Focus Hawaii

Follow

• 

  Focus Hawaii LDS Missionaries

  Lance Chase, Elder Blackham, Elder Hansen, Elder Leavai, Elder Minor, Elder Fifita, and Elder Castleberry

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this 1995 episode of Focus Hawaii features a lively and sincere conversation with several young LDS (Mormon) missionaries serving in Hawaiʻi. Elders Blackham, Hansen, Leavai, Minor, Fifita, and Castleberry share personal backgrounds—from Utah, Idaho, Samoa, and Tonga to California—and describe their experiences preparing for and serving full‑time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints. The missionaries explain how they finance their service, the training they receive at the Missionary Training Center, their daily routines of study and teaching, and the challenges and rewards of door‑to‑door contacting. They also discuss mission rules, companion relationships, cultural diversity in Hawaii, and the spiritual growth that takes place during their two years of service. Through candid reflections—on courage, discipline, homesickness, personal conversion, and the joy of helping others—the episode provides an engaging and human look into the life of Latter‑day Saint missionaries and their commitment to faith, service, and personal development.

• 

  Focus Hawaii NAIA Volleyball Champs

  Lance Chase and Brigham Young University Hawaii

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this celebratory episode of Focus Hawaii showcases the remarkable success of the Brigham Young University–Hawaii women’s volleyball team, who captured the 1994 NAIA National Championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chase highlights the extraordinary dominance of Hawaiʻi volleyball programs, noting that between BYU–Hawaii, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and Hawaiʻi Pacific University, local teams have claimed 11 of the 14–15 NAIA titles held up to that point. The episode features NAIA‑recorded match footage, tournament coverage, and scenes from the team’s triumphant return home, where the players are visibly overjoyed. Interviews with athletes and head coach Wilfred Navalta reveal the team’s emotional preparation, spiritual focus, and the unique calmness that carried them through championship play. Several players reflect on receiving MVP and All‑Tournament honors, the warmth of fan support from Hawaiʻi, and the surreal feeling of winning a national title with such a young squad—five freshmen, four sophomores, and three juniors. Coach Navalta calls the victory one of his “sweetest” due to the team’s youth, discipline, and unity, suggesting a dynasty in the making. The episode is both a tribute to Hawaiʻi’s volleyball legacy and a behind‑the‑scenes look at a championship season defined by heart, preparation, and aloha.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Tony DiPreta

  Lance Chase and Tony DiPreta

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features acclaimed cartoonist Tony DiPreta, creator of the Rex Morgan, M.D. comic strip, who reflects on his lifelong career in comics—from his beginnings in Connecticut to inheriting and sustaining major story‑based strips like Joe Palooka and Rex Morgan. DiPreta discusses his family, his early discouragement of his children entering the arts, and the meticulous process behind producing a daily story strip, including scripting, penciling, inking, letter placement, and sending completed work to syndicates. He recounts the challenges of preserving character likenesses when inheriting established strips, the evolution of the comic industry, the rise of residual merchandising, and how reader preferences and shrinking attention spans have shaped modern comics. He also shares experiences entertaining U.S. troops around the world as a USO cartoonist and offers insights into what it takes for aspiring artists to break into the field today.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Rex Frandsen Dedication of McKay Foyer

  Lance Chase and Rex Frandsen

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Rex Frandsen, Associate Dean of Library and Academic Support at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, in a discussion centered on the renovation and rededication of the David O. McKay foyer in December 1995. Frandsen recounts his personal history with the campus and explains the historical significance of President David O. McKay’s early vision for the school, which grew out of his 1921 visit to Laie. The program highlights the transformation of the foyer from a largely ceremonial space into an interactive educational and visitor information center, showcasing Hawaiian artifacts, campus history, and important cultural and religious narratives through curated exhibits and design features. Frandsen also describes the challenges of museum curation, including display design, preservation concerns, and plans for rotating exhibits, while emphasizing the foyer’s role as a focal point for visitors and students to better understand the heritage, mission, and global impact of the university.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Auriella Hughes, Judi Correa

  Lance Chase, Auriella Hughes, and Judi Correa

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this powerful episode of Focus Hawaii introduces Judi Correa and Auriella Hughes, two Kahuku Hospital professionals who created the youth‑focused documentary “There’s a Lot to Lose”, aimed at preventing drinking and driving among teens. They discuss how the project emerged from a need for culturally relevant educational materials on the North Shore, and how their collaboration—supported by BYU–Hawaii, local police, ambulance crews, community members, and the Peer Education Program—resulted in a compelling video featuring real stories, including the tragic loss of Jackie Chang’s two children. Through emotional interviews, graphic accident footage, and peer‑to‑peer messaging, the documentary teaches young people about the life‑altering consequences of alcohol use, emphasizing that adolescents are not invincible and that even one bad choice can cost dreams, health, loved ones, or life itself. The guests outline their plans for widespread distribution in schools, libraries, and community settings to reach as many youth as possible.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Dr. Edward A. Jensen and Dr. Gary Smith

  Lance Chase, Edward Jensen, and Gary Smith

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Edward Jensen, professor of instructional design, and Dr. Gary Smith, professor of hospitality management, as they discuss their backgrounds, their collaboration on faculty development, and their work documenting Total Quality Management (TQM) practices at the Ritz‑Carlton on Maui. They explain the origins and principles of TQM—emphasizing customer focus, employee empowerment, teamwork, and continuous improvement—and describe how these practices translate across business, education, and everyday life. Through anecdotes from their visit to the Ritz‑Carlton, they highlight examples such as employee autonomy, the “Credo Card,” creative problem‑solving, and even the hotel’s on‑site herb garden, illustrating how TQM fosters quality and motivation. They also reflect on applying TQM concepts in the classroom, the shift from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side,” and the importance of reducing fear of failure in learning environments. The episode provides an accessible introduction to quality management philosophy, though the video is somewhat blurry and several audio segments fade in and out, making parts of the discussion harder to follow.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Jonassen Cook Island Video

  Lance Chase, John Jonassen, and Diya Jonassen

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this captivating 1995 episode of Focus Hawaii features John and Diya Jonassen of the Cook Islands—two cultural authorities deeply connected to the chiefly lines of Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, and other islands of the Cooks. The interview centers on a rare and historically significant event: the filming of the investiture ceremony of the Makea Nui Ariki, one of the highest-ranking chiefly titles in the Cook Islands. With Diya having traveled with director Larry Lau to record the ceremony—a privilege seldom granted to outsiders—the Jonassens guide viewers through its cultural meaning, sacred protocols, and political implications. They explain the complex selection process, the interplay between traditional Maori custom and English colonial legal systems, and the dramatic rivalry between multiple claimants. Through video excerpts, the episode highlights ceremonial dressings, ancient marae settings, traditional roles of families and subchiefs, the famed symbolic biting of the pig’s ear, and the community’s expressions of allegiance. At its heart, the program offers a rare, intimate view of Polynesian leadership traditions, cultural continuity, and the tensions modern governance introduces into age‑old systems of rank and succession.

• 

  Focus Hawaii John Toner General Manager Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Part 1

  Lance Chase and Ritz Carlton Kapalua

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features John Toner, General Manager of the Ritz‑Carlton Kapalua, who shares his journey from Ohio to becoming a leader in one of Hawaii’s premier luxury hotels. Toner discusses his early career in marketing, his unexpected path into the hospitality industry, and the hands‑on approach that shaped his commitment to quality—working every department, learning Hawaiian culture, and earning staff respect from the ground up. He recounts experiences at Westin, Hyatt Maui, and the formative early days of Ritz‑Carlton, including developing major hotels, navigating booming tourism eras, and helping introduce the Ritz‑Carlton brand in Southern California. Toner also highlights Ritz‑Carlton’s people‑centered leadership philosophy, daily lineup meetings, employee empowerment, and the company’s rigorous quality standards—all leading into the groundwork for their later pursuit of the Malcolm Baldrige Award.

• 

  Focus Hawaii John Toner General Manager Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Part 2

  Lance Chase and Ritz Carlton Kapalua

  In this Focus Hawaii episode, host Lance Chase interviews John Toner, General Manager of the Ritz‑Carlton Kapalua on Maui, in a continuation of their discussion on total quality management and the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award. Toner explains how the award evaluates companies across industries, the rigorous application and inspection process, and how the Ritz‑Carlton’s focus on internal customer satisfaction—its employees—drives exceptional external service for guests. He shares examples of service philosophy in action, including the Ritz‑Carlton credo, the company’s three steps of service, and extraordinary acts of employee initiative. Toner also discusses the competitive landscape of luxury hotels in Hawaii, the importance of culture and employee involvement, the challenges of maintaining consistent service across 15,000 employees, and why the hotel’s service excellence is rooted in genuine care rather than luxury amenities alone.

• 

  Focus Hawaii LDS Social Services Arlene Anderson & Saly Lee

  Lance Chase, Saly Lee, and Arlene Anderson

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features clinical social worker Saly Lee and adoptive mother Arlene Anderson, who offer a compassionate and detailed look into LDS Social Services’ adoption program throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Lee explains the agency’s mission, history, and island‑wide outreach, describing the extensive adoption process—including interviews, home studies, medical and financial screenings, and family profiles reviewed by birth mothers—while highlighting church principles that prioritize the child’s best interests and the strength of two‑parent homes. Anderson shares her personal adoption journey, from receiving the life‑changing phone call announcing her son’s birth to the joy and bonding that followed, and reflects on the emotional sacrifices of birth mothers and the spiritual experiences often tied to adoptive placement. Together, they discuss closed vs. open adoptions, counseling support for both adoptive and birth parents, cultural challenges unique to Hawaiʻi, and inspiring success stories of children and birth mothers who have thrived through the program.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Eagle Li

  Lance Chase and Eagle Li

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii introduces Eagle Li, a Hong Kong–born BYU–Hawaii student and emerging playwright whose passion for drama, service, and cultural expression has shaped his creative journey. Li discusses his background, his mission experience, and the origins of his English name before describing how his love of TV, storytelling, and church activities drew him into writing plays that blend dialogue with dance, kung fu, choral music, and Chinese poetry. He shares the development of his works The Chinese Heart and its sequel, explaining how they highlight Chinese immigrant experiences, moral values, and themes of commitment, repentance, and service. Li also describes the demanding production process, his roles as writer, director, and actor, and the collaborative effort of more than 70 students involved. He further explains his desire to uplift audiences, support the gospel, and use performance to raise funds for flood relief in mainland China.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Peter Matz and Reinhardt Krekow

  Lance Chase, Peter Matz, and Reinhardt Krekow

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this Focus Hawaii episode features composer‑arranger Peter Matz—known for his work with Barbara Streisand, Carol Burnett, and Broadway—and Reinhardt Krekow, chair of the BYU–Hawaii music department, as they introduce the world‑premiere musical Stevenson by Heart. They discuss the creative process behind the production, which dramatizes the final years of author Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa, exploring his conflict between literary ambition and political involvement. Matz and Krekow share insights into casting, musical development, the incorporation of Samoan culture and spectacle, and the unique rehearsal workshop that brought fictional Stevenson characters—like Long John Silver and Dr. Jekyll—to life onstage. They highlight the collaboration with book writer Gene Levitt (creator of Hawaii Five‑O) and lyricist Kelly Hamilton, the challenges of mounting a new musical, and the excitement of blending Polynesian performers with Broadway‑style storytelling.

• 

  Focus Hawaii World Travelers

  Lance Chase, Dr. Marc Schlachter, and Dr. David Porter

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features two widely traveled guests—Dr. Marc Shlachter, a local physician known as “The Country Doctor,” and Dr. David Porter, BYU–Hawaii professor and tennis coach—who share extraordinary stories from their adventures around the world. From African pygmy villages and canoe journeys on the Ubangi River, to Bhutan, Timbuktu, the Cook Islands, Soviet‑era Moscow and Sochi, Guyana, and the remote atolls of Kiribati, the two describe what it’s like to travel far beyond typical tourist routes. They discuss staying with local families, navigating primitive conditions, avoiding diseases, and the medical precautions crucial for safe travel. The episode includes memorable stories—like receiving a treasured shell from a Kiribati family with almost nothing to spare, and bartering Levi’s and Nike shoes for a hand‑painted Russian lacquer box—while offering practical advice for anyone seeking authentic global experiences instead of packaged tours.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Hauula Elementary Year Round School

  Lance Chase, Linda Shimamoto, Mele Ah Ho, and Annette Santiago

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this Focus Hawaii episode explores Hauʻula Elementary School’s bold transition to a year‑round school calendar, featuring Principal Linda Shimamoto, intersession director Mele Ah Ho, and Hauʻula Community Park representative Annette Santiago. Together they explain how the shift—initiated through school–community‑based management—aims to reduce learning loss from long summer breaks, strengthen reading and math performance, and provide enrichment opportunities through optional intersessions. The discussion highlights strong collaboration between school staff, parents, and the park system, as well as innovative intersession activities selected democratically by the students, such as swimming, science, cultural themes, and hands‑on projects. The guests describe early positive signs, strong enrollment beyond expectations, active parental interest, and the potential for this model to expand to other Windward Oʻahu schools.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Dr. Marc Shlachter Bike Trip across Vietnam

  Lance Chase and Marc Shlachter

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this 1995 episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Marc Shlachter, a family physician and seasoned traveler, who recounts his extraordinary 1,100‑mile bicycle journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Over three weeks, he and a group of 35 cyclists rode along Vietnam’s Highway 1, navigating rough roads, intense heat, monsoon rains, steep mountain climbs, dehydration, blisters, and countless flat tires. Dr. Shlachter shares humorous and heartfelt stories—from the challenges of training, saddle sores, and hydration mishaps to unexpected kindnesses from Vietnamese families, who offered repairs, fruit, baths, and hospitality without expecting anything in return. He describes cultural highlights, including Hanoi’s traditional water‑puppet theater, remnants of the “Hanoi Hilton,” and Saigon’s bustling nightlife, as well as emotional encounters among veterans in the group revisiting sites from the war. The discussion explores Vietnam’s friendliness, its rapid growth after the lifting of the U.S. embargo, the contrasts between northern and southern cities, and the lingering complexity of war memory. Combining adventure, cultural insight, and personal reflection, the episode offers a vivid window into Vietnam in the mid‑1990s through the eyes of an American doctor pedaling across the country.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Dr. Shlachter & Dr. Porter

  Lance Chase, Marc Shlachter, and David Porter

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this lively episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Marc Shlachter—widely known as the “Country Doctor”—and Dr. David Porter, BYU–Hawaii professor and nationally ranked tennis coach, as they share remarkable stories from their global adventures. Rather than traveling as tourists, both men immerse themselves in local cultures—from Central Africa, Bhutan, and the Cook Islands to Guyana, Kiribati, and the former Soviet Union—often living among villagers, working with local families, and navigating primitive or high‑risk environments. They discuss medical realities of remote travel, including malaria prevention, typhoid and hepatitis A vaccines, water safety, and the unique challenges of providing medical advice in underserved regions. Their conversation blends humor, cultural insight, and cautionary travel wisdom, while also showcasing meaningful personal encounters—such as a treasured shell gifted by a Kiribati family and a hand‑painted Russian art box traded for jeans and Nikes.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Riki Stevens "Plane Truth"

  Lance Chase and Riki Stevens

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this compelling 1995 episode of Focus Hawaii features Riki Stevens, a former flight attendant turned airline‑health activist, whose 24 years in commercial aviation—including flying troop transports during the Vietnam War’s Tet Offensive—led her to investigate the hidden health risks of frequent flying. Drawing on more than a decade of research, Freedom‑of‑Information‑Act struggles, and collaboration with NASA medical experts and investigative journalists, Stevens discusses her book Plane Truth: Tips for Combating the Health and Safety Perils of Flying. Throughout the episode she outlines the documented dangers of modern air travel: reduced cabin oxygen, inefficient air‑exchange systems, clogged vents, high‑altitude radiation, chemical exposure, dehydration, and increased risks for crew members including cancers, sinus issues, arthritis, and varicose veins. She offers practical advice on seat selection, food and water safety, immune support, antioxidant use, and protecting medically vulnerable passengers—especially children and those recovering from illness or radiation treatment. Stevens also sheds light on activism within the airline industry, international policy differences, and continuing resistance from agencies like the FAA. With clarity and urgency, she encourages travelers to take an active role in safeguarding their health before, during, and after flying.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Officer R. Unciano

  Lance Chase and Officer Roland Unciano

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Officer Roland Unciano of the Windward Oʻahu Community Policing Team, who shares his background—from growing up in Waimea, Kauaʻi, to serving in the Air Force during Vietnam, to 24 years with the Honolulu Police Department. He explains the mission and structure of the newly established community policing unit, detailing programs such as Neighborhood Security Watch, Adopt‑a‑Block, Stamp Out Graffiti, Citizen Patrols, CTAP (Community Traffic Awareness Partnership), and CROSS (Community Response on School Security). Through real examples, photos, and video clips, Officer Unciano describes how community partnerships, non‑confrontational reporting, school patrols, sign‑waving traffic campaigns, and neighborhood involvement help reduce vandalism, speeding, graffiti, and other concerns. Emphasizing collaboration, safety, and relationship‑building, he highlights how citizen engagement can strengthen communities and support police efforts across Windward Oʻahu.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Vernice Wineera Director, Institute for Polynesian Studies

  Lance Chase and Vernice Wineera

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Vernice Wineera—soon to be Dr. Wineera—newly appointed Director of the Institute for Polynesian Studies, who shares her remarkable journey from growing up in the Māori village of Porirua, New Zealand, to decades of educational, cultural, and administrative work in Hawaiʻi. She recounts her studies at BYU–Hawaii, her years of service at the Polynesian Cultural Center in roles ranging from marketing to research and development, and her doctoral focus on multiculturalism and the dynamics of cultural presentation within expatriate Polynesian communities. Wineera discusses the Institute’s history, its scholarly mission, its partnerships between BYU–Hawaii and the PCC, its board of fellows, and its ambitious research projects—including oral histories, multi‑ethnicity conferences, Rapa Nui studies, and documentation of Pacific performance arts—all while emphasizing student involvement, cultural integrity, and the importance of authentic representation. Please note that some portions of the video, particularly in the middle section, may appear blurry or have gray visual distortions. [1995006 Fo...a 19950308 | PDF]

• 

  Focus Hawaii Christ Zivalich, Frank S. Conkey Hawaii Career & College Fair

  Lance Chase, Christ Zivalich, and Frank Conkey

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii highlights the upcoming Hawaii Career and College Fair at the Neal Blaisdell Center, featuring guests Christ Zivalich and Frank Conkey, longtime organizers of the event. They explain the fair’s mission to connect Hawaiʻi students, parents, career changers, and military personnel with over 90 mainland colleges and universities, including top institutions like MIT, Caltech, USC, Reed, and Brandeis. The episode emphasizes early college planning, financial‑aid seminars, and the unique value of accessing campus representatives without leaving the islands. Zivalich and Conley also discuss the fair’s robust career section, featuring organizations such as the National Weather Service, FBI, Keck Observatory, beauty and technical programs, and branches of the U.S. military. They describe the fair as a free, high‑impact resource that routinely draws thousands of attendees and offers unmatched access to admissions deans, alumni, and career professionals—all working together to help Hawaiʻi residents plan for academic and professional success.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Richard Kato

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Richard Kato, Executive Director of the KEY Project (Koʻolauloa–Heʻeia Ecumenical Youth Project)—a community-based organization serving families from Kāneʻohe to Kualoa, Waiāhole, Kahaluʻu, Hauʻula, and surrounding rural areas. Kato recounts the project’s beginnings in the late 1960s, when churches and parents joined forces to address youth drug abuse, eventually expanding into a multi‑service hub dedicated to seniors, families, and children. Through photos and discussion, he describes the project’s evolution from a donated, weathered two‑story building into a purpose‑built community center supported by state, city, and local families. Kato explains KEY Project’s broad range of programs—food bank services, senior meal sites, cultural and continuing education classes, after‑school and summer youth programs, counseling support, GED instruction, crisis assistance, and extensive outreach to local schools. He emphasizes the organization’s “ohana‑centered” philosophy, its heavy reliance on volunteers, and the deep trust the community places in the program. Kato also reflects on the changing challenges families face, including drugs, gangs, and lack of youth resources, and shares personal stories of families aided through emergency support. His role as director spans community advocacy, administration, legislative outreach, and the day‑to‑day management of a bustling community space constantly in use by seniors, youth, school partners, legal aid, church groups, and volunteer crews—embodying the mission of bringing the community together.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Kenneth W. Baldridge Professor of History, BYU-Hawaii

  Lance Chase and Kenneth W. Baldridge

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Kenneth W. Baldridge, longtime BYU–Hawaii history professor, oral historian, and community leader, reflecting on his remarkable life and 25-year career in Laie. Born in 1926 in California, Baldridge shares memories of playing football under legendary coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, serving as a Navy signalman during World War II, studying forestry, and eventually discovering his passion for teaching. He recounts his years in New Zealand at the Church College of New Zealand, his work in founding the Mormon Pacific Historical Society, and his leadership in creating and expanding BYU–Hawaii’s oral history program, which has produced roughly 400 interviews documenting local and regional history. Baldridge also discusses his service roles as bishop, patriarch, civil defense coordinator for Laie, and his deep love for ranching, horses, and historic preservation. As he prepares for retirement and an upcoming mission with his wife Delma—an accomplished quilter and cake artisan—he reflects with humor, gratitude, and warmth on his contributions to the university, the community, and the preservation of Hawaiian and Mormon Pacific history.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Brett Borup & Don Sa'aga

  Lance Chase, Brett Borup, and Don Sa'aga

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Brett Borup, Vice President for Public Works at Hawaii Reserves Inc., and Don Saʻaga, Director of Public Relations and Property, as they discuss the history, challenges, and future of Laʻie’s wastewater treatment system. They explain how aging infrastructure, Clean Water Act violations, and legal action led to federal and state consent decrees requiring major upgrades, a new treatment plant, and long‑term community planning. Borup describes engineering difficulties, community task‑force input, financing obstacles, and the goal of eventually transitioning management away from HRI, while Saʻaga reflects on community concerns, public outreach, local input, and the responsibility of balancing cultural sensitivity with corporate roles. Together, they outline the environmental, technical, political, and community dimensions of wastewater redevelopment in Laʻie—highlighting transparency, collaboration, and the need for sustainable infrastructure that can serve present and future generations.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Richard Burns Bookmobile Librarian

  Lance Chase and Richard Burns

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii spotlights Richard Burns, the bookmobile librarian for the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System, as he explains how this unique “library on wheels” serves communities from Kailua to Sunset Beach. Burns describes Hawaiʻi’s statewide library structure, the bookmobile’s role in reaching residents with limited access to library branches, and the wide range of materials carried—including fiction, nonfiction, Hawaiiana, magazines, paperbacks, audiobooks, and even videotapes. He discusses how routes are scheduled, how patrons can borrow or request books, how the collection is rotated monthly, and how personalized service develops through long‑term relationships with regular visitors. Burns also highlights the state’s forward‑leaning use of technology, such as dial‑up catalog access, and offers practical insights on lending policies, fines, book care, and the future potential for onboard computers. The episode provides a rare inside look at a vital mobile service that keeps literature, learning, and library access alive across Oʻahu’s rural and coastal communities.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Recycle Hawaii

  Lance Chase, Suzanne Jones, Annetta Kinnicutt, and Tony Sickler

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this 1994 episode of Focus Hawaii spotlights Recycle Hawaiʻi, a city–school partnership designed to reduce waste, educate children, and build island‑wide recycling habits. Chase welcomes three guests central to the movement: Suzanne Jones, the City & County of Honolulu’s recycling coordinator; Annetta Kinnicutt, Laʻie Elementary’s gifted‑and‑talented teacher and student council advisor; and Toni Sickler, a parent volunteer who helps run on‑campus recycling operations. Together they explain how the program began in 1990 as a pilot at twenty schools and grew to more than fifty recycling drop‑off sites across Oʻahu, accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Viewers learn how the large white “Recycle Hawaiʻi” bins work, what materials can be accepted (newspaper, glass bottles, aluminum cans, milk jugs, and select plastics), and what happens to the collected recyclables—from sorting to baling to export to Asian and mainland markets. The episode features a short video tour of the Dillingham Boulevard processing facility, along with examples of how Laʻie students creatively reuse materials in class projects, award‑winning videos, and environmental inventions. The guests discuss the economic realities of fluctuating commodity prices, the educational impact on children, the revenue returned to schools (about $100,000 the previous year), and the growing civic pride in recycling. Filled with humor, community insight, and hands‑on demonstrations, the episode encourages residents to participate in recycling as both an environmental responsibility and a direct investment in local schools.