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» The Japanese Cultural Society of Maui has honored Shinichi Suzuki and Sayoko Kobata with its annual Nihon Bunka Award, which recognizes people who excel in an area of Japanese culture and arts and share their knowledge to perpetuate the culture.

Suzuki, a retired officer with the Maui Police Department, is the world's highest-ranking aikido instructor outside Japan.

Kobata, who resides in Makawao, is a teacher of kimono sewing and dressing, Japanese doll making, ikebana (flower arranging) and tea ceremony. She is also a third-degree black belt in kendo (Japanese fencing).

» The Bubel/Aiken Foundation has named Susan Rocco and state Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland as recipients of its "Champion of Change" Award. Both are advocates of full- community inclusion of people with disabilities.

Rocco, a single mother with a 23-year-old son with disabilities, has been a longtime director of the Special Parent Information Network (SPIN), a resource information newsletter for parents of disabled children. She is also the primary caregiver of her son, brother and aunt, who have health disorders or challenges.

Chun Oakland is chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Human Services and vice chairwoman of the committees on Health, and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs; and co-chairwoman of various task forces relating to early childhood education and care, child protection, elder abuse, long-term care and other issues.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Hilo inmate escapes while on furlough

Big Island police are searching for a 27-year-old escapee from Hale Nani correctional facility in Hilo.

Lorrin Solomon Nakapalau of Milolii, South Kona, was on a work furlough program when he escaped yesterday morning, police said.

At about 11:11 a.m. yesterday, Hale Nani reported Nakapalau had escaped by running out of the facility to his blue pickup truck with a Hawaii handicapped license plate with the number "1234." He got into the truck, parked at the entrance of the facility, and drove off, police said. Nakapalau was last seen in the Kona District early yesterday afternoon. He is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Officer Todd Pataray at 961-2213 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311. Anonymous calls can be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.