Gillentine wins national teaching award

Jonathan Gillentine, a preschool inclusion teacher at Parker Elementary School in Kaneohe, has been named one of five winners nationwide of the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence.

The National Education Association Foundation award comes with a $10,000 prize.

Gillentine will accept the award at the NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala on Feb. 10 in Washington, D.C.

Gillentine was nominated for the award by the Hawaii State Teachers Association, which represents 12,500 public school teachers in the islands. HSTA President Wil Okabe said Gillentine is an "accomplished, dedicated, but humble educator. He truly embodies teaching — and personal — excellence."

Canadian’s body pulled from sea

Fire rescue personnel recovered the body of a 28-year-old Canadian visitor from waters off Polihale Beach on Kauai about 7 a.m. Wednesday. He was identified as Steve Kim of Ontario.

Police said Kim and his brother went swimming in waist-deep breakers at Polihale Beach late Tuesday. After a few minutes passed, Kim’s brother lost sight of him, Kauai Fire Chief Robert Westerman said in a news release.

Fire rescue personnel responded at 6:25 p.m. A Coast Guard helicopter assisted in the search until 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Fire and Coast Guard personnel found Kim’s body Wednesday morning about 30 yards off Polihale Beach minutes after they resumed the search.

Meanwhile, the search continued for Charles Slezak, a 66-year-old visitor from Canoga Park, Calif., who was last seen headed for a swim near Kiahuna Plantation & Beach Bungalows in Poipu.

Big Isle wildfire mostly contained

The Army says a wildfire at the Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area on the island of Hawaii was 85 percent contained as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Big Island officials reopened Saddle Road on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The road was shut down for safety due to the heavy smoke between mile marker 8 and Mamalahoa Road shortly after the fire started.

The wildfire, which began at about 11 a.m. Tuesday near the 45-mile marker on Saddle Road, scorched about 1,153 acres, said Mike Egami, U.S. Army Garrison spokesman.

Forty-four firefighters from the Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii County and the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife battled the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.