Gov softens up,
tells S-B staff:
I feel your pain

Last month, Gov. Ben Cayetano told a roomful of journalists he couldn't care less if Honolulu had one or two daily newspapers. Now that the 117-year-old Honolulu Star-Bulletin is closing on Oct. 30, his position has softened -- a little.

Responding to questions from media last week about the afternoon paper's demise, Cayetano said he feels badly for its staff.

"The Star-Bulletin has many, many good features about it. I thought that the reporting in their sports page, features and business was excellent. I differed with their editorial reporting.

"But those guys are going to find jobs. I'm just very, very concerned and willing to do anything I can to help the reporters and staff," he said.

GOP MEETING: The Republican Party of Hawaii meets this Saturday at the Kuapa Isle Clubhouse to hear from Pacific Business News reporter Malia Zimmerman on her reporting of the 1998 state general elections.

Members of the 15th and 16th House districts are urged to attend the 8 a.m. meeting.

BEN & 'BAYWATCH': "Baywatch Hawaii" premiered this past weekend, but don't expect Gov. Ben Cayetano to reprise his role as governor of Hawaii on the syndicated action/adventure series. Cayetano makes a cameo appearance in one episode set to air later this season.

The governor said his impression of "Baywatch" is that you don't need a lot of acting talent.

"We were not doing 'Saving Private Ryan' or 'Shakespeare in Love.' When I watched the scenes, it was a pretty hang-loose kind of operation," Cayetano said.

"But it works and they've been very, very successful."