Hawaii
Wallet-divers awarded
with koa clocksBACK in the days when I first arrived in Hawaii in the '50s, it was a common sight, seeing boys (and probably a few girls) diving for coins in Honolulu Harbor. The coins were tossed over the side by passengers on the luxury Matson liners, just to see the kids diving, emerging with quarters between their teeth. But now we have something new -- diving for wallets! An isle visitor accidentally dropped his wallet into the Harbor off the Aloha Tower Marketplace the other day, and two security personnel took it upon themselves to retrieve it. Officers Laura Fields and Martin James, after numerous dives, successfully retrieved the wallet, much to the relief of the owner. Aloha Tower Marketplace showed its appreciation by presenting the officers with koa-wood Aloha Tower clocks, for visitor accommodation beyond the call ...
THE item here about running into (and not recognizing) my old UH philosophy instructor, Dr. Harold McCarthy, the man who introduced me 44 years ago to the works of Samuel Beckett, which I still love, has inspired this e-mail: "Your recent column mentioning Professor McCarthy brought back a flood of memories. I also had him as a professor at UH in the '50s. One of the things I remember about him was his insistence that you should only hang original art work on your walls. Forty-plus years later I look around my home to discover everything hanging is an original art work! I always look forward to reading your column electronically since I live in Northern Virginia." It's signed by Darlene Strange ...
Stoned in Japan
YOU may recall the item here about ex-isle DJ Kamasami Kong, now on the air in Osaka, Japan, emceeing a party for a visiting Paul McCartney and his party at the hotel he calls home, the Ritz-Carlton Osaka. Now the hotel's GM, Octavio Gamarra (formerly GM of the Ritz-Carlton Maui) has asked him to handle similar duties for another group of guests, the Rolling Stones. Kong (a k a Bob Zix) has been asked to assemble whatever they need to party, hoping it's not Geritol and bran. The Stones checked in yesterday and will be doing two giant concerts at the Osaka Dome ...FORMER KHNL news reporter Nancy Weiner has of late been working for the ABC affiliate in Washington, WJLA-TV, but now she's been hired as a correspondent for NewsOne and assigned to the Washington office. Weiner is no Nancy-Come-Lately. The Kauai product graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania and in 1999 earned her master's degree in public affairs at Princeton ...
Eat, drink and come early
THE Great Hawaiian Luau, sponsored by KINE, is so big it's being held at the Blaisdell Center Saturday night with entertainment galore by the Makaha Sons, Na Palapalai, Ho'okena, Mel Cabang, Frank DeLima, the Brothers Cazimero and more. The list of food on the luau list is even longer. Five hours have been set aside for all the festivities, with doors opening at 5 p.m. ... Parking should be at a premium Saturday, what with the great Bobby McFerrin appearing next door at the Concert Hall ...
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