Kamehameha case rehearing denied

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request yesterday to convene an 11-judge panel to rehear the case involving four non-Hawaiian students challenging Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy.

A three-judge appeals court panel ruled earlier this year that the four who expressed fears for their safety could not press their lawsuit anonymously.

Their lawyers asked the appeals court to set aside that ruling and convene the larger "en banc" panel to rehear the case.

The appeals court said yesterday an appeal judge asked for a vote on the rehearing, but the request failed to get a majority of votes from judges who had not stepped down from the case.

Chief Appeals Judge Alex Kozinski wrote a lengthy dissent to the denial of the rehearing.

Shipyard honored for aid to students

Gov. Linda Lingle has presented the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard with a commendation for its contributions in support of the state’s Hawaii Innovation Initiative.

The initiative is an effort to shift the basis of Hawaii’s economic base from land development to human capital and innovation in processes, products and services. It emphasizes science, technology, engineering and math in schools.

In the commendation, Lingle praised shipyard personnel for encouraging high school students to engage in the subjects needed to compete in the 21st-century work force.

Lingle noted that two years ago the shipyard established a robotics scholarship to pay for tuition, fees and books at the University of Hawaii College of Engineering.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

New Council members pick leaders

HILO » Three incoming members of the Hawaii County Council have helped select new leaders.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports an organizational meeting was held Sunday at the home of Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong. He was chosen chairman when the upcoming two-year term begins Dec. 6.

Yagong confirms Kohala Councilman Pete Hoffmann was chosen vice chairman.

Also attending the meeting were South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford and Council members-elect Angel Pilago of North Kona, Fred Blas of Pahoa and Brittany Smart of Kau.

Current Chairman J Yoshimoto and Councilmen Dennis "Fresh" Onishi and Donald Ikeda, all of Hilo, were not invited to the meeting. The current vice chairwoman, Emily Naeole of Puna, lost her bid for re-election to Blas.

Meeting will weigh ban on coffee beans

A state advisory committee is scheduled to hold a public meeting on Nov. 17 to consider whether to prohibit the importation of green coffee beans on the Big Island in light of a serious infestation by the coffee berry borer.

The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. at the Plant Quarantine State Conference Room at 1849 Auiki St. on Sand Island on Oahu.

People may testify at the meeting, send testimony by fax to 832-0584, e-mail Carol.L.Okada@hawaii.gov or send mail to 1849 Auiki St., Honolulu, HI 96819.

After conducting a survey, state officials have determined damage by the coffee berry borer is limited to the Big Island.

The beetle, native to Africa but now found in scores of other countries, destroys crops by laying its larvae in the coffee berry.

Coming up

Thursday’s Veterans Day ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl begins at 10 a.m., featuring Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon as keynote speaker. Mixon is commanding general of all Army soldiers in the Pacific.