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Hawaii
YOU may not be able to join the veterans of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regiment in April when they re-visit the battlefields of Italy where many fought and died, but you can still participate. KHET will be producing a documentary of the visit, a tour put together by ex-TV reporter Bob Jones. He did a two-hour documentary of his own back in 1992 when vets visited the Italy battlefields. Producer and cameraman on this trip is Stuart Yamane, whose late father was in the 100th. KHET to film
vets in ItalyDuring the April visit, a monument to the Hawaii vets and other Americans who pushed the Germans out of their line of defense near the town of Pietrasanta will be unveiled. The face on the statue will be that of PFC Sadao Munemori of the 100th, who died during the battle. Aiding Jones and his group will be longtime Italy resident George Watanabe, Hilo High Class of '53. Hard to say who'll be the oldest on the trip but the youngest will be 4-year-old Jodi Saito ... HE'LL never be Tiger Woods -- hell, who will? -- but Mayor Jeremy Harris was hitting long and straight down the fairway during the USS Missouri Memorial Golf Tournament. It didn't hurt that he was getting tips from playing partner David Ishii, a pro. Ishii also had some putting suggestions for another member of the foursome, singer Jimmy Borges, and it helped him enough that he won top honors in the "B" flight with a 66. Still, he lost a friendly $5 wager to old pal Diane Plotts, who carded a 64. How did Borges get paired with the mayor? It might have something to do with the fact Harris' executive secretary sleeps with the singer. She's his wife, Vicky Borges ...
No more competition
ONCE competitors, though longtime friends, Ron Cruger and Bill Paul reunited recently in San Diego. Cruger, who retired as publisher of This Week Magazine, now lives in Carmel Valley Ranch. Paul is retired as publisher of the now defunct Waikiki Beach Press, though he still resides in Hawaii. But during Paul's mainland vacation, the two reunited. They're lifelong friends, both growing up in Inglewood, Calif., and competing against each other in baseball, football and basketball before moving to Hawaii to compete in publishing. They celebrated a half century of friendship at the appropriately named Islands Restaurant ... IT was a surprise for Dr. Arthur Wong when he and wife Melissa booked a room at the Kahala Mandarin so her parents could celebrate their 60th anniversary over Chinese New Year. They were thrilled to find that G.M. Jan Goessing had put the couple, Walter and Woodie Young, into the presidential suite. A cake and leis were presented to the couple, courtesy of Goessing. The Youngs' anniversary isn't until July, but she's suffering a rare form of cancer and they didn't want to risk not being able to celebrate No. 60. Goessing made sure they celebrated in style ...
Living in Zin
LEST the atmosphere get too continental at HPR's 14th annual wine event March 5 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Tapa Ballroom, there'll be a touch of Hawaiiana. Slack-key artist George Kuo agreed to volunteer his talent for the second year in a row both as a supporter of HPR and a wine aficionado. Zin-ful pleasures await those wanting to taste or buy. Master Sommelier ChuckFuruya said he has rarely been so impressed over the quality of wines to be auctioned. Call 955-8821 ...
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: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com