Ozawa at helm of Econ Board
THE economy is on just about everyone's mind these days, and there are developments both large and small taking place at the Oahu Economic Development Board. It's a big move for Debra Ozawa, who's joined the board as its new V.P. of Operations just in time for exec director Bernice Bowers to ready for an operation of her own. She's been in the development stage for nearly nine months now and has finally taken maternity leave to prepare to introduce Hawaii's newest business entrepreneur into the islands. But before taking that step, she saw to it that Ozawa was in position to handle the responsibilities of running the organization ...
AFTER his first visit to a doctor in 38 years ended up with his being rushed to the operating room for a heart bypass, Russell Druce has recovered enough to return to work handling Fred Livingston's restaurants. He's spending the bulk of his time at Matteo's, which can't be easy for a guy who's under new dietary restraints and an exercise regimen ... Bernard Agache, who once ran the Westin Wailea and most recently was with Westin in Singapore, has left that chain to slip into one of the top hotel slots in Hawaii, that of G.M. of the Kahala Mandarin. He takes over there June 1 ...
Musical theme is healing
MUSIC and healing is the unspoken theme of the program at Orvis Auditorium Saturday night when the Debussy Trio performs for the Honolulu Chamber Music Series. Among the works is Debussy's Sonata, which broke a long writer's block brought on by the composer's cancer and the horrors of World War I in France. Then, 80 years later, Grammy-winning jazz composer Lyle Mays composed a more hopeful piece on the healing powers of drug therapy. His "Twelve Days in the Shadow of a Miracle" is based on a friend's recovery from the rigors of Parkinson's Disease ...IF you believe everything you read, Diamond Head Theatre was looking for a well-heeled chap to play Manny, the pianist, in the production of "Master Class." An audition notice stated, "Candidates for Manny should come prepared to pay for singers..." ... If you're a size 2 and want to celebrate the Oscars in style, visit Sears. No, not the department store, but Kelsey Sears of The Ultimate You. She scored the drop-dead golden gown that Goldie Hawn wore two years ago to accept her Oscar for "The First Wives Club." ...
IN trying to make New Englanders forget how brutal the weather can be there, The Boston Globe ran a front page photo of a fellow surfing in waves off Nantasket Beach in February. He was identified as Thomas Noda from Hawaii, a student at U.Mass. What do you want to bet he'd rather be on the North Shore? ... They're expecting a Prowler at Cutter Dodge on Dillingham tomorrow afternoon. That's when the first Dodge Prowler will be unveiled. It's described as a "retro-style roadster" and it does have that look of the sporty past ...
Spring is in the air
ALA Moana Center's annual Spring Festival is expanding from a weekend to a full week this year and the center is being decked out with elaborate floral arrangements and other spring-themed decor. TV set designer Rick Romer ("Five-O," "Magnum" "Jake & the Fatman") is creating the designs and feels he's off to a good start. He went to Eagle Hardware to pick up some huge flower pots for the event, and on the way back one pot flew out, rolled and bounced along the freeway. He retrieved it and found not a scratch. Good omen? We'll see ...
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.