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Phone system takes passport appointments

The Honolulu Passport Agency at the Prince Kuhio Federal Building is now taking appointments over the phone to help cut down the waiting time for customers.

The automated system will particularly benefit those who are traveling within 14 calendar days or require visas.

The system began scheduling appointments on Friday. The agency will be open by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Customers can schedule appointments 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 877-487-2778. Appointments can be made for a maximum of seven household members.

Applicants who are not traveling within 14 days or do not require extra time to process their visas can apply for passports at any of 19 passport acceptance facilities on Oahu. They are located at some post offices, some libraries, UH-Manoa and some community colleges. A list of facilities, information on application requirements and passport application forms are available at travel.state.gov.

Expedited service to obtain a passport within seven to 10 days is available for an additional $60.

UH accredited for counseling program

The University of Hawaii at Manoa's College of Education has received accreditation for the community counseling specialization of the master's degree program in counseling and accreditation.

The accreditation was granted through June 2008 by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

UH-Manoa's master's degree program in counseling and guidance is one of only 18 counseling programs out of 600 in the nation with three counseling specializations accredited. School counseling and rehabilitation counseling are the others.

Vegas lawyer quits law practice in isles

A Las Vegas attorney, who was admitted to the Hawaii bar in 2000, has resigned from practicing law in the islands in lieu of discipline.

Gary B. Burnett's resignation is effective April 6 and is a disbarment in Hawaii for all practical purposes.

Burnett, 50, is a graduate of Brigham Young University and J. Reuben School of Law. He was on inactive status with the Hawaii State Bar Association.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

WEST OAHU
Driver critically injured in crash of speeding stolen car

A man critically injured in a crash early yesterday on Paakae Street in Nanakuli was speeding in a stolen car, police said.

The accident happened about 12:48 a.m. just west of Apana Road. Police said the man in his mid-20s was driving a white 1995 Acura Integra, which had been reported stolen. He went over a dip, lost control and hit a utility pole.

He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Police have not yet determined whether alcohol or drugs were involved.

The man was airlifted to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, with multiple internal injuries.

Big Isle fire scorches 6 acres of grassland

Big Island firefighters used a bulldozer and a helicopter this weekend to control a brush fire in the Kau district.

The blaze started about 1:47 p.m. Saturday. In all, 25 firefighters helped put out the blaze, which burned about six acres of grassland. The fire was under control by 6 p.m., but crews stayed through the night to make sure the blaze did not start up again. The cause is still under investigation.