NEWS & NOTES My back pages Special thanks to William Coleman III, better known as the “fence flag-painter,” for brightening up not only the chain-link fence at the Wilcox Elementary School over the July 4 weekend, but life in general.
NEWS & NOTES
My back pages
- Special thanks to William Coleman III, better known as the “fence flag-painter,” for brightening up not only the chain-link fence at the Wilcox Elementary School over the July 4 weekend, but life in general. After a week of horrific car crashes including the death of a 12-year-old visitor from Oakland, Calif., his was a nice gift that will keep on giving.
Kudos to Wal-Mart for supplying the paint and supplies to make the job possible and to school Principal Rachel Watarai for her gracious approval of the project.
Also a big mahalo and aloha to Margy Parker. Parker will be stepping down from her 23-year post as executive director of the Poipu Beach Resort Association, effective early next month. Parker is, as they say, a class act, and, as the adage goes, “a pillar of the community.”
All of life’s a stage. An e-mailer wants to know what’s up with the conditions at the Wallace Theatres in the Coconut Market Place? Another e-mailer is curious as to what will become of the Kilauea Theater? Any ideas? Aloha, Andy Gross
Princeville announces employees of the month
- According to Mamo Cummings Graham, director of resort marketing for Princeville Operating Company, LLC, the following have been selected Princeville employees of the month from January through April:
Cathy Winthrop, Princeville Health Club & Spa. Winthrop has been a receptionist at the spa for the past five years. She is described by co-workers and supervisors as helpful, funny, nice, cooperative, understanding, and a total team player. She served as president of the Employee Council for two years, and continues to participate as a member. She has volunteered at Lihu‘e Gateway, Ho‘olokahi, the employee picnic, and the annual party. She also volunteers at the Princeville Public Library, and helps with AIDS patients.
Kyoko Nishii, Prince Golf Course operations. Nishii started in 2003 as a casual employee, helping in merchandising, and is now a fulltime sales associate in the Prince Golf Shop. Her “great” work attitude inspires her co-workers, they said. She is always busy, knows what needs to be done, and executes, according to supervisors. She is willing to learn as much as she can, they said. Nishii has been a faithful volunteer at the Lihu‘e Gateway project, and was a member of the Princeville bowling team in last year’s Charity Walk Bowling Tournament.
Julius Jarquio, Makai Golf Course maintenance. Jarquio has been an employee for three years. As a groundsman on the Makai Golf Course, he has taken the initiative to further his knowledge of golf-course maintenance, irrigation, fertilization, pesticide application, and landscape design, supervisors said. He is a positive influence in the workplace, and has received many compliments from managers, co-workers and guests for his landscaping expertise. Jarquio has put in many hours in the Lihu‘e Gateway beautification project
Vince Sidore, Makai Golf Course operations. Sidore started as an employee in the tennis shop in 1993. He is now a golf sales associate in the Makai Shop. He is always willing to fill in when help is needed, and is open to new programs and challenges, supervisors said. Guests and fellow employees are always greeted by his smile. As a member of the Employee Council, he is very involved with all of their projects. He recently organized a fishing tournament for the Princeville ‘ohana. He has also chaired the employee picnic and annual party.
Cruise ships calling on Nawiliwili
- Tomorrow, Monday, July 11, the Pride of Aloha, 850 feet long, calls on Nawiliwili Harbor, arriving at 7 a.m. and remaining overnight, leaving Tuesday, July 12, at 1 p.m.
Kaua‘i’s Pavao president of IAAP
- Leaders of the Hawaii Division of International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) recently announced their 2005-2006 officers: President Julie Pavao is public relations assistant to Stephanie Reid, director of public relations at the Princeville Resort; Vice President Theone A. Taala, CPS/CAP, is administrative assistant to Jeff Burroughs, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Brigham Young University-Hawaii at La‘ie; Secretary Nora Y. Onishi, CPS, is administrative assistant to two executives for Japan Airlines International, Yoshimori Nakajima, vice president and regional manager, Hawaii, and Hiroyuki Hioka, administration director, Hawaii; Treasurer Gwendolyn W. Nicolas, CPS, ALS, is secretary to Richard Henderson, president of HSC, Inc., and administrative assistant to Charlotte Chainglit, property manager for RSM, Inc., a subsidiary of HSC, Inc. The officers were elected at the annual division meeting in Po‘ipu recently. Members in the Hawaii Division includes members from all six chapters in the state. IAAP is headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., and has approximately 40,000 members worldwide. It is a nonprofit organization. The mission of leaders of IAAP is to be the acknowledged, recognized leader of administrative professionals, and to enhance their individual and collective value, image, competence, and influence. IAAP was formerly known as Professional Secretaries International.
Kaua‘i-based retail affiliates among list of top 100
- While Kaua‘i might not have that many stores in comparison to other locales, it is home to four affiliates, franchises or branches of the top 10 retailers identified in a survey in Stores magazine, and five of the magazine’s Top 100 retailers. The top 10 retailers listed include Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Kroger, Costco (coming soon to Kaua‘i), Target, Albertsons, a supermarket chain; Walgreen, a drugstore chain; Lowes, Sears and Safeway. Kmart came in at number 14, while Federated Dept. Stores rounded out the top 20. Federated owns Macy’s. Convenience-store giant 7-Eleven was ranked number 26, while Foot Locker, Radio Shack and Borders Group were 46th, 51st and 59th, respectively. Payless ShoeSource was ranked 83rd. According to Stores and information from the National Retail Federation, Wal-Mart showed an 11.4-percent increase in revenue in 2004 from the year before. Home Depot showed a 12.8-percent increase in the same period. More information is available at www.stores.org.
Kaua‘i’s Aaron Yamasato, “Ninja EX” on cable TV
- If you missed the exciting conclusion to Hawai‘i’s favorite martial arts/action/comedy the first time around, you now have “no time limit” on watching the entire series, for free. “Ninja EX” is the second-ever, martial-arts-action show made entirely by Hawai‘i people.
It was written, produced and directed by Kaua‘i resident Aaron Yamasato, who previously wrote and directed the critically-acclaimed, international-award-winning local hit movie “Blood of the Samurai” (available at Borders and Blockbuster statewide), according to a press release. Viewers may watch any episode of Ninja EX at anytime on Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s new digital-cable channel OC16 On Demand. There is no cost.
Yamasato said it is presented with a crystal-clear, digital-quality image, with the ability to pause, rewind and fast-forward exciting fight sequences, just like one can do with a DVD player. “Ninja EX” is Yamasato’s follow-up to the first made-in-Hawai‘i, martial-arts-action TV show, “Blood of the Samurai: The Series,” which aired on OC16. This new, five-episode “spin-off” series follows the adventures of Ninja EX as he “helps the weak and defends the innocent.”
The series stars Kevin Won as the title character, in his television debut. In real life, Won is a Honolulu Fire Department firefighter, and regional wu shu kung fu champion. He also holds black belts in karate, and a brown belt in judo. He has also trained in capoeira, jiujitsu and muay Thai.
Cost-U-Less June sales down from last year
- Cost-U-Less, Inc. officials recently reported an increase of 5.6 percent in same-store sales (stores open a full 13 months) for the five weeks ended June 26, compared to same-store sales of 14.2 percent for the corresponding period a year ago. There is a Cost-U-Less in Kapa‘a. On July 28, company leaders expect to announce their financial results for the second fiscal quarter ended June 26.
