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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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UH grad schools rated among 100 best in U.S.
US News & World Report magazine ranked the University of Hawaii at Manoa's law school, business school and College of Education as among the top 100 graduate schools in the nation, the university reported in a news release.
The William S. Richardson School of Law was listed this year at No. 93 out of 180 law schools accredited by the American Bar Association. Last year, the law school was ranked at 83rd best.
International business graduate programs moved up a spot to 21 and tied with Dartmouth College and George Washington University. The ranking is based on ratings by business school deans and directors of accredited master's programs from the list of schools surveyed who were asked to nominate up to 10 programs for excellence in specialty areas.
The UH law school was also ranked 21st for its Environmental Law program, up from 25th last year. It was 16th in the magazine's diversity index.
UH-Manoa's College of Education also remains among the top 100 teacher preparation schools in the nation. The college is ranked 60 out of 240 graduate programs in education that provided data needed to calculate the rankings, the same as last year.
The rankings will appear in Monday's issue of the magazine. For more information, see www.usnews.com/usnews/ edu/grad/rankings/about/ index_brief.phi.
Liquor Commission administrator named
Dewey Kim, a former deputy attorney general, has been named the administrator of the Honolulu Liquor Commission.
"I look forward to meeting Dewey Kim and working with him to restore the public's trust in the long-troubled Honolulu Liquor Commission," said City Councilman Charles Djou.
Last year, Wallace Weatherwax stepped down as administrator amid several controversies during his term, including the conviction of eight former liquor inspectors for bribery and an audit critical of management of the agency.
"For too long the Liquor Commission has been plagued by corruption and poor management," Djou said.
Kim had been executive director of the state's 26 charter schools but resigned five months after taking the job.
He advised the Department of Education during his time with the attorney general's office. He also headed the office's Medicaid Fraud Unit.
TAKING NOTICE
Former UH Hawaiian studies director earns medal
» The first director of the Hawaiian studies program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is being awarded the Regents Medal of Distinction, according to a university news release.
The Board of Regents posthumously honored Abraham St. Chad Kikiakoi Kalilioku Pi'ianai'a this month for his outstanding contributions to the University of Hawaii and the state.
Pi'ianai'a, who died in February 2003, was an educator, voyager and kupuna who worked on preserving and protecting the Hawaiian language and culture. He was appointed the inaugural director for the Hawaiian studies program in 1979 and helped Hawaiian studies became a permanent program in 1985.
In the written release, UH-Manoa interim Chancellor Denise Konan said, "Abraham Pi'ianai'a has left a lasting legacy imprinted in the minds and hearts of faculty and students at Manoa. We can directly attribute our vision to become a Hawaiian place of learning to his groundbreaking efforts."
When the Polynesian voyaging revival began, Pi'ianai'a served as mentor and historian to the crew members, as well as lead adviser in protocol during interactions with Polynesians, Pacific islanders and even American Indians.
"Polynesian voyaging owes a debt of gratitude to Abraham Pi'ianai'a for his mentoring and leadership," said Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. "He was the most influential mentor we had to bridge us to Hawaiian history and culture to set the foundation of voyaging to explore safely and make a meaningful contribution to the Hawaiian people."
Pi'ianai'a was also a past chairman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission and director of the State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
His list of honors includes Outstanding Alumnus awards from the University of Hawaii and Kamehameha Schools, selection as a Living Treasure of Hawaii in 1999, and the Ke Ali'i Pauahi Legacy Award in 2004 from the Order of Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation of the Kamehameha Schools.
» The advisory board of the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund announced that more than $1 million will be awarded to nine nonprofit organizations statewide.
The following organizations will receive grants ranging from $96,000 to $120,000 over the course of three years, starting March 1:
» Adult Friends for Youth, Oahu
» Child and Family Service, Kauai
» Easter Seals Hawaii, Oahu
» Foster Family Programs of Hawaii, Oahu
» Kauai Rural Health Association
» Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, statewide
» Maui Family Support Services
» Neighborhood Place of Wailuku, Maui
» Island of Hawaii YMCA, Puna
"The protection of our children is a fundamental societal value," said HCTF Advisory Board Chairwoman Loretta Fuddy. "The HCTF is pleased to provide additional resources that will allow communities throughout our state to explore creative ways to support families in their efforts to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children."
These new grant awards complement three-year commitments made in 2004 to seven other agencies statewide.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
2 men sought in robbery of convenience store
Police are looking for two men who allegedly robbed a Kalihi convenience store Thursday.
The suspects, described as between 18 and 20 years old, entered the store at about 5 p.m. and passed a note to the cashier demanding money. The cashier complied and the suspects fled on foot. Police have so far made no arrests in the case.
Man arrested after alleged home break-in
Police arrested a 33-year-old man Thursday who allegedly broke into the home of a woman whom, officers said, he is infatuated with.
The suspect and victim are acquaintances, and police said that at about 5:45 p.m. the suspect went to the victim's home in Kalihi Valley and was told to leave. He did but returned and allegedly broke through the door with a tire iron and assaulted another resident, who was trying to restrain him.
Police responded and arrested the suspect for investigation of first-degree burglary.
Decomposing body is found under H-1
The decomposing body of a 30-year-old man was discovered under the H-1 freeway Thursday morning.
A state sheriff found the body at about 8:15 a.m. under the freeway, across from the Disabled American Veterans hall off Nimitz Highway. The area under the freeway overpass was where homeless had set up camp and had just been cleared by state workers earlier this week.
Because of the decomposition of the body, police could not identify the victim, and the case is pending an autopsy by the Medical Examiner's Office. So far, police suspect no foul play and have listed it as an unattended death.
WINDWARD OAHU
Driver hits park table, tries to stab himself
Police arrested a 37-year-old man after he crashed his vehicle into a park table at Kualoa Regional Park on Wednesday.
Witnesses called police with a report that someone was driving a vehicle erratically on the grass at the park. Police found the suspect sitting on his vehicle, which had collided with the table.
Police said the suspect then tried to stab himself. Negotiators were called in and the man eventually surrendered peacefully. He was later taken to Castle Medical Center for observation.