Ron Jacobs Del Courtney
WHILE all the "i's" may not be dotted or the "t's" crossed, it looks as if Ron Jacobs will be heading home to the islands to join fellow "Poi Boy" and longtime best friend Tom Moffatt on the radio. Ensconced mornings on KGMZ-FM, 107.9, Moffatt already is sounding rejuvenated, spinning the oldies he helped introduce to the islands. That would leave Jacobs to spin during afternoon drive time, and to thrust himself once more into the community where he got his start before going on to big-time radio jobs in San Diego and L.A. All he's looking forward to now, he says, is to "come home and die," though not necessarily right away and certainly not professionally. He's currently driving across country to deliver a car to his daughter Miki, a junior at Northwestern. Then, he'll see his first-ever baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, and finally prove Thomas Wolfe wrong and come home again ... Another 'Poi Boy'
heads back to islesSPEAKING of second generations, the Hawaii School for Girls Select Choir performs in the Kahala Mandarin lobby at 4 p.m. today and at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Shell Bar tomorrow at 5 p.m. The choir, under the direction of Nancy Hunt, features many lovely voices, none finer than that of Hoku Ho, daughter of ageless entertainer Don Ho ...
AND while we're on the subject of old-timers, enjoying Cinco de Mayo at Jose's Mexican Restaurant in Kaimuki was retired big band leader Del Courtney and two close friends, Martin Denny and his wife, June. Capitol Records, which released "The Exotic Sounds of Martin Denny" three months ago, plans to release in a few weeks a new big band CD featuring Courtney and his orchestra. Meanwhile, Scamp Records is releasing a double album of Denny's "Quiet Village" and "The Enchanted Sea" this summer ... I recall one evening many years ago when the late columnist, Herb Caen, was in town. The one thing he really wanted to do was visit the Monarch Room where Courtney was playing for a tea dance, so he could say hello to his old S.F. friend. We did just that ...
DEDICATED surfing enthusiasts will go to any lengths to find that perfect wave, and often risk life and limb in an attempt to ride it. Former isle writer Leonard Lueras, on the other hand, went to Bali to explore, photograph, write and publish books, all of which he's done. Now suddenly the sport of surfing has enabled him to do all at once. Lueras has come out with a new 300-page book, available soon in Hawaii, called "Surfing Indonesia." Lueras has lived in Bali for more than 10 years and, with his 16-year-old son Lorca, an avid surfer, he's published this new book. It features photos and writing by many people from around the world, including localites Bernie Baker, Dana Edmunds and Gerry Lopez. Watch for it in bookstores ... Bali high!
MORE reasons for a sedentary lifestyle: Yesterday we mentioned how adman Alan Pollock is hobbling around using his putter as a cane following a mountain biking accident. Earlier it was KHNL G.M. John Fink recuping from blowing out his knee playing soccer, finally getting off crutches yesterday. Now former Chaminade athletic director Mike Vasconcellos, a tennis nut, has suffered a quadricipital tendon tear. "Clinton Disease," he terms it, blaming this rash of injuries on President Bill Clinton, who's still using a walking cane to get around. At least Vasconcellos boasts that he's on his feet and walking without a cane ...
THE grand opening of Studio 1 Hawaii in the Aloha Tower Marketplace is Thursday and it'll be a special time for Easter Seals of Hawaii. The charity's headquarters were robbed recently and among things stolen were the office safe and its contents. So when Jerry Breeden opens the entertainment complex this week, he not only will donate a new safe to Easter Seals, but also encourage visitors to drop donations into it throughout the weekend. Thursday's opening is private, but the complex will hold a public opening Friday through Sunday ... Safe and Sound
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.