Hawaii Blog

 Father Damien Statue by Mermaniac Father Damien, whose work with Hawaii leprosy patients in the 1800s earned him worldwide respect, is on the brink of being named a saint. Hours ago, Pope Benedict XVI validated a miracle attributed to Father Damien, clearing the way for him to be canonized. (He was previously beatified in 1995 by Pope John Paul II.)

A Honolulu woman, Audrey Toguchi, appeared to have incurable cancer. Surgery in 1998 failed to excise it, and her doctors prepared her for the worst. But she prayed to Father Damien, and — according to an October 2000 report in the Hawaii Medical Journal — she was cured.

The Vatican officially attributes her cure to Father Damien, saying it otherwise defied medical explanation.

The Rev. Christopher Keahi, head of the Sacred Hearts order of Hawaii, told the Associated Press: “It’s such an exciting time in our lives that one of our men, one of us here in Hawaii, has attained the highest rank of sanctity and will soon be declared a saint in the church.”

Father Damien came to Hawaii in 1984 and, a decade later, was ministering to leprosy patients on Molokai in the isolated Kalaupapa peninsula (now a national park). There he cared for thousands of people who suffered from the disease… and ultimately contracted it himself, dying in 1889.

• Pope clears way for Belgian priest to become saint (Associated Press)
• Miracles can happen ‘when you have a friend like Father Damien’ (Hawaii Catholic Herald)

 Books Honolulu’s best bargain for book buffs has begun! The Friends of the Library annual book sale at McKinley High School runs through Sunday, July 6 (though they’re taking July 3 and 4 off). It’s an unmatched literary treasure trove — refreshed daily — of used and out-of-circulation books… often including new books, and sometimes including rare and valuable titles.

There’s also boxes and boxes of DVDs, VHS tapes, and records (remember those?). In fact, this year, the music section has been upgraded to a separate tent, managed in partnership with Hawaii Public Radio. HPR already has a reputation for turning up great finds with its “Almost New Music Sale,” so this combined marketplace should be fantastic.

Be sure to check it out! Details and hours are here. The McKinley High School cafeteria is located here (Google Maps). We always go, and bring home a big box of goodies for less than five bucks. And if you really want a bargain, July 5 is “Half-Off Day,” and the last day, July 6 is “All 50 Cents Day.” My only advice? Dress light and bring water… it can get pretty hot in the cafeteria.

Check out this Friends of the Library Book Sale video I made in 2005. I can’t believe how small my son Alex is!

 Aloha Parade the Aloha Festivals floral parade has delighted locals and visitors alike for more than 60 years. But the loss of Hawaiian Airlines’ title sponsorship means the annual tradition is in jeopardy.

Some Waikiki residents and businesses have been known to be annoyed at the number of parades that come down Kalakaua Avenue, but none have the long history and universal popularity of the Aloha Festivals procession. As the Star-Bulletin notes, the Aloha Festivals events have already been scaled down, but to lose its most visible centerpiece “would be a shame.”

Organizers say they need to raise $50,000 by Monday or the parade will have to be canceled. That’s the threshold needed to trigger a $200,000 contribution from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. In addition to putting out a call for help to the local businesses and community groups, the Hawaii Jaycees will out in force this weekend collecting “fishnet donations” at various intersections around town.

Those interested in contributing can also visit the Save the Parade website and donate online. “People can give as little as $1 or as much as they can feasibly,” writes organizer Jon Cook, who is also reaching out to the local blogosphere. “We have a limited time to raise the money.”

Photo from the 2007 Aloha Festivals parade by Melvin Ah Ching.

 Mia St. John When worlds collide. With the inaugural Hawaii Mixed Martial Arts Sports & Fitness Expo landing in Honolulu this weekend, Hawaii Public Radio is going to take a serious look at a serious phenomenon that, nevertheless, falls far outside of the usual public radio comfort zone.

Tonight on “Town Square,” airing at 5 p.m. on KIPO 89.3FM, host Beth Ann Kozlovich will sit down with pro fighter and model Mia St. John (who appeared on the cover of Playboy in November 1999) and expo coordinator Louis Mansanas to talk about mixed-martial arts. The cross-disciplinary and largely anarchic fighting style has grown from a grassroots, underground practice to a multi-million dollar business. Once seen mostly in shaky clips posted to YouTube, MMA is now a knockout hit on cable and recently made the jump to network television.

Curiously, MMA is not merely an obsession of pimply-faced teens and adrenaline-craving young men, but women as well… even whole families. Kozlovich will explore how something so starkly violent and sensationalistic has still managed to hook adults and kids across a wide swath of America.

If you can’t tune in on your radio, you can listen to KIPO live online. Call in your comments or questions at (808) 941-3689 or toll-free from the neighbor islands at (877)941-3689. If you miss the show, you can grab it later via the Town Square podcast.

  “Lucky you live Hawaii” is an oft-uttered declaration of pride and love among locals who call the islands home. But the gloomy economic news looming over the the country is definitely casting a long, dark shadow over the state.

Earlier this month, my friend and boss Beth visited Honolulu. She came out to Mililani to attend my son’s birthday dinner, and stopped at Star Market for some groceries. She was shocked to see the price of a gallon of milk — on sale for $7.29 — and posted the photo above to Flickr.

Of course, living here, I had no appreciation for just how incredible that seemed. Sure, prices have noticeably risen here over the last few months, but I figured prices have been rising everywhere else. But without a point of comparison, I had no idea just how expensive things were in Hawaii.

Well, CNN’s Chris Lawrence is definitely on the case. Even though he’s reporting from an outsider’s perspective, the wide-eyed horror at what he’s seeing says a lot. A couple of weeks ago, he reported, “Inflation hits hard in Hawaii“:

“Imagine going to your local grocery store and paying over $8 for a jar of Jif peanut butter. How about $5.50 for a loaf of white bread, $6.50 for a gallon of milk or $7.19 for a half-gallon of orange juice? These are just some of the prices we found in a recent survey of Hawaii’s supermarkets. Families there are certainly paying the price for living in paradise.”

Again, those were familiar numbers for me, so I had to turn to Google for some context. Only after finding comparative mainland prices for a jar of peanut butter ($6), a loaf of bread ($2-$3), a gallon of milk ($4) or a half-gallon of orange juice ($4) did I appreciate the powerful thump his lede was supposed to convey.

Lawrence quickly followed that up with “Hawaiians hit by skyrocketing shipping costs.” He did a decent job explaining that things cost more because of what it takes to get them out here (though his headline writer better consult the revised AP style rules on what “Hawaiian” means).

And if that wasn’t enough, Lawrence checks in today with “Hawaii suffers a tourism blow“:

“High fuel prices have caused airfares to skyrocket. And the economy has caused some Americans to postpone or downsize their travel plans. Fewer tourists are coming to Hawaii, and some think the problems are only beginning.”

So Hawaii is not only an expensive place to live, but an expensive place to visit. Not exactly a surprising conclusion, given the controversial report out in May that named Hawaii as the most expensive vacation destination.

Though anecdotal, I’ve definitely sensed smaller crowds on beaches, in restaurants, and at attractions like Bishop Museum. And while the declining visitor counts is ultimately bad news for many businesses, I must confess a selfish appreciation for reclaiming some peace and space.

For me, the key indicator that local business tides are turning is pretty simple: local hotels and attractions are suddenly packaging and promoting deals for locals again. And while my wallet is aching as much as anyone else’s, I have to admit I’m happy to see the return of the “Kama’aina Special.” Sure, I doubt I’d be able to afford a “staycation” anyway, but… it’s nice to feel wanted again.

“Lucky you live Hawaii?” I still say yes. But luck don’t come cheap.

 Flavors of Honolulu 

Save your appetite and round up the kids, this weekend brings the second-annual “Flavors of Honolulu” festival on the Honolulu municipal grounds (near Honolulu Hale and the Frank F. Fasi Building). The three-day event mixes over a dozen restaurants, live performances by several local artists, and highlights including a wine-tasting tent and a celebrity cook-off.

Of course, “Flavors of Honolulu” is the new name of the former “Taste of Honolulu” event, which was put to rest two years ago when its former organizer found it, essentially, too successful. Under the guidance of its new non-profit steward, Abilities Unlimited, the “Flavors of Honolulu” is a much more modest affair (the restaurant list is half as long, for example)… but that could be a good thing, as crowds and long lines were becoming one of the hallmarks of its predecessor.

Participating kitchens include India Café, Mangea!, Ichiriki, Planet Hollywood, Señor Frog’s, Laveren’s Catering, Mark’s Specialties, Koi, Village Steak & Seafood, Bali by the Sea, Le Crepe Café, Da Spot, and Cream Pot.

Among the notable musical offerings? My friends Mighty J will take the stage at 2 p.m. on Saturday, and the wonderful Pali will perform at 5 p.m.  Saturday will also bring a special evening tribute to the late, great Auntie Genoa Keawe, featuring her incredibly talented granddaughter Pomai Keawe Lyman. Other acts include the Royal Hawaiian Band, Maunalua, Kapena, and Natural Vibrations.

The “Flavors of Honolulu” festival runs from 5-10 p.m. on Friday, noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5, but kids under 12 are free.

 Cedar Street Galleries Local artist (and mother of two) Isis Godfrey Byrne will be unveiling new works at the opening of her art show at Cedar Street Galleries tonight. Byrne, who was born in the U.K. but calls the islands home, is known for her etherial Hawaii-inspired landscapes, seascapes, and portraits.

The preview reception begins tonight at 5:30. (Though my coworker and I were allowed upstairs for an early look.) The Isis Godfrey Byrne Art Show runs through July 20th.

Special thanks to Burt Lum, who introduced me to Cedar Street Galleries on Wednesday. We stopped in to see some ceramic works by his wife, Rochelle Lum, after checking out La Gelateria (home of genuine Italian gelato and sorbet) next door.

The state of Hawaii has greatly improved its “position to succeed in the technology-led information age,” jumping up 11 spots to rank as the 28th best state in the State Technology and Science Index from the Milken Institute. The index looks at 77 indicators across five major components (ranging from research and development to human capital) in which Hawaii’s overall rankings have risen since it was first published in 2002.

“The future will belong to those regions that can develop a thriving technology industry in a wide variety of fast-growing fields including biotech, clean technology, nanotechnology, communications and next-generation computer applications,” the Institute said in a release. “The Index takes an objective measure of just how prepared each state is to take advantage of these opportunities.”

Massachusetts, Maryland, and Colorado took the top three spots. Mississippi ranked last for the second time, and West Virginia slid from 46th to 49th place.

Hawaii’s 28th place ranking was based on the following five components:

• Research and Development Inputs: Hawaii ranked 23rd, versus 37th in 2002.
• Risk Capital and Entrepreneurial Infrastructure: Hawaii ranked 27th, versus 40th in 2002.
• Human Capital Investment: Hawaii ranked 27th, versus 34th in 2002.
• Technology and Science Work Force: Hawaii ranked 32nd, versus 42nd in 2002.
• Technology Concentration and Dynamism: Hawaii ranked 30th, versus 50th in 2002.

“The changes in this year’s Index give a good measure of who is ahead in the increasing competition for scarce human capital and other resources needed for a successful industry,” said lead author Ross DeVol, director of Regional Economics at the Milken Institute.

The report notes that states are not only vying with each other for human capital and resources, but competing on a global level with countries like China and India.

Indeed, if you bring a sufficiently “science fiction-y” prop to the show, you’ll get a dollar back at the door.  You’ll have to be creative and plan ahead, though. Chances are the lip gloss or lint ball you pull out of your pocket at the last minute won’t cut it.

The concept?

“Spaced 1919” follows the adventures of the crew of the Astro Zepplin, a space blimp commissioned by President Woodrow Wilson after World War I in a misguided effort to create a “League of Planets.”  Now lost, low on gas and with too much time on their hands, the crew needs to find way to get back to Earth without losing their minds in the process.