Kauai’s birds get a break; now bring night games

Economics certainly played a role in Kauai County’s admission that lighting at its facilities contributed to the deaths of at least 18 migratory seabirds in the past five years.

Kauai was facing federal fines of $25,000 for each dead bird, plus $270,000 for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Now it pays $15,000 and agrees to corrective actions to keep lights from disorienting newborn seabirds and causing them to crash.

Money aside, the move is an important step toward bolstering a declining wildlife population. And it eventually could help bring back a beloved small-town tradition — Friday night high school football. Games were played on Saturday afternoons this season to protect the birds.

Chef Roy, call your board

The good news is that Hawaii has a voice on the newly formed Corporation for Travel Promotion board of directors: Roy Yamaguchi.

The nonprofit, funded in part by a $10 fee on foreign travelers who don’t pay the $131 visa charge, was created to help America keep up in the race with other countries to boost tourism.

The not-so-good news is that the original U.S. Department of Commerce press release listing the 11 new members of the board put Yamaguchi’s headquarters at Roy’s Restaurant of Newport Beach, Calif. Say what?

The release was corrected to give Honolulu its due, so it’s all good again. But maybe the famous restaurateur should whip up a batch of his trademark Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine for the feds to see that they never forget.