Photo from Darlene Lee

Hawaii News Now general manager Rick Blangiardi spearheads the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, taking place Aug. 10 at Kapiolani Park this year. The walk is marking its 20th year, and Blangiardi is happy to be a part of it.

“I like what they stand for, which is trying to promote healthier lives, and they do research on cardiovascular diseases,” he explains. “You get to a point in life where you have friends who have had heart attacks and heart surgeries. You become mindful of these things.”

According to Blangiardi, the walk is expected to have 4,000 participants. He’s always had a soft spot for nonprofit organizations such as the American Heart Association.

“When you look at the kind of work they do and the people they help, I don’t know what this place would be like if we didn’t have them,” he says. “Hawaii is great like that. We live in such a giving place. It’s different across the ocean.”

Blangiardi was featured on MidWeek‘s cover Feb. 18, 1987, during the time of KHNL.

“It was in that era that we created the notion of independent television,” he says. “We brought UH sports to television, and the industry was starting to change a little bit from the standpoint of technological and satellite capabilities.”

Blangiardi’s heart has always been in Hawaii, even when he left the Islands in October of 1989 to go to the Mainland after he was offered a job in Seattle. In fact, he would make trips back to Hawaii every year.

During his 13 years on the Mainland, Blangiardi worked in Seattle, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. At the end of his Mainland adventures, he became president of Telemundo, which was sold in 2002.

The sale of Telemundo, an American Spanish-language broadcast television network, gave Blangiardi options in life, and he decided to return to Oahu.

“I could pick where I wanted to wake up in the morning,” he says. “I wanted to come back home to try to make a difference.”

Now, as the GM for Hawaii News Now, Blangiardi deals with the challenges broadcast has to offer.

“We work with a lot of nonprofits here,” he says. “Our cup runneth over. It’s my belief system, but it’s also part of our responsibility as broadcasters, and the voice we have not just on air but also online and digitally.

“Given the robust nature of our online platforms, we know we can touch a lot of people. There’s an old adage that if you do good, you’ll do well, and we try to do a lot of good around here.”

The 20th annual Oahu Heart Walk takes place at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 10 at Kapiolani Park. Walkers will enjoy a 4.5-mile path around Diamond Head and a 1-mile route around Kapiolani Park. Visit oahuheartwalk.org for more information.

Photo from Emme Tomimbang

Like Roman Catholocism’s new Pope Francis, the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu is guided by a strong social conscience.

“One of the things we’re working on is trying to find more-affordable housing (for people in Hawaii),” says the Most Reverend Larry Silva, who was featured on MidWeek‘s cover July 20, 2005. “We have an office in the diocese that is working on developing more-affordable housing. I think most people are concerned that we don’t have affordable housing here in Hawaii. We’ve gotten people together to analyze the issue, to look at it and see what people in the grassroots can do.”

The diocese has gathered together volunteers with various skills to repair houses and apartments so they can be habitable.

“It’s just finding ways that people can get involved, because they want to do something, but they don’t know what to do,” says Bishop Silva. “Those who do have skills can train others, and those who don’t want to do that can cook or drive or baby-sit to help with the overall project.”

Bishop Silva relayed a story of a couple in Waimanalo who donated their house to the state. The Diocese of Honolulu now is working with the state to have the house moved to the women’s prison, where it will serve as a halfway house.

“(It will help them) transition into the community,” says Bishop Silva. “It will help them to network with people who can help them to be disciplined and positive and stay on the straight and narrow so they can stay out of prison and be reunited with their families.”

In addition to providing more-affordable housing, Bishop Silva also is working with the Diocese of Honolulu to renovate the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace on Fort Street Mall, which will be 170 years old in August.

“It’s still very historic and beautiful, but we need to give it an update,” he says. “We need to raise about $12 million, because it’s a very complex project.”

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace is home to a beautifully stenciled ceiling, which needs to be re-stenciled. The original pulpit needs work, too.

“We’re also going to build an extension of the cathedral that will house the relics of Saint Damien and Saint Marianne,” explains Bishop Silva.

If that wasn’t enough for the bishop and his diocese to take on this year, they also are working to strengthen and build up Catholic schools in Hawaii.

“They’ve been challenged recently with the economy, and we’re trying to build up the enrollments, trying to find scholarships for students to go to our Catholics schools,” he explains. “We have the Augustine Education Foundation, which provides scholarships for children who want to attend Catholic schools and are in need. We want to build that up.”

Next year will be an exciting one for the Diocese of Honolulu, which will ordain a new priest May 21. It also will be the 150th anniversary of Father Damien’s ordination to the priesthood at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace.

Photo from Nathan Hokama

Shriners Hospitals for Children has made great strides in providing to keiki proper care and treatment in the Pacific Basin who have bone, joint and neuromuscular conditions with proper care and treatment.

Bruce Holmberg, chairman of the hospital’s board of governors, explains that the 24-bed specialized pediatric orthopaedic hospital offers care to the children at no cost, regardless of the family’s income or ability to pay.

“For many years … all the care was provided at no cost to families,” Holmberg explains. “The mission hasn’t changed, but now the hospital system also bills insurance companies for the care that’s provided for the families.”

In addition, Shriners Hospitals for Children in Honolulu, which was featured on MidWeek‘s cover Aug. 25, 2010, when the new hospital was dedicated, recently opened a dental clinic.

“It’s very helpful because of the need for dental care for the children, especially those who are coming from Pacific Rim countries,” Holmberg says. The new dental clinic was donated by the Kondo family of Hawaii Family Dental, and Holmberg says since Dr. Gary Kondo’s passing, Shriners has dedicated the dental clinic in his honor.

“We also have hired a neurologist (Ryan Lee), who is going to help us with our kids,” he says. “Ryan will be a great asset to us because the children here and in all of Hawaii are in real need of a neurologist.”

Another change to the Shriners system includes a group that greets patients and families who walk through the doors in an informal setting full of aloha spirit.

“We give out Diamond Bakery sea animal cookies, which the children seem to like very much,” Holmberg says.

Shriners has made its mission very clear, and it’s doing everything in its power to provide families with exceptional care for their children, even down to the transportation costs.

“Most recently, we’ve been spending $250,000 to $300,000 a year in the transportation of children from their home to here – for one guardian and the child,” Holmberg says. “We are busy raising funds for that.”

While Shriners is making big changes in its systems and operations, the organization understands that it’s the small things that can make the biggest difference.

Now, instead of a cumbersome application process, those interested in Shriners services can make a quick phone call to set up an appointment. In addition, the hospital is working to expand its telemedicine program.

Bones grow and heal differently in children, and that’s where Shriners steps in.

“Some of the children who walk through the door are never expected to walk by their parents, and they end up walking out the door.”

Shriners will hold its 90th anniversary celebration Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the hospital grounds, and the public is invited to attend.

Photo by Jaymi Britten

Oahu is coming off the Pacific Ink & Art Expo, which was held at Neal Blaisdell Center Aug. 2-4.

Spearheading the effort was Danny Casler, who was featured on MidWeek‘s The Weekend cover May 25, 2007, along with fellow National Product band members Rob Caveney and Stan Moniz.

“My feelings on this year’s expo are great,” says the Kailua native, who notes that this year’s vendor booths sold out five months in advance. “We had another successful event. We have grown as a company and as an event team. I see 2014 being even bigger than the last two years.

“So many families came, and it just sharpened what I know we need to build upon – a further family-oriented cultural event that showcases ink and art.”

With the conclusion of this year’s expo, Casler now is looking to bigger and better things, such as moving back to his hometown and opening a restaurant in Kailua.

“I have my fingers and toes crossed,” he says. “Since I spend half the year in California (Huntington Beach) and half the year here (Oahu), it would mean I would be packing up my things and coming home.

“I am grateful for everything I accomplished on the Mainland, but I miss my people, the island, the mana of this place and the food. I think it’s time to come home.”

When he’s not preparing for the Pacific Ink & Art Expo, Casler spends his time with a new hobby, running The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Hollywood, where he works on the marketing and production aspects of the business.

He’s also still in the music industry and spends most of his time doing singing-songwriting for television commercials and films, and recently landed a 90210 Coca-Cola commercial and MTV gigs.

Casler says that National Product took a break in 2011 because drummer Caveney was diagnosed with a brain tumor. However, the group has reunited and is getting ready to put out a new record.

In his spare time, Casler was called to sing for the famous punk rock band Pennywise and toured Europe with legendary punk and rock ‘n’ roll bands.

“When I was 13, they were my first bands I got cassettes of … and I was singing for my dream band. So, life has been pretty sweet up until this point, and it’s getting pretty awesome.”

But don’t worry, Casler still has his heart set on spreading awareness and appreciation for ink and art. He plans to head to Shanghai in hope of starting China’s first tattoo expo.

Photo from Roy Yonashiro

When you do something you love, it’s hard to break away, and Roy Yonashiro, recruitment specialist for the Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Registry, can relate.

He started as a volunteer with the organization in 1989, when wife Annie’s classmate Patricia Ikeda Tamashiro was diagnosed with leukemia. At the time, there were very few Asian donors registered.

Yonashiro and Annie continued to volunteer and, in 1994, he was offered a full-time position with the organization.

“There’s no way I could say no,” Yonashiro says, noting the job’s rewarding aspects. “I get to meet great people, gracious people.

“I’ve always liked what I do, and I belive in what I do.”

The reasoning behind his passion for his job lies in the statistics.

There are 10.5 million people in the national bone marrow registry, and Caucasians make up 67 percent of donors, while Asians/South Asians make up only 7 percent, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders make up even less at 0.2 percent.

In Yonashiro’s eyes, the Asian and Native Hawaiian populations were very under-represented, and this spurs his desire to get the community involved in saving lives.

“If you’re between 18 and 44, you can sign up,” he urges.

When Yonashiro isn’t wearing the hat of recruitment specialist, he serves as lead vocalist for Funkshun, belting out 1970s and ’80s music on the weekends.

Yonashiro, who was featured on MidWeek‘s cover March 9, 2005, and Annie celebrated their 25th anniversary last week, the same day as daughter Adrie’s birthday.

“That way I’ll never forget,” he says with a laugh.

The couple also has a son, Reyn, who is attending Seattle Community College, and Adrie attends William S. Richard School of Law at UH. They also have a Shih Tzu, Izzie, who adorns the screen saver on Yonashiro’s phone.

He also notes that Annie is the organization’s biggest supporter and co-chairs the fundraising events for the registry along with Wes Fujimoto, Annie’s classmate from Hilo High School (class of 1972).

To raise awareness about the Hawaii Bone Marrow Registry, the organization is hosting its third annual golf tournament Sept. 13 at Hawaii Prince Golf Course. The scramble format will be comprised of three-man teams for $150 a person.

This year’s tournament committee is headed by Aaron Miyakawa, director of restaurants and special events for the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Club.

Aside from the tournament, shoot a hole-in-one for a chance to win a car, and food and refreshments will be available on the course. There will be entertainment provided by Ben Vegas (Yonashiro’s Kaimuki High classmate) and comedian Rodney Villanueva.

For more information, email HBMDRgolftournament@gmail.com or call 547-6154.

Photo by Leah Friel lfriel@midweek.com

It’s that time of year again when community members lace up those running (or walking) shoes for a good cause. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure takes place Sunday (Oct. 20) at Kapiolani Park, and the event committee is expecting more than 6,000 participants this year.

Those interested still have time to pick up individual and team packets at Ward Warehouse’s Kewalo Conference Room from 3 to 7 p.m. Oct. 16-18 and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 19.

Honorary race co-chairs this year are Jim (featured on MidWeek‘s cover Feb. 12, 1986) and Toni Leahey, both cancer survivors.

Next February, the Leaheys celebrate 48 years of marriage and say their battles with cancer have strengthened the bond between them.

“We’ve both been caregivers for each other,” explains Jim, who was diagnosed with leukemia Sept. 11, 1997. “My wife was with me every day. She was a really terrific caregiver.

“I got involved (with the race) because of my wife.”

After six years of numerous hospital visits and follow-up appointments, Jim was declared cancer free.

“The doctor told me to ‘Get out. Don’t come back. You’re cured,’” he says, “because all of a sudden my bone marrow started to make healthy cells. That was a miracle, I believe.”

Then last year Toni was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she also says her husband was a wonderful caregiver.

“He has driven me to 80 million different medical appointments,” she says with a hint of sarcasm. “But he’s done it and continues to do it, and he reminds me it’s because I was there for him.”

But always the optimist, Toni says she has learned valuable lessons that she hopes to pass on to other women.

“I think, with any kind of cancer, early detection is key,” she explains. “All women need to do their breast checks and need to go in for a mammogram as soon as they can.

“The other lesson I learned was to try to find doctors that you feel comfortable with and trust, and do what they say.”

She says going through that stressful ordeal taught her to be grateful for all life has to offer and to learn to accept help.

Jim agrees, and says, “It’s just something that happens, but you learn lessons from that, and you learn that you have to fight and you cannot ignore it. You have to listen to your doctors.”

Thankfully, the Leaheys are fighters and survivors, and their goal is to spread awareness in their community.

Photo from Tony Silva

Las Vegas is nicknamed the ninth Hawaiian island, and Da Braddahs (comprised of Tony Silva (far right) and James Roche) are bringing a bit of local comedy to the Mainland next month. Da Bulls of Comedy – Mel Cabang along with the comedic duo – takes the stage Nov. 1 at 6 and 8 p.m. in the Ohana Room at California Hotel and Casino.

“That’s the first time we (are going to) perform in Vegas in 15 years as Da Braddahs,” Silva says. “We’ve had many opportunities but have never actually gone. Promoters have called us over the years, and it never worked out where it was good for both parties.”

Thanks to early and extensive planning, Las Vegas will get its own taste of Hawaii comedy.

And after Da Bulls of Comedy night, Da Braddahs, who were on MidWeek‘s cover June 19, 2002, will stick around Vegas to participate in a Campbell High School reunion.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing all the local people who have either family ties or ties in general to the Islands,” Silva adds. “(I want) them to come out and have a good time. We all know how much people miss the Islands, and so whenever they can go out to see a band, musical group or comedy troupe, that’s the closest that they get to being back home.

“I want to see those people, get to meet them. We haven’t forgotten about them.”

Aside from the Las Vegas gig, the two have been working hard for the past six months on special releases for their supporters. Fans of Da Braddahs can look forward to a throwback special – Da Braddahs Jus Buckaloose, in high-definition. The project was released years ago on VHS, and the duo wanted to bring it back for the tech-savvy crowd. The new version will be released on pay per view at the end of this month.

Another special release coming to pay per view is Da Braddahs Hana Hou, a feature-length movie that will be released Thanksgiving Day.

“This is about seven or eight years in the making,” Silva adds. “The only thing holding us back was time and money.”

He also notes that fans will receive a DVD copy of the film as part of the pay per view fee.

“It’s almost like a ‘thank you very much for supporting us,’” Silva says. With the numerous shows Da Braddahs do each year, they didn’t have too much time to work on the feature movie. It seems they also have a busy rest of the year planned out, and while the scramble of show biz keeps them on their toes, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Photo from Nathan Kam

The Sisters of St. Francis, who were featured on MidWeek‘s cover Oct. 24, 2007, and the Diocese of Honolulu present November’s Song at St. Francis School’s Sister M. Almeida Student Center Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 10 at 4 p.m.

The purpose of staging November’s Song at St. Francis School’s theater is to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the school’s inception.

This special performance also will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Sisters of St. Francis’s arrival in Kalaupapa, the 130th anniversary of the Sisters of St. Francis in Hawaii, and the 175th anniversary of St. Marianne Cope’s birth and her contributions to Hawaii’s people.

November’s Song tells the story of Cope and her work with patients afflicted with Hansen’s disease.

According to Sisters Norise Kaiser (above, left) and Alicia Damien Lau (right), November’s Song is an amazing way to take a look into the Cope’s life and relive her story to feel the struggles she went through and “to really understand and see her (Cope’s) compassion and what it is like to leave family, come to such a faraway place to a culture that was so unknown to her.

“Eva Andrade, director of communications for the Diocese of Honolulu, reprises her role as St. Marianne. Told from the saint’s perspective, the play recounts her travels to Hawaii and her decision to take on the challenge of serving patients with Hansen’s disease,” says Kaiser.

She goes on to say she is amazed at how many people’s lives have been touched by the sisters over the past 130 years in the fields of education, parish ministry, health care, etc., and Lau adds that the work the sisters have done has been phenomenal.

“To me, it’s just an exciting time for our sisters to really look at the history of where our sisters have come from and continue to be a witness to the people in Hawaii,” says Lau, “and not be afraid to take the risk to look at the need and answer that need.”

Kaiser says the goal of the sisters is to be good neighbors to people, and they have Cope to look toward as a role model.

“She’s just an awesome influence that we’ve had, and we look to going forward in the future,” she adds.

Tickets for November’s Song are available online at sosf.org. General admission is $20; students under age 18 with valid ID pay $10. Proceeds go toward care of the eldest Sisters of St. Francis in Hawaii.

In the publishing industry, the highest honor one can receive is Editor & Publisher magazine’s “Publisher of the Year” award. (E&P is the industry “bible.”) With 1,382 daily newspapers in the country, just 58 publishers were nominated this year. Of those, Honolulu Star-Advertiser‘s publisher and Oahu Publications Inc. president Dennis Francis was named the winner last Friday.

“To be named newspaper publisher of the year across all the newspapers in America, it doesn’t get much better than that,” says Francis, who was featured on MidWeek‘s cover Nov. 16, 2011, for his role in helping raise $2 million for Ronald McDonald House. “To be down to the Star-Advertiser as the paper of choice is something I’m proud of.”

While saying that he owes it all to the people around him might sound cliché, he believes it really is true. He not only is proud to be recognized as publisher of the year, but he also thinks of it as winning “newspaper of the year.”

“I have so many incredibly talented people,” he continues. “I couldn’t have been named publisher of the year if the paper was lousy, so it really is a recognition for the newspaper more than anything.”

Francis also boasts that OPI – which has more than 450 employees and includes MidWeek, The Garden Island, Street Pulse, a glossy magazine division including HI Luxury, three military newspapers and a variety of websites – has had almost no turnover. That’s rare in the publishing business.

“Our entry-level, middle-level and senior management are almost exactly the same people who were here eight years ago,” he explains. “You just don’t see that. It’s unheard of. People move on, they get better deals, they go do something else. We must be doing something right to keep the team in place.”

Looking to the future, Francis sees great promise for the company and its employees, and he’s a firm believer in growing at a steady, consistent rate. But even with that consistency, there are new areas that he is excited to explore and prosper in.

“The newspaper industry as a whole, across the country, hasn’t been doing well,” Francis explains. “(But) we make a great product that retains readers and actually gets new readers. That is sustainability for the future.”

In addition to the work that the Star-Advertiser does for its print publication, it also is an industry leader in looking to the digital side of communication by developing mobile platforms that readers expect in today’s day and age.

“We’re the market leader by a mile in terms of page views that we get, the number of unique visits we get,” Francis says. “Between the Star-Advertiser and our Pulse sites, the entertainment sites, we’re doing more than 20 million page views a month.

“That’s substantially larger than all the other media in this town, the state, combined.”

Francis wears many hats in the community, including serving as chairman of the board for Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, and last week he was in Washington, D.C., to meet with the Congressional delegation of U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono and U.S. Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Colleen Hanabusa to discuss how we can bring more jobs to Hawaii.

Francis’ focus has always been on helping those in our community – the reason OPI contributed $1.6 million to Hawaii nonprofits in 2012 – and moving forward, he has high hopes for the Star-Advertiser, MidWeek and all the other hats he wears.

Photo from Roberta Wong Murray

Hawaii’s own Leslie Wilcox, president and CEO of PBS Hawaii, recently was honored with a 2013 Women Who Make A Difference Award by the International Women’s Forum for her leadership and public service.

The award presentation took place as part of the International Women’s Forum Global Leadership Conference at a gala in the harbor-side Vancouver Convention Center with more than 1,500 people in attendance, one of them the premier of British Columbia.

“So she was the reason for the guys talking into their lapels near the stage,” Wilcox says.

Wilcox, who was featured on MidWeek‘s cover Feb. 24, 1988, and again July 18, 2007, was nominated by Hawaii Women’s Forum, a group she holds in high regard.

“I admire [them] for their authenticity and ‘can do’ attitude,” she says. “They didn’t mention their nomination to me until I was chosen as one of eight winners internationally, so it came as a complete surprise.”

For Wilcox, the significance of the award was a chance to meet exceptional women from other countries and to see what they’re doing with the professional and personal resources available to them.

“What struck me most in the women I got to know was their comfort level in just being themselves and relating to others from diverse backgrounds,” she says.

The professionalism and positive influence that earned Wilcox this international honor can be seen at PBS Hawaii, where she always is striving to create a better public-service media outlet.

“A key word for PBS Hawaii this year is ‘transmedia,’ as we create or adapt content for different media platforms,” she says. “We’re not just oneway television anymore; there are a lot of digital screens to serve.

“Perhaps the most powerful one is the smallest – the screen on your smartphone, where video use is exploding. We’re thinking a great deal about what people will want and need from public-service media in the future.”

She also praises PBS Hawaii’s statewide student newscast, HIKI NO, a weekly television show in which students learn 21st century skills as they find, research, compile and present stories.

According to Wilcox, under the guidance of the teachers and PBS Hawaii advisers, the students reach for national PBS journalism standards.

“And we’re looking forward to the next season of Downton Abbey debuting in January, a runaway hit with a crazy wide cross-section of viewers, including people you’d never expect,” she adds.

Photo from Lea Woods Almanza

It seems like a lifetime ago that Lea Woods Almanza (formerly Lea Woods Friedman) was on the cover of MidWeek on Jan. 28, 2004. Since then, she has experienced exciting changes in her life that have taken her all over the world and back home again to raise her children, Jacob (4) and Maria (2).

Her opera career (as a soprano) took her to cities in Asia and around the continental U.S.

“It was an exciting life,” admitted Almanza, “but quite the gypsy lifestyle, which was not what I had in mind for raising a family.”

After several years in the performance industry, based first in Italy and then Manhattan, N.Y., she decided to “come back home for a break.”

She wanted to reconnect with the way music brought joy to her soul and to reignite the things that inspired her during her youth. “I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else at this point in my life,” she adds.

There’s no doubt that she loves singing. Originally, Almanza went to school to study Hotel Administration (at Cornell), but she participated in choirs throughout junior and high school (Punahou), as well as in college.

“I always knew in my heart that singing was my real passion and where my heart and soul truly soared,” she says.

It was this love of singing that led her to travel all over the world, and later that same passion fueled her desire to release a sing-a-long CD, which she did with local guitarist Jeff Peterson.

“Sing-A-Long with Lea & Jeff,” which was released nearly five years ago, is a fun collection of favorite children songs, with a Hawaiian slack key guitar twist. The CD was so well received that the duo released a Volume 2 two years ago.

“It was a fun switch in repertoire from my classic pieces, and from Jeff’s guitar favorites,” Alamnza explains. “Over the years we’ve done several live sing-a-longs and really do enjoy these events just as much as our other classical repertoire performances.”

She says that a Hawaiian CD is their next project (if they can find time with their busy schedules). Almanza will be starting up her own vocal studio in the new year, and will also be debuting as Magnolia in Showboat, coming this spring to Diamond Head Theatre.

“I have always thought that once my children were old enough, I would return to the theatre, and Diamond Head Theatre seemed like the ideal community theatre,” she says. “My husband (Joshua, who is an ordained reverend and a chaplain at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children) and I are season ticket holders and are always so impressed with the productions up there.”

Almanza says the role is very exciting for her, but she’s also nervous as she has not performed in a musical since Peter Pan in high school.

Despite her concerns Almanza is working hard to prepare for the role and looks forward to sharing this wonderful musical with local audiences, and she can’t wait to get back on stage!

Tickets are on sale now for Showboat. Visit diamondheadtheatre.com/showboat for tickets and more information.

Photo from Leilani Keough

Back in 1991, Carolyn Sapp (now Carolyn Sapp Daniels) was crowned Miss Hawaii and one year later, she went on to win Miss America (1992).

“Being Miss America was absolutely phenomenal, but being from Hawaii and being able to represent Hawaii was a complete privilege,” she says. Daniels, who was featured on our cover Nov. 13, 1991, now is back living on the North Shore with her three children: Kai O’Cain (7), Keira Makanalani (4) and Kale’a Charlie-Rose (3).

“All my children have Irish-Hawaiian names (as husband Alex, who also has an impressive resume for his stunt work, is Irish),” she explains. “With three babies, it’s always a little crazy, but it’s always fun.”

And Daniels knows crazy.

She has done stunt work for Along Came Polly, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, The Dictator and most recently Dead Man Down, which stars Colin Farrell.

“I’ve been doing (driving stunts), car crashes, things like that,” she says. “And water, anything related to water because I’m certified SCUBA. That has been an adventure.”

Daniels says her stunt work has been exciting, but notes that she must always be very careful.

“I did have one scare where I had a concussion and landed in the hospital. That was not fun. That was a crazy time.

“I’m a mom first. My first priority will always be my family. My No. 1 priority is to be the best mom I can possibly be.”

The mommy mindset made her decide that it was time for her kids to learn about Hawaii.

While traveling with her husband and children (their family motto is “have family, will travel”), Daniels home-schooled her keiki and taught them Hawaiian words, but she says it’s nice to get them back into school.

“When you’re here in Hawaii and you have Hawaiian studies in school, it’s a totally different perspective,” she says. “I want them to learn to love and respect the ocean, this is part of their heritage, where mommy grew up.

“I wanted them to learn the culture, the sights, the sounds, the tastes, explore all that at a young age. It’s been wonderful to see it through their eyes.”

Now that Daniels is back home in Hawaii, she is continuing her mission to raise awareness about domestic violence and child abuse, which she has done for the past 22 years.

She is an honorary celebrity chairwoman of One Billion Rising, which is making its debut in Honolulu Feb. 14, 2014, at Magic Island.

“Think of it as a very large flash mob (to raise awareness about domestic violence and child abuse),” Daniels says. “It’s synchronized around the world, and it’s really an honor to be part of something like that.”

Daniels is glad to be back home, and even happier that she gets to share with her kids the beauty and wonder of Hawaii.

“You always have to come back to your roots,” she says.

Photo from Tiffany Huynh

The only rehab hospital in the state and Pacific is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and the president/CEO of the organization is hoping to extend its care and services for many more years to come.

Tim Roe, who was featured on MidWeek‘s cover Feb. 12, 2012, says that there are big things in store for REHAB (Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific), and it’s all starting with the renovations.

Eighty-five percent of the renovations include REHAB’s in-patient units, which are slated to be complete by February 2014. After that, renovations will continue down to the first floor.

“We’re putting in a brand new physicians clinic and expanding our patient waiting area,” Roe explains. “We’ll also be expanding our customer service.

“We’re putting in a new front desk for the hospital reception, which will be sort of a one-stop place where people come in, they can get info about the patients who are in-house. They can be put in touch with our patients’ financial representative services to discuss bills or the cost of their care.”

Roe’s goal is to improve REHAB’s customer service to the kind seen in the hospitality industry.

Another exciting aspect of the renovations include a new therapeutic mobility course within the courtyard, which will be the biggest expansion of REHAB’s therapy since the mid-1970s.

“We try to replicate real-world conditions, as far as different types of surfaces,” Roe says. “We have a large area used for power and manual wheelchair training, similar to an obstacle course, to challenge our patients’ ability to get around.

“We build up their skills, build up their confidence to go out into the real world and face challenges in the real world.”

With all the renovations going on, it’s also nice to see that some things within the organization aren’t changing. Art from the Heart, which is part of the Louis Vuitton creative arts program, features art created by patients.

“Once a year we have a gallery-type display of the artwork, and we sell the works,” Roe explains. “Our art therapy program is sponsored by Louis Vuitton and features painting, a ceramics program, flower arranging, and it all takes place on the campus of the hospital.

“We have some patients who were here 20 years ago, and they continue to come back for the art therapy program. Some have gone from being patients to being instructors in the program.”

To celebrate its 60th, REHAB held a radiothon, which was hosted by Michael Perry, who also sits on the hospital’s board of directors. The second half of the fundraising efforts came from the Art from the Heart program.

“It’s a big accomplishment (reaching 60 years),” Roe adds. “Health care can be a challenging environment. We’ve seen that here in Hawaii, with all the changes in hospitals over the past few years. The fact that we’re still around and thriving testifies to the level of support we have in the community, our donors, our patients, our community leaders, and it’s also a testament to the hard work of our staff.

“Sixty years of hard work, working to improve the lives of those with disabilities.”

Photo from Ruth Heidrich

Many of us are on a perpetual search for the secret to living a long and healthy life, and marathon-running cancer survivor Ruth Heidrich has made it her mission to help people achieve that goal.

“I want to show people that as you age, if you’re healthy and fit, you can have fun and do all these things – and if you have neither, it’s really a drag,” she says.

Heidrich has run the Honolulu Marathon 20 times, but wasn’t able to make this year’s event, which took place last weekend. Instead, she’s focusing on her upcoming speeches.

She will be the featured guest speaker at the Dec. 10 free public lecture from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse, sponsored by the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii. (Her second lecture takes place Dec. 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Greens & Vines Restaurant. Call 536-9680 to RSVP and pre-pay the $22.50 cost.)

The 78-year-old was on MidWeek‘s cover Oct. 23, 1985, for her athleticism as an Ironman triathlete, and since then has done the same vigorous race a few more times.

She attributes her success on the course and the fact that her cancer has been in remission for 31 years to her diet and exercise routine.

“I was already a marathoner and had been a daily runner for 14 years at the time my cancer was diagnosed,” she explains. “It obviously wasn’t just a matter of just being fit. You also had to be fit and eat a healthy diet.”

This concept will be a key talking point during her lectures. Another topic of discussion will be her latest book, Lifelong Running: How to Overcome the 11 Myths of Running and Live a Healthier Life, her fourth since she was featured on our cover.

The world traveler still runs every day and even makes the long trek up Ward Avenue to Prospect Street (a stretch that most automobiles have trouble ascending) around Punchbowl and up Papakolea once a week.

Aside from running and eating healthy (Heidrich lives on a low-fat vegan diet), she has been able to travel all of the world – twice.

She recalls her four-month world journey aboard the Holland America (Rotterdam): “The ship picked up right here in Hawaii, and I literally ran from my home down to Aloha Tower Marketplace and boarded the ship there. I forgot my jeans, because I don’t wear long pants here in Hawaii, and I realized I’m going to need jeans. So I ran back home, picked up my jeans and ran back to the ship before we left at 5 p.m.”

Heidrich welcomes questions and comments on her website, ruthheidrich.com, where you can learn more about her and her lifestyle.

“Apparently, I get confused with the other Dr. Ruth,” she says with a laugh. “I get all these questions about erectile disfunction, and I reply, ‘I think you meant this for the other Dr. Ruth,’ but I tell them that if they change their diet (and lifestyle) they don’t need pills. I get to an audience who has probably never heard of a vegan diet or considered running.”

It’s hard to imagine anyone who can keep pace with Heidrich’s training, but you can keep up to date with what she’s up to on her website.

Catch her if you can!

Anthony Consillio photo

For 17 years, Ronald Moon served as Hawaii’s Chief Justice, and for his more than 30 years of work serving the state and its people, the Kapolei judiciary complex has been named “Ronald T. Y. Moon Judiciary Complex” and its courthouse, “Ronald T.Y.

Moon Courthouse.” In fact, Moon has the distinction of being the first Korean-American to be chief justice of any Supreme Court in the United States.

Moon, who was featured on MidWeek‘s cover Dec. 30, 1998, said hello to retirement three years ago and decided he would take six months off and do virtually nothing.

“I told myself I would study the lay of the land and determine what I would like to do,” he explains.

However, six months after retirement, Moon fell off a ladder going up to his roof and broke his back.

“I had what they call a compression fracture,” he says. “The vertebrae were crushed together. I was not able to walk for a long time, and I didn’t know if I was going to walk again.”

But thanks to the wonders of modern medicine and the staff at The Queen’s Medical Center and REHAB hospital, as well as his daughter Julie Moon-Franklin (owner of Moon’s Physical Therapy) and sons Scott Moon (director of radiation oncology operations at Queen’s) and Ron Moon Jr. (a physician in Alabama), he is up and running.

Now that he’s back on his feet, Moon has been involved in many board activities. He sits on the board for his alma mater Mid-Pacific Institute, as well as Saint Louis High School, Wahiawa United Church of Christ (on the Board of Deacons) and Kick Start Karate with Lee Donohue (as the vice president of the board).

Most recently, he agreed to sit on the board of Ohana Pacific Bank, which opened a new branch last month in Kalihi.

“It gives me the opportunity to … serve the public,” Moon says. “I believe that being with a bank, especially a small bank like this, that initially started focusing on the Korean population and is looking to spread its wings to other ethnic groups … helps to serve the public to help them with their finances.

“I’m very happy to be here.”

There’s no doubt that Moon is enjoying retirement, and he seems to be just as busy as ever.

He is eager to add that his wife Stella has been instrumental in assisting him with his career.

“She has been my sounding board throughout the years – my best critic, motivator, guide and counsel,” he adds. “And when I was incapacitated after breaking my back three years ago, she trained and acquired skills to be the ultimate caregiver – truly an unbelievable wife and best friend.”

Nathalie Walker photo

Several years since becoming one of the youngest players ever to qualify for the Sony Open, Tadd Fujikawa is getting back into the swing of things.

The 22-year-old Moanalua High School graduate appeared on MidWeek‘s March 9, 2007, cover. Born and raised in Hawaii, he has spent the past few years living in Georgia.

“After I graduated from high school, I moved up there just so I could spend time with my instructor,” he says of his current coach Hank Smith, with whom he has been working since November 2012. “It was a little bit more convenient for me.”

The move also has meant a lower cost of living and easier accessibility to tournaments on the Mainland.

Now he spends most of his time in Georgia and its surrounding areas, and typically returns to Hawaii only in the months of December and January.

Previously a judo competitor – before the age of 12, he already had won four national judo titles – Fujikawa no longer competes in the martial art.

“I’ll go to practice to help out once in a while,” he says.

Characteristically down to earth, Fujikawa humbly admits to the professional setbacks he has encountered in recent years.

“It’s been a little bit of a struggle, you know, not playing as well as I would like,” he says.

But that hasn’t stopped him from forging on. After MidWeek went to press for this issue, Fujikawa planned to enter the pre-qualifying round for the Sony Open Sunday, Jan. 5, in hope of competing in this year’s Sony Open. If all went according to plan, it would have moved him forward to Monday’s qualifying session for the main event, which begins Thursday.

“That’s my next one, and then we’ll take it from there,” he says.

The chance to play in the Sony Open also would come as the perfect present for Fujikawa, who celebrates his birthday Jan. 8.

“I feel like now I’m starting to kind of get my game back in shape and (I am) looking forward to (this) year,” he says.

Robyn Ocepek photo

Nearly three decades after appearing on MidWeek‘s Oct. 16, 1985, cover with then-KPOI morning co-host Robert “Rabbett” Abbett, Phil Abbot has returned to Hawaii’s airwaves.

“My career has taken me through a lot of changes,” he says.

For 17 years, Abbot worked on the Mainland, first in Phoenix for almost two years, and then in Los Angeles alongside the likes of KIISFM’s Rick Dees. It was during this time that he began working with Japanese radio station InterFM, providing Hollywood news and updates from Dees.

“(It was) really a highlight of my career,” he says, “insofar as, you know, what could be done and the creativity of it, working with people like Rick Dees and his staff. It was a very exciting time.”

After sons Eric and Justin graduated high school, he and wife Joyce decided they would return to Hawaii. In 2009, the family made the move back home after Abbot was hired and trained by the late Kimo Akane to join Hawaiian music radio station KAPA-FM.

“It was also a very rewarding experience, working on the Big Island where I’m from originally,” he says.

In February 2012, Abbot returned to Oahu with SALEM Communications as program director and morning show host at Country 97.5. Last June, he made the switch to 107.9 Kool Gold’s morning show as its program director and morning show host, and continues as program director for Country 97.5.

As program director, Abbot oversees the music and sound on both stations, as well as its disc jockeys and promotions.

“It’s been great – I really enjoy doing both stations,” he says. “With Kool Gold, I’m a little more familiar with the music because I grew up with it, so it’s a little more comfortable and more natural than doing country, which I really grew into.”

Abbot also continues to be a voice in Japan with Tokyo-based station 76.1 InterFM for its Hawaiian music radio program, iHeart Hawaii. Presented in English, the program features rotating segments with various DJs. Abbot’s show, “Tunin’ Hawaii,” focuses on traditional and contemporary music. Though Tokyo is a much larger market than Honolulu, Abbot says there are only a handful of FM stations.

“It’s a little more like old free-form radio from the ’60s-’70s in America,” he says. “Back when there were fewer radio stations in each market and creativity was encouraged without a fear of DJ’s ‘talking too much.’”

In the meantime, he has no plans to return to the Mainland. “I love it – this is home,” he says. “I don’t foresee myself moving away from here ever again.”

Photo from Malia Johnson

It has been less than a year since Shawn Ching left his job as anchor for Hawaii News Now, choosing to focus on a career in law. Though the former UH football player doesn’t have any immediate plans to return to TV, don’t rule it out completely just yet.

“You know, I never say never,” he says.

During his time with Hawaii News Now, the station received a national Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association. The award recognized the team’s coverage of the devastating tsunami in Japan, led by Ching and co-anchor Stephanie Lum.

“It felt great at the time,” he says. “Truth be told, it’s the really hard work of the people behind the scenes who actually make it all happen.”

Though he admits to missing the people he worked with and even the opportunity to cover breaking stories, Ching, who appeared on MidWeek‘s Jan. 14, 1998, cover, is enjoying his career as a lawyer.

“Broadcast journalism will always be in my blood because I did it for so long,” he says. “Since I left Hawaii News Now last year, I have been asked to consider various positions in television, but I am now completely focused on my law practice at this time.”

Prior to leaving Hawaii News Now, Ching had been practicing law off and on since graduating from University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law in 2003. After finding himself busy balancing a law career with weeknight anchor duties, he made the decision to pursue those interests full time.

With past experience in labor law working with unions, he ultimately made the decision to become a personal injury attorney after routinely receiving related cases.

“It’s been a very enriching experience for me personally because I really enjoy working with people and my clients one-on-one,” he says.

Ching owns his own practice, the Law Office of Shawn Ching, and leases his office space from high-profile attorney Michael Jay Green.

The close proximity to Green allows him to frequently collaborate and co-counsel with him, an experience Ching says has been valuable.

“I’m just so fortunate to be able to work with one of the best trial attorneys in the state,” he says.

“My law practice is all-consuming for the most part, and I’m enjoying myself.”

Zak Noyle photo

More than a decade after successfully conquering a 66-foot wave, surfer Makua Rothman hopes to ride a different swell of success as a musician.

His first solo album, Sound Wave, was released digitally in December, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard and iTunes Reggae charts.

“That was awesome,” he says. “I mean, that’s all icing on the cake.” Rothman, who appeared on MidWeek‘s June 18, 2003, cover, has been playing music as a hobby since childhood. His transition to a professional career began at the urging of trainer Rob Garcia, who convinced him to give it a try … “and somehow here I am today with an album,” he says, adding that music is something he simply loves.

Primarily an ukulele player, he learned from his grandmother, relatives and the late Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole.

“We all looked up to him (Kamakawiwo’ole) and his music, and everything he’s done and the way he represented himself as a Hawaiian,” Rothman says. “All that kind of stuff is what I really looked up to, and just to have him in my presence and be able to learn from him was amazing.”

He began working on his album last May, recording and producing it alongside artist, composer and producer John “Feldy” Feldmann in Los Angeles, Calif.

“It was just amazing – the people I got to write with and the people I got to be around during that time,” he says.

Rothman, who holds credits for composing 11 of the 12 tracks on his CD, collaborated with other artists and drew from personal experiences as inspiration for each piece.

The CD is an eclectic mixture of reggae, rock and pop, and though Rothman says all are his favorites, one song that especially stands out is ‘Ulili E, which features an old Kamakawiwo’ole track.

“It’s like a dream come true,” he says.

His music also was featured in a recent episode of Hawaii Five-0.

Right now, he’s looking forward to completing at least 100 days of touring. Though he currently is consumed with promoting his album and preparing to tour, don’t expect Rothman to completely give up surfing anytime soon. He most recently competed in this year’s Volcom Pipe Pro.

His experience as a surfer, he says, has lent itself well to his career as a musician.

“A lot of us play music after we surf,” he says.

Rothman, whose physical album was released Feb. 4, will throw a CD release concert Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Hawaii Theatre. Tickets are available online at hawaiitheatre.com or by calling 528-0506. Fans who use promo code “GNARLY” receive a discount.

“Without the support from fans and friends and family, I wouldn’t be able to do this, so this is all for you guys,” he says.

Photo from Joe Medeiros

While others are gearing up for the approaching election season, former Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle says he has no plans to re-enter the polls – but don’t rule it out completely just yet.

“This upcoming year, I have no interest in anything that’s up,” he says, “if I did go back to politics, I would probably look first at the Mayor’s office.”

Carlisle, who appeared on MidWeek‘s Jan. 1, 1997 cover as the city’s third elected prosecuting attorney, says he was able to accomplish “all sorts of good things” while mayor.

“One of the things that I was most pleased about was bending the debt curve downward,” he says. “That, right now, not only needs to be done in Honolulu, but in Hawaii and on the Mainland, and Washington, D.C., in particular.”

For the time being, he has returned to law as a partner with O’Connor Playdon & Guben LLP. His focus is on fostering international relationships and business opportunities between Hawaii and the Mainland and Asia. Carlisle also takes on a variety of different cases.

“What’s really fun about this firm is that we have a great deal of expertise in a variety of different fields, he says. “If I bring in a particular case and it involves something that I don’t know enough about to be comfortable taking it myself, I will pass it on to one of the attorneys here, and these guys are absolutely fantastic.

“I get to learn a whole lot very quickly about subjects that I knew very little about before I came here, which is fun and sort of stimulates an old man’s brain.”

His international relationships recently allowed him to travel to Bruyeres, France, for a memorial service recognizing the 442nd Infantry Regiment and its efforts in liberating the city in World War II. Carlisle, who is an honorary citizen of Hiroshima, also visited that city for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, and renewed relationships with the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagaoka.

“Both of them were kind enough to say that I should feel as a citizen of both cities, and I should come back as a welcome friend,” he says.

This year, he will continue to travel, though it won’t be for the firm. He and wife Judy will visit their lands of hereditary origin, with plans to visit Germany, Ireland and England.

Carlisle’s break from politics also has allowed him to return to fitness. “I’m actually doing a lot more exercising than I did before, and I started to try to play basketball again,” he says. “That part is also good for the mind, good for the body.”