Kailua dancer moves up

Congratulations to Kamehameha Schools graduate Kupono Aweau. Out of the thousands of people who auditioned for Fox's “;So You Think You Can Dance”; competition, the 23-year-old Kailua resident, who specializes in lyrical/contemporary dance, has made the show's top 20. The judging begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. as the 20 dancers are paired off to show what they can do. And, just like “;American Idol,”; phone lines will be open for the public to vote for their favorite. The results show airs at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Hawaii 18th in Internet use

Hawaii ranks 18th among states for Internet usage, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report.

About 70.9 of Hawaii residents age 3 and older used the Internet in 2007, the new Census estimate shows.

New Hampshire and Alaska had the highest Internet usage at 82.6 percent and 78.5 percent respectively. Only 52.8 percent of Mississippi residents used the Internet, the lowest among states. The U.S. average was 67.1 percent.

About 82 percent of households with the Internet had a high-speed connection; 17 percent used dial-up.

Those who had a college degree (87 percent) were more likely to go online than people with just a high school diploma (49 percent).

Age was also a factor, with 73 percent of those 18 to 34 years old using the Internet, compared with just 17.6 percent of those 65 and older.

2 isle-based sailors still being held

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. » Two Hawaii-based nuclear submarine sailors, including one assigned to help crew mates stay out of trouble, continue to be held on high bail, accused of brutally beating a man and leaving him near death on a Portsmouth, N.H., street.

In court Thursday, Seamen Gerald Smith of Hawaii and Sandy Portobanco of Inglewood, Calif., did not contest that police had probable cause to arrest them in last month's beating of Stephen Huntress, a former town councilor in bordering Kittery, Maine.

Huntress still is hospitalized.

One of the accused crew members of the USS Greeneville was on duty and driving a Navy “;safe-ride”; van, a shuttle service that picks up sailors, including those who might have had too much to drink while off duty.

The sailors are being held on $200,000 bail.

UH School of Medicine accredited

The John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii has been awarded an eight-year accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

The eight years is the maximum that the national accrediting organization allows.

Dr. Jerris Hedges, dean of the medical school, says the accreditation affirms the high quality of the training and validates that the school meets established standards.

Rep. Bertram recuperating at home

KIHEI, Maui » State Rep. Joe Bertram III is recovering from a parasitic disease that he may have caught when cleaning his cat's litter box.

Bertram's father, Joseph Bertram Sr., says his son is resting after suffering from toxoplasmosis.

The illness caused Betram, a Democrat who represents Makena and Kihei, to miss a few days near the end of this year's legislative session, which ended last month.

Bertram was hospitalized at Maui Memorial Medical Center for a week, and he is now recuperating at home.

His father says Bertram was diagnosed with HIV about a decade ago.

Jamba Juice seeks school supplies

Donations of school supplies for homeless students are being collected at all Oahu Jamba Juice locations until the end of June.

The Jamba Juice on the University of Hawaii's Manoa campus is the only site not taking part in the Second Annual School Supply Drive, sponsored by the Aloha United Way's Society of Young Leaders.

Last year the Young Leaders group distributed more than $8,500 worth of supplies to 400 students, and the number is expected to increase this year because of the current economic downturn, the group said.

Hearing set for suspect in school theft

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 29 for a man accused of stealing 82 jerseys from Konawaena High School's locker room.

Timothy-John Reilly, 18 of Kealakekua is expected to be in Kona District Court at 2:30 p.m.

Yesterday a district judge in Hilo allowed Reilly to leave jail on supervised release, pending the hearing.

Reilly and a 17-year-old boy were arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and fourth-degree criminal property damage.

The juvenile was released to the custody of his guardians.

The jerseys, worth an estimated $8,000, were stolen on May 25.