ALL-STAR

Victory for Victorino

Maui boy Shane Victorino, the slugger for the Philadelphia Phillies, rode a wave of votes to find himself in this year's All-Star Game.

Perhaps it could be chalked up to the Jasmine Trias effect—e-mailers from Hawaii jamming the ballot box. But no matter, the baseball great is well-deserving of the honor, and we wish him luck in tomorrow's game.

SHORTFALL

When savings aren't really savings

Amid the budget-cutting details from the Department of Education: Closing Wailupe Valley School saved $630,000. That's nearly 22 percent less than the $800,000 in potential savings continually cited as DOE officials pushed to shutter the small East Oahu campus.

It's possible the discrepancy stems from one-time costs accrued as nearby Aina Haina Elementary School absorbs Wailupe's students. But if it turns out that the ongoing annual savings are that far off the pre-closure projection, the Education Department can expect a bigger fight the next time it tries to close a school.

GLORY DAYS

McGarrett would be proud

News that the iconic Ilikai Hotel had been revived a mere 10 hours after its Thursday late-night demise was a welcome surprise. No more so, no doubt, than to the estimated 50 workers who will be rehired under a new union contract.

New York-based iStar Financial Inc., the Ilikai Hotel's new owner, says the facility would reopen soon, pending ratification.

“;We will now have a real chance to work to rebuild the business and restore the reputation of this important hotel, and the opportunity to safeguard our future by working hard to make the new Ilikai a success,”; said Eric Gill, chief negotiator for the union.

Hurray for the saving of the Ilikai. Now comes the daunting—but hopefully do-able—task of revitalizing the hotel to match, or surpass, its glory days.