• Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce

• Watershed Restoration

Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce

President and CEO of Hawai‘i Superferry to speak at first quarter meeting

5:30 p.m., Thursday, at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort

Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, USN (Ret.), former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, and now president and CEO of Hawai‘i Superferry will be the keynote speaker for the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce 1st Quarter Membership Meeting on March 19th at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort. Admiral Fargo will be discussing the Superferry’s plans for its return to Kaua‘i; its commitment to protect Hawai‘i’s invasive species; cultural and natural resources; traffic; and the status of the EIS.

Fargo joined the private sector after a distinguished career serving the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense. He was the 20th officer to hold the position of commander of the U.S. Pacific Command. As the senior U.S. military commander in East Asia, the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas, he led the largest unified command while directing the joint operations of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force across 100 million miles. He was responsible to the President and the Secretary of Defense, and was the U.S. military representative for collective defense arrangements in the Pacific.

• Fargo also served as the 29th Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from October 1999 to May 2002. His service as a leader in the Pacific was preceded by his command of the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces of the Central Command during two years of Iraqi contingency operations from July 1996 to July 1998. His 35 years of service included six tours in Washington D.C. in addition to five commands in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Middle East.

Born in San Diego, Calif., he attended high school in Coronado, Calif., and Sasebo, Japan. Fargo graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1970. He is a 1989 recipient of the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership.

Fargo serves on the Boards of Directors for Hawaiian Electric Industries, United States Automobile Association and Northrop Grumman Corporation. He is active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Japan-America Society of Hawai‘i, the Iolani School Board of Governors, and the Hawaii Pacific University Board of Trustees. He is the National Vice Chairman of the Pearl Harbor Memorial Fund.

• Registration and no-host cocktails at 5:30 p.m. with dinner and meeting to follow. The Sheraton will be offering kama‘aina room rates at $110 (inclusive of resort charge). Please call the Sheraton at 742-1661 and ask for the “function rate.” For more information or to register, call the chamber at 245-7363.

Watershed Restoration

Building vital and sustainable communities

2 to 4 p.m., March 28 at the Kapa‘a Library Meeting Room

Don Heacock, an aquatic biologist will discuss “Watershed Restoration: Building Vital and Sustainable Communities.” The free talk is presented by the Wailua-Kapa‘a Neighborhood Association.

• We all live in a watershed which is a dynamic and unique place. Geographically, it is defined by highpoints that descend into lower elevations into river or stream valleys, channeling rainfall into soil and groundwater and eventually into the sea.

Society has the greatest impacts on water quality. What we do on the land can negatively effect surface water and ground water and disrupt the complex web of natural resources. Pollution control, appropriate drainage, improved storm water management and green building techniques are all critical components to protecting watersheds. But, federal, state and county regulations are not enough.

Heacock will provide an historic and cultural perspective on watersheds in the Kawaihau District and explain what individuals can do to help protect their watersheds and water supply. Restoring watersheds is the foundation for a healthy economy and environment, and to preserve cultural and recreational benefits for the community.

• The business portion of the meeting will provide updates on local issues and allow time to hear new concerns. For information, contact Sid Jackson at 821-2837 or visit www.wkna.org