Stories by Dennis Fujimoto

Collaborative effort gets smoke detectors in westside homes

KAUMAKANI — A collaborative effort between the American Red Cross, Kaua‘i Chapter, the Kaua‘i Fire Department, community volunteers including Elton Ushio of the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency and Gay and Robinson successfully launched the “Sound the Alarm” program in Kaumakani on Saturday.

Happy 103rd birthday Hina Miyashiro!

WAIMEA — A staff member at the Kaua‘i Care Center, Regency Pacific in Waimea was hopeful Hina Miyashiro would rouse from her nap when the candles were lit on Monday, which was Miyashiro’s 103rd birthday.

Kekaha School wins national mural award

KEKAHA — When the Wyland Foundation announced the winners of the 2023 Wyland National Mural Contest, Kekaha Elementary School was named the winner of the Elementary, K-5 division for its “Malama i ke kai, a malama ke kai la ‘o” mural, which is based on a Hawaiian proverb meaning “Care for the Ocean, and the Ocean will care for you.”

Voyagers, Raiders take KIF tennis openers

LIHU‘E — Island School boys and girls, and Kaua‘i High School boys and girls tennis, marked victories in their respective matches on Saturday when the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation opened its 2024 tennis season.

Lihu‘e man dies in traffic crash

KOLOA — Kaua‘i marked its third traffic fatality of 2024 when a 33-year-old resident of Lihu‘e suffered fatal injuries during a single vehicle traffic incident on Friday night.

Happy Camper for Monday, March 11, 2024

Congratulations to Keegan Meade, who got his first ‘ukulele by winning the on-street ‘ukulele contest hosted by Aldrinne Guerrero and ‘Ukulele Underground on Saturday night during the monthly Downtown Lihu‘e Night Market that was an alternative activity for all those people who were scared away by the event taking place at the Kaua‘i Philippines Cultural Center.

Family Court judge talks story

PUHI — Gregory Meyers, a Family Court judge in the Fifth Circuit, state of Hawai‘i, created a scenario on Friday that could possibly take place within the field of eighth grade students at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School.

Happy Camper for Saturday, March 9, 2024

Kudos to Larry Feinstein and the Kaua‘i Beer Company crew for hosting the Puppy Happy Hour on Wednesday with the Kaua‘i Humane Society (congratulations, Rebecca Mungall on starting as the KHS Marketing Coordinator!), which is accepting applications for its “Shop and Save Lives” Rummage Sale that is coming on March 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its headquarters just west of the Kipu bypass road.

KIUC gets nod for PACE funds

LIHU‘E — U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) is one of the first five cooperative utilities in the nation selected to move forward in the USDA awards process for the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program.

Betty Bell’s legacy lives on

LIHU‘E — Betty Bell, the first licensed pharmacist on Kaua‘i and former CEO of Wilcox Hospital, passed away peacefully at the Regency at Puakea on Feb. 18. She was 96.

Bon Dance schedule released for 2024

LIHU‘E — For people who have been waiting — the people who paste the schedule on their refrigerators and those from the outer islands who plan their trips to Kaua‘i to coincide with a bon dance — the Kaua‘i Buddhist Council released its 2024 bon dance schedule.

Happy Camper for Friday, March 8, 2024

The Garden Island receptionist Brandee Javier was excited when the phalaenopsis she had been tending to for several months decided it was time to open its bud on Wednesday morning. Mahalo to a generous TGI reader for presenting her the plant in bloom so she had a project to tend to after the flowers were spent.

Excitement surrounds Bonjolea II’s win

NAWILIWILI — Bonjolea II, with Bonnie Tiffany at the wheel, captured its sixth straight race with a win in the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Ken Martinez Commodore Race No. 4 during the shoreline series at Nawiliwili Harbor where northeast winds at 13 knots blanketed the excitement.

Big Brothers Big Sisters fundraiser a hit

LIHU‘E — There was no challenge to the band of paniolo, an inflatable cow, and a pair of horseback riders on Saturday night during the Big Brothers Big Sisters 14th annual bowling fundraiser at the sold-out Kaua‘i Bowl.

Kaua‘i to get millions in federal funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Brian Schatz announced on Tuesday that he secured $394 million in new congressional directed spending, known commonly as earmarks, in the first half of this year’s government funding bill.