Kaua‘i residents in 2008 saw lost lives and changed lives, a reshaped government and a retooled agenda. It was an exciting and important year for the Garden Isle on multiple fronts. The top story was the unexpected death of a
Kaua‘i residents in 2008 saw lost lives and changed lives, a reshaped government and a retooled agenda. It was an exciting and important year for the Garden Isle on multiple fronts.
The top story was the unexpected death of a native son and its impact on the island.
On June 22, Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste passed away when he was struck with cardiac arrest at his home a week after undergoing bypass surgery on O‘ahu.
Baptiste’s sudden death at age 52 shocked the island that he loved and threw the political landscape into flux. Administrative Assistant Gary Heu briefly served as mayor pro tem while county officials scrambled to find the best way to proceed.
On July 7, a day after Baptiste’s memorial service, the Kaua‘i County Council unanimously appointed its chair and most senior member, Bill “Kaipo” Asing, to serve as mayor through Dec. 1. Former Councilman Daryl Kaneshiro was later appointed to fill Asing’s vacant seat.
Also at that contentious Monday meeting, council members JoAnn Yukimura and Mel Rapozo announced their intent to run for mayor in a special election. A day later, Parks and Recreation Director Bernard Carvalho Jr. filed paperwork to enter the race.
Among the more than 100 supporters accompanying him to the Historic County Building was Annette Baptiste, wife of the late mayor, and her four children.
In the Sept. 20 primary election, Carvalho and Yukimura moved on with 39.9 and 29.9 percent of the vote, respectively, while Rapozo and political newcomer Rolf Bieber were eliminated from contention.
At the Nov. 4 general election, Carvalho pulled in 57.5 percent to Yukimura’s 39.2 percent, earning the right to take over the final two years of Baptiste’s term in office. The late mayor’s widow was in attendance at Carvalho’s election party and was recognized by the mayor-elect during his remarks, when he renewed promises to fulfill his friend’s legacy as mayor and complete his mentor’s good work.
In 2009, Kaua‘i residents can look for Carvalho to take action on solid waste problems, various zoning issues, public transportation and a drug treatment facility.
Baptiste’s passing also had a profound effect on the makeup of the County Council. With Yukimura and Rapozo vacating their seats in failed attempts for the mayor’s office, and Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho taking over as prosecuting attorney, newcomers Dickie Chang, Lani Kawahara and Derek Kawakami were elected to serve on the legislative body with incumbents Asing, Kaneshiro, Tim Bynum and Jay Furfaro.
November’s general election also saw Hawai‘i-born Barack Obama become the nation’s first black president. His half-sister, O‘ahu teacher Maya Soetoro-Ng, twice visited Kaua‘i to drum up support for the Illinois senator.
Her efforts proved fruitful as Hawai‘i delivered the largest margin of victory for the Democratic candidate of all 50 states with 71.5 percent casting ballots for Obama.
The president-elect later appointed Kaua‘i native Gen. Eric Shinseki to his cabinet, where he will serve as secretary of veterans affairs.
