Preparing for future athletic success

It’s been a while since a lot of cheering has erupted from the Rainbow side of Aloha Stadium, which is why the sound rising above Halawa was so sweet. The fact that this was the first back-to-back win for the University of Hawaii Warriors — following the road victory over San Jose State — underscores the magnitude of the football woes at Manoa.

And, though it was another venue and sport, let’s not forget that this came on the heels of the UH basketball team’s 74-70 stunner over Pittsburgh the night before. Overall, a good week for the embattled athletics crowd at the flagship campus.

But lest we get all misty about how lovely the stadium looked, awash in the thrill of victory, it’s still not a good idea to spend all kinds of money spiffing up the old place. After 40 years, it’s time for new digs. The cheers for some future team will sound even more uplifting there.

Paradise Park, a phoenix rising

There may be a future, after all, for Paradise Park, the tourist attraction resplendent with flora and fauna (especially tropical birds) that has languished since it closed in 1994.

The park’s old operator, Paradise Park Inc., now has a $15 million redevelopment plan with hopes of reopening it as a botanical park with hula shows and luaus. Over time the site really started to deteriorate. No wonder it was used as a setting for "Lost" episodes.

Check out this YouTube (youtu.be/t8OvqzbBfK8) for a glimpse of how it used to look. What was lost may soon be found — or at least part of it might be back on visitors’ to-do lists again.