EPA helps state curb water pollution
- 2004-04-28 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $10.2 million grant to the state Department of Health for projects to curb water pollution.

The state will use the funds to provide low-cost loans to the counties for wastewater treatment and infrastructure upgrades.
The EPA is working with the state to develop loans for projects that would reduce the effects of non-point-of-source pollution and improve watersheds, said Wayne Nastri, EPA administrator for the Pacific Southwest Regional office.
Already, Kauai and Hawaii counties secured loan commitments to remove county park cesspools."

AP Wire | 04/28/2004 |
Virus-Stricken Shrimp Concerns Hawaii

Associated Press


LIHUE, Hawaii - Despite measures taken to quarantine a virus at a Kauai shrimp farm, the disease could spread to native crustaceans and ultimately harm the reef ecosystem, state officials said.

The state Department of Agriculture quarantined Ceatech USA, Inc.'s shrimp farm in Kekaha after white spot syndrome virus, which causes serious disease in crustaceans, was discovered earlier this month.

The virus is highly contagious and fatal to sea life, but poses no threat to humans, even if infected shrimp are eaten, the state said.

The disease has been reported in Japan, China, Thailand, Korea, the Philippines and in Central and South America, agriculture officials said, but never before in Hawaii.

Ceatech workers last week voluntarily began draining all 48 ponds into Kinikini Ditch, and burying 20 million dead shrimp.

Some believe that may not be enough to stop the virus.

"From what I've seen, their remediation efforts are like putting lipstick on a corpse," said Don Heacock, Kauai district aquatic biologist with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Dr. James Foppoli, the state's veterinarian, said the problem is that the virus lives in water, and Ceatech has been draining its effluent for years into Kinikini Ditch, which runs into various streams and rivers before reaching the ocean.

Recent draining mean those discharges were at an all-time high before they stopped on Thursday, he said.

The virus could theoretically end up in Hawaii waters and harm native crustacean populations here and, ultimately, reef ecosystems, Heacock said.

Ceatech officials have abided by all federal environmental regulations during the draining period, Foppoli said.

But Heacock says no one knows how long the shrimp have been infected.

"We did find shrimp in the detention basins, and there's nothing to prevent the tiny shrimp from escaping into the ditch and out to sea," he said.

State biologists are sending Kekaha-area crustacean samples to the University of Arizona to test whether local crustaceans have been infected with the virus.

"We can't jump to conclusions until we've done more tests," Heacock said. "We don't even know if the virus happens here naturally."

If the virus is detected in Kauai's native species, then tests will be done statewide to determine if species in other Hawaiian waters are infected.

If the virus isn't found anywhere else, "we'll have to look at Kekaha," Heacock said, suggesting that the infection could be traced back to Ceatech. Heacock said officials there have done everything possible to control and destroy the virus.

"The virus could potentially spread around the island and archipelago," Heacock said.

Scientists believe a bird might have eaten infected shrimp and spread the virus to Kauai with droppings.

"Every time you buy shrimp from the store, you're probably getting the white-spot virus," Heacock said. "Most shrimp from Asia are infected, but it's harmless to humans. Still, all you have to do is eat it. Human waste can carry the virus. Even just washing your hands could pass the virus."

Ceatech employs 40 people and runs the largest aqua farm shrimp operation in the state. The company has plans to expand its operations, but the virus is expected to cost some $2 million in lost revenue over the next few months.

Meanwhile, people in the area are getting a nose-full of rotting shrimp.

"It's beyond stink!" said Derek Pellin of Lawai, who surfs near Kekaha. "You just have to drive by there. It's unbelievable."

NCL to offer golf outings
- 2004-04-26 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

NCL America has created a golf program and a pro shop on board its Pride of Aloha.

Starting with its July 4 inaugural voyage, passengers on NCL can participate in golf outings to championship courses on all four main islands, including Koolau on Oahu; Poipu Bay and The Prince Course on Kauai; Mauna Lani Resort and Hapuna Golf Course on the Big Island; and Kapalua and Wailea on Maui. All courses feature 18 holes of golf with a variety of layouts ranging from 5,873 to 7,263 yards in length.

"Hawaii is one of the world's premier golf destinations and with Pride of Aloha's full days in port we are able to offer a golf program that truly caters to golf enthusiasts," said Andy Stuart, NCL America's executive vice president of marketing, sales and passenger services. "It will be a comprehensive program including the industry's first dedicated pro shop at sea."

The Pride of Aloha Pro Shop will have Callaway clubs and Adidas shoes for rent; guaranteed tee-times and NCL Golf Hawaii logo items for purchase including Callaway apparel, Top-Flite and Callaway balls, gloves and hats. The shop also will feature onboard clinics with local golf pros and three practice nets.

Prices start from $95 per person for the golf outings.

Pride of Aloha, currently sailing as Norwegian Sky, will undergo a multimillion dollar remodeling in May and be reflagged as an U.S. ship.

Weekend visitors: 38,000
- 2004-04-27 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Howard Dicus

Hawaii welcomed more than 38,000 visitors this past weekend, compared to 34,000 on the nearest weekend of last year, according to the state's airport counts. All four operating counties saw increases.

Japanese arrivals are still below normal. Hawaii typically welcomes 4,000 a day on flights from Japan. But that level has been reached on only four days so far this month. There were 3,424 arrivals on flights from Japan on Saturday and 3,121 on Sunday.

Mainland arrivals are up across the board. Kauai domestic arrivals have topped 1,000 on six days this month compared to just twice in the same period last year. Big Island domestic arrivals have topped 1,000 on 20 days, compared to eight days last year. Maui and Oahu arrivals have also been improved.

In the following counts, the arrival figures for Saturday and Sunday are added together, with year-before numbers in parenthesis. All figures except the Japanese visitor count are for mainland flight arrivals.

Statewide: 31,478 (27,543.)
Honolulu: 19,424 (18,050.)
Maui: 7,757 (5,973.)
Big Island: 2,449 (2,016.)
Kauai: 1,848 (1,504.)
Japan arrivals statewide: 6,545 (6,563.)
Other international arrivals statewide: 1,471 (1,305.)
Reach Howard Dicus at hdicus@bizjournals.com.

DallasNews.com | News for Dallas, Texas | Travel: United States
It's a love match: Hawaii, newlyweds

02:57 PM CDT on Friday, April 23, 2004

By TRACY CABOT and MARSHALL WHITFIELD / Special Contributors to The Dallas Morning News

Why is Hawaii almost always the first choice for honeymooners? Why is it so romantic?

• Hawaii is virtually stress free, and as any hard-working young couple can tell you, stress is a romance killer. On this tropical island paradise, the plumbing works, the electric stays on, the language is English, the food is safe, you can drink the water, and you haven't left the U.S. of A.

• The pace of life is slower than at many destinations. You can relax and take time to breathe.

• Confrontation is frowned upon; people hardly ever raise their voices. Even in downtown Honolulu, you rarely hear a horn beep.

• You never have to wear a tie or pantyhose.

• Hawaiians have a tradition of welcoming strangers with love. Singing songs about love, dancing a sensual hula, exchanging gifts of sweetly smelling flowers, and greeting each other with hugs are parts of daily life in Hawaii. The atmosphere is contagious.

• Even the breeze feels velvety and sensual.

• Hawaii is the perfect backdrop for romance. In the daytime, swim under a waterfall, commune with dolphins or find a secluded beach. In the evening, toast each other to the soft sounds of a Hawaiian love song while you wait for the moon to rise over Diamond Head ­ perfect moments to remember.

Kauai Garden Island News -
Lingle likely to approve ethanol bill


Gay & Robinson's mill at Kaumakani would likely be the site of a Kaua‘i ethanol production plant.
By PHIL HAYWORTH - TGI Business Editor

Governor Linda Lingle has had a "change of heart" and will most probably sign off on a bill that would offer up to $12 million in tax credits for producers of ethanol.

"The bill should help stabilize sugar in Hawaii and allow the industry to move toward a higher-value product," said Rep. Hermina Morita, D-North Kaua‘i.

Senate Bill 3207 is set to go to the floor of the Legislature next week and will probably be passed without incident, she said.

That's good news for Kaua‘i's Gay & Robinson, who have long-planned a ethanol production facility on Kaua‘i. They could be producing sugar-based Ethanol as early as January of 2006, she said.

According to Morita, the governor had initially opposed the bill because she was "misinformed."

"She has since had a change of heart," Morita said from her office on Oahu. "We've been trying for four years to get this done. The bean counters at the state Department of Taxation have held it up for the last two years."

It should also help to stabilize gas prices here.

Ethanol is mixed with regular gas and is already being used across the country, particularly in California, Morita said.

Cheaper gas and some $200,000 back to the state coffers in the form of taxes are obvious benefits, she said. The external benefits are just as nice, she said.

"It'll keep a green belt, offer energy security and give Hawai‘i another sustainable industry, not to mention the thousands of jobs that will be saved as a result," Morita said.

Yahoo! News -
Nearly Half Extinct Species Were in Hawaii
Fri Apr 23, 7:41 AM ET Add Science - AP to My Yahoo!

By RON STATON, Associated Press Writer

HONOLULU - Nearly half of the 114 species that have become extinct in the first 20 years of the federal Endangered Species Act were in Hawaii, according to a new report by an advocacy group.

The report by the Center for Biological Diversity says the federal government's failure to protect species "has been spectacular" and accuses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of knowingly delaying listings "to avoid political controversy even when it knew the likely result would be the extinction of the species."

A statement from the Fish and Wildlife Service said the agency "denies the inflammatory claim" and challenged the accuracy of the report. It said recovery of species is a very long process and noted that at the time the act was passed in 1973 that some species were in such bad shape the agency couldn't recover them.

The agency said funding has been limited because of litigation over critical habitat and noted that fish and wildlife habitat has been declining for decades because of urbanization.

The report released Wednesday said "the number (of extinct species) is shocking and indicates a grave failure in federal management of the nation's most powerful environmental law." A co-author of the report said that with so many unique species, Hawaii faces the worst problem in the country.


Painting of Molokai Thrush

Species lost from the islands include the large Kauai thrush, which once was the most common bird on the island; the Molokai thrush, which was endemic to Molokai, and 11 species of Oahu tree snails.

Only 19 percent of the extinctions involved species on the endangered list, showing that the 1973 law is working — at least for species that make the list, said Kieran Suckling, the center's executive director and a co-author of the report.

"But species known to be endangered were stuck in bureaucratic delay and went extinct before they had a chance to be listed," Suckling said. "That should never have happened."

Nearly all the species could have been saved if the Endangered Species Act had been properly managed, fully funded and "shielded from political pressure," he said. "Instead they were sacrificed to bureaucratic inertia, political meddling, and lack of leadership."

The report lays much of the blame on the Fish and Wildlife Service.

"Listing delays and extinctions have plagued the Fish and Wildlife Service for 30 years, but the Bush administration has pushed the crisis to an unprecedented level," said Brian Nowicki, another co-author of the report.

The Bush administration has placed an average of only nine species on the list per year, while the Clinton administration averaged 65 listing per year, Nowicki said.

The statement from the Fish and Wildlife Service said part of the problem the agency faces in its listing backlog "stem from 1995 — when a complete moratorium on listing took in effect.

"The funding for the Endangered Species listing program — in which species are listed as threatened or endangered — has shrunk to only a little more than $3 million per year.

"This is because litigation over critical habitat designations has forced almost all the service's funding to be directed toward critical habitat at the expense of listing."

Hawaii is unique not only because it has 52 species on the list, but because state law requires that every species placed on the list is automatically added to a state list, said Michael Buck, administrator of the Forestry and Wildlife division of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which works in partnership with the Fish and Wildlife Service.

He acknowledged, however, that "just getting something on the list does not save endangered species." The No. 1 issue for Hawaii, Buck said, is "coming up with resources and public support."

California was the next highest state in the report with 11 extinctions. Guam had eight, while Alabama and Texas each had seven.

Fifteen of Hawaii's extinct species were terrestrial snails, 13 each were flowering plants and insects, eight were birds and three were moths. Birds accounted for all but two of the extinctions on the U.S. territory of Guam, where the bird population already had been devastated by the brown tree snake and other predators.

The four-angled pelea, a flowering plant endemic to Kauai, is an example of a species being lost by inaction, Suckling said.

The Fish and Wildlife Service became aware it was endangered in 1975 when the Smithsonian petitioned to have it listed, he said. The following year, the agency said it would propose adding it to the list, but when nothing happened, the Smithsonian re-petitioned in 1978, he said.

In 1980, the Fish and Wildlife Service agreed the plant was endangered but put it on the candidate list, Suckling said. In 1994, the agency listed it as endangered, but it had become extinct in 1991, he said.

"The extinction crisis in Hawaii is worse than anywhere else," Suckling said. "We believe the Fish and Wildlife Service should have no higher job than preventing species from going extinct."

Buck said extinctions have been occurring since Western sailors first discovered the islands in 1778.

The extinction rate probably has increased in the past 10 years, Suckling said. "There is no reason to believe it went down," he said.

Kauai to hold a boat show
- 2004-04-23 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Kauai's first-ever boat and fishing show will be held April 24-25 on the lawn of Waimea Plantation Cottages' 27-acre property, giving residents access to the largest selection of boats ever assembled on Kauai.

Aston Hotels & Resorts Hawaii, which manages the property on Kaumualii Hwy., said Friday that attendees can see and compare new and used boats and motors while browsing through vendor tents and booths.
Waimea Plantation Cottages will conduct hourly drawings for door prizes, plus give away a grand prize on Sunday at the close of the event. All participants, including attendees and vendors, are eligible to win.
Admission is $1. All proceeds will benefit the Kauai chapter's Visitor Industry Charity Walk. For information: (808) 338-1625."

Starwood posts $33M Q1 profit
- 2004-04-22 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Starwood posts $33M Q1 profit
Sheraton parent Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., in a quarterly earnings report peppered with references to Hawaii, has swung to a profit in the first quarter.

"This quarter continues the momentum we saw building in our company the past six months especially now as the world returns to an accelerated travel pattern," CEO Barry Sternlicht said.

He said the company is reaping higher profits from its franchises, which include all four Sheraton-branded hotels in Waikiki, and is making better money as well from its owned properties on Maui and Kauai.

First quarter at a glance:

Net income: $33 million. Year ago: Loss of $117 million.
Per share: 16 cents. Year ago: Loss of 58 cents.
Revenue: $1.23 billion. Year ago: $1.09 billion.
Revpar growth was particularly strong at company-owned hotels on Maui and in New York, San Francisco, Houston and Washington D.C.

Starwood franchises four Sheraton-branded hotels in Honolulu -- Kyo-Ya's Sheraton Waikiki, Princess Kaiulani, Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider -- and a "W" boutique hotel on Waikiki's Gold Coast in the shadow of Diamond Head. Sternlicht said Starwood's results are currently being driven by strong growth in franchise and management fees.

The company also said it will soon announce a new W Resort on Maui.

Sheraton revpars are up 8.7 percent from last year but W revpars are up 11.9 percent.

"We will also reinvest capital for additional interval ownership projects on our oceanfront 20 acres on Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii and in our recently acquired Sheraton in Poipu, Kauai," Sternlicht said.

Starwood's profit was greater than most analysts had expected, as revpar -- revenue per available room -- rose 9.4 percent in U.S. markets and more internationally.

"It is gratifying," Sternlicht said, "to see the strategies and investments we have made in the recession drive our performance now."

Starwood Vacation Ownership revenues, excluding gains on sales of notes receivable, increased 39.1 percent to $128 million as contract sales rose 64.3 percent from year-before levels. The vacation ownership division cited strong demand at four locations one of which was Maui.

Gross capital spending during the quarter included approximately $50 million in hotel assets including $19 million in vacation ownership construction, much of it at Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas on Maui.

Additionally during the quarter, development capital of $132 million included the acquisition of the 413-room Sheraton Kauai Resort for approximately $40 million.

The Maui News: Directories on same page across Hawaii
- - Maui News

KAHULUI - Ad-Ventures Hawaii LLC will publish independent telephone directories throughout the Hawaiian Islands this year.

The company will continue to publish directories on Maui, the Big Island and Kauai that were established by Adventures Publishing. Additionally, the company is adding a directory on Oahu this year as well as taking over customers that advertised in The Maui Big Book. The Maui Big Book will cease publication.
Cindy Sortor will serve as president of Ad-Ventures Hawaii LLC. Sortor is a veteran of phone directory publishing. She launched 54 phone directories in Canada, and has published directories on the Mainland United States and in Mexico. She began publishing directories in Hawaii in 2001 with the first Ad-Ventures directory on Maui.

Sortor said she is excited about the venture.

"Our phone directories will give our advertisers the choice of any or all islands," Sortor explained.

"By only having one independent phone book on Maui, we will cut down on the confusion that has marred that marketplace. We definitely feel that one much stronger directory is going to come out of the combination of the best features of The Maui Big Book and the Ad-Ventures Maui book. Our helpful community pages coupled with unmatched distribution will give Maui an outstanding phone book."

Sortor said there is also an environmental plus to the one directory approach in Maui. Instead of two different independent directories distributed per household each year, there will only be one.

Sales of the previously published directories are ongoing. Ad-Ventures has been selling its new Oahu directory for several weeks now beginning with the acquisition of The Pineapple Pages. Sortor said the reception has been overwhelming.

"Our sales are far ahead of where we thought they'd be. Our Ad-Ventures book is going to be the directory of choice on Oahu."

Sortor explained that a new approach to phone directories on Oahu is one of the reasons Ad-Ventures is getting such a warm welcome from advertisers.

"For the first time, we are putting out zoned editions of a phone book," Sortor said. "That way a neighborhood store on the North Shore can afford a good-sized display ad in the phone book. They don't have to pay for the distribution to the rest of Oahu - just the geographical area where they draw their customers from."

Just as statewide advertisers can choose to advertise in any combination of the directories on the different islands, advertisers on Oahu can choose to advertise in any combination of the zones or islandwide.

"We're the only phone book company who puts the distribution decision in the hands of the advertiser," Sortor concluded. "They can have as much, or as little, of the islands as they want. We think that is a winning option for the advertiser."

Kaanapali Hyatt to sponsor canoe festival
- 2004-04-21 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa will sponsor the International Festival of Canoes, a two-week festival that brings together master carvers from around the Pacific from May 15 through May 30, the Kaanapali Coast hotel said Tuesday.

"This festival not only celebrates Polynesia's rich history and diversity, but also symbolizes everything that makes Hawaii such an attractive destination for visitors," Hyatt Regency Maui GM Barry Lewin said.

The International Festival of Canoes is coordinated by Lahaina Town Action Committee, a non-profit organization with a 15-year track record of creating and producing community events which are attended by visitors and local residents. Currently, Lahaina Town Action Committee coordinates and produces 10 annual events a year and manages the Lahaina Visitor Center.

The carvers will showcase their craftsmanship by creating canoes from tree logs. This year the resort will sponsor the Ainu carvers, the first team from Japan to ever participate in the festival.

For centuries, the Ainu, an indigenous group of people from a remote island in northern Japan, have crafted their canoes for fishing and trading in the Eastern and Northern Pacific. The Ainu's traditional dugout canoes, called itaomacip, were 50 feet long and used an overlapping plank design to broaden the canoe's width. Not only were the canoes essential for the livelihood of the Ainu, but they also played an important cultural role.

Customary dress and ceremonies still accompany the construction of a canoe today. Before beginning to carve, the craftsman dress in traditional multicolor robes and kneel on a mat in front of the log. Using prayer sticks, burning willow shavings and drinking sake (a Japanese fermented rice beverage), the carvers give thanks to the gods for the future canoe.

The International Festival of Canoes, one of Maui's signature cultural heritage events, honors the voyaging canoes that united all of Polynesia. Master carvers from Marshall Islands, Tonga, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Hawaii and, for the first-time, Japan converge on Maui for the festival. Using both ancient and modern tools, each group will construct a canoe from an Albizzia log, a tree grown on Kauai, that reflects the style of their native islands.

The carving begins at Kamehameha Iki Park with an opening 'awa ceremony, a traditional practice throughout Polynesia. Participants will drink a mixture made from 'awa, a sparingly branched shrub that is part of the pepper family and used for medicinal purposes, as thanks to the gods and to open communication with others and nature. Carving will continue through May 30 at Lahaina's Banyan Tree Park. Throughout the festival, visitors and residents can watch the master canoe carvers transform logs into sturdy sailing vessels. Festivities also include Hawaiian drum making and house thatching, surfboard shaping, and other cultural demonstrations.

Poipu Bay Golf Course in Hawaii Offers Three-Round Golf Package
Apr 20, 04 | 2:30 pm

Kauai’s Poipu Bay Golf Course, home to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, is continuing its popular “Grand Slam” three-round golf package through 2004. In addition, Poipu Bay is offering other special 2004 values designed for golfers who want to experience the award-winning course--whether it be just once or several times during their island stay.

Poipu Bay’s 2004 “Grand Slam Package” offers three rounds of golf for a discounted price, on the condition that all three rounds must be completed within 10 days after date of purchase. The package includes green fees, golf cart, use of the GPS (global positioning system) and driving range. For guests staying at the adjacent Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa, the cost of the three-round package is $300 (plus tax) per person; for non-Hyatt guests, the cost is $360 (plus tax) per person. The package price represents a substantial discount off the single-round green fee, which is $125 for Hyatt guests and $185 for non-Hyatt guests. Once purchased, the Grand Slam Package is nontransferable and nonrefundable. The 2004 package is available through December 18, 2004.

For players who just can’t get enough of Poipu Bay, the course offers two “Prepaid Golf Packages” for 2004, providing discounts to golfers who pre-purchase packages of five or ten rounds of golf. The five-round package price is $550, representing a savings of $375 over the regular per-round green fee of $185. The ten-round package price is $1,000, a savings of $850 over the regular per-round green fee. Additional savings are offered to guests who are staying at the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa. Each player’s Prepaid Golf card will be kept on file at the Poipu Bay Pro Shop for easy access and check-in for their rounds. All rounds of golf on the Prepaid Package must be used within 30 days of payment, and the package is nontransferable and nonrefundable.

Poipu Bay also offers a rate of $95 for golfers who want to play a second round at the course within a week of their first round. The discounted second-round rate, which is a savings of approximately 50% off the standard $185 green fee, is offered for tee times between 11 a.m. and noon or 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., within seven days after the first round is played.

For those who would enjoy some tournament play during their Kauai visit, Poipu Bay offers two mini-tournaments each week, inviting golfers--visitors and residents alike--to join in for a chance to play a challenging round and win great prizes. The 18-hole tournaments, which are each limited to 50 players, take place every Wednesday and Sunday (call for tee times). Entry fee is $102. Prizes include a complimentary round of golf at Poipu Bay for “Closest to the Hole” on all par threes and a $75 Golf Shop gift certificate for the First Place low gross and low net (USGA handicap). In addition, a Hole-In-One contest is offered on all par 3 holes. Hole-In-One winners will receive tickets to their choice of one of the following major sporting events: The Masters (practice round par 3 tournament), The U.S. Open (final round), Final Four Basketball Tournament, Kentucky Derby, College Football Bowl Championship Game, Baseball All-Star Game, The World Series, or the NBA Finals.

Poipu Bay is an 18-hole championship course, situated on 210 oceanfront acres on Kauai’s southern coast. A Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, Poipu Bay has, over the years, won numerous awards and has been consistently rated among the top golf courses in Hawaii and the U.S. Since 1994, Poipu Bay has played host to the annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf, the tournament that invites the winners of the four major championships of that year to compete for a $1 million purse.

For more information on these special offers or to book tee times, call the Poipu Bay golf shop at tollfree 1-800-858-6300 or direct (808) 742-8711.


Travelvideo.TV - your news source for the travel and tourism industry.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sports

New York Mets pitcher Tyler Yates, left, of Kauai, and San Francisco Giants pitcher Jerome Williams, of Waipahu, each started and earned victories last night for their respective teams.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Local boys get big wins
Kauai's Yates earns his
first major league victory
as Mets defeat Expos
Williams wins 2nd of season


By Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.com
The excitement was evident in Tyler Yates' voice.

The rookie right-hander for the New York Mets was ecstatic after earning his first major league victory last night. Yates pitched 5 2/3 innings in a 4-1 win at Shea Stadium, then watched three members of the bullpen hold Montreal scoreless the rest of the game.

Even more important to Yates than the personal win was that it came at a good time for the Mets.

"The biggest thing for me was stopping our three-game losing streak," Yates said. "I'm happy with the way I performed. I think this will give my teammates more confidence in me, that I can go out and win games for them."

The Kauai High School graduate and former Hawaii-Hilo pitcher said he didn't feel any extra pressure after his first big-league win. He knew if he went out and produced a quality start, the first victory would come eventually because of confidence he has in the Mets' bullpen.

Yates threw 59 strikes among his 97 pitches. He got the Expos to ground out nine times and retired seven batters on fly balls.

"I just try to go out and throw strikes on every pitch and throw a ball when I want to," he said. "I try to put a batter away as fast as I can and that doesn't always mean striking them out. I don't want them to get good wood on a pitch."

Yates had worked on some mechanical adjustments with pitching coach Rick Peterson after his previous start against Atlanta that ended up being his first major league loss.

"We worked a lot on keeping my head still (during delivery) and not overthrowing. We want to let my arm work and let the ball fly," Yates said. "We agreed on a lot of things, worked on those things, and it paid off tonight. I have to discipline myself to keep my head still. If I can do that, then I'll be successful."

Yates said he used all his pitches -- fastball, slider and changeup -- and made sure he threw them for strikes.

"When you can throw all your pitches for strikes, that doesn't give the hitter a chance to eliminate a pitch. That was a big factor tonight," Yates said. "I did throw my curve once, but I don't throw it that much because I have trouble throwing it for strikes."

There also was another first for Yates last night. He got his first hit as a professional.

In the minors, pitchers rarely hit. Although, once the Mets converted Yates to a starting pitcher last year, he did get eight at-bats in the minors.

"It was a single between third and short on a fastball," said Yates, who was quite a hitter in high school. "It's hard not seeing pitches for six years. You lose your timing and swing, but I've been working with (N.Y. batting coach) Denny Walling on that."

Yates is already a TV star -- at least at the Poipu Beach Broiler on Kauai. That's because his father owns the place and installed a satellite dish 1 1/2 years ago.

"We got it when we opened, hoping it would happen," Gary Yates said last night.

Gary Yates and his wife were at Shea Stadium for the win along with Tyler's girlfriend, Liezel. He called the restaurant, where he said 50 people had gathered for the game. It coincided with happy hour because of the time difference -- $3.50 margaritas and $2 beers.

"Am I touching the ground or what?" Gary Yates said in the Mets clubhouse. "It's probably as big a thrill for me as it is for him."

After the game, the 26-year-old right-hander had the lineup card and two balls: the one that ended the game and the one from his first career hit, in the fourth inning.

"It's a pretty good feeling," he said. "It's probably the most fun I've had playing baseball thus far."


Tyler Yates by the numbers
Individual season statistics through yesterday's games
Record: 1-1
Innings pitched: 14.0
Hits: 16
Earned runs: 6
Home runs: 0
Walks: 5
Strikeouts: 7
ERA: 3.86
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Associated Press contributed to this report

"Air Force considering sites for runways on Big Island, Kauai, Oahu

By Associated Press

(Hickam Air Force Base-AP) -- The Air Force is considering sites on Oahu, the Big Island and Kauai for deep concrete runways that can handle heavy, short-landing C-17 cargo planes.

The sites are Kalaeloa and Marines Corps Base Kaneohe on Oahu, the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands on Kauai and the Kona International Airport on the Big Island.

The Air Force plans to swap the service's C-130 cargo planes with the newer C-17's. They can carry more than 85 tons of cargo and are central to the Stryker Brigade the Army plans to base in Hawaii.

Because of the planes' heavy weight and short landing requirements, the Air Force must build concrete runways between 35-hundred and five-thousand feet long.

(Copyright 2004 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.) "

Nextel opens on Kauai - 2004-04-16 -
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Nextel Partners opens its first Kauai store this weekend in Lihue, one of 37 stores the company intends to open nationwide in 2004.

The 533-square-foot Lihue store is in Kukui Grove Center and has been designed to be wireless -- no land line phones, and the computers are wireless as well.
It opens Saturday.
Nextel Partners, a franchisee of the main Nextel company whose territory covers more than half the nation, already employs more than 70 at its Oahu store on Koapaka St. "

Kauai Garden Island News:
Rob Gunthner returns to Hawai‘i to manage Radisson Kauai resort

The interior of one of the rooms at the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort near Hanama‘ulu shows results of the redesign and renovation completed in 2000.
By TGI STAFF
Posted: Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 - 04:50:35 am HST

Happy to return to Hawai‘i is Rob Gunthner, recently named general manager of the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort near Hanama‘ulu.

"Returning to Hawai‘i was always on my mind," says Gunthner, who most recently arrived from Puerto Rico.

"I could not be happier to have settled on Kaua‘i, to work with such a seasoned group of associates, and to take this resort to a new level of success."

Gunthner worked at the Hyatt Regency Waikoloa on the Big Island from 1988 to 1997 in a variety of positions, including executive director of catering, meetings and conventions.

He was named Convention Services Manager of the Year by Successful Meetings and Incentives magazine during his management stay at Waikoloa. He worked for Hyatt Hotels Corporation for 12 years.

The Radisson Kauai Beach Resort is a 347-room, beachfront property owned and operated by Driftwood Hospitality Management, LLC.

Gunthner began his career in the hotel industry in 1982. He assisted in the Waikoloa property's transition to Hilton Hotels in 1993, and later served as resident hotel manager of the Hilton Waikoloa Village through 2000.

Most recently, Gunthner was general manager at the Wyndham El Conquistador Resort and Golden Door Spa, a world-class, 500-acre destination resort facility in Fajardo, Puerto Rico comprised of a 750-room, four-diamond resort hotel and the five-diamond Las Casitas Village.

"My three years in the Caribbean were an incredible experience for me," said Gunthner.

"In addition to typical resort departments, I gained experience in the operation of casinos, golf and tennis, marinas, transportation fleets and a private island, and I was exposed to a wide variety of unique cultures. It felt like I went off to college again and obtained my master's degree in the hospitality industry."

Gunthner was named to the board of directors of the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association for 2002 and 2003.

The Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, which completed a massive renovation in 2000, is a 25-acre deluxe property on part of a three-mile stretch of secluded beach.

The hotel, which underwent an extensive renovation and redesign in 2000 by noted architectural firm Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, features 340 rooms, seven suites, complete meeting and banquet facilities, three restaurants, a boutique spa and fitness center, four tennis courts, and a "super pool" complex made up of three swimming pools set amidst waterfalls and grottoes, and a fourth pool featuring a sand bottom.

Hotel leaders recently announced several packages for families, honeymooners and other visitors, and also offer packages for Kaua‘i residents.

For more information on the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, please call 245-1955, or visit the hotel's Web site, http://www.radisson.com/kauaihi.

By Associated Press

(Lihue-AP) -- A Kauai shrimp farm has been put under state quarantine after some shrimp tested positive for a disease known as White Spot Syndrome Virus.
State officials say it's a highly contagious and fatal disease for shrimp and other crustaceans, though it poses no threats to humans, even if they eat infected seafood.
The disease has been previously reported in Japan, China, Thailand, Korea, the Philippines and in Central and South America. But it's the first time it's popped up in Hawaii.
The state veterinarian, Doctor James Foppoli, says the isolation of the Kauai farm means there's a good chance of containing the outbreak and eradicating the disease."

American to fly to LAX with a morning eastbound departure - 2004-04-15 - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

American Airlines is adding an early morning departure from Honolulu to Los Angeles for the summer travel season, effective June 12.

Most eastbound flights from Hawaii to the mainland are red-eyes. This one will leave Honolulu International Airport at 8 a.m. and arrive at Los Angeles International Airport at 4:10 p.m., daily except Friday through Sept. 7.

This brings to four the number of daily departures the airline has to Los Angeles. A fifth flight is operated on Saturdays only. American will fly the additional Honolulu-Los Angeles trip with Boeing 767 aircraft, featuring 30 first-class seats and 182 seats in the main cabin.

"Travelers on American will be able to get an early start on their day, whether flying for business or pleasure," said Mike Nozaki, American's director of Hawaii operations.

On June 10, American will begin seasonal nonstop service from Maui to San Francisco -- its first ever nonstop link between the two points. And recently, American bolstered its daily service between Kauai and Los Angeles with plans to increase the frequency of a second flight from four to five days a week, beginning June 10.

In addition to Honolulu, Maui and Kauai, American also serves Kona. American's gateways to Hawaii include Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.

This summer, American will operate 130 flights a week to Hawaii.

Forbes.com: Hawaiian flights jammed with flying doughnuts
Reuters, 04.13.04, 6:51 PM ET


SEATTLE, April 13 (Reuters) - Apparently doughnuts can clog more than just your arteries.

Hawaii residents love Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (nyse: KKD - news - people) so much that they often stock up at a new store in Maui before boarding inter-island flights back home, overloading airline luggage bins along the way.

"The locals bring so many boxes of doughnuts on board that we can't always fit them on our flights. Some people will put five or six boxes in an overhead bin," says Mark Dunkerley, president of Hawaiian Airlines .

Hawaii's first Krispy Kreme store opened on Jan. 27 in Maui, less than a mile (1.6 km) from Kahului Airport.

Doughnut shops are sprinkled liberally across the Hawaiian islands. But the novelty of a major chain, combined with the widespread custom of "omiage," a Japanese word that refers to the custom of bringing gifts home to family and friends, have given rise to the commuter doughnut.

On the day the Maui store opened, a Kauai police officer bought doughnuts for his entire department, then hopped on a plane for the short flight home, Krispy Kreme spokeswoman Tina McNealey said. (Additional reporting by Michael Flaherty in New York)

Copyright 2004, Reuters News Service

Times-Standard Online - Local News
Former Arcata Mayor Victor Schaub dies in Hawaii
By Meghan Vogel The Times-Standard


ARCATA -- The flag at Arcata City Hall is flying at half-staff in remembrance of attorney Victor Schaub, the town's mayor from 1990 to 1995.

Schaub, 61, died trying to save his grandchildren who had been swept out to sea by a riptide. Schaub and his wife, Sondra, were vacationing on the island of Kauai where they own property and had planned to retire.

Around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Schaub's grandchildren were swept away by the riptide while playing in the ocean. Schaub and his wife raced into the water after their grandchildren, who were able to make it back safely to shore by themselves. Schaub, however, never returned and his body was found later in the day.

It is unknown whether Schaub died from a heart attack or by drowning. Results of an autopsy performed on Tuesday were still pending as of press time.

"He died on the beach that he loved," said Schaub's long-time friend John Graves. "There's a certain completeness and appropriateness to that."








News of Schaub's death quickly spread throughout a shocked community on Tuesday as friends and colleagues shared fond memories of a man who they say had a passion for helping others.

Humboldt County Supervisor John Woolley said Schaub was a "tremendous community friend" and a "great leader."

Arcata City Councilwoman Connie Stewart called Schaub her mentor, and credits him for getting her actively involved in politics. Stewart, who worked on Schaub's campaign for mayor, said he handed her an application for Arcata's Planning Commission and told her to apply.

"He was an inspiration to all of us," Stewart said. "He was just an extremely giving person."

Arcata attorney Ken Collins, who shared office space for a time with Schaub above Jacoby's Storehouse, said Schaub's passing is a sad loss for Arcata.

"He was extraordinarily community minded," Collins said.

Schaub was born in Alhambra on Feb. 5, 1943. He attended Notre Dame University and the University of California, Berkeley in the late 1960s, where he met his wife-to-be. The couple lived in Hawaii before moving to Arcata, where Schaub began practicing law in 1974. Schaub and his wife had one daughter, Heidi, and a son who died as a teenager, said attorney Larry Eitzen, who was a law partner with Schaub from the mid-1970s to the mid-'80s.

"This is a community loss for everyone in Arcata and a personal loss for me," Eitzen said.

Schaub was a man of many interests. He worked in the woods, taught political science and U.S. history and served on the Humboldt County Advisory Committee for Drug Abuse, Humboldt Child Care Council, the Northcoast Mental Health Clinic Board, the Humboldt Senior Resource Center's board and the Arcata Planning Commission.

Schaub was first elected to the Arcata City Council in 1988, and served three terms as mayor from 1990 to 1995. After his term as mayor, Schaub served an additional year on the council, retiring from the city government in 1996.

"He was a wonderfully giving man who always had time for people and their problems," Collins said. "He always had projects on the fringes trying to help people out."

A member of the Lutheran Church in Arcata, Schaub was also actively involved in the Arcata Rotary Club, and served as the club's past president. He was the past chair of the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee and was honored as Humboldt County's Democrat of the Year.

In recent years, Schaub had gone to Vietnam to work on the construction of a clean drinking water system. Collins said Schaub's long white beard made him the perfect Santa Claus for children at Christmas.

"He was the type of guy who would give the shirt off his back and give away his last dollar," said Pamela Dent, a longtime friend and Schaub's legal secretary and bookkeeper. "He was really generous and always willing to help all of the time."

Friends said Schaub's demeanor and passion for helping people affected the way he acted as a lawyer.

"His personal values showed up in the ways he handled cases," Eitzen said.

"He was just the kind of guy you'd want to have as a neighbor," Collins said. "He gave wise counsel as a lawyer. He wasn't arrogant and he was always interested in finding the best solution to a problem."

Most recently, Schaub worked from an office in his home on Panorama Drive. Together with his wife, Schaub ran Schaub Mediation Services, which helps people with their problems and divorces.

Dent said the couple worked well together utilizing Sondra's background in psychology and Schaub's penchant for problem solving.

"Sondra lost her best friend," Dent said. "He was family, like an older brother always there for me. He was someone you could always depend on."

Graves, who was Schaub's campaign manager when he ran for mayor, said Schaub was "a man of deep feeling and principle."

He was also a man who wasn't afraid to stand up for what he ardently believed in, something that wasn't always easy.

"He had strong political views, a lot of idealism," Collins said.

Collins also said Schaub was viewed by some as "upholding the lunatic fringe element" of Arcata. During the first Iraqi war, Schaub authored Arcata's Gulf War Sanctuary Resolution, which heatedly divided the town in 1991. A strong opponent of the war, Schaub's resolution made Arcata a safe haven and anti-war sanctuary for other war opponents.

The business community of Arcata called the anti-war sanctuary idea an embarrassment. Death threats were made against Schaub and paid newspaper and radio ads labeled him a traitor. A "Patriotic Citizens Rally" was held, during which a three-story-high American flag was hoisted above Highway 101 and 400 flag-waving citizens were led in the Pledge of Allegiance by a Marine recruiting sergeant. Later, a few city councilmembers apologized for passing the resolution.

Nevertheless, Schaub made a deep impact on Arcata, Stewart said. She credits him for giving her a passion for land use issues.

"He left such a permanent imprint on the city," she said. "He was instrumental in so many projects. He cared passionately about so many things."

"Other than the political controversies, I don't know anybody who didn't like him," Collins said.

"His death is a real shock for everybody," Dent said. "Everybody loved him."

"He enjoyed life," Eitzen said. "He was interested in the world around him and he tried to make it a better place."

American Adds Early Morning Departure From Honolulu to Los Angeles for Summer Season

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines is adding an
early morning departure from Honolulu to Los Angeles for the summer travel
season, effective June 12, providing Hawaii residents and vacationers with a
convenient option for traveling to the mainland.
American's new morning flight will operate six days a week through
Sept. 7, and bring to four the number of daily departures the airline has to
Los Angeles. A fifth flight is operated on Saturdays only.
Here is American's schedule between Honolulu and Los Angeles for the
summer (new flights are shown with an asterisk; all times local):

From Honolulu to Los Angeles
Flight Departs Arrives
266* 8:00 a.m. 4:10 p.m. (except Friday)
162 12:50 p.m. 9:09 p.m.
284 2:50 p.m. 11:01 p.m.
298 9:30 p.m. 5:37 a.m.
252 10:10 p.m. 6:18 a.m. (Saturday only)

From Los Angeles to Honolulu
Flight Departs Arrives
31 9:15 a.m. 11:51 a.m.
283 12:45 p.m. 3:20 p.m.
251 3:10 p.m. 5:43 p.m. (Saturday only)
297 3:30 p.m. 6:06 p.m.
267* 6:10 p.m. 8:41 p.m. (except Thursday)

American will fly the additional Honolulu-Los Angeles trip with Boeing 767
aircraft, featuring 30 First-Class seats and 182 seats in the Main Cabin,
configured in American's exclusive More Room Throughout Coach seating
arrangement. No airline offers more room on more flights than American.
"With our new early morning departure to Los Angeles, travelers on
American will be able to get an early start on their day, whether flying for
business or pleasure," said Mike Nozaki, American's director-Hawaii
Operations. "And with our spacious cabins and superior service, they'll
arrive relaxed, refreshed and ready to go."
Added Nozaki, "All of American's employees in Hawaii are excited about
adding this new morning service, and we're proud to be an integral part of the
community. Whenever you travel on American -- morning, noon or night -- we
stand ready to serve. And throughout our route network you'll find attractive
fares and the opportunity to earn and redeem AAdvantage frequent flyer miles.
It all adds up to make travel on American a great value."
The additional flight to Los Angeles is just one of several schedule
enhancements American has planned to its Hawaii service. On June 10, American
will begin seasonal nonstop service from Maui to San Francisco -- its first
ever nonstop link between the two points. And recently, American increased
service from Kauai to Los Angeles from one daily flight to one daily and a
second flight four days a week, expanding to five days a week on June 10.
Here is American's schedule between Maui and San Francisco, effective
June 10 through Sept. 7 (all times local):

From Maui to San Francisco
Flight Departs Arrives
232 9:50 p.m. 5:33 a.m.

From San Francisco to Maui
Flight Departs Arrives
233 5:50 p.m. 8:02 p.m.

Here is American's summer schedule for the Kauai-Los Angeles market. New
flights are shown with an asterisk (all times local):

From Kauai to Los Angeles
Flight Departs Arrives
186* 1:55 p.m. 10:12 p.m.
286 9:59 p.m. 6:09 a.m.

From Los Angeles to Kauai
Flight Departs Arrives
187* 9:30 a.m. 12:14 p.m.
285 5:40 p.m. 8:24 p.m.
* Operates daily except Tuesday and Sunday June 10-Sept. 7.

In addition to Honolulu, Maui and Kauai, American also serves Kona, on the
big island of Hawaii. American's gateways to Hawaii include its hubs in
Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth, as well as Los Angeles, San Francisco and San
Jose, Calif. This summer, American will operate 130 flights a week to Hawaii.
American Airlines is the world's largest carrier. American, American
Eagle and the AmericanConnection regional carriers serve more than 250 cities
in over 40 countries with nearly 4,200 daily flights. The combined network
fleet numbers more than 1,000 aircraft. American's award-winning Web site,
AA.com, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus
personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a
founding member of the oneworld Alliance.

GET A GREAT LOW FARE. AND A LOT MORE AIRLINE. AMERICAN AIRLINES

Current AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR) news releases can be accessed via the Internet.
The address is http://www.amrcorp.com

Keeping up with the Joneses

By HARRY EAGAR, Staff Writer


KIHEI - You probably didn't know it, but if you ever went out to eat at a nice restaurant in Hawaii, there's a good chance you sat on a chair or at a table made by Frank and Kate Jones.

The Joneses live in Shelton, Wash., now, but a new, large, showy and - to those who remember their business The Wooden Stitch - surprising piece of work is prominently visible on South Kihei Road.
It's a 22-foot-wide driveway gate they made for friends Ed and Pam Bello at their new oceanfront home at 840 S. Kihei Road.

"It'll be here long after we're gone," said Jones last week, as he took a break from some honey-do chores for his daughter, who still lives on Maui.

Instead of wood, the gate is aluminum, The billet of half-inch-thick metal weighed 900 pounds before Jones started sculpting it.

The Joneses arrived on Maui on Kamehameha Day 1976, fleeing the wet of Alaska, with an 18-month-old daughter and another on the way.

Pam Bello recalls when they opened The Wooden Stitch, which in those days sold unfinished furniture, in the Old Kahului Store, with small children in a playpen behind the counter.

"I'm still lugging their furniture from house to house," she says.

"Frank is truly a craftsman and an innovator, like you don't see any more."

By 1990, when the Joneses sold The Wooden Stitch and moved to Washington, their business had 18 employees and a statewide reputation for fine cabinetry and joinery.

Their home in Maui Meadows was a showplace of koa work, and when Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai, T S Restaurants called them back from the Mainland to replace hundreds of valuable pieces wrecked in the storm.

Frank recalls teaching waiters to sand as they worked to get the restaurants back in business.

Jones says he gets better Hawaiian hardwoods by working in Washington than he did when he lived here, because there is no sawmill in the islands. He can now select fine pieces at the mill near their home on Puget Sound, and cabinetmakers on Maui can settle for the inferior stuff.

Though the Joneses were known for koa when they worked on Maui, today Jones does more work with mango wood.

He finds it relaxing to work with Kate and not have to worry about managing a large staff. Plus, they can pick up and spend weeks, if necessary, on a project, as they did for the Bellos and also for other friends in San Diego recently.

Their new business is Jones and Jones Designs (commercial, residential, marine) and besides custom work in wood, they continue to team up with one of their original Maui friends, Bruce Dunbar, to buy old boats, rip out the woodwork and completely rebuild them.

Besides access to better wood in Washington, the sailing is better, too.

When they lived on Maui, they had two boats blown ashore, including one wrecked in the memorable storm of 1980.

Jones and Jones Designs is at 180 S.E. Vic King Road, Shelton, Wash., can be reached at (360) 790-6577 and can be found online at www.jonesandjonesdesigns.com.

Hanalei Bay reefs are focus of federal study

By LESTER CHANG - TGI Staff Writer
Posted: Wednesday, Apr 07, 2004 - 04:38:43 am HST


Officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service are working with state officials and others to plan ways to reduce pollution impacts on coral reefs in Hanalei Bay and reefs off Maui and Moloka‘i.

The project also is intended to improve the water quality around reefs, according to EPA spokesman Dean Higuchi.

"The EPA will work with its partners to use our programs, authorities and grants to protect reefs that are essential to the food supply, economy, culture and shoreline protection of Hawai‘i," said Alexis Strauss, water division director of EPA's Pacific Southwest Region.

The project is "a new tool in the tool box to protect coral reefs and the near-shore environment," Higuchi said.

Hanalei Bay was selected by a steering committee for participation in the project partly due to ongoing efforts by Kaua‘i groups and individuals to protect reefs in the bay, Higuchi said.

"There has been great community interest, a high amount of ongoing community support," Higuchi said.

Ongoing support has come from proponents of the Hanalei Heritage River program, which seeks to improve the quality of water in the Hanalei River watershed.

The watershed runs from the top of Mt. Wai‘ale‘ale to Pu‘u Point and Makahoa Point, an area located on the western edge of the bay.

Supporters of the Hanalei Heritage River program were eligible last May for up to $700,000 in grants from the EPA to protect the river and streams in the Hanalei ahupua‘a.

Members of the Hanalei-based Limu Coalition also have striven to protect the river from over-commercialization by tour boats that used the river as a start-off point for tours to Na Pali Coast.

Should the latest EPA project become successful, the program could be expanded to help other reefs on Kaua‘i and elsewhere in the state, Higuchi said

Other factors were used in determining which reefs could be helped through the federal project. They included land-management and pollution-control activities and data gathered on reef and water-quality conditions.

In addition to the Hanalei ahupua‘a, the government plan focuses on the two other priority ahupua‘a, one at Honolua, Maui and the other from Kawela to Kapualei on Moloka‘i.

Supporters of the Hawaii Local Action Strategy will attempt to reduce pollution to improve the quality of coastal waters and health of coral ecosystems; improve coordination among federal and state agency officials, land managers and marine scientists; improve knowledge of how land management affects the health of coral reefs; and increase awareness statewide of pollution prevention and control measures.

"Building on the ahupua‘a concept, we believe the local action strategy will lead to a greater understanding that all things in the environment are connected," said Lawrence T. Yamamoto, state conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

"Responsible actions on our islands mean healthier coral reefs."

Higuchi said it was his understanding people or community groups can apply for funds to protect marine resources to participate in the new project.

Other partners involved in the program include the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the state Department of Health, and the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program.

Staff Writer Lester Chang may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net.

KPUA.net - KPUA Hawaii News - Neighbor island condo market remains hot: "Posted: Saturday, April 10th, 2004 6:03 PM HST

Neighbor island condo market remains hot
By Associated Press

(Honolulu-AP) -- Low mortgage rates and eager buyers from the mainland fueled a hot condominium market on the neighbor islands last month.
According to Hawaii Information Service, a total of 328 condos were sold last month on the islands of Kauai, Maui and the Big Island, up about 20 percent from March 2003.
There were 59 condominiums sold on Kauai, almost double the amount sold the same month a year ago. On Maui, 182 condos were sold, up from 166 a year ago.
On the Big Island, 87 condos were sold, up from 79.
Terry Kamen of Maikai Properties on Kauai says the surge in condo sales is due to the baby boomer generation buying their retirement homes. "

IOL : Surfing vet dies in Hawaiian shark attack
April 10 2004 at 12:10AM


A surfer has been killed while riding the waves off the coast of Hawaii in the first confirmed fatal shark attack in the island paradise in 12 years.

Shark control officials in the offshore American state said 57-year-old Willis McInnis died after being bitten on the leg while paddling for waves off Kahana Beach on the island of Maui, a key tourist destination.

'I understand he received some assistance, got to the shore and then passed away at the scene,' Randy Honebrink, a spokesperson for the state's Shark Task Force said.

'Most likely the species would have been a Tiger shark. A lot of them are there. It was a fairly large shark, they are responsible for these types of attacks,' he said.

'Most likely the species would have been a Tiger shark'
While there are three or four shark attacks off Hawaii each year, this week's attack was the first confirmed shark fatality here since 1992, Honebrink said.

Hawaii resident McInnis was paddling his surfboard in the water about 150m off the beach when the predator struck at about 7am, local news reports said. Fellow surfers rallied to save the bleeding victim.

'I heard him yelling, 'Help! Help me!'' his friend and surf buddy Roger Coombs told the Maui News, adding that he saw McInnis lying on top of his board in water that was three to 4,5 metres deep.

Coombs said he could see a 'big chunk had been taken out of the right back thigh - just below the buttocks.' He also could see McInnis was losing massive amounts of blood.

"I was trying to buck him up. Make him feel better and make him feel that somebody was here. 'You're going to be OK. We're going to get you in'," he said of his efforts to get veteran surfer McInnis back to shore.

'Help! Help me!'
The surfer suffered severe lacerations to his upper right thigh and calf, officials said.

Police, paramedics and bystanders battled to save his life, but he died of extensive loss of blood.

"Will was alive. He was talking. He was holding onto his board with his hands," his shocked friend Tina Cooper told reporters of the moments after the attack.

Lifeguards immediately hoisted shark warning signs and closed a 3,2km stretch of beach as boats and aircraft patrolled the ocean for sharks.

There were four shark attacks reported in Hawaii in 2003, including one on October 31 when 13-year-old surfer Bethany Hamilton had her left arm ripped off in the water off the small island of Kauai.

The plucky teenager survived and has returned to surfing.

The last confirmed shark attack death in Hawaii was that of 18-year-old surfer Aaron Romento off the island of Oahu in 1992. - Sapa-AFP

KPUA.net - KPUA Hawaii News - Hawaii's first "Kid's Cafe" to be offered on Kauai: "Posted: Saturday, April 10th, 2004 7:12 PM HST

Hawaii's first 'Kid's Cafe' to be offered on Kauai
By Associated Press

(Lihue-AP) -- A ``Kid's Cafe'' that offers free healthy snacks to underprivileged children will be launched on Kauai beginning in September.
The after school program, which currently operates in 41 other states, is the first in Hawaii.
Kauai Food Bank has received a 20-thousand dollar grant to set up the Kid's Cafe at the Waimea Boys and Girls Club.
Waimea, on Kauai's west side, was selected because of the high number of low-income families. About 54 percent of the children receive free or reduced-price school lunches. The club also had a certified kitchen.
Kauai Food Bank executive director Judy Lenthall says local farmers will supply some of the fruits and vegetables for the program.
There will be an educational component of the program put on by the Kauai Children's Discovery Museum. "

Pearl Harbor Recognizes Month of the Military Child
Story Number: NNS040402-15
Release Date: 4/3/2004 5:36:00 PM

By Journalist Seaman Ryan McGinley,
Commander, Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- The Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) held a child abuse prevention and month of the military child proclamation signing ceremony March 31, in anticipation of April--the month of the military child.

"The main purpose...is to increase the public's awareness of problems [such as] child abuse and neglect, and to just let people know that there are ways to prevent it," said Chet J. Adessa, family advocacy program prevention and education specialist.

The ceremony included two representatives from the state legislature and Hawaii Sen. Brian Kanno, who presented Rear Adm. Barry McCullough, commander, Navy Region Hawaii, with a certificate of recognition, commending the Navy on all the things they do to prevent child abuse and help military families.

"Child Abuse Prevention Month helps raise the awareness level of our Navy 'ohana, because it is a simple fact that a child's quality of life starts at home," said McCullough. "Just one abused or neglected child is too many."

Local representatives from Prevent Child Abuse, Hawaii, and Child Protective Services attended the event, along with Mrs. Hawaii 2003, Ms. Kauai, Ms. Island Oahu 2003 and Mrs. Hawaii International 2003, who volunteer their services during the month of April and throughout the year. Children from the Child Development Centers and schools in the area also attended the event.

McCullough signed the proclamation in front of the children, which emphasized the Navy’s commitment to the prevention of child abuse and recognized Month of the Military Child.

“The proclamation that we have just signed today must be more than just a piece of paper,” said McCullough. “It must become a living document that parents and family members can use to remember the responsibility they bear when bringing children into this world. Our children are indeed life’s greatest treasure, and they look to us for their future.”

McCullough supported another event addressing child abuse by attaching a blue ribbon to his car after the ceremony. The blue ribbon, which can be worn on clothing or placed on car antennas, signifies child abuse prevention, said Adessa. Those wishing to support child abuse prevention can obtain a ribbon at FFSC.

“I think it’s important to set aside a whole month for these activities or events, but it shouldn’t stop there,” said Adessa. “It should be year-round.”

Month of the Military Child recognizes children in the military because they deal with aspects of military life, such as deployments or constant traveling, that other children might not have to deal with, said Adessa. “It takes a special kind of parent to be a parent of a military child,” he said.

Adessa said parents who stick together and continue communication with their children fare better. It’s important during times of deployment that children communicate with parents who might be far away, by email, telephone, regular mail and other means of communication.

A military child deals with the pressure of moving every three or four years. Adessa recommends keeping a consistent routine with the child that involves foods, games and stories to which the child has become accustomed.

“They need to have that kind of consistency or connection...to ease the transition,” he said. Child Abuse Prevention Month aims to bring awareness of the problem through a proactive approach, said Adessa.

“A lot of people just don’t realize how child abuse and neglect impacts our future heroes and children that are going to be taking our place one of these days,” he said.

“The goal is to bring to the forefront that child abuse is a national problem,” said Adessa. “Do what you can to help prevent child abuse...[and] don’t be afraid to seek help. The help is confidential.”

For related news, visit the Commander, Navy Region Hawaii Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cnrh.

Uncle of Orphaned Boy Says Mahalo "An eleven-year-old boy from Illinois orphaned by a giant wave will be heading home next week with his uncle. Daniel Hantack's parents died when they were swept into the ocean on Thursday at Kauai's Lumahai Beach.
Daniel's uncle, Gary Hantack, says he is overwhelemed by the kindness and the support that the people of Hawaii have shown him and his nephew. Gary is the twin brother of Daniel's father. Gary and his wife have four children and they plan on taking care of Daniel, with the help of Daniel's grandparents. "

Kauai Condo Crisis
Rising prices are fueling speculation

By Eddy Conway



When the spirits ruled this island centuries ago, the people worshipped Hiaka, the god of the mountain. Today, the gaze of Kauai's residents is raised heavenward by the lofty prices for condominiums.

In an era in the Hawaiian Islands when few things are more precious than a single-family home on Maui, condos on Kauai are also remarkably dear. Once priced at about two-thirds the cost of a home, a Kauai condo in January 2004 cost about 94 percent of a single-family home, according to the Hawaii Information Service, which tracks realty prices on Kauai. The median condo price was $362,000, and headed upward.

"The Kauai market is just booming right now," says Ryan Harada, a vice president of Central Pacific Bank. He wrote a loan for Plantation at Princeville, 68 units, which broke ground in November, and sold its last unit four months in late February. "The other two projects, Villas of Kamalii and Villas on the Prince, sold just as fast. They actually resold some units before the units were finished," he says.

Speculating in resort condos or residential condos is the new realty game on Kauai. Last July, Dana Newquist and Andrea Eltinge of Santa Barbara bought a resort townhouse in a new condo at Villas of Kamalii, in Princeville. The couple paid $430,000 for the second home, but "our plans changed," explains Newquist, from Santa Barbara. Never occupied, the condo immediately went back on the market, where it has been listed for seven months at $570,000, a markup of $140,000.


Illustration: Mike Austin

"The condos have taken off, but so has everything else on this island," reports county tax assessor John Herring. "I see spec buying right now, I see people buying and selling in three months and turning $60,000. This is a seller's market, and the sellers will increase their list price and sit on their listing until they get their price.

"This trend started back in late '96 and early '97 - all types of property started to escalate … In my opinion, we are in the sixth year of an appreciating market. I don't believe the local people living here, including myself, can pay that price."

Between January 2003 and January 2004, the median condo price was up 57 percent, according to figures from the Hawaii Information Service. Specialists in the condo market, such as Realtor Phil Fudge, tell stories of 50 percent and 100 percent appreciation on some units in a year or two. Resort and time-share condos have become so lucrative that only one-third or one-fourth of about 4,000 condos on Kauai are now actually "residential," Fudge says.

"Some condos converted to vacation rentals and time-shares," explains Bill Spitz, an economic development specialist for Kauai County. "That takes them off the residential market, and puts further pressure on residential rentals and prices. Rents have really experienced an uptick in the last year."

Most of the condo projects now under construction are for resort rather than residential use. A busy hotel market on Kauai contributes to pressure for more resort units. Searchers for residential condos find few advertisements. High demand from Mainland buyers, a low inventory and blurring definitions make condo shopping on Kauai an adventure in a new condo-language.

Patty Serdu, who wades among the incoming tide of buyers as the branch manager at First Hawaii Title, takes a break from paperwork for a $960,000 condo to confirm the prices claimed by Realtors. "The minute they come on the market, they're sold," she says. "We get a lot of second homes. We had one sale that occurred on the first day the unit was listed. It's just nuts."

The glee in realty offices is tempered by concern at City Hall. "Condos have higher value to owners as a vacation rental or, I guess, as a timeshare," says Kauai County councilmember JoAnn Yukimura. "They are not in the affordable range for people who live and work on this island. … Many people who grew up here are having a hard time finding houses to live in. They are living with their parents, or they are moving off island. They are paying far more than 30 percent of their income for housing costs. I don't think public officials have foreseen the crisis - but it is here."

Meeting gathers suggestions for rules on surfing schools
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer

Surf school zones, an ocean management plan, student-teacher ratios, or an outright ban on surf school operations were among the solutions suggested by residents at a public meeting held last night to discuss a surf school at the popular Tonggs break near the Kaimana/ San Souci beach.

About 40 people gathered at Jefferson Elementary School to consider public safety, protecting natural resources and concerns about disruptions to the neighborhood.

Information gathered at the meeting will be used as a basis for recommendations for new rules on surf schools. State officials with the Department of Land and Natural Resources will submit the recommendations to the state land board.

Some of the rules may apply to surf schools statewide, from Hale'iwa to Hanalei, but others would be specific to Kaimana Beach, said Steve Thompson, acting administrator of the DLNR boating division.

"We're constantly trying to weigh the competing interests," Thompson said.

"These are issues we face everywhere — it's happening in all areas."

The issues discussed last night arose from complaints about the Hans Hedemann Surf School, which has been giving surfing lessons out of the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel in Waikiki for nine years. Neighboring residents want the school to be banned there.

"I'm hoping that good policy comes out of this," said Bob Gentry, a resident of the beachfront community called the Gold Coast. "The issue is what ocean use is appropriate in certain areas."

Residents of condominiums fronting the popular surf break Tonggs, where many of Hedemann's students catch their first wave, were the most vocal in their opposition to any type of commercial venture operating at Kaimana Beach.

"The commercial aspect of surfing is the issue," said Hedemann. "I'm here to try to resolve the community's concerns."

For the past three months, the state has been considering whether to revise rules governing surf schools by changing the licensing requirements, requiring insurance that leaves the state and neighboring property owners blameless in case of injury and having instructors teach the students surf etiquette.

The purpose of last night's meeting, a follow-up to a January meeting, was to seek proposed solutions and new testimony that will help decide whether — and how — rules enacted more than a decade ago need to be updated.

"I think the right solution is to just ban surfing schools to the waters kokohead of the Elks Club," said Richard Quinn, a Gold Coast resident. "It's an issue of safety."

But Peter Cole, who represented the Surfrider Foundation's O'ahu Chapter, reminded residents that surfing is a part of Hawai'i's culture and that there are few places were the surf is small enough for learners and that access to the break is a long paddle away.

"We have to have a compromise on the issue at hand," Cole said. "This is the best place in the general area for a surf school. We need to accept that."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.