Infantry heart,
sole of ArmyTHE Navy has been getting the lion's share of publicity of late, thanks to the arrival of the Mighty Mo and its taking up residence within shouting distance of the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. But make way for the grunts of the U.S. Army. Retired Gen. Fred Weyand, who's now working with Campbell Estate in the First Hawaiian Bank Building downtown, has just received a prestigious award. He was one of two distinguished Army infantrymen to be awarded the Doughboy Award, the highest honor bestowed by the infantry, and given once a year to an officer and enlisted infantrymen who've distinguished themselves through service and contributions to the Infantry. Said Weyand at the awards ceremony at Fort Benning, "It means a great deal to me to receive this award because I have been Infantry in three wars and to have this kind of recognition at the end of my career is like the frosting on the cake." He called the Infantry, "the heart and soul of the Army in my book." ...
THEY don't make movie musicals like they used to. In fact, except for cartoons, they hardly make them at all. But if you recall the good old days, you'll remember George Chakiris, who starred with Natalie Wood in the legendary "West Side Story." Chakiris has been spending some time in Lahaina before returning to L.A. to work on the film version of another classic musical. Or so he said as he stopped by Celebrities Gallery to admire the artwork of late Italian film director Federico Fellini, currently featured there. Also stopping by the Front Street gallery was Christopher Cross, who might rather be sailing, but was taking time off to admire the artwork of his longtime pal Graham Nash of Crosby Stills Nash and Young ...
The Red Coates are coming
LEAVE it to Brad Coates, voted by two publications as "best divorce lawyer" in Honolulu, to send out "Happy Independence Day" cards. (Do these just go out to divorced people?) It shows Coates flying through the air, having been shot out of a cannon by partner Greg Frey and others on their staff. Oddly enough, although I guess they're supposed to be Minutemen, they're all wearing red coats. For those who think ahead, the card also plugs fall as the publication date of Coates' new book, "Divorce with Decency."IT'S not all that unusual for magazine publishers to talk to one another, usually by phone and occasionally from their cars. But rarely from their cars without using a phone. But that's what took place between Jim Cook of Hawaii Remodeling and Kim Jacobsen of Hawaii Business. They hadn't seen each other in about 10 years, but when they were caught in the same traffic jam on Beretania the other day, they lowered their windows and chatted for about half an hour as they crept side by side through three traffic lights. One thing they discussed was the upcoming sailboat race with 75 boats heading from San Francisco to Kaneohe. Cook is on-shore coordinator for the race and Jacobsen's providing informational material on Hawaii to the entrants ...
Chet the Jet
THIS weekend Chet "The Jet" Blanton will run 100 miles around Kapiolani Park, figuring it'll take him around 24 hours. Why is he doing this, you ask? Chet's training to become the first and only person to do the world's longest triathlon, the Double Deca Ironman. That consists of a 48-mile swim, 2,240-mile bike race and a 52.4-mile run. This weekend he plans to complete his run at Cheeseburger in Paradise where he'll have "Double Decas" galore ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.