Attorney Portnoy appointed as UH regent

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed Honolulu attorney Jeffrey Portnoy to an interim post on the University of Hawaii’s Board of Regents.

Portnoy will fill the Honolulu seat held by former regent Eric Martinson, who resigned in August. The appointment requires confirmation by the state Senate.

"Jeff is a champion of the University of Hawaii and a respected leader in our community," Abercrombie said in a statement. "He has always been a great friend to the university community, and his leadership, insight and expertise within and beyond his field will prove a valuable asset to the UH system."

Portnoy has practiced law in Hawaii since 1972 and has been with the Honolulu firm of Cades Schutte the past 41 years. He represents various media organizations in Hawaii.

He previously served as an adjunct professor at UH, teaching media law. He teaches seminars at the UH Richardson School of Law, serves as a member of the Friends of Richardson School of Law and was a community member of the Law School Dean Search Committee.

Portnoy was one of three candidates submitted by the Board of Regents’ Candidate Advisory Council. The other two were Peter S. Adler, a planner and mediator, and Stanford B.C. Yuen, a former special assistant to the commander of Navy Region Hawaii.

3 lanes of H-1 to be closed for night work

Road crews will shut down the three left Ewa-bound lanes on the H-1 freeway from 6 p.m. Sunday through 4:30 a.m. Monday. The closure will take place between the Kaahumanu Street overpass and the H-1/H-2 merge, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Those three lanes will be closed again nightly, Monday through Wednesday, starting at 7:30 p.m., according to a DOT release. The closures are weather permitting, and drivers should allow for extra time to deal with the traffic congestion.

For more details visit www.pmcontraflow.com.

Calvary by the Sea hosts Emmy-winning guitarist for fundraising concert

Emmy award-winning guitarist-composer Billy McLaughlin will headline "An Acoustic Night
of Thanksgiving" concert set for 6 p.m. Sunday at the Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church to raise funds for Angel Network Charities.

McLaughlin has a neuromuscular disorder called focal dystonia that has severely affected his ability to play the guitar, according to a news release.

Angel Network Charities is housed in the Lutheran church at 5339 Kalanianaole Highway. The food bank serves more than 2,000 people each month and also offers laundry and shower facilities and food.

Also appearing in the concert will be local artists including Jon Osorio, Bobby Moderow, Michael Piranha and Sean O’Malley.

McLaughlin was diagnosed more than 10 years ago with focal dystonia, which has no known cure. The disease diminished his ability to play with his right hand, derailing his career and his marriage.
"Then he did what for many would be unthinkable — if not impossible. He taught himself to play left-handed," the news release said.

McLaughlin is now working with the international Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, based in Chicago.

A concert film entitled "Coming Back Alive" has also been produced, and this year McLaughlin was featured in a PBS television special titled "Starry Night," which aimed to help raise awareness about focal dystonia.

The special won an Emmy for outstanding achievement in musical composition and arrangement, the release said.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Former guard gets 25 years for assault

A retired Hawaii Community Correctional Center guard has been sentenced to 25 years for wounding a Panaewa woman and committing an act of road rage.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported 73-year-old Joseph Amormino of Hawaiian Beaches was sentenced Thursday in the injuring of 57-year-old June Shirshac on Mother’s Day 2012 and road rage as he drove to see her.

He pleaded guilty Sept. 19 to felony assault, use of a firearm in a felony and terroristic threatening.
Prosecutors say Shirshac had broken off a relationship with Amormino. He changed his plea after Shirshac testified at his trial.

Shirshac was shot in her legs, right hand and shoulder.

She testified that the recently widowed Amormino lavished gifts and a wedding ring on her though she didn’t intend to marry him.

Man charged in break-ins and thefts

A 21-year-old Hawaii island man has been charged with several felony offenses, including the theft of a Kamaka ukulele from a Hilo school.

Kalei Kaina Kaaumoana, of Hilo, was charged with two counts of first-degree burglary and three counts of second-degree theft. His bail was set at $80,000.

Police said recovered items were key in identifying the suspect, including the Kamaka ukulele reported stolen Oct. 21. The burglaries involved break-ins at residences occupied by a 91-year-old Hilo woman and a 35-year-old man.

Police said several items were stolen from each residence.