Kauai candidates rest up

KAPAA, Kauai » The campaigns for mayoral candidates Bernard Carvalho and JoAnn Yukimura took a breather yesterday before what is expected to be a fast-paced general election campaign.

The primary results, which knocked out councilman Mel Rapozo and Information Technician Rolf Beiber II, now pit a political neophyte against a former mayor in a race to complete the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste's term.

Carvalho finished with 40 percent of the vote, while Yukimura garnered 30 percent in Saturday's primary, which featured a turnout of 46 percent. Rapozo garnered 24 percent, and Beiber 4 percent.

Carvalho, 46, who was drafted by professional football's Miami Dolphins as a lineman in 1984 but never made the regular season roster, has been a county employee since returning to Kauai in 1985.

He's moved up the ranks steadily, and currently heads the Department of Parks and Recreation. He is on a leave of absence as he runs his campaign.

He took it easy yesterday and "recharged the batteries," said his campaign manager, Beth Tokioka. Today, she said, "we'll be cranking it back up to 100 mph."

Yukimura was 26 when she first ran for council in 1976 as the fresh-faced voice of a younger generation. Now, she's the experienced one after seven terms on the council and six years as mayor, from 1988 to 1994.