The Kahuku Class of 2008 graduation ceremony on May 29 provided a good opportunity for some of those in the audience to reflect on their own graduations. For example: Continue reading this post…

After being in dry dock for three years behind the BYU-Hawaii dormitories, the university's 57-foot traditional wa'a kaulua or twin-hulled Hawaiian sailing canoe, Iosepa, spent several weeks sailing from Hukilau Beach along Windward Oahu and, as of June 2, was preparing to sail to the Big Island.

When Iosepa returns, the beautifully crafted vessel first launched in 2001 will make its home in the Polynesian Cultural Center's Hawaiian village, where it will be available to the university, community and visitors when it's not sailing. Continue reading this post…

Parking was especially tight around the Naniloa Loop traffic circle in Laie near Hukilau Beach on Memorial Day morning, May 26, as approximately 40 extended Mapu - Ah You - Reid - etc. family members and friends cooked, prepared and sold almost 600 plate lunches as a fundraising benefit for Daniel T. Mapu. The proceeds and additional donations will be used to send Mapu to visit a brain specialist in Utah in June. Continue reading this post…

Many people were not even aware that Honolulu Fire Department responders fought a large brush fire mauka of Laie for several hours on Memorial Day afternoon, May 26, an effort made more dramatic by the skills of the HFD helicopter which made repeated passes to drop huge buckets of water on the blaze [see photo below].

— folifoto

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Family and friends usually focus attention on their departed loved ones in local cemeteries throughout the year, but the Memorial Day holiday brings a whole new level of respect and veneration throughout the islands, such as at Laie Cemetery [pictured below]:

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For the last Kaleo Kahuku High sports report of the school year, Athletic Director Joe Whitford characterized 2007-08 performance and results as "good, with the most participants."

"We ended up with 851 students participating out of a school population of 1,102, or about three-fourths. Some of those are double-counted because they play more than one sport; however I think we're providing something for our students besides academics that's beneficial," he said. "In that light, it was also a very positive year for us."

"Of course, we're not going to win every championship in every sport, but we had some highlights": Continue reading this post…

Five of the six intermediate and secondary students and their teacher from Dena'ina School in Pedro Bay, Alaska, took time during their excursion to Oahu on May 21 to meet with Hawaiian Immersion program students at Kahuku High and share one of their treats — smoked salmon mixed with blueberries, sugar and Crisco™ shortening. They said they normally use seal fat in the mixture. Continue reading this post…

The Polynesian Cultural Center's 16th annual World Fire Knife Championships from May 14-17, 2008, and the Samoan High School Cultural Arts Festival on the last day — including a Kahuku High group — proved exciting and fun . . . and if you couldn't be there, here are a few highlights: Continue reading this post…

Talofa Lava,

My name is Sailau Schwenke and I am a contestant for the 2008 Miss Samoa USA Pageant. A little about myself, I am 17 years-old and probably one of the youngest contestants. The experiences I have had in my life, however, place me far beyond my years. I was born in Hawaii and lived there until I was five when my family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, were I pretty much grew up. I am the youngest daughter of Reginald Leland Schwenke and Elizabeth “Nana” Lefagaoali’i Schwenke (D). I have very close ties to my family, but especially to my mother. She passed away about 20 months ago — after battling carcinosarcoma, a rare cancer in found in her uterus. Continue reading this post…

Usually people submit letters TO the editor, but a recent phone call from my brother prompted me to write one to you and got me thinking about the cost of gas in Koolauloa, which has now effectively hit $4 a gallon: For example, do you realize if you're driving a big honkin' truck it costs about $80, maybe more, to fill the tank, which means a round trip to Honolulu in that same truck runs over $30. That's not much less than the cost of a Superferry ride to Maui today, or three go! Airline one-way tickets just a few weeks ago. Some things have sure changed lately. Continue reading this post…

By Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann

I'm very pleased to announce that the city's highly successful curbside residential recycling program will expand next year to serve thousands of Koolauloa and Windward homes from Kahuku to Kahaluu. Continue reading this post…