Kaua‘i (usually called Kauai outside the Hawaiian Islands, pronounced kawa-ee) is the oldest and fourth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands, having an area of 1,430.43 km² (552.29 sq mi). Known also as the "Garden Isle", Kaua‘i lies 105 miles (170 kilometers) across the Kaua‘i Channel, northwest of O‘ahu. Of volcanic origin, the highest peak on this mountainous island is Kawaikini at 1,598 m (5,243 ft). The second highest peak is Mount Wai‘ale‘ale near the center of the island, 1,570 m (5,148 ft) above sea level. One of the wettest spots on Earth, with an annual average rainfall of 460 inches (11,700 millimeters), is located on the east side of Mount Wai‘ale‘ale. The high annual rainfall has eroded deep valleys in the central mountain, carving out canyons with many scenic waterfalls.

There is no known meaning behind the name of Kaua‘i. Native Hawaiian tradition indicates the name's origin in the legend of Hawai‘iloa — the Polynesian navigator attributed with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. The story relates how he named the island of Kaua‘i after a favorite son; therefore a possible translation of Kaua‘i is "place around the neck", meaning how a father would carry a favorite child.

The United States Census Bureau defines Kauai as Census Tracts 401 through 409 of Kauai County, Hawaii, which is all of the county except for the islands of Kaula, Lehua, and Niihau. The 2000 census population of Kauai (the island) was 58,303. Census Tracts 401 through 409, Kauai County United States Census Bureau

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Isle soldier in Texas dies after 6-mile run
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:40:00 -1000
A Hawai'i Army National Guard soldier died Thursday evening during training at Fort Hood, Texas, the Hawai'i Department of Defense announced yesterday.
Alcohol a factor in moped accident
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:24:00 -1000
A millionaire killed in a moped accident had a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit when he crashed into a bus stop sign in Kaimuki earlier this week, according to the Honolulu Medical Examiner's office.
Pair fined $3,500 for taking rocks
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:26:00 -1000
Two Honolulu hula supply store owners who insisted they were unaware of a state law barring the removal of rocks from beaches were fined $3,500 yesterday for taking as much as $20,000 worth of 'ili'ili stones from a Maui shoreline.
Big waves rolling in for Oahu's already busy North Shore
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:22:00 -1000
From his lifeguard tower at Waimea Bay, Kerry Atwood looked out over an ocean that was as calm as a bathtub this week but will begin pounding the North Shore as early as this afternoon with the first big waves of the winter — drawing even more crowds to an area that has stayed busy despite a sluggish economy.
Hawaii hotel occupancy slumps again in August, down to 74.4%
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:57:00 -1000
Hawai'i hotel occupancy fell again in August, reflecting the statewide slump in the state's No. 1 economic engine. It was the sixth consecutive decline in hotel occupancy and comes on the heels of a double-digit plunge in visitor arrivals reported last month, indications of continuing economic concerns both here and abroad.
Hawaii's free health coverage for poor sees 9.1% enrollment surge
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:53:00 -1000
The number of Hawai'i residents using free health coverage from the state rose 9.1 percent in the past two months and could climb higher as the economy continues to decline, the state Department of Human Services said.

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