Prepare For Presidential Visit in Kailua Residents: KAILUA, Hawaii -- The Obama family vacation is about to start in Hawaii -- without the president.
The White House said Friday, Michelle Obama and the first daughters will arrive in the islands on Saturday, while President Obama stays in Washington to finish up work with Congress.
Preparations have ramped up for the first family's impending arrival. Members of the Secret Service were seen around the vacation rental home in Kailua on Friday.
Dean Tomino and his family uses the canal to get to their secret fishing spot at Kailua Bay. But he's OK knowing it's going to be a couple of weeks before they can cast their lines out here again.
"The president works hard all year round keeping our country safe, so he deserves a break, too," said Tomino.
The barricades went up Thursday around the presidential vacation home in Kailua and truck loads of items were arriving all afternoon on Friday -- a sign of an immanent presidential visit that's become a holiday tradition in this neighborhood.
"It is a tradition," said Amanda Ayling. "We're friends with all the secret service people now, so that's nice."
Residents here said they measure the time of the Obama's arrival by the amount of security around their homes.
"It probably started about a month ago," said Ember Shin. "We saw the military up in the canal checking out everything and the secret service was coming through the neighborhood. But the last day or two, it's really intensified."
Residents said after two years of this, it's inconvenient, but they've learned how to adjust to it.
"If you've got to go to the doctors or something like that, you look out your window and say, 'OK, it's clear now. Let's get out of here before they start to move,'" said Shin.
Although excited to have the president and family visit, this year, residents tell us they would like it if the Obamas could extend just a little more aloha while moving through the neighborhood.
"One of these days I hope he'll stop and greet us," said Shin. "I know for security reasons he won't do that, but that would be kind of nice."
"My mother has invited him over for dinner, so if he came for dinner, that would be great, too," said Ayling.
The Obamas have talked about their holiday traditions in Hawaii before, about going to the zoo, swimming in the ocean and eating shaved ice.
One of the president's favorite place for the local treat is ready for the commander in chief.
"We're ready. New store, three machines. We've stepped up our game quite a bit," said Cheyne Vincent, Island Snow head supervisor.
Vincent said they don't get any warning of when, or if, the president will stop by.
"We don't get any warnings, any notice. Secret Service walks through the door and he walks in 15 minutes later," said Vincent.
But he's is hoping for another photo with the president if he does come in.
"He's really a nice guy. He's got a great sense of humor. I mean, you could tell he was on vacation," said Vincent.
Business has already picked up at the store in anticipation of the presidential visit.
"It seems like people are coming over here expecting like 'Maybe today is going to be the day that he's here. Maybe I'll get the chance to meet him or something,'" said Richard Whaley, Island Snow store manager.
Kailua residents said they've seen the impact an Obama visit has in the neighborhood, and it's mostly positive.
"I think it's fantastic," said Dan Orodenker, a longtime Kailua resident.
"It ramps up people coming here. I see a lot more people around town, a lot more people frequent shaved ice, things like that, just for the experience with maybe the chance of seeing him. So I do see a big uptick in people visiting," said Orodenker.
This year, the Obamas are bringing one extra guest with them. Bo, the first dog, is making the trip this year. An agriculture department spokeswoman said Bo has qualified for direct release from quarantine, completing all his shots prior to arrival.
The state has authorized an Hickam Air Force veterinarian to do the final inspection, looking for ticks, when they land.
Exactly when the president will join the rest of his family in Hawaii remains a mystery.
A White House spokesman said it could be Wednesday of next week.
The first family is expected to stay until Jan. 1.
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