HSTA appoints interim director

The Hawaii State Teachers Association has named a former union president as its interim executive director.

Jim Williams, an ex-teacher who served as the association's president in the early 1980s, replaces interim Executive Director Dwight Takeno, who has returned to the University of Hawaii.

Williams will oversee HSTA operations, including representing teachers in collective bargaining, administering HSTA's contract with the state and providing professional development, union officials said.

Williams retired Dec. 31 as administrator of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, which operates the health insurance program for state and local government workers and retirees.

Amemiya might be heading to UH

Keith Amemiya, the Hawaii High School Athletic Administration executive director, will likely be moving to the University of Hawaii in March.

The Board of Regents is expected to approve Amemiya on Thursday as the interim executive administrator and secretary to the regents. His appointment is on the agenda for next week's board meeting at Maui Community College.

Amemiya, 44, had announced he was stepping down at the end of the school year as HHSAA executive director after 11 years in that position.

Amemiya worked as an attorney before joining the association, where he is credited with starting the state high school football championships and expanding state tournaments to other sports.

The association is currently looking for Amemiya's successor and is expected to begin interviewing candidates soon.

Amemiya will make $152,544 under a one-year contract beginning March 8. The board secretary and executive administrator is responsible for planning, coordinating and directing administrative support services for the Board of Regents.

UH Vice President of Legal Affairs Darolyn Lendio is currently serving as the interim board secretary.

Trial in baby's death begins Monday

Trial for the man accused of killing a 23-month-old boy by throwing him off a pedestrian overpass onto the H-1 freeway begins Monday.

Matthew Higa, 25, will stand trial for second-degree murder for the Jan. 17, 2008, death of Cyrus Belt.

Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario will preside over the nonjury trial. Del Rosario denied this week Higa's request for a new judge. Higa's lawyer said he did not think Del Rosario is impartial toward his client.

The state is expected to present witnesses who said they saw Higa toss the toddler off the overpass and heard Higa admit it. Higa claims he did not kill Belt because the toddler was already dead when he plunged from the overpass onto the freeway.

Ka Loko payout details to go public

Details of Kauai County's share of a court settlement stemming from the Ka Loko Dam breach and the death of seven people will be available for public review within two weeks as a result of a judge's order.

Kauai Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe has orally granted the county's request to unseal the settlement, county spokeswoman Mary Daubert said Wednesday. The written order must be approved by all parties and signed by Watanabe, a process that takes about two weeks.

A settlement including families of the victims as plaintiffs was reached in October, but the amount of the settlement was kept secret and sealed.

The seven people died and two homes were washed away when the Ka Loko Dam breached on March 14, 2006, after heavy rains, sending 1.6 million tons of water downstream.

Court rules Taser use reasonable

WAILUKU » A Maui woman's constitutional rights were not violated when a police officer shot her with a Taser, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.

The panel held this month that the force used against Jayzel Mattos in 2006 was reasonable because she was interfering with the arrest of her husband, Troy Mattos.

The couple's attorney, Eric Seitz, said he will ask the entire court to review the opinion.

The Mattoses had sued Maui County and four police officers, including Ryan Aikala, who used his Taser on Jayzel Mattos. Aikala is no longer with the force.

The officers had gone to the couple's home in Wailuku in response to a 911 call reporting a domestic disturbance.