Dogs kill 15 laysan albatross in Kilauea

KILAUEA, Hawaii (AP) _ At least two dogs sneaked into a protected breeding area for laysan albatross on Kauai and killed 15 of the birds.
Officials believe the dogs infiltrated Na Aina Kai Tropical Botanical Gardens Tuesday night through a hole in a fence opened by beachgoers seeking a shortcut.
Laysan albatross are not endangered but are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Brenda Zaun is a biologist for the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service.
She says the loss of 15 birds is serious considering the park only has 200 nesting pairs per year.
But Zaun was perhaps most upset with the hole in the fence.
She says the end of the fence had been pulled back by people trespassing onto that property from the beachside.
She says trespassers allow predators a way in when they alter the fence around the garden.

Kauai man who aided others now needs help

A fundraiser will be held for a volunteer injured in a crash
By Tom Finnegan

KAPAA, Kauai » Robert Nuesca used to spread aloha as an entertainer and share his knowledge as a football and baseball coach with youngsters.
These days, he and his family are just trying to survive, eight months after a traffic accident took his parents' lives and left him a paraplegic and unable to communicate.

HOW TO DONATE
Donations are being accepted at any Central Pacific Bank branch throughout the state, via Paypal online at www.paypal.com (account nuescabenefit@gmail.com), or via mail at Robert Nuesca Benefit Fundraiser, c/o Colette Nagao, P.O. Box 324, Lihue 96766.

"Rob and (his wife) Mercy have a connection with almost everyone on the island," said family friend Kathy Freire. "They are such wonderful people."
Now, after giving of himself so freely, Nuesca and his family are asking for a little kokua.
On July 1, the family will hold an all-day event at the Aloha Church in Lihue, complete with entertainment, a paintball tournament, luau dinner, silent auction and booths for food and games.
They hope to raise at least $50,000 to repair and renovate the Nuesca family home in Anahola so Nuesca, 38, can get the 24-hour care he needs and make his wife and their four kids' lives a little easier.
Robert's wife, Mercy, has become the sole supporter for the family, while son Rylan, 17, a recent Kapaa High School graduate, has put his own plans on hold to help out, Freire added.
"The basic physical needs we want to help meet," she said. The close-knit family is "trying not to look back" and remain positive.
Jameel Ramirez, the driver of the car that crossed the center line of Kuhio Highway near Kapaia and hit the Nuescas' vehicle in October 2005, was arrested for manslaughter earlier this week.
Ramirez did not own the car, though, and did not have insurance to cover the accident.
An accident that left Robert Nuesca a paraplegic and unable to communicate drastically changed his family.
Robert's parents, Helene "Lei," and "Uncle" Louie Nuesca, who moved from the Halawa area years ago, both died in the crash.
They were well-known throughout the Kauai community, both for their volunteer work and for Uncle Louie's work in security at Wilcox Hospital.
Robert also was a volunteer coach for the local Pop Warner football teams and the Kapaa High School junior varsity football team, as well as for little league baseball teams in the area. He's an entertainer by trade, most notably with Uncle Larry Rivera's luau show.
It's not a surprise then, that entertainers will be traveling in from around the state for the benefit, with groups pledging to play from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., and others waiting in the wings to help.
Otherwise, "we need pretty much everything and anything at this point," said Freire.
Volunteers are needed to tend booths, while a couple of pop-up tents are still needed. Freire said any new items for the silent auction, as well as cooking ingredients and country store items, would also be greatly appreciated.
"Everyone is pitching in,' she added. "It's been a complete outpouring. A lot of people have called, saying, 'I just want to help.'"
Admission is free, with a charge for games, activities and food. To compete in paintball costs $35 per person (three-person teams).
For more information, call Kathy Freire at (808) 651-9023.

Navy Ship Shoots Down Missile Launched From Kauai

The U.S. Navy said it shot down a medium-range missile warhead above the earth's atmosphere Thursday in the latest test of the nation's missile defense program.

The USS Shiloh detected a medium-range target after it was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii, then fired a Standard Missile-3 interceptor.

The Missile Defense Agency said the interceptor shot down the target warhead after it separated from its rocket booster. The missile was intercepted more than 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean and 250 miles northwest of the island of Kauai.

The Missile Defense Agency said the test had been scheduled for months and was not prompted by indications that North Korea was planning to test launch a long-range missile.

Pflueger gets permits to restore Kauai's streams

Businessman and landowner James Pflueger is applying for permits to restore several Kauai streams.
The state claimed the streams were damaged by illegally discharged storm water, which it said was caused by work done on Pflueger's property.
The state fined Pflueger, and as part of that fine he was ordered to spend five million dollars to repair the streams and prevent further discharge.
The state historic preservation division is concerned the restoration plan could damage several historic sites and is asking that an archaeologist conduct a field visit before any work is done.
The restoration plan has received the support of the state land department.

Kauai Missile Test Postponed

A missile test on Kauai today was called off because of a small boat that wandered into the firing zone.
If things had gone as scheduled, a missile would have been launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands on Kauai. It would have been tracked by radar and shot down by an interceptor missile.
"Each time before any given test, there is a notice that goes out to seamen and airmen that there is going to be a test taking place on such and such a day in such and such a window," said Chris Taylor from the public affairs office of the Missile Defense Agency. "It's so they will stay clear of the operating area. Somebody ventured in and they weren't going to make it through in time for the window that we had set for the test, so we just postponed it until tomorrow."
A military spokesperson says the interceptor test has been scheduled for months. The timing is not a reaction to recent reports that North Korea is ready to test a long-range missile.

Japanese ship to participate in U.S. missile test off Kauai

By Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.com

For the first time, a Japanese destroyer will participate in a U.S. anti-ballistic missile test off Kauai's Barking Sands facility today.
The Navy said the Japanese guided-missile destroyer Kirishima will be stationed off the Pacific Missile Range Facility, "performing long-range surveillance and tracking."
Today, the San Diego-based cruiser USS Shiloh will fire a Standard Missile 3 and try to intercept a drone missile midcourse in its flight northeast of Kauai fired from the facility.
It will be the eighth attempt at a missile intercept. Six of the previous seven flight tests had been successful with missiles fired from the Pearl Harbor-based cruiser USS Lake Erie.
Last month, the Lake Erie used a Standard Missile 3 to hit a drone missile in the last minutes of its flight.
In previous tests, the Lake Erie successfully intercepted target missiles as soon as they were launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility.
The interceptor is part of the Missile Defense Agency's multibillion-dollar program to protect the United States and its allies from an enemy missile attack.
Japan also participated in a March test when it provided the clamshell nose cone that was incorporated into the interceptor missile. That trial marked the first U.S. missile defense flight test using Japanese parts.
Today's test comes while the United States has activated its ground-based interceptor missile systems in Alaska and California because the North Koreans are said to be preparing to launch a Taepodong missile.
As part of the U.S. anti-ballistic missile shield, two Navy Aegis warships -- similar to the Lake Erie and the Shiloh -- are now patrolling the water near North Korea. However, these two destroyers are only equipped with sophisticated radar systems and do not have the interceptor missiles being tested on Kauai.
The Navy is installing missile tracking radar and intercept missiles on 18 of its Pacific Fleet warships, to be completed by 2009.
In today's test, the Shiloh will attempt to detect and track a missile fired from Barking Sands with its SPY-1B radar.
The North Korea Taepodong missile was first tested in 1998 over northern Japan.

Irish opihi fills gaps at isle tables

A Kauai company is importing the limpets from Ireland

By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com

WAILUKU » Noelani Josselin said she was with surfer friend Patrick Murphy in Ireland when they noticed a seabed of what looked like opihi as the sea receded at low tide.
They turned out to be a relative called limpets.
An old Irishman told them that residents no longer gathered and ate the "barnacs" as they did during the great famine when there were no sheep or cows.
"I was just so amazed there was just so much opihi," Josselin recalled. "My wheels started spinning and one thing led to another."
Josselin, owner of Kauai-based Island Opihi Co., is importing the opihi's Irish cousin -- about 1,000 pounds every two months -- and selling most of them to organizers of luaus.
"When they try it, they say, 'Wow, this is really good,'" Josselin said.
"We keep bringing more in."
The importation of the limpets comes when the Legislature has passed a bill to ban the commercial sale of opihi. The measure is sitting on Gov. Linda Lingle's desk. She has until Monday to tell lawmakers what bills she might veto.
Legislators say overharvesting has depleted opihi on Oahu and easily accessible areas on the neighbor islands.
Under state law, opihi shells must be at least 1.25 inches wide, or the meat must be at least a half-inch wide, to be legally harvested in Hawaii.
There are four main species of opihi found in the Hawaiian Islands, including the blackfoot Cellana exarata, also known as makaiauli and once the most common limpet in Hawaiian waters.
Other limpets include C. talcosa, known as the kneecap opihi; C. melanostoma, found on Kauai; and the popular yellowfoot C. sandwicensis, or alinalina, which is the preferred species for eating.
Josselin said the Irish cousin, Patella vulgata, closely resembles the yellowfoot C. sandwicensis.
Both the Irish and Hawaiian limpets have cap shells and grow on rocks along the shoreline.
Picking opihi in Hawaii can be dangerous because the limpets are often found along rocky cliffs and the roughest parts of the coastline where there are huge wave surges.
Josselin said pickers in Ireland also face ocean dangers, mainly from tides that can rise to 12 feet.
She said Irish people familiar with the ocean tides and certified as lifeguards pick the limpets for her company.
Her company has been selling the Irish limpets for $250 a gallon or 8 pounds, with each pound equivalent to about 120 to 130 limpets, she said.
Tamashiro Market on Oahu says that when opihi is available, it usually goes for $29.95 a pound.
Josselin, a former co-owner of A Pacific Cafe in South Maui, said while Japanese visitors seem to like the product, she has faced some challenges in expanding her market to mainland tourists and European-trained chefs unfamiliar with the preparation.
She has been working on a book of recipes.
Besides the traditional Hawaiian preparation of paa kai or Hawaiian salt, she adds various limu or seaweed, as well as other garnishes. There is limpets teriyaki style, with ginger, soy sauce and a little bit of chili and sugar.
She has prepared it European style with garlic and butter, and Filipino style with ginger, tomatoes, onions and patis boiled in a broth.
Her nouveau cuisine preparation includes the opihi in a green papaya and ogo salad with tomatoes

Funding bill offers $13.5M to aid isles

The legislation aims to fund repairs after harmful downpours
Associated Press

U.S. House and Senate negotiators agreed to spend about $11 million to repair Kuhio Highway on Kauai and roads on Oahu damaged by this year's foul weather.
The money is part of some $13.5 million earmarked for Hawaii in an emergency supplemental appropriations bill.
The measure also includes $2 million to analyze dams and reservoirs that might have been weakened by the torrential rain.
The legislation must be approved by the House and Senate before being sent to President Bush.
"I am disappointed that the recovery assistance is less than what the Senate had approved," U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, said Friday in a news release.
"But it was the firm decision of the Bush administration that this appropriations measure be devoted almost entirely for funding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for hurricane recovery along the Gulf Coast," Inouye said.
"While it was my desire that federal assistance reach the affected people of Hawaii as quickly as possible, it was clear that the Bush White House placed very little priority on Hawaii and other areas of the United States that experienced devastating natural disasters," he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued grants totaling more than $500,000 for individual assistance, and the Small Business Administration has approved more than $1.3 million in loans for homes and businesses, Inouye said.
"I am particularly interested in FEMA's commitment to stabilize Round Top Drive in Honolulu, including clearing the mudslide and debris, and reopening the road for the affected residents, as well as reimbursing the City and County of Honolulu for the emergency Beachwalk sewer line repair, which impacted the Ala Wai Canal and Waikiki beaches," he said.

Sense of discovery restored by Kauai trail

My family and I have been vacationing on the Hawaiian island of Kauai for almost every summer for the past 20 years, staying in sunny Poipu, located on the island's south shore. Nicknamed the garden island because of its lush vegetation, scenic mountain views and diverse landscape, Kauai has a reputation of being the most beautiful of all the Hawaiian islands.
We have done a number of activities on the island from taking snorkelling trips on the Na Pali coast, to renting surfboards at Kalapaki Bay -- even to cliff-jumping at Wailea Falls. For years I have wanted to hike the Kalalau trail, however, I could never convince anyone from my family to hike it with me. I heard the usual excuses from family members, including "It's too hot today, maybe tomorrow" to "I don't want to get my shoes muddy." Eventually I gave up asking, resigned to the fact I would never get the chance.
The Kalalau trail is located on the island's north shore, at the end of Highway 56, and follows an ancient route that once linked earlier Hawaiian settlements along the coastline. Originally built in the late 1800s, the trail is 18 kilometres and rated by the Sierra Club as among the most difficult in the United States. However, the trail can be divided into sections. The first 3.2-kilometre section, which leads to Hanakapi'ai beach, is moderate in difficulty and is a popular day hike with tourists.
Last summer my aunt and uncle, along with my three cousins, joined us in vacationing on Kauai. Fortunately for me, my uncle and cousins shared my sense of adventure and enjoyment of hiking and we made plans to hike the first 3.2 kilometres.
It was recommended to us by a tour guide to leave early in order to avoid the crowds and the hot midday sun. On the day of the hike we pulled our rental car on to the highway at 6:30 in the morning, and even at that early time the sun was already shining bright.
The drive from Poipu north to K'ee Beach where the trail begins took around an hour and a half and was an incredibly scenic drive.
After stopping at the picturesque town of Hanalei for breakfast, we proceeded to make our way slowly along the two-way highway and series of seven one-way bridges that lead to Ke'e beach, where the trail begins.
After parking the car and changing into our hiking boots we set off along the trail. Hiking for just 15 minutes along a steep incline, we stopped at a lookout point that provided an amazing view of the beach below. As we peered into the distance we could make out the tiny figures sunbathing and snorkelling in the water.
As we continued on we received our first sight of the breathtaking Na Pali cliffs, which extend upwards of 300 metres from the turquoise blue water of the Pacific Ocean. As we continued on, we made our way up and down mountain valleys, through running creek beds, passing diverse vegetation, including banana, guava plant and orchids.
The trail is located in one of the wettest regions in the world; nearby Mount Waialeale receives on average more than 1,150 centimetres of rain a year. As a result, frequent rain showers can leave the trail muddy and slippery. We fell several times, which left our backsides covered in Kauai's famous red dirt mud.
After hiking for two hours we made it to Hanakapi'ai beach, where we stopped for lunch. The beach is one the most beautiful on the island, with its white sand and inviting water. However, it is recommended that you should not swim at the beach, as there is an extremely powerful undertow and currents.
On the way back to Ke'e beach, the trail was crowded with tourists going the opposite way. Some brave individuals were attempting the hike with only sandals on. After making it back to the lookout point we saw an unbelievable sight. A local hunter was carrying a wild boar on his back. He had caught the boar farther up the trail and was carrying it back to his car for dinner later that night.
After making it back to the car we went swimming at Ke'e Beach. After the four-hour hike it was great to jump into the 21 C water and cool down.
The hike was much more strenuous than we had anticipated, but was worth the spectacular views, and everyone felt a sense of accomplishment after completing it. The hike provided me with a sense of discovery on an island on which I had thought I had done everything. After showing my parents the pictures we had taken with the digital camera they were amazed by the sights.
Next year I might even try to convince them to try the full 18 kilometres with me."

Hawaiian monk seal born on North Shore of Oahu

HONOLULU (AP) _ An adult female Hawaiian monk seal has given birth to the first pup born on Oahu in eight years.
The baby monk seal was born on a remote North Shore beach around June first.
David Schofield at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the mother is the same seal who gave birth to a pup on Kauai last year.
Officials are not revealing the beach's location because it could disturb the pup and the mother.
Schofield says people had already started to take pictures, and the sound of the shutter made the mother look up.
If the mother is bothered, she might stop nursing or bite people who get too close.
A barrier has been placed around the nursing pair to prevent people from getting within 150 feet of them.
The Hawaiian monk seal population is estimated at around 12-hundred

Kauai bridge studied for traffic capacity

WAILUA, Kauai » A construction company is scheduled to load-test a former cane haul bridge in hopes that it can be expanded to handle more traffic over the Wailua River.
The bridge now handles one lane of traffic and is about 50 feet from a two-lane bridge. County officials hope to add a second lane for vehicles and a bicycle lane to the former cane haul bridge.

For the next three weekends, the bridge will be closed from 7 a.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday. Workers are scheduled to incrementally put 10 tons at a time in three different locations on the cane haul bridge, officials said.

Kauai Mayor Bryan Baptiste said that the two-lane bridge is part of the $17 million project to alleviate traffic on the Garden Isle, particularly through the normally congested Kapaa/Wailua corridor.

If the cane haul pilings can hold the weight of another lane, an Acro-type bridge and a bike lane will be constructed, with the project scheduled to be completed in 2007, Baptiste said.

Remains Found Belong to Kauai Teen

The remains that washed up on a Kauai beach last month have been identified as belonging to a Kapaa High School senior who was swept out into the ocean.
Test results show the remains are those of 17-year-old John Dacuycuy. Last month he was swimming with friends at Nukolii Beach when he got caught in a current and was pulled under.
His remains washed up on shore a day later and were flown to the mainland for testing.
Dacuycuy died the same day 9-year-old tyler white of colorado drowned at anahola bay. His body has not been found. White's mother died trying to rescue him"

Chlorine fishing prompts 5 arrests

"Four men and a boy were arrested Sunday off Niihau for illegal use of chlorine bleach for fishing, Kauai police and the state officials said yesterday.
The five from South Kauai's Lawai-Omao area put bleach in a plastic bag in a hole in the reef, then popped it so the chlorine would drive fish out of holes and into their gillnet, Kauai police told the Star-Bulletin.
The Kauai residents were released pending investigation, while a boat, truck, gear, fish, lobsters and other items were seized as evidence, a Department of Land and Natural Resources news release said.
"Using chemicals isn't fishing," DLNR Director Peter Young said in the release. "It is destruction of marine resources and could pose a threat to human health and safety. It is unconscionable."
"Ethical fisherman would never consider destroying part of a living, productive reef system to take marine resources," he said.
Use of any poisonous chlorinelike substances near the water where aquatic life can be taken or aboard any fishing vessel or boat in Hawaii is a Class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Convicted offenders can be required to pay restitution and could forfeit their boat and gear.
Additional charges in this case are pending, the DLNR said.

Hurricane season begins in Hawai'i

HONOLULU (AP) _ Weather and emergency experts are warning Hawaii residents to prepare for hurricane season, which began June 1st.

A below-average number of tropical cyclones are expected in the Central Pacific this year, but officials warn that it only takes one cyclone to wreak havoc.

Jim Weyman at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center says residents shouldn't believe the myths that Kauai is the only island at risk, or that they would be protected by the Big Island's mountains.

Weyman says all the islands are at equal risk. Mountains wouldn't slow a hurricane down.

Two or three tropical storms are expected to reach the Central Pacific this year. Usually, there are four or five storms in a hurricane season.

Hurricane season picks up in July, August and September.

Weyman says residents should prepare emergency kits with extra water, food, flashlights, a radio and other supplies.

Embrace the beauty of Kauai�s secluded garden

You won’t find it in many of the guidebooks, and you might even have trouble finding it when you are looking for it. Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens doesn’t advertise. This secluded tropical paradise is appropriately located on the North Shore of Kauai, Hawaii’s sparsely populated Garden Isle. Only 58,000 people live on the island and it is easy to understand how such a treasure could be kept secret in this beautiful place.
Nature and art intwined
If Joyce and Ed Doty hadn’t decided to open their property to the public, you wouldn’t even know that it exists. The gardens just grew out of Joyce’s love and imagination and Ed’s desire to fulfill his wife’s dreams. Together they have created a stunning exhibition worthy of any nature lover’s visit.
“In the beginning of Na ‘Aina Kai, the challenge of creating the landscape occupied my enthusiasm,” said founder Joyce Doty.
“Then, like a painter who feels his work is still not complete, I realized that these already bounteous gardens could become even more alive if the art and culture muses were to share this space with nature’s extraordinary artistic creations.”
The Dotys left their native California in 1979 for early retirement in the islands and found the present site. They built a house and settled down to enjoy life in their new home, but they were not your typical retired couple. Joyce’s love of nature and art was perfectly matched to Ed’s conservation and building skills, and together they created their gardens with care and artistry.
“Lands by the Sea” in Hawaiian, Na ‘Aina Kai is a collection of 13 diverse and thriving gardens, surrounded by a hardwood plantation of 60,000 tropical hardwood trees, all raised from seed on the property. The 240-acre preserve includes a moss and fern-draped canyon as well as a pristine, sandy beach bordering a green, sprawling meadow as it opens to the blue-green waters of the Pacific.
Avid collectors, Joyce and Ed soon filled their home with art and then turned to the grounds. More than 70 bronze sculptures, one of the United States’ largest collections, decorate the gardens and wild areas throughout this once-private estate. Their former residence is now available for special functions, now that the Dotys have built a new home not far away.
On secluded Napali Coast
The growth of tourism on Kauai has brought more visitors each year to the North Shore.
Lihue, the gateway city of Kauai, is only a 25-minute flight from Honolulu. From the airport, the Kuhio Highway runs along the eastern side of the island to the rugged Napali Coast and the 3,000 foot high cliffs made famous in movies like Jurassic Park and King Kong.
At mile marker 22, turn toward the coast on Wailapa Road. The gardens await at the end of a half mile of blacktop. There is a small sign on the main highway that you are more likely to notice when you leave, than when you arrive. Only six and a half miles further up Hawaii 56 (Kuhio Highway) is Princeville, a planned resort community, complete with luxury condos and hotels, high atop the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The gardens are only open for tours Tuesday through Friday and because all tours are escorted, reservations are recommended. Costs ($25-70) are a bit more than most gardens because of this, but the visit is well worth the investment.
Hiking enthusiasts should consider the five-hour tour including lunch, which is the most complete way to see this marvel. Guests with limited walking ability can also see much of the gardens on a covered riding tour that takes three hours.
Ample parking is available at the Orchid House Visitor Center and all tours depart from the center. Nearby is the newly developed “Under the Rainbow” Children’s Garden, designed for children under 13. Also close to the Visitor Center is The Bog House, where temperate and tropical carnivorous plants are on display, including butterworts and pitcher plants, as well as orchids and a maidenhair fern wet wall.
Another short walk reaches the primary gardens and the former Doty home. Shower Tree Park and Ka’ula Lagoon are first announced with “stunning red hibiscus, kukui and paperbark trees, firecracker flowers, and fiddlewood trees with their aromatic, miniscule flowers and orange berries. These and the billowing bouquets hanging from rainbow and golden shower trees, are but a few of the botanical delights that adorn this setting,” according to the gardens’ guide.
A splendid, cascading waterfall feeds the lagoon, home to 200 colorful koi and equally brilliant water lilies. Nearby a Japanese teahouse stands sentry above the magnificent display of water and tropical vegetation, accented with several sculptures. Varieties of palm trees, exotic flowering plants, cattails and papyrus surround the lagoon. Footbridges lead to an island with opportunities to observe even more closely the fountain statuary central to the landscape.
Bringing a drawing to life
The Poinciana Maze dominates the grounds between the lagoon and the former Doty residence. Topiaries and sculptures populate the pathways through the maze of colorful trees and flowers. This was the beginning of the formal gardens in 1989 when Ed managed to take a drawing by Joyce and bring to life what is seen today. An overlook, from a nearby gazebo, gives you an opportunity to appreciate the sprawling creation.
While the residence is reserved for special functions and is not on the tour, several notable statues adorn the natural pool setting to the left of the house and the Hillside Garden to the back of the home offers some beautiful views of the Pacific.
The return route to the Visitor Center provides an opportunity to experience the Palm Garden and International Desert Garden, where succulents and cacti have been imported from around the globe. Inspired by Joyce’s short residence in New Mexico during her youth, this section was developed in 1991.
The hardwood plantation is dominated by teak trees, the predominant hardwood raised at the Kilohana Plantation. A variety of hardwoods including cedar, blackwood, rosewood, sandalwood, and mahogany are raised on the grounds. Among the more than 20 hardwood species are several prized in the making of fine musical instruments — pau ferro is used to make violin bows and cocobolo is a favorite for carving woodwinds.
The Wild Forest Gardens are densely foliated around natural springs, streams and ponds as the terrain rolls downhill into a canyon, opening toward the sea. Bronzes still dot the natural trails bordering the hardwood forests and disappearing into shaded crevices that ultimately embrace the Pacific. One trail along the ridge of the canyon leads to the southern extremity of the plantation where a natural bird garden has been created and a Polynesian Gazebo offers a stunning view of Kaluakai Beach below.
For hardy hikers the Ridge Trail is an interesting choice. It winds its way down the side of the canyon, then along a small marsh and across a boardwalk to Makai Meadow. It is the site of many special events, and doorway to a picturesque sandy beach. Here you may see humpback whales breeching offshore during their annual trek to the islands. You may even see a Laysan albatross, with its massive wingspan, soar overhead during its half-year visit to lay eggs and raise its young.
Joyce and Ed had not planned to have the gardens open during their lifetime, but established a non-profit foundation to operate the gardens after they departed. They provided funding through the cultivation of the hardwood plantation, so as to protect their legacy. But Ed noted how much Joyce enjoyed showing off her gardens on those occasions when they opened it for special guests.
Finally, late in 1999, they decided to open it to the public. In February of 2000, Joyce hosted all of the artists at Na ‘Aina Kai to see how their work was being displayed in the natural gardens and was delighted by their appreciation for what the Dotys had created.
It is still a work in progress — for as long as Joyce and Ed are alive there will always be another project, another place for a statue, another plant to display. Their combined energies and daily regimen are part of the appreciation guests have for this special place. Their gift will always be an inspiration.
Any visit to Na ‘Aina Kai is an experience to remember, but the longer you have to fully grasp all that it offers, the better.

Home Grown

Small businesses of all sorts are sprouting on the Garden Isle as residents catch the entrepreneurship craze
By Jacy L. Youn
It was mid-April—a couple weeks after a seemingly never-ending bout of deadly heavy rainstorms tore through Kauai, leaving a national disaster and a distressed community in its wake—and it was clear, the island still hadn't recovered. Piles of debris littered the streets and sidewalks. Small boulders and fresh chunks of land lay resting alongside the mountains they had slid off. And outside the Kauai Marriott fronting Kalapaki Bay, the guest parking lot, formerly home to scores of rental cars, was full of yellow tractors removing heaps of mud.
Indoors, however, it was a completely different story. Sure, businesspeople and island leaders made small talk about how the rain had lasted an unprecedented 40 days and 40 nights. But it was clear that not even rains of biblical proportions could cast a shadow over the event that had brought them all together—the island's first-ever Small Business Expo, hosted by the Kauai Chamber of Commerce.
Inside the Puna Ballroom, where a healthy mix of retailers, financial institutions and small business-advocates exhibited goods and services from their respective booths, expo attendees were abuzz with business enthusiasm. People couldn't stop talking about what they'd learned in the workshop series, which focused on important issues such as employee recruitment and retention, workers' compensation and best practices. And others raved about the "notable" lineup of speakers, including the executive director of the Hawaii SBA, Jane Sawyer, director of the State's Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Nelson Befitel and leadership training guru Rosa Say, who gave the keynote address.
It was obviously a nice change of pace for island residents, as business replaced weather as the topic du jour, and people were reminded that, despite all the gloom and doom, the island is still very much open for business.
"The event really exceeded our expectations. We were expecting about 70 attendees, but ended up with about 100. Close to 200 [attended] the SBA awards dinner [which proceeded the event]. And the booths seemed to be a real big success," says Chamber of Commerce President Randy Francisco. "We're all really happy with the overall turnout. And I think it was encouraging to some people who may have been unsure about the opportunities that Kauai has to offer."
Francisco himself was once one of those people. Originally from Kauai, the Waimea High School graduate was one of many Kauaians who never returned to their island home after leaving for college. After attending the University of Hawaii, Francisco built a very successful career on Oahu, primarily developing work-force training and economic development initiatives within the UH system—but gave little thought to moving back home. And then one day, late last year, as Francisco thumbed through The Garden Island, he stumbled upon an article detailing the Chamber's search for a new president. It was a full-time, paid position, and Francisco's interest was piqued.
"I was away for about 30 years, and I began thinking about all the things I had done in work-force training and economic development and international education. The community as a whole here is facing so many challenges, and I thought about what an opportunity it was to bring all that knowledge and experience back home, and to do some good and make a difference," says Francisco.
FERTILE GROUND FOR SMALL BUSINESS: The Kauai Chamber of Commerce's first small business expo was a smashing success, according to Chamber President Randy Francisco
Little did he know, however, that through his efforts to learn about and address some of these community issues, he'd be gaining firsthand knowledge. "The chamber is a nonprofit, so I was expecting a salary cut from what I was accustomed to, and I was okay with that. But when one of the first questions I was asked [at the interview] was, 'Where are you going to live?' I had a feeling I was in trouble," he says, laughingly. Much to the relief of the board, Francisco had already decided he'd be moving back in with his father, which meant nominal rent, which meant salary was a non-issue. "I've never seen people's body languages go from that tense to that laid back, like theirs did when I told them housing wasn't an issue," Francisco says. Their overstated relief went to show just how big of an issue affordable housing is, when it comes to finding skilled workers on an island with an unbelievably low unemployment rate of 2.8 percent.
On the bright side of the unemployment issue, however, is that overall, there are more jobs available on the island. Many business owners say that's the reason they can't find qualified workers—because there are simply more jobs competing for them. And they're right. With all of the islands' major sectors (including real estate, tourism and everything in between) revving on full throttle—business on Kauai is booming.
A nice side effect of all this growth has been the development of smaller, niche industries, as well as a healthy number of new small businesses. The Hawaii Business Research Library shows just under 4,800 businesses currently registered on the island, however it's difficult to compare that figure to years past, since there are no agencies, government or otherwise, that cull business registration data on an annual basis for public consumption.
Nonetheless, evidence of growth is everywhere.
Susan Tai, Director of the Small Business Development Center of Kauai, says, "There's definitely an increasing trend toward entrepreneurship and small-business development here. We can tell because the number of client sessions we book with small-business owners has been on the increase, but as well, it's obvious just by driving around the island." It sure is. Everything from activity and tour companies to LA-style boutiques, have sprouted across Kauai, many of which weren't there the same time last year.
"The reasons we're seeing an increase in entrepreneurship are manifold," says Tai. "But I think one important factor is that the concept of self-sufficiency and independence—separating oneself from the staple of the economy, which is really tourism and hospitality—has really caught on here."
KEEPING IT LEVEL: Contracts with several car rental companies keep Next Level Customs' owner Daniel Decker busy painting cars year-round.
There Are a Lot of New Trucks on the Road
The ironic thing is that the very things these entrepreneurs seek to get away from are the very things enabling their newfound freedoms. "A lot of [these new businesses] are born from or touched by tourism. They're spider legs coming out of tourism," says Kauai Visitors Bureau Executive Director Sue Kanoho. "And while we're happy to see that growth in other industries, I think it's important for people not to forget what really the anchor and the cornerstone of the island is—tourism."
If anyone understands what Kanoho is getting at, it's Daniel Decker and spouses Myca and Kim Paglinawan. Decker and the Paglinawans own neighboring businesses in the industrial area of Puhi. Decker operates a small auto body and paint shop, Next Level Customs, while the Paglinawans run a paint distribution company, M&KP's Auto Refinishing Supplies. Neither business is one you'd immediately associate with the visitor industry, but both are quick to credit tourism for their healthy bottom lines. "There's so many tourists on the island, no matter where you go, you'll see a rent-a-car," says Kim. "I like it though. It brings us money."
On a slow year, the Paglinawans gross close to $250,000 in revenues annually distributing car paint. With no additional employees to cover, it makes for a nice, comfortable living for the couple and their 6-year-old son, Shaun. But Myca says money wasn't the motivating factor behind starting the business. Originally, he and Kim were working as flight attendants, and Myca was painting car parts on the side. After the post-9/11 flight cuts, it became difficult for the Paglinawans, who were living on Kauai and commuting to Oahu, to secure flights back home.
"The commute was getting too hard, and we weren't getting enough time with our son. So we brainstormed some ideas for starting a business. We thought about maybe opening a small auto body shop, but I didn't want to have to paint every day," says Myca. "But we did some research and found that there was a market for paint distribution, so we went with that."
And just like that, the Paglinawan's were in business. Their startup costs were minimal—just $20,000 out-of-pocket and a $50,000 SBA loan—but the rewards, they say, are enormous. "Now, if we have something to do with our son, we just close the shop, go and come right back," says Kim. "We have a lot more flexibility. Of course, we work a lot more, and we work year round. We don't take summer vacations." That's because summer is their busy season—the time when there are more tourists on the road, and therefore more fender benders.
Repairing rental cars, it turns out, is big business for small businesses on Kauai. M&KP client and neighbor Next Level Customs has contracts for repair work with four car rental companies on the island and is never at a loss for work. Proprietor Daniel Decker calls those contracts his "job security," for while his real passion is doing custom paint jobs, it's the rental car work that pays the bills. On any given month, Next Level Customs earns around $6,000 a month—or about 70 percent of its revenues—from contracts Decker has with rental car companies. "Tourism's doing good on Kauai, and that work definitely keeps me busy," he says.
True, tourism is booming. But if ever that end of the business ever drops off for Decker, he isn't going to have to look far for work. "The visitor industry is one example of a sector on Kauai that's doing well, but the economy's up across the board. And that means locals are spending. They're buying TVs and material culture things. And cars. Cars are one of the biggest indicators of Kauai's booming economy," says Francisco. "And I've been seeing a lot of new trucks on the road."