Hawaii
1970: Gov. Burns has finger
on pulse of election talliesIF there was any doubt about the political acumen of Gov. John Burns, let it be put to rest now. Not only did he confidently best Tom Gill by a surprising margin, but almost called the votes island by island. On Maui last week, the governor told a campaign rally, "Hawaii is made up of eight islands -- six of them inhabited." Most census takers have found inhabitants on seven of the islands, but Gov. Burns may have been talking about supporters. On Niihau, the seventh inhabited island, the governor got nary one vote out of the 66 cast. (Oct. 5, 1970) ...
THE plans for developer Chris Hemmeter's 40th birthday party on Saturday are complete. The party, to be held at a private Nuuanu estate, will feature three main stages. The American stage will feature hot dogs and the like and have a Dixieland band. The Polynesian stage will have Hawaiian food and entertainment, and the third area has a European-Continental theme with appropriate Epicurean delights. Gov. & Mrs. George Ariyoshi are among the 500 isle heavyweights who'll be joined by a couple of dozen mainland pals of Hemmeter, including some cronies from his World Football League days. (Oct. 4, 1979) ...
THOUGH he generally stays away from jazz when he's in the midst of a classical music tour, Wynton Marsalis, the multi-talented trumpet player, dropped by Trappers after his concert with the Honolulu Symphony and jammed with Jimmy Borges through two sets. Marsalis told Borges it was his first jazz session in three months and he had particularly flattering words for Junior Choy, the trumpeter who performs nightly with the Betty Loo Taylor group behind Borges. Marsalis said he's returning to the islands in April, and would jam with J.B. again. (Oct. 4, 1984) ...
MILICI/VALENTI staffers got a memo from president Frank Valenti which read, "We have a three-day holiday coming up. Next Monday is Founder's Day. This is not to be confused with taking a holiday in (Ray Milici's) honor as founder of M/V. What it really means is that we are celebrating Columbus Day (Oct. 12) a few days early. Some bureaucrat decided to change the name of the day and move it. Everyone gets this day off unless he or she is a smart-hyphen you-know-what who thinks Leif what's-his-name or some other cat like Amerigo Vespuci founded the Big Big Island..." You get the idea Valenti's Italian? (Oct. 5, 1984) ...
PATRIOT Bill Bohan spotted a license plate holder with the message, "Get with the Spirit of America." Fine, except it was on a Honda! Bohan appreciates the sentiment, if not the car it was on -- he's with Honolulu Ford. (Oct. 4, 1985) ... It's turned out to be quite a cozy honeymoon after all for San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan and his bride, Wendy Paskin. The two ended up staying in David Murdock's suite at the Lodge at Koele on Lanai, ferrying to Maui to play golf and returning to the romantic luxury that is the Lodge. Paskin flew in a day or two before the busy mayor and was spotted dining her first night here at Sunset Grill with local pal Mike Vasconcellos, a unique way to kick off a honeymoon. (Sept. 30, 1992) ...
NEARLY everyone in Hawaii knows that Chad Rowan became the first Hawaii sumo wrestler to attain the title of yokuzuna, or grand champion, under the name Akebono. But have you heard of Riley Lee? He's a former isle resident who attended Roosevelt High and has appeared with both the Boston Symphony and the Japan Philharmonic. Why the latter? Lee is one of the few Westerners who has mastered the shakuhachi, Japan's classical bamboo flute. He is the first non-Japanese to attend the rank of grand master. He'll demonstrate his artistry as part of the Lodge at Koele's visiting artist program on Oct. 17. (Sept. 30, 1993) ...
The Week That Was recalls events culled from Dave Donnelly's three-dot columns over the past 30 years. Donnelly continues to write his Hawaii column Tuesdays through Fridays in the Star-Bulletin.
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com