Opala In Paradise - Hawaii Ocean View Estates


Meet 70 of your best friends. These are folks who live on the Big Island and today marked another day that these citizens (just like you and me) came together to voluntarily clean up illegal dump sites. Remember that film "Network" and its main character, newscaster Howard Beale? "All I know is, you've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm a human being, goddamn it. My life has value."... I'm tired of it and I'm not going to take it any more!

Well these folks aren't going to take it any more. They got off their duffs, some even with kids in tow, to clean 9 sites of approximately 62 tons of rubbish and scrap metal, 16 cars, 60 tires, countless loads of plastic, aluminum, household and industrial waste and trash. The organization is Keep Hawaii Beautiful, inspired by Starsha Young and a cadre of incredibly great people who devote their time to clean up of Hawaii Island trash." Opala in Paradise is the Facebook group that brings folks together. So if you're interested in joining them that's where you can find the 411. Mahalo to the County of Hawaii for funding support; Starsha Young, Damon Tucker, Ed Miner, Tiffany Edwards Hunt, Kevin Dayton of the Mayor's Office, and so many others. Big mahalo to all the local Big Island businesses, groups and agencies that were there this morning getting their hands dirty: the Office of the County Prosecuting Attorney, Hawaii Police Department, Office of the Mayor, Prevent Illegal Dumping Task Force, Goodfellow Brothers Inc., Pacific Waste Inc., Superior Sanitation, Ocean View Auto Parts, Big Island Scrap Metal, Junk Yard Dog Towing, Arrow Hawaiian, Precision Construction, The Opala in Paradise Facebook Group, Kolohe Auto Repair and Big Island Gear. If you're interested in joining them visit:

http://damontucker.com/2011/07/30/the-big-clean-up-take-a-stand-for-your-land-hawaii-ocean-view-estates/

Life is Good... but it's better when we malama this beautiful land that in turn, will nourish the body and spirit. Video coming soon to www.PacificNetwork.tv

If you're interested in starting a similar movement here on Oahu or you know of clean ups that need support and man power, please contact us at Media@pacificnetwork.tv

Viva Las Vegas! and Aloha Friday Everyone,

We're happy to announce the first few winners of the LOCAL JUSTICE Jury voting. Congratulations to LYNDA TAKARA who receives a VACATIONS HAWAII trip for 2 to Honolulu to Las Vegas. Includes airfare, meals, ground transportation to hotel, and hotel stay for 5 nights!... and to MITZIE HIGA, a teacher in Kapolei who also won a VACATIONS HAWAII RT for 2 to Las Vegas! You deserve this vacation! Other winners randomly selected from the list of Local Justice voters, include FRANK ITO in Aiea, who received a UH Warriors windbreaker; and TERRILANI CHONG from Hilo, Hawaii who receives a special gift package from Maui Lavender in Kula, Maui... Congratulations to all our Local Justice winners.

Remember -- all you need to do to win is vote at www.LocalJustice.tv for Plaintiff or Defendant on this week's show and you become eligible to receive prizes. All winners must contact us to confirm their status within 5 days.

Mahalo and enjoy! Vote here: www.LocalJustice.tv

www.PacificNetwork.tv

Jeff Apaka at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

Jeff Apaka returns to the Hilton Hawaiian Village decades after his father, the late great Alfred Apaka, performed at the resort. Known as the Golden Voice of Hawaii, Apaka was a top headliner during the hotel's early years, performing nationally as well including appearances on the iconic Ed Sullivan Show. Jeff broke out at the age of 19, performing in a Waikiki showroom, and was considered the youngest showroom star in Waikiki at that time, recording on numerous labels including Capitol Records. Jeff’s performances at Hilton Hawaiian Village will bring back the songs of yesteryear, with guest appearances by some of the island’s best known Hawaiian entertainers. Accompanying Jeff are Scot Furushima, Kaipo Asing and Gary Aiko. Hula dancer Kawena Mechler will also grace the stage each week with Apaka’s Hilton Hawaiian Village Serenaders. Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Bar this Sunday, every Sunday, from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

www.PacificNetwork.tv

Case of the Crunched Congas
Two old friends have a falling out over damaged congas. Vote and become eligible for great prizes including a Vacations Hawaii trip for two to Las Vegas, meals, airfare, hotel... and for mainland voters
some fabulous prizes from Maui Lavender and other Hawaii merchants.

We've Got Chemistry

We've been shooting preliminarily for a film called How We Learn, one of the most fascinating stories I will have ever worked on, co written with Paul "Doc" Berry (sustainability author and former Punahou teacher 25 years). The film is a project of The Pacific Arts Foundation.  Feel free to contact us if interested in supporting.  It has been nothing short of mind-boggling to learn so much about who we are, how we learn, and what happened here. From early Hawaii to 19th century literacy, to plantation life where children were limited to 8th grade educations -- the question arises -- what makes a kid like learning?  What kind of learning gives us a feeling of elation and self fulfillment and how do we replicate this feeling in children (and adults) when they're in school?

Well there are a lot of very smart and dedicated people who are working toward this end and some of them are responsible for the Clarence T.C. Ching PUEO (Partnerships in Unlimited Educational Opportunities) Project at Punahou School. Now in its 7th year PUEO has taken 280 public middle and high school students who return for seven summers, from before sixth grade to before senior year, and introduced them to skills, programs and career options that college educations can provide.  The program is aligned with Punahou School President, Jim Scott's vision of a "private school with a public purpose". All the PUEO students attend public schools during their school year. Many of them could be the first in their families to consider attending college.  We met these remarkable kids ranging in ages from 11 to 15 and the experience was pure inspiration.

Big mahalo to the Clarence T.C. Ching for supporting such a valuable program; and thank you to Jim Scott,  Carlyn Tani, to the program's Director, Carl Ackerman; Assistant Director Kylee Pomaikai Mar, David Miyashiro, Grace Lim, Sarah Kern, and all the PUEO kids. Special mahalo to Michael Danziger, visiting from Boston, founder of The Stepping Stone Foundation, a non-profit that develops and implements programs, "emphasizing rigorous standards to achieve meaningful results" which prepare urban schoolchildren for educational opportunities that lead to college success. Thanks for giving us your time while visiting PUEO and for sharing this video with our crew!

Life is Good.  www.PacificNetwork.tv

The Element Song, by Tom Lehrer