Community News

Economic Slow Down Not Halting Community Support, Sponsors and Efforts to Go Green at July 4th Celebration

Chelsey Kobatake Flanagan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:56:25 +0000

Hawaii Kai – July 4, 2009 will mark the second annual Independence Day at Maunalua Bay with fireworks, food, entertainment, activities and an immense amount of community support.

“We’ve had so much support. Lots of companies giving what they could in these times,” says Melanie Long, President of IDMB Foundation.

Hosted by emcee Ramsay Wharton of KGMB, the event will run from 2 to 9 PM and will feature musical groups Maunalua, Kajiki Johnson Band, Yoza Music, This City Lives, Heartsong, Gregg Hammer Band and keiki hula halaus of Leolani Pratt and Shirley Recca. In addition, there will be continuous activities of keiki I.D., face painting, patriotic crafts and games. Patrick Ching’s famous painted horse will make its way from Waimanalo’s Naturally Hawaiian Gallery to Maunalua Bay where Ching will don his art skills and give others a chance to collaborate and paint.

Early Success propels top triathelete Rachel Ross

Joe Edwards — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0000

There’s a great scene in an episode of “Seinfeld” in which Jerry and George are hashing out a concept for Jerry’s TV pilot. George, of course, wants to do a show about nothing, figuring everybody else is doing shows about something so they should do nothing.

At first, Jerry doesn’t grasp the genius that is Costanza, but he eventually comes around.

“So, we go into NBC, we tell them we’ve got an idea for a show about nothing,” Jerry says to George.

“Exactly.”

“They say, ‘What’s your show about?’ I say, ‘Nothing.’”

“There you go.”

Jerry pauses for a moment and nods, “I think you may have something there.”

Rachel Ross had a similar reaction when she immediately had success in triathlons.

Winners’ Camp wins big with $10,000 donation

Hawkins Biggins — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:00:00 +0000

On May 5th, 2009 Delorese Gregoire was invited as a guest panelist on “The Recovery Project” part of the Town Hall Meeting in Honolulu sponsored by A&E Oceanic TimeWarner Cable. Libby O’Connell, senior vice president of corporate outreach for A&E stunned Gregoire by presenting her with a check for $10,000 to help fund Winners’ Camp. Gregoire exclaimed, “It was a total surprise to get this money, there was no indication prior to the show. I was totally floored, I let out a yelp!”

Local real estate market shows signs of life

Chelsey Kobatake Flanagan — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Four years after the most recent market peak, Oahu and East Oahu residential real estate markets continue their paces in a healthy market cycle.

Oahu has seen increased overall sales since January 2009 followed by a decreasing inventory since February. This follows the normal pattern of supply and demand: as the inventory pool gets smaller, prices will eventually rise due to competition.

Hawaii Kai Track Club Gets Jump on Summer

Joe Edwards — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:45:13 +0000

Hawaii Kai Track Club’s summer program is off and running … and jumping and throwing. It's quite the summer bargain.

The $55 fee pays for everything, and it’s a substantial list:

Two workouts a week at the Kaiser High track with experienced coaches.
Registration with USA Track & Field, which pays for insurance and allows them to compete in sanctioned meets.
A uniform shirt.
Pictures at the end of the season.
Entry to as many as six meets at various tracks on Oahu. Younger kids can do three events each meet; those 13 and up are allowed four events.

Hui Nalu Canoe Club Ready for Challenging Summer

Joe Edwards — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:00:00 +0000

The Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association’s regatta season starts June 6, and Hui Nalu Canoe Club is ready for another challenging summer.

With more than 200 registered paddlers and the ability to put crews in virtually every race, the club believes it can at least equal last year’s fourth-place finish at the OHCRA Championships and fifth-place finish in the AAAA division at the HCRA State Championships.

Kaiser High School Shows Creativity in "Making Life Fun" Contest

Chelsey Kobatake Flanagan — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:00:00 +0000

The Kaiser High Communication Arts & Technology Learning Center won $1500 for its second place finish in the “Make Like Fun” commercial contest hosted by Koko Marina Center. The thirty-second piece titled “Variety” illustrated people of all ages enjoying the merchant diversity and activities offered by the Center.

"Off Leash and Loving It" at the 5th Annual Hawai’i Kai Dog Walk

Diana Nomura — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Man’s best friends will strut their stuff on the streets of East Oahu when non-profit Hui Ilio Hawaii presents the fifth annual Hawaii Kai Dog Walk.

In celebration of the first anniversary of the Hawaii Kai Dog Park, this year’s event, themed “Off Leash and Loving It,” expects to host approximately 350 people and just as many canines on Sunday, June 7, at the Hawaii Kai Park and Ride’s makai parking lot, located on Keahole Street.

Spiker Becomes First Boy's Winner from OIA in 26 Years

Joe Edwards — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

For a first-timer, you'd have to say Kalani High's Jared Spiker did pretty well.

Playing in his first state boys tennis tournament, Spiker capped an undefeated season with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Kevin Caulfield in the title match.

Young Sailor Learns to Navigate Through Challenges

Diana Nomura — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Experience of a lifetime for youngest Hokule`a crew member to ever sail a deep sea voyage

One night during a journey home from the Palmyra Atoll, crew members of the Hokule`a received a call that a terrible storm was headed straight for the Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe. The crew had two options: close the sails and wait out the storm or turn around and sail south, the opposite way from the storm and Hawaii.

The crew decided to close the sails and stop for the night.

"Honestly, I was really scared because we had no idea how bad the storm was or what it would be like," explained Kailin Kim, a Kaiser High School senior who is the youngest Hokule`a crew member to ever sail on a deep sea voyage.