DJOU'S CLOSER

Honolulu Hale awaits newest City Council member

According to many news and media accounts, citizens are so burned by government that they want nothing to do with it. Right?

Uh, not so fast.

How to explain the bevy of candidates willing to take on public service by immediately filling a City Council vacancy? No fewer than 27 people have expressed interest in filling the Council seat opened by Charles Djou's successful run for the 1st Congressional District.

After hearing from the candidates today, the eight current Council members will be appointing their new colleague, to be officially sworn in June 9 to finish Djou's term through Jan. 2.

An election for the Council District 4 seat will be held during fall's regular balloting.

SWEET LEGACY

60 years of baked goods fit for a king

It's probably not listed in too many tour books there, but for Hawaii folks going through the Torrance, Calif., area, King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant is a destination attraction.

The eatery - there are now two of them in Torrance - has much of the homey coffee shop charm that many remember from the iconic King's Bakery and Coffee Shop that once graced King Street, Kaimuki and Eaton Square.

The restaurants haven't been part of Hawaii's landscape since the 1990s, when the Taira family sold its isle operations to focus on the mainland. But as King's Hawaiian Bakery marks its 60th anniversary, here's to keeping fans supplied via isle markets with ono sweet bread and other baked goodies.