Waha Nui

Jason Lippert

Waimanalo has its own Lei Day queen this year in Pomaika’inokeakua Lenore Klein, who will reign over the May 1 festivities at Kapiolani Park. A professional hula dancer and former student of kumu hula Ellen Castillo in Kailua, Lenore also is fluent in Hawaiian … Windward halaus did very well at the Merrie Monarch Festival, starting with Kailua’s Rebecca Sterling, crowned Miss Aloha Hula. Rebecca, who has a 25-letter middle name, is with Mapuana de Silva‘s Halau Mohala ‘Ilima, which won the Wahine Auana division. Manu Boyd‘s Halau o ke ‘Aali’i Ku Makani took the Wahine Kahiko title and Wahine Overall, and Chinky Mahoe‘s Kawaili’ula dancers took second in two divisions as well as Kane Overall …

The DOT erected a sign last week advising us that some of the town-bound Wilson Tunnel lights were out. Nothing we didn’t already know for a few weeks already … Kailua Intermediate band teacher Kristi Kusunoki is proud of Samantha Larsen and C.J. Woods, who were accepted into the Oahu Band Directors Association Middle School Select Band …

Yet another distinction for Kailua author Kaui Hart Hemmings of The Descendants fame: Up for silent auction at Hawaii Theatre Center’s April 28 gala at the Kahala will be “a literary luncheon for 20” with Kaui at a Nuuanu home … Heeia’s Jason Lippert has joined Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union as manager of its Kailua branch, after more than 10 years with other financial institutions. Jason also is active with Meal on Wheels, Aloha for Japan, Relay for Life and much more …

Farm report: Yasu and Nancy Oshiro, Kaneohe backyard gardeners known for cultivating giant cabbages (March 14 Islander photo) are now growing HUGE cucumbers, according to son-in-law Steve Holck … Congratulations to six agents in the Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties Windward office, who have just earned their broker’s licenses, giving them a capital R by their names: Kathleen Funk-Linton, Kathy Grindle, Donna Maier, Barbara Morelli, Leon Mosher and Dawn Reneau …

Simon & Schuster has published a book by Kailua resident and psychotherapist Lani Leary, No One Has To Die Alone: Preparing for a Meaningful Death, and Lani is anxious to help her community’s many baby boomers now challenged with caring for their parents and elders (drlanileary.com)