Wood Craft
The Christmas dinner-dance for Oahu Publications' Star-Bulletin and MidWeek employees last Saturday at the Waikiki Prince Hotel was brightened by singers Dita Holyfield and Jan Brenner and talented staffers. Miss Hawaii Teen Vakisha Coleman, who impressed with her singing, works in sales. Her mom, Victoria Ferreira, is secretary to company president Don Kendall, who attended with wife, Teresa. Canadian David Black, who prevented the death of the Star-Bulletin by buying the paper, flew in and attended with wife, Annabeth. Another hit was writer B.J. Reyes' juggling, as was Allison Arakawa's singing, with guitarist Bill Mossman. Writer Burl Burlingame surprised the audience by singing hard-thumping blues-rock, backed by his Honolulu Blue Devils Band. The Devils include Melody Heidel, who shared vocals, and musicians Chris Emerson, Mark Walker and Dale Machado. Dita was backed by Ellsworth Simeona and his band, made up of Dwight Kanae, Scott Baltazar and Paul Arquette. Simeona, Kanae and Lawrence Kidder played island music earlier. Lanai and Augie kept things lively awarding prizes. Columnist Charles Memminger announced he is now Charley Mirikitani, Andy Mirikitani's newly adopted son, and will receive all benefits, which will be paid for by taxpayers. See Charley's Honolulu Lite column in Sunday's Star-Bulletin for more details ... Pros, staffers sparkle
at newspaper partyRarely have I enjoyed a day such as I did last Saturday, watching the UH football team chew up the highly rated, arch-rival BYU Cougars, 72-45. Congratulations and a big mahalo to Coach June Jones and his young men for bringing so much joy to the people of Hawaii. You guys are great! And boos to ESPN for cutting the TV broadcast short ... I passed cheers on to UH Athletic Director Hugh Yoshida after pulling him over to Alice Clay's table at the Oahu Country Club's Candlelight Dinner Tuesday. The dinner, a holiday treat and feast, featured the Punahou Chorale under Corin Overland, singer Al Waterson and pianist Emmett Yoshioka ...
Rohr roars for Burns
Decades ago, Bob Burns hired 21-year-old Thos "Tom" Rohr as his assistant at the Captain's Galley. Later, when Burns was running Colony Surf and Michel's, they met at Michel's and Burns got Rohr to join the opening team with him at the Kahala Hilton. Burns started as resident manager and Rohr opened the Maile Room. Burns went on to found Regent International Hotels and Rohr was in charge of developing and running Kapalua Resort. He is now president of Waikoloa Land Company. Rohr's daughter, Nina, is Burns' godchild. So when Burns and wife, Janice, were in town recently to be honored by the UH TIM School, Rohr and his wife, Robin, took them to dinner at Michel's to revisit the start of their paths to success. Other guests were attorney Peter and Jamee Starn ...
Divas for Loyal
The Local Divas -- Carole Kai, Melveen Leed and Nohelani Cypriano -- hold their "This One's for You, Loyal" concert Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Waikiki ... Les Hong at Chuck's Steak House in the Ohana Edgewater Hotel has pianists Ron Miyashiro on Wednesdays, Jimmy Kaina on Thursdays, Kip Palmer on Fridays and Don Conover on Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com