Jack Thompson…last one standing

Filed Under Current Events, Kilauea Volcano | Leave a Comment

And then there was one.  Madame Pele’s fiery lava fingers reached out and took the structure of one of the two last residents of Royal Gardens subdivision.  Dean Schneider was able to get out in time and was notified his house was gone which only took Pele 90 minutes to reclaim.  This leaves reluctant island celeb Jack Thompson as the last man standing in the subdivision.  The lava is currently 1 mile west of Jack’s place.  Stay tuned to see how this bout with nature turns out.

Photo courtesy Honolulu Star Bulletin.

Zippy’s Maui opens today

Filed Under Current Events, Food Finds | Leave a Comment

The Valley Isle is saying e komo mai (welcome) to it’s first Zippy’s restaurant!  The Kahului restaurant is the largest Zippy’s establishment seating 242 people, has a take out counter and a retail section of the Napolean Bakery.  It’ll be open 24 hours a day to satisfy those late night kanack attacks!  This is the first neighbor island presence of Zippy’s since Zippy’s Kauai closed after Hurricane Iniki struck in 1992. 

Zippy’s Maui is located in the Maui Business Park at the corner of Hookele Street and Puunene Avenue.

Update:  Follow these driving directions for better flow.  Apparently there’s no U turns in the parking lot.  Coming from Kihei? Pass Zippy’s on the Mokulele Highway, then turn right. Those coming from Kahului or Lahaina should take the jug-handle right turn off Mokulele and get in the left “church” lane – and use the same entrance. Or you may drive past Wal-Mart and turn right off Hookele Street at the main entrance.

It’s Koloa Plantation Days on Kauai!

Filed Under Current Events, Hawaii Activities | Leave a Comment

It’s time for Koloa Plantation Days on the island of Kauai.  There are many different activities and events to attend all this week that are fun for locals and visitors alike!  For instance today you can be involved in the following activities:

Maha’ulepu Coastal Hike 9am, Mahaulepu

Traditional Hawaiian Games 10am, Outrigger Kiahuna Plantation

American West Barrel Racing Competiton 6pm, CJM Stables – on the cliffs of Mahaulepu

Historic Video Showing 7pm, Sheraton Kauai Resort

If you’d like to see what they’ve got planned for the rest of the week including a parade, luau, rodeo and more, you can see their Calendar of Events.

Tribute to Mayor Brian Baptiste

Filed Under Current Events, Hawaii Icons | Leave a Comment

The special edition of Wala’au with Dickie Chang covering the passing of Kauai Mayor Brian Baptiste is available for viewing.  Mayor Baptiste will be sorely missed.  He was a sweet man whose aloha for Kauai was apparent in everything he did.  A hui hou Mayor.

Click here to view Wala’au.

Attn: Oahu residents with plumerias to spare

Filed Under Current Events, Spread the Aloha | Leave a Comment

From the KITV website:

The Ladies of Kaahumanu are asking for donations of plumeria flowers for the annual lei draping of the King Kamehameha statue in front of the Hawaii Supreme Court building.

There has been a shortage this year of flowers so the society is appealing to the public for help.   They are accepting any color of plumeria flowers. The annual lei draping is a tradition that was started more than 50 years ago.

Volunteers will be at the Kamehameha statue Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to accept flower donations.  The lei draping ceremony is later that evening.

Will road projects have you sitting in traffic?

Filed Under Current Events, Hawaii Resources | 1 Comment

With the astronomical price of gas, a stop and go road project can put even more of a pinch in the gas budget of locals and visitors alike.  The Honolulu Advertiser has just released major island road projects so you can plan your routes to work or your favorite island attraction.

Oahu Road Projects

Kauai Road Projects

Maui Road Projects

Big Island Road Projects

A reminder, you can go to HawaiiGasPrices.com to get a heads up on where you can get the cheapest gas on the island.   Currently you’ll pay under $4.00 on Oahu but on Maui some areas are close to $4.50 per gallon.

Aloha to a Kauai cinema

Filed Under Current Events | Leave a Comment

The Coconut Marketplace is now without its cinema.  The movie theater closed last week leaving the only available theaters on Kauai at Kukui Grove Shopping Center in Lihue or Waimea Theater on the west side of the island. 

I would love to see a revival of this shopping center as I think it has a certain charm but it seems like many businesses have a hard time keeping their doors open long term.  Each time we go it seems another great store has gone out.  We’re keeping our fingers crossed for you Coconut Marketplace!

Evacuation of Volcano area residents suggested

Filed Under Current Events, FYI | Leave a Comment

Well it’s happened.  The winds have shifted and now the ash belching out of Halema’uma’u is affecting the residents of the Volcano area.  The residents/vacation rental tenants effected are those in Mauna Loa Estates, Ohia Estates, Volcano Village, Keauhou Ranch, Volcano Golf Course Subdivision.  (Royal Hawaiian Estates and Hawaiian Orchid Isle Estates are advised to be prepared for evacuation) An evacuation shelter has been set up at Aunty Sally’s Luau Hale in Hilo.  (See map below)


View Larger Map

Please be advised the shelter does not take animals so make other provisions for your pets!  You’re advised to bring the following items with you should you evacuate: Bedding (blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, etc.), a change of clothes, all medications or required medical equipment, any baby/toddler care items like formula, diapers, baby food and the like, toiletries and sanitary napkins if needed.

Should residents/tenants need special assistance to evacuate, you can call 808-935-0031

Another one bites the dust

Filed Under Current Events | 1 Comment

Not that this’ll affect anyone in Hawaii but Skybus airlines whose hub is based in Ohio has now folded as well.  You should know the drill by now, check with the credit card company for refunds and if you’d like more information as it becomes available, go to Skybus’ website.

I find it mildly amusing that when Skybus was launching oh about a year ago or so, one of the big sponsors who owns the big local paper and a local CBS affiliate station was so sure this was going to fly that at the end of any story involving Skybus they would follow it up with “we should let you know that 10TV’s parent company is an investor in Skybus.”  The SECOND any trouble started arising, I’d say about 2 months the writing has been on the wall for the public, whenever there was a Skybus story absolutely NO mention of how the tv station’s parent company was involved.  Ohhhh okay, you’ll take credit for their success but not their demise.  Gotcha. 

ATA Airlines ceases operations…

Filed Under Current Events | Leave a Comment

As if people needed less options to get in and out of the islands, today comes the announcement that ATA Airlines has shut down all operations.  This comes just days after Aloha Airlines was forced to cease operations.  Just as in the case of Aloha, those who paid with credit card or through a travel agent should have an easier time of getting a refund as those who paid with cash or check will have to file a claim with bankruptcy court. 

For more information on ATA’s shutdown, you can go to their website.

If nothing else, the lesson here should be always pay with a credit card!

« go back — keep looking »