Stories by Dennis Fujimoto

Kaisen catches the big one at keiki fishing tourney

NAWILIWILI — Kaisen Barretto may have caught the most fish on Sunday, but Kairee Barretto’s 22-inch kaku, or barracuda, grabbed the spotlight during the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Father’s Day Keiki fishing tournament held outside of the Kaua‘i Sailing Association building at Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor.

KFCU starts search for new CEO

LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Federal Credit Union Board Chair Byron Watanabe announced on Saturday the appointment of Executive Vice President Sean Kaley as the interim president and CEO.

Happy Camper for Monday, June 17, 2024

Happy New Year on the King’s Celebration as Kaua‘i’s New Year Baby, Makaio Lopez, celebrated his first King’s Parade with mom Leann watching papa Freddy parade with the Kaua‘i Pa‘u unit (they had purple supporter wear all over the place) and Princess Kailee Kelekoma on Rice Street on Saturday.

Celebrating and connecting with the King

LIHU‘E — Hosted and coordinated by the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission, Kaua‘i did its part in celebrating the legacy of King Kamehameha I by Royal Proclamation since Dec. 22, 1871.

Happy Camper for Saturday, June 15, 2024

Mahalo, Project Vision (they’re more than the hot shower mobile unit!) and Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i for providing all those vision and hearing for the Boys & Girls Club! The Kapa‘a Lions Club was busy with the bus stop fronting the Kapa‘a Shopping Center or would’ve been at the Kapa‘a Clubhouse to lend a hand.

Whale carcass washes ashore in Waipouli

WAIPOULI — United States Air Force Major Angela Honora, of the Tropic Care Kaua‘i group, said on Friday that they were discouraged from swimming because sharks were sighted in the water close to the beach fronting the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort.

Kaua‘i rodeo competitors off to nationals

PO‘IPU — Skye Schumacher, Taylor Langtad and Meleana Tancayo are heading to the national rodeo competition in Rock Springs, Wyoming, in July following the state rodeo held in Makawao, Maui, over the weekend.

Partnerships keep Boys & Girls Club keiki healthy

HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu took ownership of approximately 400 acres of former Navy-­owned land at Kalaeloa that will go toward public recreation use, Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced at a ceremony outside Honolulu Hale on Wednesday afternoon.

‘Ohana Motors donation helps Kaua‘i Surfrider

LIHU‘E — When the Surfrider Foundation discussed the need for a pickup to remove marine debris ‘opala from Kaua‘i’s shoreline, ‘Ohana Motors heard the plea and donated a used four-wheel drive Toyota Tacoma to answer the call.

Dusenberry, Bahouth win 2024 Pro-Pro Championship

NAWILIWILI — Po‘ipu Bay Golf Course’s Chad Dusenberry and Nick Bahouth fired a final round 66 on Sunday to win the 2024 Pro-Pro Championship by one stroke at the Ocean Course Hokuala. The championship was presented by Golf Concepts.

Coco Palms bringing Kimpton to Hawai‘i

WAILUA — Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants announced Wednesday that it is partnering with the Coco Palms Resort following a historically sensitive restoration of the iconic property in Wailua.

Happy Camper for Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Steven Domingo (he and Chris Faye were celebrating the first bon dance of the Kaua‘i Buddhist Council calendar last weekend) is getting excited about the Kaua‘i Filipino Community Council/Miss Kaua‘i Filipina Pageant Folk Dancers participating in the King’s Parade on Saturday with reigning Miss Kaua‘i Filipina (she’s home from college) Victoria Perreira and this year’s scholarship pageant hopefuls.

Flag Day is the flag’s story

LIHU‘E — Kelly Cobb, of Verizon, was visiting the Kaua‘i Veterans Museum with the company’s Rocks for Warriors program on Tuesday.

Draydan Gerardo earns wrestling scholarship

LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i High School senior Draydan Gerardo was named the recipient of the 2023-24 Most Outstanding Wrestler Award by Princeville resident Tommy Thompson, a former champion wrestler at Shamokin High School in Pennsylvania.

Multi-agency exercises held at Port Allen

PORT ALLEN — The discovery of a simulated illegal drug laboratory was expanded to develop a variety of scenarios to test the capabilities and ability of first responder teams on Friday during multi-agency exercises that took place around the Port Allen commercial harbor.

Tropic Care team ready for action on Kaua‘i

LIHU‘E — Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami was joined by Dr. Janet Berreman of the Kaua‘i District Health Office and Kaua‘i Complex Area Superintendent Daniel Hamada in welcoming the Tropic Care team to Kaua‘i for the group’s sixth deployment to the island.