KCC students win national cook-off

Students from Kapiolani Community College won a national cooking competition Monday in Orlando, Fla., sponsored by American Culinary Federation.

The winning student chefs were Anna Hirano, Keaka Lee, Tate Nakano-Edwards, San Shoppell (team captain), Rena Suzuki and Ken Yi.

The KCC students competed against teams from Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, it was announced yesterday. KCC's chef instructors Frank Leake and Alan Tsuchiyama guided Team Hawaii, as the KCC student chefs are known. It is the first time a Hawaii community college team has won the national grand prize.

Maui Community College captured the ACF's Western regional championship in 2000.

The KCC students started working together in October.

Carlos should weaken today or tomorrow

With winds reaching 105 mph, Category 2 Hurricane Carlos is expected to weaken today or tomorrow, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane remained about 1,900 miles southeast of the Big Island, moving west at 9 mph, National Weather Service forecasters said. Hurricane Carlos is expected to increase in speed in the next day or two, according to the advisory.

Forecaster Norman Hui said the hurricane should not affect local weather, except for possible stronger winds.

Hawaii residents should be aware of the situation but not worried, said Hui.

The storm began as a hurricane Thursday off the coast of Baja California, was downgraded to a tropical storm Sunday and regained hurricane strength yesterday.

Dems study which vetoes to override

Hawaii's majority Democratic legislators are deciding which of Republican Gov. Linda Lingle's vetoes to override when they return to the Capitol today.

Lingle vetoed a bill yesterday that would make it easier for employees to unionize, but she had not yet vetoed some of the more contentious bills she threatened to kill.

Those include an increase in oil taxes by 2 to 3 cents per gallon to fund alternative energy. Others would scale back high-tech tax credits, prevent the evictions of families living in Kahana Valley and restructure public hospitals.

Lingle has vetoed 23 of the 65 bills she targeted for possible veto on June 30, including a bill taxing Internet sales.

Democrats would need two-thirds majorities to override Lingle's vetoes.

Hawaii is invited to apply for funds

The Obama administration is offering Hawaii up to $1.2 million in federal stimulus funds that would encourage residents to buy energy-efficient appliances.

The money would fund a program giving rebates to people who buy officially sanctioned energy-efficient products.

Some of the possibilities include air conditioners, washing machines, dishwashers and freezers.

The state must first apply for the program to receive the funds. If Hawaii does not want to participate, its share of the funds will be allocated to other states and territories.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Kamehameha teachers vote to join union

HILO » High school teachers at Kamehameha Schools Hawaii have voted overwhelmingly to be represented by a union.

The National Labor Relations Board says the tally was 36 in favor of a union and 14 against. There was one void ballot.

The vote means the teachers will join the Kamehameha Schools Faculty Association, the union that represents faculty at Kamehameha's main campus on Oahu.

Keaau campus headmaster Stan Fortuna says he respects the decision of the high school faculty and plans to work with the union. He says the Hawaii island school has a compelling mission and believes the faculty is 100 percent committed to that mission.

Kamehameha Schools was established in 1883 by the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop to educate Hawaiian children.