Former KHNL/KFVE-TV anchor Walter Makaula started there in July.

"He called me up to congratulate me," Shimabuku said of Makaula.

Shimabuku, who left KGMB-TV in 2001 for a gig at KTVK-TV in Phoenix, will join the Fox 5 team as its first weekday sportscaster, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune on Friday.

"I'm excited for the opportunity," he said, via a cell phone number that still bears an 808 area code.

He has gathered fond memories in Phoenix but is happy "I don't have to deal with 100, 110, 115 (temperatures) ... you get used to it — not really. They say it's a dry heat, but 120? 120, it's hot," he said.

"I missed the ocean so much."

He looks forward to "getting closer to Hawaii — it'll be a shorter trip — and being closer to my parents," he said.

KSWB is in building mode as it hit the air in August — contrary to the contraction occurring elsewhere in the media industry. "I'm very fortunate, in this job market, that stations are actually hiring sports guys ... sports is usually one of the first things to get cut."

In the "small world" department, Shimabuku and Makaula both worked at KGMB — as did weathercaster Ku'ualoha Taylor. Now known as Aloha Taylor, she also works in San Diego, at XETV, "San Diego 6," a CW affiliate. Shimabuku and Taylor left KGMB for different mainland jobs at the same time.