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Catching up with
Miss Hawaii Teen
and Miss Hawaii

MISS HAWAII Teen USA Melissa Benz leaves Thursday for Baton Rouge, La., for her national pageant Aug. 8. The Hawaii Baptist Academy graduate said it has been "an incredible experience" and although she's always had fun modeling, she says, she plans on a career in finance. ... Meanwhile, Miss Hawaii USA 2006 Radasha Ho'ohuli should have no trouble impressing judges in her national pageant. She's been getting plenty of runway practice on fashion ramps around town, including Saturday's Hawaii Opera Theatre "Pirates of Penzance" preview and fashion show highlighting the work of designer Anne Namba. One inspired song choice was Gwen Stefani's "Harajuku Girls," during the show of Asia-inspired ensembles. ...

BALDWIN High School graduate Amber Werner has received David Paul's 2005 Maui Chef Scholarship. Werner will use the $2,000 scholarship for culinary studies at Maui Community College next semester. She'll get a head start during a five-week intensive summer prep course with the Kuina Program, offered through Kamehameha Schools. ... Last year's Aloha Festivals Oahu royal court prince Zachary-James Santos and Oahu princess Kawena Kawainui are also off to college, taking scholarship checks worth $1,000 each from Aloha Festivals. Santos, a St. Louis School graduate, will attend the University of Idaho, and Kawainui, a Castle High graduate, will attend Hawaii Pacific University. Fellow Oahu royal court prince Salvatore "Sonny" Recca IV also received a $1,000 scholarship from Aloha Festivals and will use the money for expenses during his senior year at Kamehameha Schools. ...

If you were in Kona last week and thought you saw former Eagles members Joe Walsh and Glenn Frey, you were right. The duo performed for a private party Wednesday and flew out Saturday. ... On Maui, Kansas City Chief's wide receiver coach Charley Joiner went long, stopping in to Kimo's restaurant for dinner and to see his friend, general manager Ron LeClerque. Also enjoying pre-season relaxation at Kimo's was ESPN's Chris Berman. ... And for basketball fans, retired Indiana Pacers' great Reggie Miller was seen dining at Assagio's in Hawaii Kai Saturday night ...