Might Mo’ to get mighty mo’ money (and other local news)

The historic WWII battleship Missouri, moored in Pearl Harbor for the last ten years, is scheduled for a makeover. For whatever reason, they’re already reporting that in over a year it will be dry docked for a short period and will get a $9 million dollar cleaning, err, capital improvements. $9 million!

In other big money news, Dog the Bounty Hunter will return to TV this summer after a half-year hiatus due to a wee little vocabulary snafu late last year. This should surprise no one as his show and merchandise are cash cows for the A&E cable network. His publicist (yes, he has one) has been working overtime this week preparing a media day to announce the season 5 premiere scheduled for July. Dog and his wife Beth were pictured in yesterday’s paper looking somber – no doubt at request of said publicist – alongside a smiling African-American man draped in orchid lei who appears to be thinking, “I can’t believe this guy said some stupid things and here I am getting a trip to Hawai’i.” Obviously any coaching on part of the publicist fell on deaf ears.

And finally, in news closer to home, Noel was fired from the downtown firm he'd been working with since early April. Last week Tuesday two partners came in his office late in the afternoon (after he had worked all day drafting a document) and they had the “Yeah, this really isn’t working out” conversation. It wasn’t a surprise and Noel couldn’t be happier. They watched him pack up his things, paid him until they end of the month, and escorted him out of the building. In a stroke of good luck, karma, and timing, he entered into a working partnership with another lawyer in town on Friday. His new business partner even baked him a congratulatory lemon cake when she heard the news that he passed the Hawaii state bar. Yes, he passed! Coincidently, his sister (who sat for the Maryland bar the same days that he sat the Hawaii bar) also found out that she passed her second bar. Now the Tipons have the coasts covered – Tricia is licensed in New York and Maryland, while Noel has California and Hawaii covered. Congratulations Tricia!