New judges appointed to district court
Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald appointed Shirley Kawamura and Paul Wong on Friday to six-year terms as Honolulu District Court judges.
Kawamura has been a part-time district judge since 2010 and is a former senior felony trial deputy with the Public Defender’s Office.
Wong has been a partner with the McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon law firm since 2005. He previously was a city deputy prosecutor.
Recktenwald chose the two from candidates submitted to him by the Judicial Selection Commission.
The appointments are subject to state Senate approval.
The two would replace District Judges William Cardwell and Russel Nagata, who both retired Dec. 31.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Robot rides waves to isles
A robot has completed a record-breaking journey from San Francisco to Hawaii island.
The robot named Benjamin is a wave glider that survived 26-foot waves and strong ocean currents to become the second vehicle of its kind to travel more than 3,200 nautical miles without human assistance.
Benjamin was among four wave gliders launched Nov. 17 in San Francisco Bay by Liquid Robotics Inc., a company that developed the surfboard-shaped robots propelled by waves.
West Hawaii Today reports Liquid Robotics recovered the robot about five miles offshore from its facility at Kawaihae Harbor on Thursday. Vice President of Marine Operations Keith Kreider says attached solar panels fuel the robot’s computers and sensors, which allow collection and transmission of real-time data to help scientists observe the ocean.
Retired officer sues over probe
A retired Kauai police officer is suing the county for an investigation against him that was later dismissed as meritless.
Former Vice Lt. Eric Shibuya’s lawsuit lists defamation, emotional distress, malicious prosecution and other claims. The Garden Island reported Friday that according to the complaint, Police Chief Darryl Perry and Assistant Chief Mark Begley had accused him of insubordination, dereliction of duty and transparency regarding standard operating procedures in the vice unit.
Last year the Administrative Review Board dismissed all charges as meritless. Shibuya retired last month.
A county spokeswoman would not comment because it is an active legal case.
