Updated at 3:53 a.m., Sunday, September 22, 2002

Apana, Arakawa ready for second round in Maui

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

WAILUKU, Maui — Mayor James "Kimo'' Apana and Councilman Alan Arakawa cruised to victory in last night's primary election, setting up a rematch of four years ago.

Apana led Arakawa, and together they trounced challengers Robert Parsons and Bill Riddick. The top two candidates in each of the nonpartisan Maui County races advance to the Nov. 5 election.

"We're moving on to the second round,'' said Arakawa, who narrowly lost to Apana in 1998.

In the council races, the incumbents won comfortably over challengers.

Wailuku Councilman Dain Kane polled well ahead of three others, including Natalie (Tasha) Kama, a 50-year-old minister, who led the rest of the field.

An Aug. 30 DUI arrest apparently did not hurt South Maui incumbent Wayne Nishiki, who will face G. Lehua Clubb, a Maui Prince Hotel telephone operator, in the November general election.

Councilman Danny Mateo, who was appointed to the council to succeed the late Pat Kawano in August, prevailed in the race for the Moloka'i residency seat. His closest challengers were Beverly Pauole-Moore, 55, a supervisor with the state Unemployment Insurance Division, and Stacy Helm Crivello, 56, a retired telephone company manager.

It is the first contested race for that seat in a decade. Kawano, who died after a long illness in June, was seen as unbeatable for the Moloka'i seat and went unchallenged for most of his time in office. Mateo, 51, was appointed to the Moloka'i seat in August.

In the Kahului seat being vacated by Arakawa, D. Mele Carroll, the chief of staff for state Sen. J. Kalani English (E. Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i), led Joseph Pontanilla, a retired telephone company manager. Two others trailed.

The council's Upcountry, Lana'i, West Maui and Makawao-Pa'ia races each have two candidates, who automatically advance to the Nov. 5 general election.

Councilman Robert Carroll ran uncontested for the East Maui seat.