The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is expected to announce tomorrow a two-year agreement to host the Western Athletic Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments beginning in 2011, giving the conference its first neutral site for the event.

Who said there are no benefits to playing video games? "I used to play (football) video games, and I always wanted to play with Hawai'i because of its offensive style," Kevin Spain said.

LSU short-circuited Texas' power surge yesterday. Freshman Mikie Mahtook singled in the winning run in the top of the 11th inning after DJ LeMahieu tied the game in the ninth, and LSU survived Texas' five home runs to beat the

Lucas Glover steadied his hands for a 3-foot par putt on the 18th hole, an anticlimatic finish to five dreary days at a U.S. Open filled with more delays than drama.

Larry Loyes Kukahiko Aweau, who "discovered" Chad Rowan as a history-making sumo prospect and helped shepherd a generation of island hopefuls into the sport, died yesterday, according to the family.

NEW YORK — A surprisingly bleak forecast for the world economy pushed stocks to their biggest loss in two months.

A local aloha wear manufacturer yesterday made an 11th-hour bid to bring Hilo Hattie out of bankruptcy.

Hawaii Medical Center won a victory in U.S. Bankruptcy Court yesterday, overcoming protests by creditors who include Roman Catholic nuns who sold two hospitals to the company.

A $400 million offer to acquire Hawaiian Telcom Inc. lacks adequate financing, will increase debt and will likely prolong the local phone company's bankruptcy proceedings, Hawaiian Telcom said.

Despite the doom and gloom associated with the tourism downturn, a top official of the Pacific Asia Travel Association reminded local officials yesterday that the industry is a resilient one that has survived other challenging times.

The 4 indicates admission is $5 or less, or free. Full-price admission is listed; the * denotes discounts (or free) for students, seniors, military, members, children and/or advance purchase. See a comprehensive listing at www.honoluluadvertiser.com/islandlife.

Four Weddings and a Funeral" star Andie MacDowell says her 40s were an awkward time partly because Hollywood filmmakers didn't know how to cast the veteran American actress. The 51-year-old actress hasn't had a big hit since a string of