Waha Nui – 4/2/14

Lanihuli Gilbert

Her Majesty Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku-‘aho of Tonga visited Polynesian Cultural Center for the first time last Friday, enjoying all the special protocols of her hosts, plus lunch at Gateway restaurant with the Queen Salote College Alumni … The Association of Hawaii Artists’ 44th annual Aloha Show is up through April 10 at Honolulu Hale, and Kailua artist Warren Stenberg won the top award for his oil painting, Tranquility … The familiar triangle soaring to the sky is gone. Kailua Baptist Church on Kailua Road demolished its sanctuary building in recent weeks, though members haven’t met inside the aging structure for three years …

Kaneohe eighth-grader Lanihuli Gilbert has been accepted into The Shakespeare Co.’s advanced summer program in Washington, D.C. She’s been mentored by Hawaii Theatre teacher Eden Lee Murray, also of Kaneohe … The fall dean’s list at Arizona State in Tempe has three smart ones from Kailua on it: Noelle Corujo, Zachary Puetz and Monique Visocky …

No sooner is Kaneohe’s Amy Hammond done coordinating one special event (Hawaii Chocolate Festival) then she’s on to another (I Love Kailua town party, see Page 7). Party, party, party … When it comes to shrimp, Kahuku boys know their stuff. Les Kekahuna, who grew up in a Kahuku family that operated shrimp farms, is now manning his cousin’s concession by Hilo Hattie’s on Nimitz. That would be Taylor Wily‘s Big T truck. Les also has the Hawaii Five-0 actor’s T-shirts for sale – minus the scampi …

Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs, is on a speaking blitz in Hawaii, including last Thursday at Kalaheo High. My son-in-law Tyrone Wells‘ song Something More also inspired Nick to record his own video of it awhile back so he could lift up others in despair as Nick once was. See it on YouTube and then try to swallow the lump in your throat …

Kaneohe Elementary student Ethan Won won $100 (of course he did, with a name like that!) for grades 5-6 in Honolulu Rose Society’s writing contest. His was the best 30-word entry for “What a Hero Means to Me.” Ethan’s name also goes on a plaque at Oahu Urban Garden Center’s Heroes Rose Garden in Pearl City … Olomana School needs two-shelf wooden bookcases. To offer help, call Kathie Wells of Community Helping Schools at 225-2621