A Salt Lake man facing trial on state charges of sexually molesting three young boys was indicted yesterday on federal charges of producing and distributing child pornography.

The five-count indictment was returned against Kaulana Hirakawa, 24, who has been in state custody since his arrest in January 2007.

He is scheduled to go to trial in the state cases in June.

The new federal case alleges that Hirakawa produced child pornography on three occasions between November 2004 and January 2007. He is also charged with using a computer to distribute child pornography in October 2005. A fifth count of the indictment alleged that Hirakawa possessed the illicit material on Jan. 15, 2007.

KAUA'I CHANCELLOR TO RETIRE IN FALL

Kaua'i Community College Chancellor Peggy Cha yesterday announced that she will retire in the fall.

A 30-year veteran of the University of Hawai'i system, Cha has been the top executive at Kaua'i Community College for a decade.

Prior jobs included acting program officer for the UH vice president for planning and policy and Kaua'i Community College assistant dean of instruction for academic support and assistant state director for the Employment Training Center.

"My time at KCC as chancellor has truly been a wonderful experience," Cha said in an announcement yesterday.

Cha said she counts among her accomplishments expanding of the number of UH baccalaureate and graduate programs available on Kaua'i, starting the Academy for Future Nurses and leading the community college through two successful re-accreditations.

A retirement party planned for Aug. 28 at the Kaua'i Marriott Resort and Beach Club will raise money to create an endowed scholarship fund in honor of Cha's parents, Tsutomu Yamasaki and Fumie Yoshimori-Yamasaki.

CRASH KILLS HANAPEPE WOMAN

'ELE'ELE, Kaua'i — A 19-year-old Hanapepe woman was fatally injured yesterday morning in a single-car crash near 'Ele'ele Shopping Center, police said.

Police identified the driver as Monique Place.

Place was driving west on Kaumuali'i Highway just east of the Waialo Road junction when she lost control of the vehicle about 3:54 a.m., police said. The vehicle crossed onto the eastbound shoulder, struck a fire hydrant and hit a metal utility pole, police said.

Place died at the scene. She was the only person in the vehicle.

Traffic on Kaumuali'i Highway was re-routed for about three hours while police investigated the accident. Speed appeared to be a contributing factor in this crash, police said.

It was Kaua'i's fifth traffic fatality this year.

POLICE PROBING MCCULLY ATTACK

Police have opened an attempted-murder investigation in the case of a man who was shot, stabbed and thrown from a car in the McCully area Thursday night.

The victim, 24, remained in critical condition last night. No arrests had been made as of last night.

Police said the man was dumped from the car about 11 p.m. Thursday near the intersection of Waiola and Manalo streets, makai of Washington Intermediate School.

Passersby found the man on the ground, but did not see the vehicle, police said.

The man suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body, police said.

He also had been stabbed, according to Emergency Medical Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic.

WOMAN HELD IN KANE'OHE SLAYING

A 22-year-old Hawai'i Kai woman is facing first-degree kidnapping and robbery charges in connection with a fatal shooting last year in Kane'ohe.

The woman was arrested at the federal building at 2:15 p.m. Thursday.

She is suspected of being a co-conspirator in the fatal shooting of Benjamin Grajeda of North Hollywood, Calif., a kidnap victim who was gunned down on Kane'ohe Bay Drive near Moakaka Place in May 2007.

Jerrico Dewon Lindsey, the accused shooter, and Charles Lee Freeman Jr., the alleged driver of the getaway car, are awaiting trial in the case. Lindsey is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, and five firearms offenses. Freeman is charged with kidnapping and hindering prosecution.

MUSEUM HOSTS COLLEGE DAY TODAY

The Contemporary Museum in Makiki will hold "College Day" today, offering free admission for any university teachers, staff members and students.

The day will also feature two seminars.

At 10:30 a.m., art history professor Jaimey Hamilton will talk about the use of recycled materials in art. And at 11:45 a.m., a Contemporary Museum curator will discuss the most effective methods of presenting portfolios to galleries and museums.

Reservations for the seminars are requested.

The College Day event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The museum is located at 2411 Makiki Heights Drive.

For more information or to reserve a seat in the seminars, call 237-5217.

TALK ON HOME RENOVATIONS TODAY

A local design-build company will present a one-hour free public seminar today on home renovations and modifications that can help seniors continue to live in their homes more comfortably.

Graham Builders' Bonnie Osaki, one of a handful of certified "aging-in-place" specialists in Hawai'i, and Keith Kilburn, an architectural designer, will offer tips in the seminar, "Make Your House a Home for a Lifetime."

The seminar will also feature three projects incorporating aging-in-place design concepts by Chaminade University interior design students.

For more information, call the Honolulu Design Center at 237-5462. The center is at 1250 Kapi'olani Boulevard.

MOM TAKES BABY FROM FOSTER HOME

Honolulu police yesterday were looking for an infant girl who was taken from a foster home by her mother, state officials said yesterday.

The mother took the baby, Kaimana Almonyleong, on Thursday from the home of the baby's grandmother, who had been appointed a foster caregiver, according to the state Department of Human Services.

A state case worker was notified, and a police missing person case was opened, officials said.

Another 46 children across the state are considered missing, the department said. Most of them are teenagers who have voluntarily left their foster care homes without notifying foster parents of social workers.