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| L.A. to Hilo passengers receive greetings of hula and such songs as Aloha Punalu`u. Photos by Julia Neal |
THE FIRST NONSTOP FLIGHT from Los Angeles to Hilo since 1983 landed last night with hula, the singing of Aloha Punalu`u and gifts of lei and local products. The United-Continental Airlines daily flight is expected to bring more weekend visitors from the West Coast and more people coming to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Tomorrow, another United-Continental flight begins a weekly nonstop service on Saturdays from San Francisco to Hilo.
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| United-Continental flight greeted by a water curtain in Hilo -- the first direct Los Angeles to Hilo flight since 1983. Photo courtesy of Big Island Visitors Bureau |
Last night, the 160 passengers were greeted by fire trucks spraying a “water curtain” over the taxiing aircraft. The Big Island Visitors Bureau and its supporters presented each passenger with a bag of goodies. Hilo Coffee Mill provided steaming hot cups of local coffee as passengers waited for their luggage. Sen. Gil Kahele, Mayor Billy Kenoi and Miss Aloha Hawai`i Tatiana Boteilho greeted arrivals.
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| U.S. Navy pilot Carlos Reyes hugs his family after arriving on the flight from L.A. |
Hilo native Lance Lau piloted the 737-800, with revered Hawaiian hula and music maestro Robert Cazimero on the full plane of passengers. When military wife Chanda Reyes and young daughter Maya greeted Navy Lt. Carlos Reyes at the bottom of the escalator, many eyes teared up. The family has been apart for six months while helicopter pilot Reyes served in Kandahar. “The Navy gave me this chance to meet my family anywhere for a reunion, and we chose Hilo, a beautiful halfway spot between home and Afghanistan,” he said.
Big Island Visitor Bureau Executive Director George Applegate said that no one expected another nonstop after ATA quit its flight from Oakland to Hilo in 2008. He gave kudos to the mayor for being proactive to bring in the new direct flights. “These flights don’t materialize like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” said Applegate.
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| Pilot Lance Lau with Sen. Gil Kahele |
The Hawai`i Tourism Authority estimates the new flights could generate 40,000 additional visitors and about $50.6 million in visitor spending annually.
The new United-Continental flights depart Hilo daily at 8:55 p.m. to Los Angeles, and on Saturdays at 9:20 p.m. to San Francisco.
CANOE DISTRICTS in which legislators would represent sections of more than one county are off the table in the meetings of the state Reapportionment Commission. The commission voted down the idea eight to one yesterday. The practice was banned more than a decade ago in favor of senators and representatives serving only one county. The panel also voted to keep single-member districts. There had been discussion about possibly having larger, multimember districts to help balance their size with population changes following the recent census.
THE HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT is asking for tips, leads and any other information to help find the shooter who unloaded six shots from a passing vehicle, apparently aiming at a 44-year-old man outside his Ocean View Home on Aloha Blvd. The crime took place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Police initially classified the case as reckless endangering, but detectives reclassified it as attempted murder.
Anyone with information can call Detective Sharlotte Bird at 326-4646, extension 228, or the non-emergency police line at 935-3311. Anonymous tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
TODAY IS KAMEHAMEHA DAY, a state holiday to honor King Kamehameha the Great, who ruled over all the Hawaiian Islands and helped to develop Hawai`i’s trading and agricultural industries. The draping of the Kamehameha statue will be held in Hilo today and Kohala tomorrow, and the Kamehameha Day parade will be in Kona tomorrow.
The new United-Continental flights depart Hilo daily at 8:55 p.m. to Los Angeles, and on Saturdays at 9:20 p.m. to San Francisco.
CANOE DISTRICTS in which legislators would represent sections of more than one county are off the table in the meetings of the state Reapportionment Commission. The commission voted down the idea eight to one yesterday. The practice was banned more than a decade ago in favor of senators and representatives serving only one county. The panel also voted to keep single-member districts. There had been discussion about possibly having larger, multimember districts to help balance their size with population changes following the recent census.
THE HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT is asking for tips, leads and any other information to help find the shooter who unloaded six shots from a passing vehicle, apparently aiming at a 44-year-old man outside his Ocean View Home on Aloha Blvd. The crime took place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Police initially classified the case as reckless endangering, but detectives reclassified it as attempted murder.
Anyone with information can call Detective Sharlotte Bird at 326-4646, extension 228, or the non-emergency police line at 935-3311. Anonymous tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
TODAY IS KAMEHAMEHA DAY, a state holiday to honor King Kamehameha the Great, who ruled over all the Hawaiian Islands and helped to develop Hawai`i’s trading and agricultural industries. The draping of the Kamehameha statue will be held in Hilo today and Kohala tomorrow, and the Kamehameha Day parade will be in Kona tomorrow.
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| Contestants perform at the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant in April 2011. |
THE MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT airs today at 1 p.m. on Na Leo O Hawai`i Community Television on channel 54. It will air again on Saturday, June 11 at 3 p.m.; Wednesday, June 15 at 6 p.m.; Friday, June 17 at 6 p.m.; Sunday, June 19 at 9:30 a.m.; and Wednesday, June 22 at 6 p.m.
THE BIG WEEKEND EVENT here in Ka`u will be the Ka`u Family Fun Fest tomorrow. A half marathon, 10K and 5K races begin at 7 a.m. at Na`alehu Park. Other events beginning at 9 a.m. at the park are a hunters’ obstacle course and tournaments in archery, Jan Ken Po, Portuguese horseshoes and basketball. Registration and fee schedules for the races and tournaments are available online at race360.com/15811. Race packets and late registration are available today from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and tomorrow from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. at the park.
Throughout the day at the park there will be information and food booths; a live auction; a jumping castle; bungee jumping; rock wall climbing and a dunking booth. Entertainers include the Hawai`i County Band, Keoki Kahumoku, Dennis and David Kamakahi, the Lava Boys and One Journey. For more information, call 265-8251 or email kaufamilyfunfest@gmail.com.
A HULA KAHIKO PERFORMANCE by Ka Pa Hula Na Wai Iwi Ola, under the direction of Keala Ching, takes place tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, along with Hawaiian cultural demonstrations at Volcano Art Center Gallery from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
VOLCANO ART CENTER hosts the third annual Volcano Pottery Sale at its Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village tomorrow and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eight Big Island potters showcase a large assortment of pottery and ceramic sculpture at the sale.
BEACH AND OCEAN IS THE THEME at Kilauea Military Camp’s Summer Jam Disco tomorrow from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The cover charge is $3 for dressed-up contestants and $5 for everyone else. Park entrance fees apply.