Hawaii Five-O" will be in the air at Barnes & Noble Ala Moana Saturday at 1 p.m. when Lisa Freeman, daughter of "Hawaii Five-O" creator Leonard Freeman and his wife, Rose, signs her book "Honey Girl." Her sisters Robin Freeman Bernstein and Susan Freeman Mann will attend. A group of Lisa’s local pals with "Five-O" connections will also be there. In "Honey Girl," Hawaiian teen surfer Nani moves to Santa Monica, Calif., in 1972 after her father dies. At a beach she finds she has strong feelings for another girl and struggles with her sexuality. Lisa will read from her book at the signing event.
Emme Tomimbang will co-emcee the program with Kimo Kahoano. Emme has featured the original and new "Five-0" on her TV shows and is a longtime friend of the Freeman girls, who call her the fourth Freeman sister. "Five-0" past and present actors Al Harrington, Jimmy Borges, Taylor Wily and Dennis Chun will also take part. Harrington, a regular on the original "Five-O," will speak. Leilani Kupahu-Marina will dance to "Honey Girl Hula" …
Writer Graham "Sandy" Salisbury said, "Having been selected as an honorary member of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Organization is without question the greatest honor I have ever received," upon learning he will receive the honor May 5 at the 100th clubhouse. "The staggering sacrifices made by this courageous battalion in World War II were historic, and for me to be in any way connected to that leaves me utterly speechless."
Salisbury, who has island roots, is being honored because his books, "Under the Blood-Red Sun" and "Eyes of the Emperor," have made a "tremendous positive impact toward the history and sacrifices of the AJA soldiers," read a letter from Lloyd T. Kitamura, president of the 100th Battalion Veterans organization, to Salisbury. "Under the Blood-Red Sun" is now a movie and available on Oceanic Time WarnerMovies on Demand …
Two legendary Waikiki Beach Boys, Alex Apo and Richard Kapela "Chief" Kauo, will be honored at the 2nd annual "May Day Waikiki — Waikiki Beach Boys, Memories and Music" program May 1 from 3-5 p.m. on the sand fronting the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Apo, 83, worked on Waikiki Beach for 44 years.
The public is welcome to attend this free event featuring singers Danny Kaleikini and Anuhea. Kauo spent much of his life on the beach in Waikiki. He worked as a lifeguard and taught surfing lessons. In his later years, he spent much of his time at Duke’s Waikiki, often greeting visitors with his warm aloha. He died April 2, 2013, at age 78 and his ashes were scattered in the waters along Waikiki Beach. The program will be carried live on Hawaiian 105.1 KINE and is sponsored by the Hawaii Tourism Authority …
Hula Grill Waikiki honored 91-year-old Elizabeth Ku‘uleimomi Aarona Kepilino with the I Ola Mau Ka Hula award, translated as "In Order to Perpetuate Hula," for her lifetime dedication to practicing and teaching hula. The presentation of the award was made at a Hula Grill Waikiki luncheon April 3 …
Condolences to the family of Pete Thompson, 65, who died of cancer complications March 2. Pete was a Hawaiian activist, teacher and broker. He was a strong voice to stop the eviction of Waiahole-Waikane residents in the 1970s. In 2008, Pete, a Smith Barney broker, was ranked 51st among investment brokers in the U.S. The Kamehameha graduate was one of the fittest men I met at Clark Hatch Fitness Center when I was working out there in early 2000 …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
