Waha Nui

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January 24, 2007 - MidWeek The Islander

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There’s nothing tricky about going to the dentist, and Dr. David Brown assures me of that. But in one of his many other lives outside Temple Valley Dental Clinic, the Kaneohe man is “The Great Davidio.” It’s true - I saw his photo in the Star-Bulletin with a dancing chicken on his shoulder. David also appeared (and then disappeared) from the Kaneohe Library last November with his repertoire of parlor tricks. And former Yum Yum Tree diners may recall the blond magician with glasses at their tableside. Just think what he could do if he got together with the Tooth Fairy ...

Now you see it, now you don’t. The Windward book-mobile, that is. What had been an aging, broken down relic in the Kaneohe Library basement for years was removed a couple months ago to live again as a book shop in Kakaako. Lanikai resident Byrde Cestare, executive director of Friends of the Library, announced its grand opening last week (featuring story reader and neighbor Wally Amos) after extensive refurbishing. It’s at 690 Pohukaina, if you’d like to see the old girl. Kaneohe branch manager Tom Churma says the bus stopped its runs in 2000, but pulled stationary book-lending duty at the Kailua and Waianae libraries before settling in Kaneohe. “I’m surprised and somewhat relieved it’s being used for a good purpose,” Tom says. Now the challenge begins of what to do with all the new space. A coffee shop? A meeting room? Stay tuned ... They’re throwing a birthday party Feb. 1 for Nancy Ortiz at Rumours Night Club featuring Son Caribe and Paradise Dance Company, salsa lessons, food and drink (955-4811). The Kaneohe woman heads Alma Latina Radio - 30 years on the air - and her name is synonymous with the sounds of salsa ...

Pilialoha Gaison

Synonymous with the sights and sounds of hula is Kaneohe’s own Miss Hawaii, Pilialoha Gaison, who received a warm send-off Jan. 18 before boarding her flight to the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas.

The annual event is Jan. 29, and it will be broadcast live on CMT TV. Good luck, Pilialoha ... Ahuimanu resident Kaiulani Murphy is back on the Hokule’a, this time as student navigator for its eighth major voyage - a five-month, 7,200-mile trek to Micronesia and Japan. Kaiulani is a former UH Presidential Scholar from Waimea ... Shari Lynn is busy behind the scenes this time, serving as musical director for La Pietra School for Girls’ production of Melissa and the Kalihi Kid, which is adapted from a New York City “musical fairy tale” called Melissa and the Bronx Boy. It plays Feb. 1-3 in the school gymnasium (922-2744). The Kailua singer/actress also teaches music at the private school ... Hold onto your lomi salmon: Kailua’s Neil Frazer co-authored a recent study with Canadian colleagues on the effect that sea lice from salmon farms have on their wild-and-free cousins in the waters of British Columbia. Neil is a professor at the University of Hawaii School of Ocean & Earth Science and Technology ...

War historian and author Burl Burlingame of Enchanted Lake will speak to the Historic Hawaii Foundation at noon Feb. 1 in the old archives building on his book Advanced Force Pearl Harbor: The Imperial Navy Underwater Attack on Hawaii (523-2900) ... Former Kailua residents Jim and Tracy Reddekopp continue to attract much attention for their growing Big Island business - the Hawaiian Vanilla Bean Company. Located on former Hamakua sugarcane lands, the crop is good, and the market it growing, says the man who played the lead on several Ron Bright plays in the 1980s (when he was known as “Jimmer”). Jim is now considered “the only successful commercial farmer of vanilla in the United States,” says the current issue of Hana Hou inflight magazine. And Tracy, in addition to homeschooling their five keiki, has developed a busy side business hosting gourmet vanilla-flavored lunches and high teas for cruiseline passengers and other visitors. Are you hungry yet? You can mail her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)