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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Secretary of state to stop in isles
The State Department says U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to travel to Singapore for the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting July 23-24 and will stop in Hawaii.
Rice also will travel to Australia, New Zealand and Samoa. The State Department did not release specific dates for the visits.
Spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters yesterday in Washington that it is "entirely possible" that Rice could have side meetings with countries involved in negotiations meant to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear programs. The participants at the disarmament talks are the Koreas, Japan, Russia, China and the United States.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was founded as an anti-communist Cold War organization.
Voting methods prompt lawsuit
WAILUKU » Five Maui residents have filed a lawsuit against the state's chief election officer in Maui Circuit Court, alleging the use of electronic and Internet systems for this year's pending elections is illegal.
The residents allege that Hawaii law requires a notice, public hearing and comment period before an agency may adopt rules.
The lawsuit, filed yesterday, charges that the use of electronic and Internet voting equipment was not adopted through rule-making. "The desire to use the latest technologies cannot override requirements for orderly and secure vote-counting procedures," said the group's attorney, Lance Collins.
The suit was filed on behalf of Robert G. Babson Jr., Ann C. Babson, Joy Brann, Paula Brock and Daniel Grantham.
Kawano is named as Maui judge
WAILUKU » Chief Justice Ronald Moon has appointed Kelsey T. Kawano as a Maui District Court judge, replacing Judge Douglas Ige, who has retired.
Kawano has a solo law practice involved in family, business, employment and real estate law. He received his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1984. He has been serving as a part-time District Court judge since 2006.
Kawano's appointment is subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
Lingle frees cash for Maui center
Gov. Linda Lingle released $300,000 to the Maui Economic Development Board.
The money will be used to develop a center that will provide science, technology, engineering and math education to Maui County's work force.
The board will use the grant-in-aid to equip the Ke Alahele Science and Technology Center to offer technology development training so residents can be more competitive in the work force. The money will also help extend the program to outreach rural communities, including Hana, Lanai and Molokai.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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Injured biker shows up on Kauai
HANAPEPE, Kauai » Police have solved the mystery of the motorcycle accident with no motorcyclist.
An Oahu man was airlifted to the Queen's Medical Center yesterday after he sustained serious injuries in the crash but wandered away from the scene before police arrived.
James Espiritu, 41, who moved to Kauai from Oahu two weeks ago, is in the Oahu hospital in stable but guarded condition.
Police would not provide details on his injuries or on the accident, but did say that his badly damaged motorcycle was found just off Kaumualii Highway near the Hanapepe Valley lookout at 6:13 a.m. Sunday.
But the motorcyclist was not there.
Police and firefighters searched all day Sunday and were back out in the area yesterday morning. Shortly after 7 a.m. he walked out of Hanapepe Valley and walked up to police, who had set up a command post just west of the Hanapepe lookout.
He was taken to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and, from there, taken to Queen's, county officials said.
Police are continuing their investigation of the accident and were seen searching the area hours after finding Espiritu.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Man, 27, charged in Big Isle stabbing
Big Island police have charged a 27-year-old Waikoloa man with assault in connection with a stabbing at Laupahoehoe Point on Sunday.
Jonathan F. Teo of Waikoloa was charged yesterday afternoon with first-degree assault. He is being held at the Hilo police cellblock in lieu of $10,000 bail until his arraignment, which is set for this afternoon.
At 12:12 a.m. Sunday, North Hilo patrol officers responded to Laupahoehoe Point because of reports of numerous people involved in an affray, police said. Upon arrival they located a 34-year-old man with lacerations to his head and neck area.
The victim was initially transported to Hilo Medical Center by Hawaii Fire Department helicopter. He was released from the hospital yesterday.
Before the stabbing, a verbal altercation took place between two men who were at a graduation party, police said. During the fight that ensued, the victim was struck and injured with broken beer bottles, police said.
Two other attendees at the party that night reported minor injuries while trying to quell the altercation. They were treated and released Sunday morning.
Blaze consumes Big Island house
HILO » Fire destroyed the upper floor of a two-story Kailua-Kona house Sunday night, the Hawaii County Fire Department said. Two occupants escaped without injury.
Firefighters said the fire caused $200,000 in damage to the home at 77-6433 Kepano Place. The cause of the 10:47 p.m. fire is under investigation. The house is owned by Johnathan James and occupied by Gordon Topps, the Fire Department said.
LEEWARD OAHU
Man hospitalized with severe burns
A man was hospitalized in critical condition this morning after he was found in a burning vehicle.
At 3:07 a.m. today, firefighters responded to a report of a car fire at the end of Koauka Street in Aiea. When firefighters arrived, they noticed a man still inside the car and pulled him out. The man was not responsive, said fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
The man, who appeared to be in his mid-40s, was taken to an area hospital, and was later transferred in critical condition to a burn treatment facility.
The man had second-degree burns to about 20 percent of his body, said Emergency Services Department spokesman Bryan Cheplic. Fire officials were investigating the cause of the fire.
HONOLULU
Police seek 2 men in Kalihi robbery
Police are looking for two men wanted for robbing two women in Kalihi early today.
Police said that at about 2:30 a.m., two women, ages 20 and 19, were walking home from work in Kalihi when two men approached them.
Police said one of the men allegedly threatened the women with a handgun, while he and the other man took the women's purses and then fled. Police did not provide a description of the men, who are wanted for first-degree robbery. The women were not injured.
CORRECTION Wednesday, July 16, 2008
James Espiritu, 41, a motorcycle accident victim on Kauai, moved to Kauai from Oahu two weeks ago. This article originally said he moved to Oahu from Kekaha, Kauai, two weeks ago.
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