First lady, daughters take Kailua vacation

First lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha seem to have been enjoying a respite from the television cameras since arriving at their Kailua vacation home on Saturday, according to area residents.

Scott Miscovich, who lives down the street from the now-famous five-bedroom rental home on Kailuana Place, said media and security presence in the area has so far been "very subtle."

"My wife saw Michelle and the kids passing by and we’ve seen Bo (the Obamas’ dog) walking," Miscovich said. "There hasn’t been much going on so far. It’s been very low-key compared to when the president is here."

President Barack Obama was originally to have accompanied his family on vacation on Friday evening but stayed in Washington, D.C., to push for passage of a short-term spending bill and the extension of the payroll tax cut.

He is expected to leave after today’s House vote on the payroll tax cut extension.

"From our standpoint, it’s not a headache," Miscovich said. "We’re glad he gets to come home and glad he’s spending his vacation in Kailua."

4 Waianae families remain at fallen house

Four Waianae families endured a frightening awakening early Sunday morning when their single-story home fell off its posts and crashed onto its foundation.

Fifteen people, including one infant, reside in the home, although only 13 were home when the Puhawai Road house collapsed at about 1:30 a.m.

No one was injured in the incident.

The American Red Cross assisted the families with food, clothing, bedding and other supplies. However, the residents declined hotel accommodations and are remaining at the property, with the approval of their landlord, to protect their belongings.

The home was suspended on 3-foot posts. A Red Cross spokesman said wood rot and termite damage to the posts, combined with high winds overnight, may have contributed to the collapse.

Lights back on as season ends for shearwaters

Work crews on Kauai are manually re-activating the exterior lights on all county facilities now that the fledgling season for the endangered Newell’s shearwater has ended, Kauai County announced last week.

The lights were manually disconnected just before the shearwater fledging season, from Sept. 15 to Dec. 15, to eliminate the sources of light attraction as part of a plea agreement between the county and the Department of Justice.

In addition to turning out exterior lights, which disorient the young birds as they fly out to sea, the county has also installed shielded lights at Vidinha, Kapaa and Hanapepe stadiums, Isenberg Park, Peter Rayno Park and the Lihue tennis courts.

Group endows scholarship at UH-Hilo

A new scholarship at the University of Hawaii at Hilo will support students who have at least a 3.5 grade point average.

Preference will be given to students who express an affiliation with a Masonic group, the university said in a press release.

Members of the Order of the Eastern Star Hawaii, Chapter No. 1, contributed $27,000 toward the endowment, which will be matched by UH-Hilo. The match was made possible by a $1.5 million anonymous gift to UH-Hilo in 2009, of which $1 million was designated for financial aid.

The scholarship will support students enrolled full-time in any area of study at UH-Hilo and can be used for costs including tuition, books and fees.

The Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No.1 is a social order affiliated with numerous Masonic groups, including the Shriners and Freemasons.