Panel selects 5 candidates for open circuit judge post
The state Judicial Selection Commission has sent the names of five candidates to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for a Honolulu circuit judge position, the commission announced Friday.
The appointment to a 10-year term would fill the vacancy created when Richard Pollack was appointed to the Hawaii Supreme Court.
The five were picked from 14 applicants, seven women and seven men, the commission said. They are James H. Ashford, Timothy E. Ho, Ronette M. Kawakami, Christine E. Kuriyama and Dean E. Ochiai.
Abercrombie has 30 days from his receipt of the list Friday to appoint the judge, the commission said.
The appointment is subject to state Senate confirmation.
H-1 will be better option to avoid Pearl City parade
The state Department of Transportation advises motorists that the H-1 freeway may be a better route than Moanalua Road on Sunday afternoon, despite continuing repair work, during the Pearl City Shopping Center Christmas Parade.
Concrete deck repair work is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday to 4:30 a.m. Monday.
Three of the five westbound H-1 lanes will remain open during the parade, which begins at 4 p.m.
Westbound motorists are advised to use the freeway between 4 and 5:30 p.m.
Moanalua Road will be closed for 30 to 45 minutes as the parade makes its way from Momilani Elementary School to Hookiekie Street, Hoomoana Street, Hoolaulea Street and ending at the Pearl City Shopping Center.
Traffic flow on H-1 may have slight delays through the Waimalu area but should still be faster than along the parade route, a DOT spokesman said.
Information on the parade is available at www.mypearlcity.com. Information on the H-1 roadwork is at www.pmcontraflow.com or by calling the project hotline at 945-1144.
The parade is expected to have 2,000 marchers, 30 vehicles and 10 floats.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Crash probed as a homicide
Hawaii County police have opened a negligent-homicide investigation into a Pahoa crash that killed a motorcyclist Thursday. The victim was identified as Bo Lozoff, 65, of Kalapana.
Police said Lozoff was riding north on Route 130 on a 2003 Suzuki motorcycle when a 1999 Lexus multipurpose vehicle driven by a 66-year-old Pahoa man failed to yield the right of way while turning left onto Leilani Avenue, and the vehicles collided at 3:34 p.m.
Lozoff was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said he was not wearing a helmet. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
The driver of the Lexus was not injured, but his wife, 64, was taken to Hilo Medical Center in a private vehicle, treated for minor injuries and released, police said.
It was the 37th traffic fatality on Hawaii island this year, compared with 19 at the same time last year.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call officer Tuckloy Aurello at 961-8119.
Student interns sought on Maui
Haleakala National Park will give 12 students in grades 6-8 a chance to work alongside professional staff on such activities as native plant identification, invasive weed control, guided hikes, facilities maintenance and outdoor safety education.
The program, which runs March 18-22 at the park on Maui, is free.
Students must be Hawaii residents and available full time during the program.
Information and application packets can be obtained by contacting the park’s internship coordinator, Kuhea Paracuelles, at 572-4452 or Kuhea_Paracuelles@nps.gov. The deadline to apply is Jan. 31.
