A bill that would allow for a limited number of new bed-and-breakfast permits to be issued on Oahu while establishing stiffer fines for unlawful vacation rentals soon will go before the City Council.

The Council instructed the city Department of Planning and Permitting to come up with a proposal to deal with the rapid expansion of bed-and-breakfast operations. The department’s acting director, Kathy Sokugawa, said she is working on a bill that will be sent to lawmakers.

How many new permits would be allowed has not been determined, she told the Star-Advertiser, and the proposal may set limits for individual districts rather than a single total for the entire island.

“It could be a saturation point in a neighborhood, in a district,” or some other area “so that you don’t have essentially a village of them all clustered together,” Sokugawa said. “We want to spread them out so that they don’t overwhelm the character of our neighborhoods.”

The City Council has struggled for decades to come up with a policy on how to deal with the bed-and-breakfast issue. Permits for new vacation rentals, except in resort-­zoned districts, have not been been issued by the city since 1989, a detail that has not deterred hundreds of illegal ones from operating.

A 2017 study by the Hawaii Tourism Authority estimated there are 23,000 vacation rental units statewide, a 35 percent increase over two years.

B&B supporters say renting out space in their homes helps cash-strapped residents cope with the high cost of living in Hawaii. Proponents also say the B&Bs offer a popular alternative for visitors to Hawaii’s shores and have helped keep tourism growing in the state.

Opponents argue the operations are a growing blight on residential neighborhoods, eating into the available long-term rental inventory during a severe housing shortage and often overburdening roads, water and sewer lines and other infrastructure.

“I am personally not going to support or (put forward) a bill to allow any more short-term rentals if it doesn’t have a strong set of new enforcement tools,” Sokugawa said. “That is what we’ve prepared.”

Sokugawa added that a vacation rental advisory group and other key stakeholders will be see the proposal “by the end of this month or early next month.”

A bill now moving through the state Legislature aims to better regulate vacation rentals by giving the counties more powerful enforcement tools.

Sokugawa said she’s hopeful that House Bill 2605 includes stronger civil fines (starting at $25,000 per violation) and authorizes the counties to “disgorge” all profits property owners collect unlawfully.

“I don’t know if people will stop doing it, but I would think twice about doing this if you could lose all the profits you make on this plus a minimum fine of $25,000,” she said.

Sokugawa said what happens at the state Capitol won’t affect what her department is working on.

“We’d like (a state bill) to move forward, but we’re not sure we need one to move forward with our own,” she said. “We’re not waiting for that bill to pass.”

In related news, the Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice last week released a report on the impacts vacation rentals are having on state’s the housing market and economy.

The report said one in every 24 housing units in Hawaii is being used as a vacation rental, taking a bite out of available housing inventory for Hawaii residents.

“Families who have lived in Hawai‘i for generations are being displaced from their homes and their islands by a steady flow of short-term visitors,” the Appleseed report concluded.

The report estimated that at least 52 percent of vacation rentals are owned by nonresidents, and that between 74 percent and 93 percent were for entire houses or condominiums.

The report recommended, among other things, that there be increased enforcement, new laws that would make advertising an illegal site the trigger for citations, fines for platforms that advertise illegal rentals, and a requirement for the platforms to identify illegal operators.

Hawaii County police are investigating the theft of more than a dozen tools from a landscaping business in South Kohala.

The crime was reported at 7:45 a.m. Friday at Pacific Island Trees’ baseyard, located just east of Puanuanu Place off Mamalahoa Highway. Taken from a storage container on the property were 11 Stihl chainsaws, four Stihl pole chainsaws, a Stihl backpack blower and a 5-gallon, red plastic gas can.

The theft is believed to have occurred sometime after 5 p.m. Thursday.

Police are asking anyone with information on the case to call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact patrol officer Edward Lewis at 887-3080 or Edward.Lewis@hawaiicounty.gov.

The City & County of Honolulu loses data for more than 66,000 people and it’s hard not to compare it to the state’s colossal missile alert mistake.

I mean, of course the two are not at all the same. The fake missile alert plunged the entire state into the chaos and horror of thinking death was imminent. The city’s lost data will inconvenience some people trying to get their driver’s license replaced or renewed. Not much of a comparison.

But the connective theme is, of course, local government screwing up something basic in a big way. Taxpayers don’t control how every dollar is spent. We just hand over the money and hope-hope-hope the folks on the other end know what they’re doing.

Most people have misunderstood directions or pushed the wrong button or forgotten their Twitter password, but with very little impact to the larger community. Likewise, many people know what it’s like to have a server crash or to lose all the data on their phone. It can be devastating and frustrating, but that’s just us, at home, with our own devastation and frustration and ineptitude. It’s very different when a company is paid by local government to keep safe thousands of personal documents — the very same documents we’re always told to keep safe from identity thieves —and they lose it all in a crash that nobody finds out about for six months.

City officials have assured this was not a security breach. City spokesman Andrew Perreira says there is zero risk of identity theft.

And Gov. David Ige said, hours after the missile scare, before anyone really knew what even happened, that it would not happen again.

So that’s reassuring.

Looking at both incidents side by side, the contrast is in how the state handled its snafu versus how the city dealt with its.

The city held a news conference, took questions, brought out the principals from both the city and the contracted vendor to provide answers and, notably, apologized and truly seemed apologetic. The tone was very different in Ige and Vern Miyagi’s first news conference: defensive and not very contrite. They seemed ticked off that anyone would question their competence or be upset by the false alarm. Instead, there was a lecture about how the onus is on us, the taxpaying public, to get our heads out of the sand and learn proper nuclear-attack preparedness. Like somehow it was our fault for being scared.

Jokes about our dopey local government come too easily these days, but at least the city came right out and owned up to the problem, said they were sorry and looked like they meant it.

In a perfect world, no one makes mistakes, servers never crash and everyone who works for the government knows what’s what. In a perfect world, there are no missiles to fear. But in the real world, stuff happens and people are measured by what they do next to fix the problem and regain trust.

Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.

Waialua High School was named regional champion at the FIRST Robotics Competition Hawaii Regional on Saturday and will be heading to the World Championships in Houston next month.

Other Hawaii teams earning the right to compete in Houston were regional finalists Hilo and McKinley high schools. Hilo also won the Engineering Inspiration Award.

Taipei American School received the Regional Chairman’s Award, the most prestigious title at the two-day tournament, and a berth at the World Championships.

More than 1,200 students, representing 37 high schools from across the country and overseas, converged at the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center for the contest. Students designed and built human-sized robots over a six-week period to compete at the tournament.

The World Championships will be held April 18-21.

2 more Biki Stops added in Honolulu

Bikeshare Hawaii has added two new Biki Stops to its network, one in Waikiki and one at the corner of Cooke and Kawaiahao streets in Kakaako.

The nonprofit also has scheduled open houses to give people a chance to learn about the bike-share program and offer their input as the program expands.

Bikeshare Hawaii announced the new stations Friday and said it had also expanded four other stations in response to user demand.

The new Waikiki stop is on Paokalani Avenue at Ala Wai Boulevard, near the Waikiki Community Center. Neither of the new locations remove parking stalls.

Bikeshare Hawaii is holding open houses 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson Elementary School, 6 to 8 p.m. April 10 at Makiki District Park, and 5 to 7 p.m. April 17 at Pauahi Recreation Center.

To learn more and see proposed Biki Stop expansion plans, visit gobiki.org.

Led by student activists, thousands of people around the state braved rainy weather to rally and march in a unified call to end gun violence, joining millions of other demonstrators across the United States and abroad who took to the streets at “March for Our Lives” events.

On Oahu, thousands showed up at the state Capitol and marched, in ponchos and under umbrellas, from the Capitol to the Prince Kuhio Federal Building, on to the state Department of Education building, and back to the Capitol.

Monica Kenny, 16, a junior at Sacred Hearts Academy, helped organize the Capitol march in support of students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where a gunman killed 17 people last month.

“We have to do something about it because if we don’t no one else will,” she said. “It’s about saving people’s lives. That’s what we want — less dead people.”

Honolulu psychologist Carol Maxym, who authored a book on parenting teens, carried a sign that read: “Another psychologist for sensible gun control.” She marched with her daughter, Dr. Maya Maxym, a pediatrician at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women &Children, and her 3-year-old grandchild.

“When my daughter went to school, I never gave gun violence a second thought,” the elder Maxym said. “I didn’t need to. We’ve become inured to violence.”

After the march, participants gathered for speeches at the Capitol’s rotunda. Lily Kim-Dela Cruz, 20, a sophomore at the University of Hawaii, criticized how some officials had threatened to take away their prom and other activities if students participated in the March 14 walkout protesting gun violence.

She questioned how it could be that in a country that cherishes free speech, “they take it back when it matters the most.”

“Do not be silenced,” Kim-Dela Cruz said.

At Ala Moana Beach Park, more than a hundred people participated in a separate rally.

On the Big Island nearly 500 people attended a rally in Waimea, said Riley Herendeen, a senior at Parker School in Waimea, in a Facebook message to the Star-Advertiser. She said she organized the Waimea rally because “there was a lack of discussion after the Parkland shooting in my school.”

“Our generation has taken this lead,” she said. “It’s time to secure stricter gun laws and background checks.”

Other demonstrations were held in Hilo and Kona.

On Kauai, about 200 people showed up for a rally along Kuhio Highway near Lihue Airport, according to attendee Jason Blake.

On Maui, students organized a different kind of campaign against gun violence with a “Concert for Our Lives” that included Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson and other headliners. A crowd of 5,000 was expected to attend the concert Saturday night at the Maui Arts &Cultural Center in Kahului, following a rally at the University of Hawaii Maui College.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that added up to Seton Hall’s 5-1 baseball victory over Hawaii.

The Pirates played small ball (two bunt singles), long ball (Connor Hood’s two-run triple to the right-center gap) and tough-to-hit ball (the UH run was unearned) in claiming what was essentially a doubleheader sweep Saturday at Les Murakami Stadium.

Earlier Saturday, the Pirates completed a 9-8 victory in an 11-inning game that was suspended in the seventh inning Friday night because of heavy rain.

The clouds had cleared at twilight Saturday, but the ’Bows could not weather the Pirates’ rat-a-tat lineup and purposeful pitching in the nightcap.

“They played better,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said of the Pirates. “We didn’t pitch well. Our pitching was pretty ordinary at best, and their hitting was extraordinary. They were outstanding.”

The Pirates amassed 12 hits, including 10 through the first five innings. Four of their hits came on two-strike pitches. After forcing the ’Bows to burn four relievers in the opening game — closer Dylan Thomas pitched 2 2/3 innings — the Pirates chased UH starter Dominic DeMiero with no outs in the fifth in Saturday’s evening game.

DeMiero forced the Pirates to strand three runners in the first two innings, but he exhausted his escape options after that. The Pirates loaded the bases on three singles to open the third. DeMiero struck out the next two Pirates, but Nick Dabrio singled home Rob Dadona for the game’s first run.

In the fourth, the Pirates broke a 1-all tie when Hood belted a two-run triple into right-center. It was Hood’s third hit of the season and second of the series. He homered on Friday night.

In the fifth, DeMiero allowed a single to Casey Dana and a walk to Ryan Ramiz. That ended DeMiero’s evening at 79 pitches. He allowed nine hits and three walks. Tyler Shedler-McAvoy’s two-out single scored Dana to extend the Pirates’ lead to 4-1.

“We’re behind in the count,” Trapasso said. “We can’t throw anything else (besides fastballs) for a strike. We’re just not pitching well for two days in a row. That’s what’s going to happen.”

The ’Bows made several DVR-rewinding plays. Dustin Demeter took a throw from shortstop Maaki Yamazaki, fell down, and with his back pockets on second base, threw to first to complete the double play. Adam Fogel, playing center field, made a diving catch on a drive into the alley.

But the ’Bows had difficulty piecing hits against Billy Layne, a 6-4, 181-pound right-hander who was making his second start after four relief appearances. In his previous start, Layne pitched four innings in a road victory over Oklahoma State. On Saturday, he went five innings, allowing three hits and one unearned run.

The Pirates finished what they started in winning the game that was suspended on Friday.

Shortstop Al Molina scored the go-ahead run from third when Sebastiano Santorelli grounded into a double play in the 11th inning. The ’Bows went down in order in the bottom of the inning.

The Pirates were leading, 8-7, when the game was suspended in the seventh inning Friday because of heavy rain. When the game resumed Saturday afternoon, the ’Bows tied it on Tyler Murray’s RBI single to right in the eighth. But the next 11 UH batters did not reach base.

Matt Leon pitched three innings of relief to earn the victory.

For a third consecutive competition day, the Hawaii beach volleyball team defeated a ranked opponent with the initials USC.

Last weekend it was three-time defending national champion Southern California twice at Queen’s Beach.

On Saturday, it was No. 8 South Carolina at the Gamecock Challenge in Columbia, S.C.

The Rainbow Wahine (16-3) ran their winning streak to 11 after downing the host Gamecocks 3-2 at Wheeler Beach. The SandBows had clinched the dual when leading 3-0 then lost the final two flights at Nos. 2 and 3.

“Any time you can beat a USC it’s a good win,” Hawaii coach Jeff Hall said in a telephone call. “They’re a good team, definitely the second best in the East (behind Florida State). They don’t have a lot of size, but they play with a lot of passion.

“Our biggest adversity is cold weather. We can handle wind and rain, but it was cold for us. There was no sun, it was freezing for us. The girls wanted to play in gloves.”

Hall estimated that both the duals against South Carolina (13-3) and the earlier 5-0 sweep of UNC Wilmington (9-6) were played in temperatures in the high 50s to low 60s with winds at 5 to 10 mph. An estimated crowd of 400, lured in part by free pizza for students, watched at the five-year-old state-of-the-art facility, the first of its kind in the SEC.

Hawaii concludes the tournament with duals today against Florida Gulf Coast and UAB. Should UH win both, it would tie the program record of 13 in a row that was set in 2015.

The SandBows had little trouble in their first dual against the Seahawks, winning all five flights in straight sets. The evening dual with the Gamecocks was much more competitive, with Hawaii getting a much-needed point at Flight 5 when Paige Dreeuws-Hannah Zalopany rallied for a 12-21, 21-16, 15-11 win over Franky Harrison-Jess Vastineto to put UH up 2-0.

The Gamecocks’ other two losses were to No. 1 Pepperdine and then-No. 4 Florida State, both 4-1. Hall said his team had a chance at that final score when Carly Kan and Laurel Weaver led late in Set 3, but they couldn’t pull off the rally when falling to Cade Bates-Kate Smith, 21-9, 15-21, 15-13

Baldwin’s Angelo Deloso-Flocco failed in his mission to score the winning goal in the Division I boys soccer state championship game. The same held true for his Feb. 17 opponent at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium, Hawaii Prep’s Jake Schneider.

It was that kind of intensely close and, literally, electric match. Due to lightning in the area, it was ultimately canceled with the score tied 0-0 and both teams agreeing to share the state title. Two Neighbor Island teams giving it everything they had throughout regulation and deep into the first overtime wound up, as Schneider said afterward, with a “glass half full.” Two highly technical squads worked diligently most of the night to set up their high-scoring strikers and they came close several times.

The tie has carried over into the offseason. Deloso-Flocco, a senior and the pulse of the Bears, edged out Schneider, a junior, for 2018 Honolulu Star-Advertiser Player of the Year honors. Ka Makani coach Rich Braithwaite, however, barely beat out Baldwin’s Kane Palazzotto as the choice for coach of the year.

Deloso-Flocco is now a three-time All-State first-teamer.

“Angelo learned a lot about himself this year,” Palazzotto said. “We tried some different positions and philosophies with him. We wanted him to understand that he didn’t have to do it all but also to understand when the team needed him most. He’s a great young man; very respectable. God has blessed this kid with some amazing soccer abilities. I wish him the best and I am proud to have been able to coach such a wonderful player.”

Deloso-Flocco scored 15 goals with seven assists. He is joined on the first team by two Baldwin seniors, fullback Hayden Hawes and midfielder Daniel Souza, and a Bears junior, goalkeeper Elliot Tom.

“Hayden was our captain, a rock in the back,” Palazzotto said. “Plays with passion and has a big heart. We played the three best offensive attacking teams at the state tournament and only gave up a set-piece goal. Elliot Tom — hard worker, always wants to get better. And Danny Boy was our point guard who ran the offense the last two years. Angelo scored because Danny knew how to get the ball to him.”

Schneider, who had two goals in a 3-2 state semifinal victory over King Kekaulike, finished with 19 goals and 12 assists and easily made the Star-Advertiser All-State first team.

“Jake made everything function for us offensively,” Braithwaite said. “He is the best forward in the state, in my opinion.”

Sihkea Jim, a junior fullback, brings the total of Hawaii Prep players on the first-team to two.

“Sihkea would be the best center midfielder in the state if we didn’t need him at center back,” said Braithwaite, who is the coach of the year for the second straight season. He pulled off the seemingly impossible task of bringing Hawaii Prep a state D-I co-championship after winning two D-II state titles in a row.

It was a dominant year for the Neighbor Islands at states and it reflects on the All-State first team. Two Na Alii seniors — defender Zakariya Woolley and midfielder Cade Taniguchi — were chosen to the top team, bringing the Neighbor Islands’ haul to eight out of the top 11 choices.

“Zakariya is by far the most consistent player in the state,” King Kekaulike coach Tye Perdido said. “Hands down, the best defender with his ability to read the game and anticipate the play. Not only that, he was a huge threat in the attacking end.”

The three Oahu players chosen are seniors: ‘Iolani midfielder Alex Liu, Punahou fullback Christopher Espinoza and Kapolei high-scoring forward Sean Yoshida. Liu is a repeat first-team selection, and he also drew a player of the year vote, as did Woolley, Hawes and senior goalkeeper Jameson Sato of D-II state champion Kamehameha-Hawaii.

Two players who made first team in 2017 are on the second team this time around — Kaiser’s Makana Srivongsana, a forward, and Noah Mokulehua, a midfielder.

Boys All-State Soccer by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd

Kaile Halvorsen’s path to the top of the heap was circuitous, but highly rewarding.

A senior striker, Halvorsen was a tremendous talent when she broke in as a freshman with Punahou. A knee injury and a transfer later, she settled in to become the leading goal scorer in her second season with Kaiser this year, and coaches from around the state have voted her as the 2018 Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s player of the year.

Using her speed and nose for scoring, Halvorsen was a major force in leading the Cougars to new heights, including a spot in the OIA championship game and a climb to the Division I state semifinal that ended in a 2-1 PK loss to Pearl City. She scored Kaiser’s only goal in that one.

“Kaile meant a great deal to the team,” Cougars first-year coach Noe Bio said. “She led by example and always rose to the occasion. Her teammates relied on her leadership and instruction when the going got tough in the playoffs. She’s the coach on the field, so when she saw that something wasn’t working — whether it be a bad pass or a poor decision-making situation — she would always be the one to speak up and try to get the others to make the adjustment. Without her leadership, we would not have made it as far as we did.”

Halvorsen finished with 31 goals and added 10 (approximate, according to the coach) assists.

“She has a genuine love for scoring goals, I mean who doesn’t,” the coach added, “but when she’s on the pitch, she has the natural ability to always find the back of the net. Her separation speed is what makes her unique. She’s not only quick, but she’s strong too, so when she breaks free from the defender, there’s no stopping her.”

In 2015 as a ninth-grader, Halvorsen was chosen to the Star-Advertiser’s second team. She barely missed making the second team as a sophomore and did not get any votes as a junior.

State Division I champion ‘Iolani and runner-up Pearl City are well represented on the All-State first team. Two Raiders sophomores — forward Mia Watanabe and defender Kelsey Wong — got more than one vote for player of the year and made the first team. Watanabe, a repeat first-team selection, scored four goals in three games in the state tourney, including the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over the Chargers in the final.

“Kelsey Wong is, hands down, the best defender in the state,” said ‘Iolani coach Kristin Masunaga, who was named as coach of the year for the second straight time. “Under her leadership, she shut down (some of the best forwards). She’s a very smart and composed player with exceptional leadership qualities. She’s very humble and respected by everyone.”

Sophomore ‘Iolani midfielders Kelsey Takahashi and Sierra Wheeler also earned top-team honors.

“They are both very skilled, have great instincts, and control the middle of the field for us,” Masunaga said. “Both suffered injuries and we struggled when they were unable to suit up.”

Daelenn Tokunaga, a high-scoring forward, was chosen to the All-State first team for the third straight year, and she joins goalkeeper Naomi Takata as Pearl City’s two first-team selections. The Chargers’ Sunshine Fontes, a junior who was the player of the year in 2016 and made the first team in 2017, dropped to honorable mention. She missed half the season due to a national team commitment, according to coach Frank Baumholtz III.

A goal-scoring and play-making force for ILH champion Kamehameha, junior D’Awncey Jones-Black easily made it on to the first team, joining sophomore teammate Tausani Tavale, a shut-down fullback. Two senior defenders from OIA champion Mililani round out the first team — Karlin Wurlitzer, a repeat selection, and Jodi Lillie.

Girls All-State Soccer by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd

University of Hawaii junior Metin Aydin earned All-America honorable mention with an 11th-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke Saturday at the NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Minneapolis.

Aydin, of Cologne, Germany, finished in 1:39.59 in the B Finals.

Last season, Aydin earned All-America honorable mention in the 200 individual medley.

Also Saturday, UH sophomore Olli Kokko placed 32nd in the 200-yard breaststroke and junior Johan Sandell finished 32nd in the platform dive.

Hawaii Hilo softball wins at TOC

Bailey Gaspar went 3-for-4 with four RBIs as the Hawaii Hilo softball team beat Cal State East Bay 6-5 at the Turlock Tournament of Champions on Saturday in Turlock, Calif.

The Vulcans (17-9) scored three runs in the sixth inning to take the lead. Skylar Thomas had an RBI double and Gaspar added a two-run double.

The Pioneers fell to 13-20.

Hilo’s game against Cal State Dominguez Hills was canceled due to rain.

>> Chaminade lost to Saint Martin’s 3-2 on Julia Lucas’ pinch-hit single in the seventh inning at the TOC.

The Silverswords’ Rainelle Matsuoka reached base three times and Devan Dickson allowed just one earned run in a complete-game performance.

The Silverswords fell to 9-19, and the Saints improved to 11-12.

Chaminade’s game against Concordia (Portland, Ore.) was canceled due to rain.

>> Jordan Curry went 3-for-4 and Alexis Morales allowed one run over six innings, but Hawaii Pacific lost to Concordia 3-2 in eight innings at the TOC.

The Cavaliers (15-13) scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. The Sharks dropped to 10-11.

HPU baseball swept by Dixie State

The Hawaii Pacific baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Dixie State on Saturday in St. George, Utah.

In the first game, the Sharks issued eight walks and committed five errors, and all the runs they allowed were unearned in a 5-4 loss in 11 innings. Christian Kapeliela went 2-for-3, including a two-run homer for HPU. The Trailblazers won on Jake Davison’s RBI single.

In the second game, Jordan Mopas and Micah Layosa homered in the Sharks’ 9-5 loss.

The Sharks dropped to 11-11, 5-9 PacWest, and the Trailblazers improved to 11-17, 7-11.

FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 29 – FEB. 2

Derived from Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances Tax Data. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Download Star Channels, updated every Sunday. (Adobe Acrobat required)

Star Channels, March 25-31

ON THE AIR

Listings are for Spectrum and Hawaiianˆˆ analog/digital. *—premium station. **—retelecast. ***—delayed. Check your TV guide for latest updates.

CALENDAR

TODAY

BASEBALL
>> College: Seton Hall at Hawaii, 1:05 p.m., at Les Murakami Stadium.

MONDAY

BASEBALL
>> College: Seton Hall at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m., at Les Murakami Stadium.
>> OIA: Mililani at Campbell, 3 p.m.; Roosevelt at Kalani, 3 p.m.; Leilehua at Kapolei, 3 p.m.; Moanalua at Kailua, 3 p.m.; Pearl City at Aiea, 3 p.m.

GOLF
>> College women: Anuenue Spring Break Classic, all day, at Kapalua, Maui.

SOFTBALL
>> OIA East: Moanalua at Roosevelt, 10 a.m.
>> OIA West: Leilehua at Campbell, 10 a.m.
>> OIA Division II: Kalani at Waipahu (doubleheader), 1 p.m.

ILH VOLLEYBALL

Boys ILH Division II

>> Saint Louis def. Le Jardin 25-15, 26-24, 20-25, 24-26, 25-20
>> Damien def. Hanalani 25-7, 25-17, 25-12

Boys Division III
>> Island Pacific def. Lanakila Baptist 25-12, 26-24

Boys JV
>> Maryknoll def. St. Francis 25-19, 25-15
>> Kamehameha-Blue def. ‘Iolani-Black 25-13, 26-27, 25-17
>> Kamehameha-White def. ‘Iolani-Red 25-24, 23-25, 25-23

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Gamecock Challenge
At Columbia, S.C.

No. 3 Hawaii 3, No. 8 South Carolina 2
>> Ka’iwi Schucht-Emily Maglio (UH) def. Shannon Williams-Ali Dempsey (SC), 21-16, 21-17.
>> Cade Bates-Kate Smith (SC) def. Carly Kan-Laurel Weaver (UH), 21-9, 15-21, 15-13.
>> Julia Mannisto-Carly Schneider (SC) def. Lea Monkhouse-Morgan Martin (UH), 21-19, 21-17.
>> Ari Homayun-Amy Ozee (UH) def. Leah Perri-Macie Tendrich (SC), 21-18, 22-20.
>> Paige Dreeuws-Hannah Zalopany (UH) def. Franky Harrison-Jess Vastine (SC), 12-21, 21-16, 15-11.

No. 3 Hawaii 5, UNC Wilmington 0
>> Schucht/Maglio (UH) def. Maddy Kline/Nicole Loft (UNCW), 21-19, 21-18.
>> Monkhouse/Martin (UH) def. JM Lewandowski/Halle Hunt (UNCW), 21-6, 22-20.
>> Weaver/Kan (UH) def. Brynn Montgomery/Katie McCullough (UNCW), 21-14, 21-14.
>> Homayun/Ozee (UH def. Raquel Rooney/Jaime Thomas (UNCW), 21-9, 21-19.
>> Zalopany/Dreeuws (UH) def. Reagan Evans/Courtney Mullinax (UHCW), 21-10, 21-10.

OIA GIRLS WATER POLO

>> Mililani 10, Waipahu 4
>> Kalani 7, Campbell 6
>> Kaiser 11, Castle 8
>> Kalani 8, Waialua 0
>> Waipahu 5, McKinley 0 (forfeit)
>> Moanalua 15, Pearl City 4
>> Roosevelt 11, Pearl City 2
>> Kapolei 12, Kailua 4
>> Roosevelt 9, Leilehua 1
>> Kapolei 5, Farrington 0 (forfeit)
>> Moanalua 5, Farrington 0 (forfeit)

Goal scorers—Mil: Maya Miller 2, Lexi Sakauye 2, Madison Yamada 2, Leilani Hernandez, Angie Lancaster, Maysa Segovia, Maddeline Turpin. Waip: Linnea Tucker 3, Casey Metrose. Kaln: Angel Grabow 3, Selma Koo, Angela Pacheco, Victoria Ready, Porsche Van Der Vort. Camp: Ashley Badis 3, Tatiana Troupe 2, Ali Day. Kais: Jazaniah Bambao 3, Megan Kaneshiro 2, Mira Ako, Mina Hanada, Taylor Kuroiwa, Sarah Lorenzo, Kanoko Niimura, Erin Patterson. Cast: Kelsey Kano 3, Teneil Buckley, Leila Figueroa-Schenk, Kahea Lee, Kaia Moon, Tehani Smith. Kaln: Selma Koo 3, Malia Neumann 2, Catherine Holt, Kela Iwata, Noriko O’Shea. Moan: Camryn Tabiolo 3, Madison Komatsu 2, Isabella McRae 2, Abby Oh 2, Laura Myers, Emily Quach, Alicia Scamardo, Carolina Solis, Shirfei Tay, Karisa Yuasa. PC: Lillian Valiente 2, Sky Dela Cruz, Alisha Gleason. Roos: Lauren Croll 3, Margaret Lonborg 2, Hailey Oyadomari 2, Adoria Lee, Anya Miranda, Amy Pan, Emiko Tajima. PC: Alisha Gleason, Lillian Valiente. Kap: (note: number of goals for each player unavailable) Chloe Bridgford, Annika Edwards, Maikalea Forte, Roxanne Gates, Ryleigh Gates, Kaiya Gualdarama, Isabella Olaes, Angela Silva. Kail: Emily Hanohano 2, Cassie “Kealoha” Charles, Jaemi Tamaye 1. Roos: Lauren Croll 2, Hailey Oyadomari 2, Amy Pan 2, Karysa Inafuku, Anya Miranda, Emiko Tajima. Lei: Taylor Dinsmore.

PADDLING

Na ‘Ohana O Na Hui Wa’a
Windward Kai Kawailani Long
Distance Race At Keehi Lagoon

Overall (Top 20)

1. Alapa Hoe (Men Master 65) 49.39. 2. New Hope (Mix Open) 50.52. 3. Lahui O Koolauloa (Mix Open) 51.11. 4. Lokahi (Mix Open) 52.16. 5. Na Keiki O Ka Moi (Mix Master 50) 52.55. 6. Kai Poha (Mix Open) 53.19. 8. 7. Olelo O Ke Ola (Mix Master 50) 53.47. 8. Alapa Hoe (Mix Master 50) 53.51. 9. Windward Kai (Mix 18) 54.02. 10. Alapa Hoe (Mix Master 40) 54.21. 11. Na Koa Lani/Windward Kai (Mix Open) 54.35. 12. Lokahi (Women Open) 54.49. 13. Keahiakahoe (Men Master 65) 55.02. 14. Olelo O Ke Ola (Mix Master 40) 55.11. 15. Alapa Hoe (Mixed 60) 55.19. 16. Keahiakahoe (Mix Master 50) 55.25. 17. Windward Kai (Mix Open) 55.32. 18. Manu O Ke Kai (Women Master 40) 55.5. 19. Kumulokahi Elks (Mix Open) 55.55. 20. Kamehameha Canoe Club (Mix Master 50) 55.57.

MARRIAGE LICENSES AND BIRTH CERTIFICATES

Each week, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser publishes Oahu statistics for marriage licenses and birth certificates filed with the state  Department of Health‘s Vital Statistics System. The dates indicate when the information was filed.

MARRIAGES

Filed for Oahu March 16-22

>> Patty Ann Anderson and Michael Anthony Patrick

>> Jason Michael Antonio and Joesie Elaine Ching

>> Erica Elaine Ashe and Andrew Kurt Crowe

>> James William Atkins III and Larae Denise Balthazor

>> Raquel Barrajas-Lopez and Christian Phillip Torres

>> Susan Mae Bega and Nalani Cheryl Gilman

>> Kalvyn Jeff Balalio Bonita and Grace Ragasa Alegre

>> Cheryl Marie Brown and Matthew Robert Rukstela

>> Abner Johannes Colmenares and Maria Camila Correa Paez

>> Jenna Alicia Crabtree and Caleb Elijah Collett

>> Christopher Raymond Debarge and Jayne Michelle Ratliff

>> Edieson Subia Dumlao and Mariah Pilialoha-Okalanimauloa Albrecht

>> James Peter Eldridge and Christine Nicole Simpson

>> Jenny Michele Evans and Hasnain Ashiq Ali Agha

>> Laura Anne Fleischmann and Matthew Brandt Mccay

>> Hannah May Freemantle and Nicholas David Robertson

>> Shyenne Reiko Kaleikaumakapalena’ole Futa and Allan Rex Manley

>> Tailonda Michelle Ginns and Jamar Lee Mccaskill

>> Roscoe Leon Gravitt and Jennifer Leigh Owens

>> Alan Bradley Icorn and Diana Ruth Schmidt

>> Patrick Jordan Jones Young and Kashara Ann Lynette Jones Young

>> Addison James Kerr and Logan Marlen Keala

>> Paul Noboru Kikuta and Stacie Ann Suzuki

>> Sara Magdalen Krommenhoek and Max Stephen Klem

>> Donald Gregory Lane and Leonia Wanda Hoskins

>> Collette Marie Larivee and Matthew Jack Parrish

>> Mackeno Sesung Lee and Sung Hye Park

>> Natasha Lokelani Lopez and Jared Robert Dayton

>> Justin Riley Kainoa Louis and Destiny-Lynn Kealohilani Martin

>> Robert Akira Magata and Michelle Lokeleilani Momoyo Brown

>> Sierah Ann Maher and Damon Evans Hormel Jr.

>> Daniela Maria Alohalani Masocol and Shawn Patrick McDonald

>> Michael Thomas Meehan and Carl Gustaf Ariitaia Larsen

>> Michael Edward Miller and Heather Hall Ray

>> Nicole Oy Moncada and Bryceson Paani Masaru Tanaka

>> Nolan Shoichi Kin Fook Mun and Briana Lauren Bernardino

>> Johnnie-Jo Kauilani Murray and Dean Herbert Scheidt

>> Jason Ian Quijano Olivas and Sage Ashely Cinnamon

>> John Charles Putman Jr. and Jessica Saori Layne

>> Francisco Ramos Rodriguez and Ashley Nicole King

>> Rigoberto Araiza Salayes and Abcde Kahealani Josiah

>> Megan Sou Ming Lokelani Mari Seki and Robert James Birdsall Jr.

>> Brandi Leilani Shifflett and Robert Allan Johnson

>> Jason Ji Hoon Song and Sae Hyun Paik

>> Gabriel Seth Truxall and Debra Lynn Rico

>> Alexis Rena Elizabeth Tucker and Damian Javontae Lee

>> Jeremy Wayne Watson and Diana Marie Sather

BIRTHS

Filed for March 16-22

>> Jazzlyn Rose Javier Amistad

>> Ellie Grace Leilani Boltz

>> Amethyst Monique Bowens

>> Harper Simone Carvajal

>> Tehani Kale’a Castaneda-Naboa

>> Alexander Kalei Cheng

>> Parker ‘Ailana Ching-Pickett

>> Catherine Lilia Chock

>> Jaxon Wayne Clapp

>> Lily Ann Cleveland

>> Kaimana Gregory Norito Enoki

>> Maddyn Pomaikailani Kay Fernandez

>> Sophia Kawaiola’onalani Waiaka Garcia

>> Callie Marie Gross

>> Jordan Edward Keoni Hinojosa-Marquez

>> Maisha-Bae Jeninnin Isaiah

>> Liliana Eva Ku’uipo Jenkins

>> Kira Kanoelani Kimiyo Kaohelaulii

>> Ke’ali’i’o’ka’ehukai Kekapuhilihinapohulani Manu Kaupe-Freeman

>> June Marie Leonaetta Kiana Kervin

>> John Mikhail Wailelekea Kholunov

>> Charlcen Joe Duro Labuguen

>> Camden Andrew Michael Lau

>> Samantha Rae Cesario Long-Gat

>> Josiah Cameron Lopez

>> Kainoa Estrera Marcos

>> Ezra John Mendoza

>> Amari Noelle Nunnally

>> Lula Rose Petzold

>> Tyzan Saint Kahekiliakalanikeha Sailimalo Preston

>> Ariel Crisostomo Ricapor

>> Eleanor Kaimana Roehrig

>> Vincent Siang Sing Sim

>> George Garfield Studer

>> Simon Fleming Studer

>> Magdalena Sofia Grace Tate

>> Thanh Nghi Thi Tran

>> Luna Nicole Wilbourn

>> Adalyn Savanah Wray

>> Kaishu Eiyu Yamaguchi

VATICAN CITY >> Pope Francis on Palm Sunday urged young people not to be silent and let their voices be heard, even in the face of corrupt or silent elders.

The pope’s message comes on the heels of a meeting of young Catholics who told the Vatican they want a more transparent and authentic church, and a day after hundreds of thousands marched in youth-led rallies across the United States to demand greater gun control.

“The temptation to silence young people has always existed,” Francis said. “There are many ways to silence young people and make them invisible. … There are many ways to sedate them, to keep them from getting involved, to make their dreams flat and dreary, petty and plaintive. “

But he told youths in his homily that “you have it in you to shout,” even if “we older people and leaders, very often corrupt, keep quiet.”

As the Roman Catholic Church enters Holy Week, retracing the story of the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection three days later on Easter Sunday, Francis urged youth to join those who offer praise, and not the masses calling for crucifixion.

“Dear young people, the joy that Jesus awakens in you is a source of anger and irritation to some, since a joyful person is hard to manipulate,” the pontiff said.

Some 300 youths meeting at the Vatican this week prepared a document for next October’s synod of bishops at the Vatican focusing on to help youths better find their way in the church. The document, which was presented to Francis today, asked church leaders to address the unequal roles of women in the church and how technology is abused.

Before his traditional Sunday prayer at the end of Mass, the pope recalled the importance World Youth Day, marked this year on Palm Sunday at a diocesan level rather than as a big international gathering.

The pope’s message also resonated with the Saturday protests across the United States for tougher laws to fight gun violence, a movement galvanized by the school shooting last month in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead.

At the end of Mass, the pope and cardinals in red robes led a solemn procession clutching elaborately braided palm fronds as they walked through the throngs, followed by the papal blessing of palm fronds and olive branches.

The processions recalls the bittersweet nature of Holy Week, with the faithful clutching simple palm fronds and olive branches to commemorate Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem only to be followed later by his death on a wooden cross.

The pope concluded by greeting the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, getting out of the popemobile to shake hands as many cheered and took pictures.

ATLANTA >> Loyola-Chicago is more than just the feel-good story of the NCAA Tournament.

Much more.

Sure, smiles from 98-year-old chaplain Sister Jean and visits from members of Loyola’s ground-breaking 1963 championship squad generated plenty of warm and fuzzy feelings.

Those stories have overshadowed the fact these guys can play.

The nation’s hottest team is in the Final Four, and Loyola’s dominating 78-62 South Regional final win over Kansas State on Saturday night was the most convincing evidence yet that the Ramblers belong. The pride of the Missouri Valley Conference deserves to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation’s elite.

“I think we left no doubts out there that we deserve to be in the Final Four,” said center Cameron Krutwig.

Don’t call Loyola upstarts any longer. It’s time to look past Loyola’s No. 11 seed and mid-major background. The Ramblers’ 14-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the nation, and 32 wins — including a regular-season victory at Florida — are no mirage.

“It’s amazing when you believe,” Loyola coach Porter Moser said. “They have believed and believed and believed. It’s awesome to see.”

The margin of victory in the Elite Eight was the biggest surprise for a team which won its first three tournament games against Miami, Tennessee and Nevada by a combined four points.

“We were a feel-good story after those buzzer-beaters, but I think people really started to take notice of us after that game against Tennessee , that we could be a legit team to go all the way,” Krutwig said, wearing a clipping from the net in his cap in the Loyola locker room.

A legit team, indeed.

Loyola (32-5) led by 23 points midway through the second half and took the lead for good at 7-5 when Ben Richardson, who scored a career-high 23 points, made his first of six 3-pointers.

“They were tougher than us from the get-go,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said.

Loyola displayed its toughness, unselfishness and balance in its two wins in Atlanta. Richardson was only the latest to take his turn in the spotlight on a team which doesn’t lean on one star.

“It’s because we all believe in each other,” said Clayton Custer, who had seven points and five assists. “For me and Ben and everybody, we’re just a bunch of guys that everybody laughed at us when we thought we were going to play Division I basketball. Nobody thought we could do any of this.”

Richardson had scored a combined 14 points in the Ramblers’ first three tournament wins. Saturday night was his time to lead.

“We’ve got so many unselfish guys, and we have so many weapons,” Richardson said. “And like we’ve been saying, it can be anybody’s night. We’ve shown that so far this tournament. Each one of these guys has had a big night.”

They have, and the Ramblers are getting attention for what they’re doing on the court — not just for the lovable Sister Jean.

There were no doubters left in the Kansas State locker room.

“They are a really good team,” Wildcats guard Cartier Diarra said. “They are really disciplined. We had no answer for them. So all credit to them, they are a great team and hopefully they make it all the way.”

WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump’s favorite TV network is increasingly serving as a West Wing casting call, as the president reshapes his administration with camera-ready personalities.

Trump’s new national security adviser, John Bolton, is a former U.N. ambassador, a White House veteran — and perhaps most importantly a Fox News channel talking head. Bolton’s appointment, rushed out late Thursday, follows Trump’s recent attempt to recruit Fox guest Joseph diGenova for his legal team.

Bolton went on Fox to discuss his selection and said it had happened so quickly that “I think I’m still a Fox News contributor.”

Another recent TV-land addition to the Trump White House is veteran CNBC contributor Larry Kudlow as top economic adviser. Other Fox faces on Trump’s team: rising State Department star Heather Nauert, a former Fox News anchor; communications adviser Mercedes Schlapp and Treasury Department spokesman Tony Sayegh. The latter two are both former Fox commentators.

“He’s looking for people who are ready to be part of that television White House,” said Kendall Phillips, a communication and rhetorical studies professor at Syracuse University. “This is the Fox television presidency all the way up and down.”

DiGenova, who has accused FBI officials of trying to “frame” Trump for nonexistent crimes, will not be joining the legal team because of “conflicts,” said Trump counsel Jay Sekulow today. Sekulow, however, said diGenova and his wife, attorney Victoria Toensing, also a frequent commentator on Fox, would not be prevented from helping Trump “in other legal matters.”

Trump’s affinity for Fox News is by now well-documented. He has bestowed more interviews on the network than any other news outlet and is an avid viewer. People close to the president say he thinks Fox provides the best coverage of his untraditional presidency. It also provides him a window into conservative thinking, with commentary from Republican lawmakers and right-wing thinkers — many of who are speaking directly to the audience in the Oval Office.

On-air personalities Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham are favorites of the president, who also speaks to them privately. This past week Trump promoted Hannity on Twitter, saying: “seanhannity on foxandfriends now! Great! 8:18 A.M.”

The president’s early-morning tweets often appear to be reaction to Fox programming. On Friday, for example, Trump tweeted he was “considering” a veto of a massive spending bill needed to keep the government open not long after it was assailed on “Fox and Friends” as a “swamp budget.”

The critic in question was contributor Pete Hegseth, a favorite of the president who has been rumored to be a possible replacement for embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin.

Fox News came in for criticism this past week from CNN chief Jeff Zucker, who on Thursday attacked the rival network by saying it has become a propaganda machine that is “doing an incredible disservice to the country.”

Zucker spoke at the Financial Times Future of News conference two days after a former Fox military analyst quit, claiming he was ashamed at the way the network’s opinion hosts were backing Trump. Zucker said that analyst, Ralph Peters, voiced what a lot of people have been thinking about Fox in the post-Roger Ailes era.

Still, in Trump’s Washington, lawmakers and influence-seekers know that the best way to get in Trump’s ear is often to get on Fox. Legislators routinely seek to get airtime when they are trying to push legislation or policy ideas, said congressional aides who sought anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private thinking.

“A year ago, everyone was trying to figure out how to get into the building; now everyone is trying to figure out how to get on TV,” said Republican consultant Alex Conant.

This past week, for example, conservative lawmakers unhappy with the spending bill moving through Congress took to Fox. “This may be the worst bill I have seen in my time in Congress,” said Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Wednesday.

And when the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, prompted a national conversation on gun laws, Fox contributor Geraldo Rivera used his platform to urge the president to support raising the age requirement to buy assault-type weapons.

“You’ve gotta let me give my pitch,” he said on “Fox and Friends” several weeks ago, noting that he would see Trump that night. “Here in Florida and most states a kid cannot buy a beer … and yet he could buy an AR-15 legally.”

The hosts quickly pushed back. “Tell him to let the teachers carry concealed,” said one.

While the coverage varies by show, “Fox and Friends” tends to be Trump-friendly, with the chipper morning show spotlighting his achievements and bashing the “mainstream media.” On Friday, they featured a teen from the Florida high school where the shooting occurred who opposes gun control efforts, as well as a young conservative activist who interviewed Trump at a White House event the day before.

Also appearing Friday was White House counselor Kellyanne Conway — herself a constant presence on cable news — who pushed back at the idea Trump was focused on hiring TV personalities.

“The irony is not lost on me that you have a lot of quote ‘TV stars’ calling Larry Kudlow and John Bolton ‘TV stars,’” Conway said.

HILO >> The Hawaii State Department of Health issued a final cleanup action report for two vacant lots in Hilo contaminated with arsenic.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald says the report recommends removing the contaminated soil in commercial lots near Waiakea Villas and hauling it to the West Hawaii landfill. The report says cleanup would cost about $312,825.

The soil is contaminated with arsenic from a former plant that used sugarcane bagasse to create canec, a wall- and ceiling-board panel used extensively in Hawaii until the 1970s.

A prospective purchaser was required to pay for the study, while the Department of Health provides oversight.

Department of Health Remediation Project Manager John Peard says the purchaser is interested in a commercial development.

Peard says this is the fourth such study done on the property in the past 15 years.

The properties are owned by the David De Luz Sr. Trust.

Facebook Inc. hasn’t been “fully forthcoming” as Congress probed Russia’s attempted meddling in the 2016 presidential election, U.S. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia said today as the social-media giant faced continued fallout from an ongoing data crisis.

Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he questioned “the use of this really sketchy firm Cambridge Analytica,” but Facebook “blew that off” as they did other concerns over Russia’s actions.

The political firm, which consulted on President Donald Trump’s campaign, siphoned data from some 50 million Facebook users as it built an election-consulting company that boasted it could sway voters in contests all over the world. Facebook also came under scrutiny last year after the revelation that Russians had used the site in its attempts to affect the 2016 election.

The revelation of Cambridge Analytica’s action has caused days of fury for Facebook and its co-founder and chief executive officer, Mark Zuckerberg. Two congressional committees have invited Zuckerberg to testify, and he has said he’d agree if he is the right person to appear.

“The whole industry has been reluctant to accept the fact that we’re seeing the dark underbelly of social media — how it can be manipulated,” Warner said. “We’re still dealing right now with kind of fake posts and fake accounts.”

Facebook took out ads in multiple newspapers today apologizing for the events, which it called a “breach.”

Warner also said the U.S. should reexamine the claim, which is largely reflected in U.S. law, that social media sites “have no responsibility for any of the content,” and Warner added “maybe you should be able to move all your data” when moving between sites.

On March 21, a bill to limit a website’s immunity for content when it knowingly facilitates sex trafficking passed Congress — one of the first impositions of liability for online platforms as the U.S. debates their responsibility for what users post. Trump is expected to sign it into law.

Warner repeated his call for Zuckerberg to testify.

“He is the face of Facebook,” Warner said. “He in fact created this industry, and he needs to come explain to the American public and to policy makers.”

Zuckerberg should “explain how they’re going to work with us,” Warner said in a separate interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch was called before Congress last year, and Warner has said he now wants to hear testimony from Twitter Inc. CEO Jack Dorsey.

After last year’s hearings, Zuckerberg promised a “major ads transparency effort,” including requiring political advertisers to include a disclosure of their identities. Warner has said he wants Facebook to go further. The senator has pressed tech companies for more information about Russian meddling in U.S. elections, and called on them to harden their networks.

Questions remain about how Russia used Facebook to sway the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. An indictment by special counsel Robert Mueller described a multiyear effort by the Internet Research Agency, a Russian outfit, and others to shape American opinions, including by impersonating Americans on Facebook, Instagram, Google’s YouTube and Twitter. About 150 million users saw posts from a St. Petersburg-based troll farm whose main purpose was to push Kremlin propaganda.

In addition to congressional probes, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is scrutinizing whether Facebook violated a 2011 consent decree with its handling of personal user data that was transferred to Cambridge Analytica without users’ knowledge, according to two people familiar with the matter. It is also facing a probe in the U.K.