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07-JAN-2010 - Click comic for full-size
Hawkins Biggins | Posted on January 21, 2010 
Rudy Krause, Jimmy Ahloy (Volunteer Division Chair – Events), MaryAnne Long (Volunteer Office Assistant) review the course map where Shotlink volunteers are stationed on-course - photo by DERREK MIYAHARA
Chelsey Kobatake Flanagan | Posted on January 21, 2010 The median price for island homes continues its descent, finding its way towards trough stability and hopefully inelasticity in the wake of government-injected life into the housing market.
The month of December brought the median price for single-family homes to $550,000 and condominiums to $300,000. A low from previous months, respectively, however, relative when considering the island-wide sales data. The Ewa Plain-Kapolei area had the most sales this month and year-to-date. It also had the lowest median sales price for the month of December and the second lowest year-to-date, behind the Makaha-Nanakuli area.
Hawkins Biggins | Posted on January 21, 2010 
Blood donor, Lianne Kang and daughters Melissa and Natalie stand proudly outside the mobile Blood Bank of Hawaii bus - photo by HAWKINS BIGGINS
L. Kae Graniel | Posted on January 21, 2010 The Hawaii Kai Chamber of Commerce (HIKAICOC) believes that “Together we achieve so much more.” With that in mind, their mission statement expands to: “The Hawaii Kai Chamber of Commerce exists for the purpose of stimulating and growing our businesses, and networking with each other through website presence for each business, monthly meetings, social events, business luncheons and dinners.”
Hawkins Biggins | Posted on January 7, 2010 
L. Kae Graniel | Posted on January 7, 2010 Fundraising gets tougher and tougher each year as the economy stays tight and budgets get cut. That’s why the PTSA for Kaiser High School started a farmers market. The idea is that the community can benefit from locally grown and made items while supporting the school at the same time. The money earned comes from the fees for the tables at the market.
L. Kae Graniel | Posted on January 7, 2010 Now that you are at least a week into your New Year’s resolutions, it is time to access and evaluate that simple question put forth so famously by Dr. Phil, “How’s that working for ya?” Resolutions fail for one basic reason – lack of action. In most cases, that missing component is what crumples your dreams and goals for the new year. So, if your resolutions have already gone by the wayside, imagine, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and allow yourself a second chance on making them happen. Following these three steps can get you back on the plan and move you to action.
East Oahu Sun | Posted on November 5, 2009 
Head coach Mike Kim, teammates, Brantly Yakabe, Cory Hironaka, Justin Dietz, George Borges and coach Gary Goldstein help the Kaiser High School Athletic Department raise much needed funds
L. Kae Graniel | Posted on November 5, 2009 
Common Groundz’ Staff, Brian Yu, Janice Franklin and Daniel Chon
L. Kae Graniel | Posted on November 5, 2009 When the official announcement came that state funded public schools would be closed on 17 Fridays between October and May, the general consensus was one of shock. How could Governor Lingle, who originally campaigned for a better education for Hawaii’s children, take the school year from 180 to 163 school days – 12 days short of what many colleges require for acceptance? Eventually the reality set in and parents were left with the responsibility of providing care for their children on “Furlough Fridays.”
East Oahu Sun | Posted on October 30, 2009 Aloha from Kaiser High School, where the ghouls and goblins from the Athletic Department want to invite you to Halloween 2009’s scariest place in East Honolulu – Kaiser High’s Halloween Haunted House and Craft Fair on Saturday Oct. 31.
Craft Fair hours are 9 am to 3 pm on Halloween.
Haunted House hours are 10 am to 9 pm on Halloween.
Both events are at Kaiser High School in Hawaii Kai. There will be games for the keiki and a costume contest at 4:30 p.m. The best costume wins $100.
The Craft Fair features live local entertainment, ono local foods, White Elephant Sale, Silent Auction and Raffle tickets for great prizes.
This scary event will help raise needed funds to pay for athletic equipment, supplies and transportation to games, so please kokua for Kaiser High.
Hawkins Biggins | Posted on October 28, 2009 
A lush, green oasis blooms on the Kuilei Cliffs on the lower slopes of Diamond Head Crater, just past the lighthouse, above the popular surf spot, “Cliffs.” Over eleven years ago, Gilbert Lum, an 84 year old retired utility worker, started the Diamond Head Surfing Club Garden on this barren wasteland, transforming nearly one acre of land into what it is today, a garden of Eden. Known as “The General,” Mr. Lum is proud of what he created over time from sheer determination and hard work.
Although the land is owned by the State, Mr. Lum has permission to till the soil, so long as he does not plant edible plants, fruit trees or vegetables, which could give the State liability issues. Mr. Lum, once an avid surfer, started this garden on the mornings that the surf was no good. He rarely surfs anymore, “perhaps once a year,” he said. Nowadays he spends his time watching the weeds grow - not the surf - as they grow so fast. Anyone can join the Garden Club they just need to ask Mr. Lum. “I am in charge here,” he said. Mr. Lum welcomes help, but takes his leadership role seriously. His newest member to join the group is Roy, a surfer who recently asked if he could help out. When the waves are small, Roy can now be seen weeding with a special tool Mr. Lum gave him with his name on it.
L. Kae Graniel | Posted on October 27, 2009 Cougars Junior Varsity head coach, Chico Gonda is a man with deep faith. He believes in God, his team, assistant coaches, Kaiser, and the community, with a conviction that is hard to match. He encourages the best in people and gets the best in return.
This past week, the Cougars defeated the Pearl City High Chargers 31 - 12 to finish the season undefeated, and move on to the OIA White Division play-offs. Gonda explained that he was waiting to hear from the Athletic Director regarding when, where and against whom the Cougars would play their first play-off game. Play-offs competition is single elimination, so these factors are crucial. Then the good news came. Sitting with two of his assistant coaches, Paul Kumashiro and Andrew Pangan, he was informed that the Cougars would be playing the Chargers in the first game on Kaiser’s own field; a home advantage.
Chelsey Kobatake Flanagan | Posted on October 26, 2009 The month of September showed promising signs when compared to the same month last year. Overall, the island of Oahu saw a 13.5 percent increase in single-family home sales and an increase of 13.1 percent for condominium sales.
L. Kae Graniel | Posted on October 14, 2009 
Hawaii Kai is already a beautiful place to be, yet many local residents are unaware of the natural beauty in their own Kamilonui Valley. Judy Nii, joint owner of R&S Farms, and head of the Kamilonui Farmers Co-op, says she has met people who have lived in Hawaii Kai for more than 10 years who have never visited the valley and its nurseries or farms.
The Kamilonui Farmers Co-op, with the help of local community groups and organizations, aims to change all that with their big event “A Day on the Farm.” The event is planned for Saturday October 10th from 10AM – 2PM at the R&S Nii Farms, located at 938 Kamilonui Place. The day will include educational walking tours, door prizes, ono food, a farmers market, and games and a bounce house for kids. Teach-Ins, where the community will learn about the farmers’ plight, the dangers of overdevelopment, and the importance of Hawaii Kai’s watershed, will also be offered.
Joe Edwards | Posted on October 13, 2009 Jim and Matt Terry are a team. You get one. You get the other. It’s been that way since they were little kids.
Not all that unusual, I suppose, seeing as how they are twins.
What is a little unusual for the Hawaii Kai pair, is that in all the time they’ve been playing soccer — and we’re talking for 16 or 17 years now, since AYSO in hanabata days — they’ve never played on separate teams.
Never. You get Jim. You get Matt. They’re a team.
Hawkins Biggins | Posted on October 12, 2009 On October 3, 2009, at the Hawaii Kai Towne Center, the Hawai’i Kai Chamber of Commerce sponsored their first large community event to raise money for Kaiser High School’s special programs, mainly for the arts. The school approached the Hawai’i Kai Chamber of Commerce for assistance and they found a way to make it happen. One of the board members happened to be a tenant at the Hawaii Kai Towne Center and was able to get the space free of cost. It was a perfect venue for the festive occasion.
East Oahu Sun | Posted on October 1, 2009 October 3rd will mark a first for the Hawai’i Kai Chamber of Commerce and Hawai’i Kai residents!
The Board of Directors of the HKCC, in fulfilling its mission to build community, will host this year’s Hawai’i Kai Arts & Music Festival. The festival will take place at the Hawai’i Kai Towne Center from 2 to 6 PM on Saturday October 3. The proceeds from this community event will go to the Kaiser High School PTSA.
Ashley Brooks | Posted on September 25, 2009 On July 13, the Kapiolani Community College culinary team took first place in the American Culinary Federation National Convention in Orlando, Florida. No team from Hawaii has ever placed in the Nationals before. The group of six students, which included Anna Hirano, Keaka Lee, Tate Nakano-Edwards, San Shoppell (team captain), Rena Suzuki and Ken Yistarted, began practicing back in October of 2008. They went on to win the western regional competition in April and made it all the way to national competition. Under the tutelage of chef instructors Frank Leake and Alan Tsuchiyama, they competed against teams from Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina and came home victorious. What was it about this team that made them stand out among their peers? Behind every great competitor, there are great coaches.
East Oahu Sun | Posted on September 24, 2009 Diamond Head Theatre (DHT) launches its 95th Season with the Hawaii premiere of The Drowsy Chaperone, the “sleeper of the season” as described by The New York Times. The musical-within-a-comedy stars DHT’s Artistic Director John Rampage in the lead role as “Man in Chair”.
Guest directed and choreographed by James Patterson with musical direction by Phil Hidalgo, the show features music and lyrics by Tony Award® winners Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and book by Tony Award® winners Bob Martin and Don McKellar.
The Drowsy Chaperone is scheduled to run from September 25 – October 11, 2009. Call 733-0274 to charge-by-phone or purchase tickets online at www.diamondheadtheatre.com.