uncooperative and that there were many inconsistencies in her story about being kidnapped.

She was found on Olopua Street in Manoa, across from Manoa Elementary School.

Police said the case might have been gambling-related and that she was a known heavy gambler.

CENTRAL OAHU

Boyfriend arrested for alleged robbery

A 24-year-old man was arrested yesterday for allegedly robbing his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend in November.

Police said that at 3 p.m. Nov. 7, the victim, 28, was invited to his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend's Wahiawa home by the suspect. The suspect allegedly robbed the victim at gunpoint, police said.

The victim later identified the man, who was arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery.