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| Bluegrass Meets Pili Grass tonight at Pahala Plantation House, with a free concert following an overflow crowd last night at Hana Hou Restaurant. |
Minako and Kayo Yamazaki, who own a home in Pahala, reported from Tokyo that Minako was in downtown when the 8.9 quake struck. It took five hours for Kayo to reach her by car – a drive that normally takes 20 minutes. Minako said that Mega-Tokyo, a metropolitan city with 30 million residents “has kept its lifeline. Electricity, water and gas are all in order.” She said the public transportation system was stalled for nine to ten hours, which made it difficult for workers to return home on Friday night, and many of them stayed at offices and evacuation centers. She said she is very proud of the infrastructure and community response that made the earthquake less devastating in downtown Tokyo.
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| Aftershocks continue this morning in Japan. |
She reported, for example, that 30,000 visitors stayed overnight at Tokyo Disneyland.
Nobuko Humphries, of Ocean View, whose mother and two sisters live in Tokyo, said that, fortunately, her mother was in Tokyo and not at her beach home on the coast when the earthquake struck. “All my family are good. My brother-in-law was working in an office and had to walk home five hours. My niece was waiting in a train station and was stuck there, but they are all OK, she said.”
Keiichi Nishimura, of Na`alehu, said that his son Keith, who grew up in Ka`u and teaches English in Tokyo, is also fine. Brother Ned said that Keith called him to say he and his wife and children experienced a wild ride with dishes, books and other items falling in their house.
Masako Sakata also has relatives in Japan and was able to locate her family – no injuries.
George Yokota, whose wife Michiko has two brothers in Japan, said they are all fine. He said the bay where they live faces south, away from the brunt of the tidal wave that destroyed the eastern coast.
Yumi Suenobu, daughter-in-law of Kazu and Joyce Suenobu, of Pahala, said she also heard that her brother is fine.
Keiichi Nishimura, of Na`alehu, said that his son Keith, who grew up in Ka`u and teaches English in Tokyo, is also fine. Brother Ned said that Keith called him to say he and his wife and children experienced a wild ride with dishes, books and other items falling in their house.
Masako Sakata also has relatives in Japan and was able to locate her family – no injuries.
George Yokota, whose wife Michiko has two brothers in Japan, said they are all fine. He said the bay where they live faces south, away from the brunt of the tidal wave that destroyed the eastern coast.
Yumi Suenobu, daughter-in-law of Kazu and Joyce Suenobu, of Pahala, said she also heard that her brother is fine.
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| Hawaiian monks seals, like this one at Honu`apo, likely headed to open ocean when the tsunami approached. |
THE HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL remains the only official state mammal. Another contender, the Hawaiian hoary bat, won’t become the official Hawaiian land mammal until at least next year. The bill for the bat missed the deadline for bills to cross over from one chamber to the other at the state Legislature. Sen. Sam Slom promised to renew the effort to honor the hoary bat in the 2112 Legislature. The Hawaiian bat is the only land subspecies mammal found exclusively in Hawai`i. The marine-going Hawaiian monk seal will remain the official state mammal even if the bat earns the state land mammal title.
According to scientists, marine mammals are very sensitive to changes in the ocean and probably headed for deep waters when the recent tsunami was approaching.
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| Sen. Gil Kahele |
SEN. GIL KAHELE AND REP. ROBERT HERKES will host a talk story session today from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Ocean View. The two have been working on the Ocean View water well system, emergency shelters, and many more CIP projects for the Ka`u. They are expected to give a report to the state Legislature, which has passed its bills between the Senate and House and will continue to negotiate agreements on various measures.
BLUEGRASS MEETS PILI GRASS tonight at Pahala Plantation House on Maile Street with a free concert of singing, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, banjo and bass. The musicians, who live in Appalachia, Alaska and other far away places, are renowned for their bluegrass. Keoki Kahumoku with his students and friends will bring the Pili Grass Hawaiian music to the stage. The concert starts at 7 p.m.
THE SPRING WIND QUINTET performs tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater. Sponsored by Volcano Art Center, the concert features new works composed for the quintet, which is recognized as one of the country’s leading woodwind ensembles. The Spring Wind Quintet is a major force in chamber music in Hawai`i. Call 967- 8222 for tickets.
