Christmas events are in abundance at libraries around West Oahu.

• A 6:30 p.m. holiday concert is planned for Dec. 9 at Kapolei Public Library featuring the vocal mastery of Marilyn Kim and her vocal ensemble Melemai Kapu‘uwaimai. The group of local men and women performs songs and dances of the holiday season.

Friends of the Library-Kapolei sponsors the 45-minute program, which is suitable for all ages. Call 693-7050 for more information. Kapolei Public Library is located at 1020 Manawai St.

• Keiki can enjoy a live reading of Sandi Takayama’s The Musubi Man: Hawaii’s Gingerbread Man at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 13 at Waipahu Public Library. Following the reading by UH West Oahu students, children can enjoy craft activities and snacks, as well as lucky drawings.

National Education Association/West Oahu and Hawaii State Teachers Association sponsor the program.

Call 675-0358 for more information. Waipahu Public Library is located at 94-275 Mokuola St. • Teens can try out gift-wrapping alternatives at 2 p.m. Dec. 13 at Kapolei Public Library.

Eco-craft expert Evelyn Nakamura demonstrates how to create holiday packages using junk mail and envelopes. Participants will learn three different styles.

Only 20 teens (ages 13-18) can sign up. Call 693-7050 to register.

• Karol’s Karolers ring in the holiday with Christmas songs from all over the world. They make an appearance at Ewa Beach Public & School Library at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15.

Young children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Call 689-1204 for more information. Ewa Beach Public & School Library is located at 91-950 North Road.

• Puppeteer Christy Lipps showcases wonderful holiday stories with her hand-crafted puppets and joyous songs.

Check it out at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Kapolei Public Library, and at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 17 at Ewa Beach Public & School Library.

• Last but not least, Ewa Beach Public & School Library hosts a Christmas movie marathon from 1 to 8 p.m. Dec. 22. Films include Arthur Christmas, A Christmas Carol, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf and The Polar Express. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

For more information, visit librarieshawaii.org.

University of Hawaii-West Oahu has again received a grant from Kamehameha Schools’‘Aina-Based Education Department. The funds will go toward research and program development for a proposed academic concentration in sustainable community food systems (SCFS).

“This generous donation from Kamehameha Schools is being used to develop a program designed to improve the overall health and well-being of Hawaii’s people,” stated UHWO chancellor Rockne Freitas in a release.

“It falls directly in line with the missions of our two educational institutions, and we are looking forward to working together to create a more sustainable future for Hawaii.”

Nearly $300,000 has gone to SCFS, as well as UHWO Organic Campus Garden development, and an assessment of the Oahu food system by UHWO assistant professor and principal investigator Albie Miles.

UHWO’s Service Area Food System Assessment will evaluate inputs, production, distribution, processing, consumption and waste management of the food system.

Keiki and their families honored those who serve in the military on Veterans Day with a “We Love Veterans Celebration” Nov. 14 at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Pearl City.

(from left) Howard Ai, Marie Nguyen and Bryan Racca spoke Nov. 14 at OLGC. Photos from Ginger Kamisugi.

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Second-grade students from OLGC were introduced to U.S. Air Force veterans Howard Ai and Bryan Racca, and active U.S. Army soldier Marie Nguyen, who all answered students’ questions about their experiences in the military and what being in the military means to them.

All three joined the military upon graduating high school at age 18, and said it has been a pleasure serving their country.

As a soldier, Ai was selected to compete in the Worldwide Air Force Singing Competition, where he won first place in the solo competition in consecutive years (1966 and 1967).

Nguyen, who recently marked 12 years of service, participated in 2004′s Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Racca explained how he was able to follow his dream and work on helicopters and other aircraft.

Students also were able to read their poems about what it means to be a veteran.

Harmonious voices rang out at the closing ceremony with a rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.

Send West Oahu items to cchang@midweek.com by Dec 3 to be considered for the Dec. 10 edition.

• ORNAMENTS Ewa Beach Library sponsors an ornament contest Nov. 28 to Dec. 22, with entries due by Dec. 12. They will be displayed for voting, with winners announced Dec. 22. For details, call 689-1204.

• NEIGHBORS Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board meets at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 (rescheduled from Dec. 24) at Kapolei High cafeteria. All other area boards are in recess in December. Call 768-3710.

• BLOOD DRIVES Hawaii Blood Bank has donor drives from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at the state DAGS office at 601 Kamokila Blvd., 7:45-11:45 a.m. Dec. 2 at Kapolei Bank of Hawaii, and 8 a.m.-noon Dec. 3 at Island Pacific Academy. Call 848-4770.

• GATHERING Prince Kuhio Community Center hosts The Gathering Place market from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 8 and 15, and each Monday at 91-1270 Kinoiki St. in Kapolei, offering food, crafts and entertainment to bring Westside folks together. Vendors may call Megan at 772-6682.

• HOLIDAY IDEAS Palisades Family and Community Education Club demonstrates holiday ideas, from food to decorations, at 6 p.m. Dec. 2 at Ewa Beach Library. Call 689-1204.

• CONCERT UH-West Oahu presents a lunchtime concert and songwriter talk story with Henry Kapono and UHWO faculty from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 3 in the dining hall. The program also features students performing their original songs, plus comments from UHWO music faculty. Call 689-2357.

• ROTARY TALKS Rotary Club of Kapolei meets at 7:30 a.m. Dec. 4 in Kapolei High’s faculty lounge for breakfast and to hear guest speaker Gunther Hasinger, director of astronomy at UH Manoa, who will discuss the expected impact of the 30-meter telescope on Mauna Kea. Also ahead: City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro speaks Dec. 11 and Hawaiian Electric CEO Alan Oshima speaks Dec. 18. Email htnedd@gmail.com.

• KROC FUN Kroc Center presents its free public “A Touch of Christmas” from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 5 for families, featuring a live Nativity, making gingerbread houses, crafts, snow, a photo booth, “reindeer” rides and food (for sale) at 91-3257 Kualakai Parkway. Call 682-5505.

• CHORUS The UH-West Oahu University Chorus performs holiday music directed by Jeremy Wong at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in Campus Center multipurpose room C-208; also features Kapolei High’s Hurricane Singers, and musicians from the public, students, faculty and staff. For details, email Wong at jwong32@hawaii.edu.

• MAOLI CRAFTS Prince Kuhio Community Center and Hawaii Maoli present a Christmas Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at 91-1270 Kinoiki St., behind the new Kapolei fire station.The event features giveaways, food, entertainment and more than 50 booths. Call 394-0059.

• WREATHS Halawa Xeriscape Garden conducts a wreath-making workshop at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 6 at 99-1268 Iwaena St. in Halawa Valley. Fee is $5, and participants should bring their own supplies. For details and to register, call 748-5363.

• MUSEUM GALA Pacific Aviation Museum sponsors its annual “Destinations & Dreams” benefit gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Dec. 6 at the museum’s hangars, featuring guest speaker Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger and emcee David Hartman, and honoring Adm. Ronald Hays. Tickets cost $250. For details on this and other museum events, call 441-1006.

• DECORATIONS Malama Learning Center hosts a workshop with Malila Lagaso on “Natural Holiday Decorations” from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 6 at Kapolei High School Portable 1. Fee is $15 per person or $40 for families of up to three people. Call 483-0678 or visit malamalearningcenter.org.

• KAPOLEI DRIVE Kapolei High School has a Going Green recycling drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6, welcoming all kinds of items from metal to computers, reusable clothing, HI-5 containers and more. Call 291-6151.

• BOOK SALE The Friends of Kapolei Library conduct their annual holiday book sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 6 offering seasonal books, DVDs, CDs, vinyl records and gifts for all ages. Call 693-7050.

• SNOW DAY Kapolei Shopping Center sponsors “Snow Day in Kapolei” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6 during its annual Santa Saturday photos and activities. Call 695-4316 or visit inkapolei.com.

• USS ARIZONA The USS Arizona hosts the Blackened Canteen Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 7, an annual event of peace and reconciliation that commemorates the 73rd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. It will be followed by a roundtable discussion at Pacific Aviation Museum. Call 441-1006.

• PALISADES HIKE Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club leads a 5.8-mile intermediate hike to ‘Iliahi Ridge in Pacific Palisades at 8 a.m. Dec. 7. Visit htmclub.org.

• PC PARADE Pearl City Shopping Center sponsors its annual Christmas Parade at 4 p.m. Dec. 7 from Momilani Elementary School to the shopping center on Ho‘olaulea Street, followed by a Cruz Night from 5 to 8 p.m. Marchers include Pearl City High School band, scouts, pageant winners, lion dancers and more. Call 554-8190.

• HO‘IKE The UH-West Oahu songwriting class shares songs and stories behind what they’ve learned from assistant professor Jon Magnussen at 5 p.m. Dec. 7 in Campus Center #C-225. Call 689-2357.

• BLOOD DRIVES Hawaii Blood Bank has donor drives from 7 to 11 a.m. Dec. 7 at Waikele Center, 8 a.m.-noon Dec. 13 at Aiea Library, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at New Hope Leeward at 480 Kamokila Blvd., and 7:15-11:45 a.m. Dec. 14 at Waikele Center. Call 848-4770.

• LIBRARY CONCERT Melemai Kapu‘uwaimai, directed by Marilyn Kim, performs songs and dances of the season at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9 in the free public concert at Kapolei Library. Call 693-7050.

Tropics Mini Golf has opened next to Toys “R” Us in Aiea — taking the place of Jungle River Mini Golf. The course celebrated its grand opening Nov. 22 with a day filled with $1 food items, rounds of golf and more.

Rounds of golf cost $9 for adults, while military and kamaaina pay $8. Keiki ages 3-7 golf for $6 and keiki age 2 and under play for free.

Tropics Mini Golf is located at 98-1101 Moanalua Road.

For more information on the family attraction, check it out on Facebook and Instagram, or call 200-5331.

Kapolei girls volleyball team had a post-season to remember with riveting runs in both the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference Tournament and New City Nissan Division I State Tournament.

Every step of the way, sophomore outside hitter Jayleen Abregana figured big for the Hurricanes. Her efforts did not go unnoticed by OIA West coaches, who recently voted her a First Team All-Star.

Kapolei finished 13-5 overall in 2014, including an 8-2 mark in OIA West’s regular season. The Hurricanes earned the No. 3 seed out of the West for the OIA Tournament, and quickly asserted themselves with three straight wins versus Kaiser, Kahuku and Mililani to make the championship game.

Abregana’s performance in the OIA semifinal win over Mililani was among her best, as she posted 13 kills and nine digs in a 25-23, 25-22, 25-19 win. Kapolei was defeated by Moanalua in the OIA

Championship Game before going on to finish fourth at the State Tournament.

Kapolei also had seven players earn Honorable Mention honors: Kaile Tuisamatatele, Shekinah Clarke, Shayze Wessel, Seleni Bartley, Savannah Baldomero, Annika San Nicholas and Malia Transfiguracion.

Aiea had a pair of First Team All-Star selections in outside hitter Vevesi Liilii and libero Lole Kalama-Liulama. Na Ali‘i finished 8-5 overall this fall, including a 7-3 mark in OIA West.

Middle blocker Leleo Maeva was named to the Second Team from Aiea, while teammates Marissah Martinez, Leslie Mamai, Christine Betham and Kamalani Cachola earned Honorable Mention.

Jeseniah Futu was named to the Second Team from Campbell as an outside hitter. The Sabers finished 3-8 overall this season. Receiving Honorable Mention from Campbell were Terra Leano, Sala Timoteo and Jenavee Tago-Sue.

Pearl City outside hitter Maycee Kealoha was named to the Second Team. The Chargers finished 3-7 this fall. An upset win over Mililani, which went on to become the top seed from the West in the OIA Tournament, highlighted Pearl City’s season. The Chargers also had six players earn Honorable Mention: Cobbie Kabayashi, Tasha Keaunui, Tiffany Okinaka, Lien Howard, Lexxie Enos and McKayla Apo.

Earning Honorable Mention from Waipahu (1-9) were Pearl Tinaza, Rasela Pagofie, Leslie Pedro, Leutu Aiumu, Ituau J. Tali, Sabrina Hollins, Jolynn Mariko and Koleen Daenos.

In the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, Island Pacific Academy junior Jaycinth Hitzeman was selected as Division III Most Valuable Player. Teammate Shaina Duran made the First Team from IPA, while teammate Katie Gordon received Honorable Mention. The Navigators finished 12-1 this fall en route to winning the ILH DIII Title. IPA’s Stan Vincent was chosen Coach of the Year by his peers.

jackster.1969@yahoo.com

If Wes Pacheco’s coaching career to this point was to be summed up in a phrase, it would invariably be that of a program builder.

The longtime Campbell High School defensive coordinator has been a key piece in the Sabers’ and head coach Amosa Amosa’s football revival through the years.

Most recently, Pacheco guided the Island Pacific Academy girls basketball program to last year’s 9-3, a school best.

His latest challenge is as the head boys basketball coach at Nanakuli High School, where he also is head of the social studies department.

“I felt bad to leave Island Pacific Academy — they are going to have a great team this year — but the ultimate goal is to be able to teach at the school you coach, which is something I have missed the last few years at Campbell,” said Pacheco, who lives in Ewa Beach. “The more adult supervision the kids can have, the more positive experience they can receive. Sometimes the classroom is not enough for kids. We want them to be part of a positive environment in the two hours a day they are in the gym so they will want to come back the next day.

“It’s all about the kids, at this point. I’m happy to have a chance to affect their lives.”

Pacheco will continue to coach football at Campbell during the fall. The Sabers have been surging as a program since he and Amosa arrived back at their alma mater and finished 7-4 this past season.

“We have similar philosophies, and that carries over (to coaching basketball),” he said. “We really have helped each other evolve at Campbell.

“When you strip away all of the wins and losses, we talk about character and lessons learned. We have had a lot of individual success stories.”

Pacheco hopes to have similar success with Nanakuli on the hardwood, but the program is at ground zero at present.

The Golden Hawks went winless in 2013-14 at 0-10.

“This is my third year teaching there, and I’m totally invested in the kids,” said Pacheco. “They have big hearts. In terms of the basketball program, we want to create change and make it exciting to play basketball at Nanakuli. We want a similar vibe to what we had at Island Pacific Academy.”

The early days on the job have been encouraging for Pacheco, he acknowledged.

“During the whole month of November we did conditioning,” he said. “We had 42 kids come out, and that’s an all-time high for us.

“We have 15 boys on the junior varsity team now and 15 boys on the varsity.”

Pacheco will build his first Nanakuli boys basketball team around seniors Iverson Sione and Joshua Lincoln, who both earned honorable mention in the Oahu Interscholastic Association boys basketball All-Stars Eastern Division last season.

“They will be dynamic for us,” he said. “One of them should be the OIA DII Player of the Year.

As with the girls’ coach at Island Pacific Academy, Pacheco has loaded Nanakuli High School’s preseason slate with 14 games.

“We will get to play all over the island and, hopefully, that will get us ready,” he added.

jackster.1969@yahoo.com

Prince Kuhio Community Center is proud to announce the installment of The Gathering Place open market, which started Nov. 10.

The free weekly meetings take place from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Mondays and feature food (like refreshing acai bowls), fun, crafts and entertainment.

Christmas shopping just got easier, as various vendors bring in unique products on a weekly basis.

Prince Kuhio Community Center is located at 91-1270 Kinoiki St. in Kapolei.

For more information, follow The Gathering Place on Facebook.

How can a run featuring flashlights, live music and a Santa costume contest not be fun?

The Haleiwa NightRun winds through the trails, sand and abandoned runways of Oahu’s scenic North Shore Saturday (Dec. 13).

Participants are provided with a headlamp and T-shirt, as well as water and snacks during the race. Everything else is up to you. Prizes will be awarded for the best and brightest costume, so unpack the reflectors, glow sticks, neon paint or anything that shines or illuminates. Costume categories are Best-lit Santa costume, Best-lit Mrs. Claus costume, Best-lit Mr. & Mrs. Claus pair costume, Best-lit Xmas tree costume, Best-lit Candy Cane costume, Best-lit Family of Elves (not Elvis) group costume and Best-lit Snowman costume.

The run is open to everyone age 10 and over, and includes a stroller division for runners with the smallest elves. In addition to the run, there also will be food, music from Roothub, DJ JenR8R and Paul Izak, a keiki area with bounce houses, a water slide and a Santa photo booth.

“We are going for a full-on family-friendly event,” said race founder John Henderson. “It is kid friendly and … we hope it will bring together the North Shore community during these festive times.”

Beyond all the exercise and holiday silliness, all race proceeds benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Hawaii, whose mission is to find a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications through research.

According to American Diabetes Association, more than 107,000 in Hawaii have diabetes and 390,800 are living with pre-diabetes. Complications from diabetes include high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, neuropathy, and skin and eye complications.

The Haleiwa NightRun family fair goes from 4 to 9 p.m., with the 5K Fun Run/Walk beginning at 7 p.m. Racers meet at Haleiwa

Beach Park at 6:45 for a mandatory race safety meeting. Cost is $45. Students, military and HGEA members get $10 off. Packet pickup and same-day registration are available from 2 to 6 p.m. on race day at Haleiwa Beach Park.

Central and West Oahu public schools are maintaining their high enrollment, following a count of students for 2014-2015.

The state Department of Education — the nation’s only statewide educational system — recently released figures for all of its 255 schools and 34 charter schools.

Though the kindergarten count had an expected drop (4,400) owing to a change in entry age, the DOE said all other grades increased by a total of 823 students. The department also projects 500 more students for the next school year because of a birth-rate increase.

The “winners” for high school enrollment this year are Campbell (3,024), Waipahu (2,494), Farrington (2,417), Mililani (2,415) and Kapolei (2,024). Mililani Middle School topped the intermediate grades with 1,766 students, followed by Kapolei (1,435), Waipahu (1,281), Maui Waena (1,109) and Kalakaua (988).

For elementary schools, West Oahu made the top four: August Ahrens (1,320), Holomua (1,264), Ewa (1,143), Kapolei (1,096) and Waipahu (1,086). Hawaii’s most-populated public charter school also is located in West Oahu: Hawaii Technology Academy in Waipahu with 1,154 students in grades K-12.

Hawaii Meth Project kicked off National Meth Awareness Week last week, with student-led prevention programs across the state. The theme, Cherish, asked students to consider what they value most and how methamphetamines could destroy important parts of their lives.

Mililani High School got the ball rolling Dec. 2 with Meth Awareness Day, which included sign waving in front of the school, and a lunchtime rally that urged students to sign pledges to never use the drug, and to volunteer to help Hawaii Meth Project. A senior class assembly also was held, in which Andre, a Farrington High School graduate, spoke about his addiction to and recovery from the dangerous drug.

“Our main goal is to reach out to as many students as possible, and hopefully impact their perspective on meth and how dangerous it is,” said Teen Advisory Council (TAC) member Mari Domingo, a senior at the school.

The project kicked off with a weeklong social media campaign on the organization’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.

On Dec. 1, the organization announced the winners of its “Break the Ice” art contest. Awards of up to $300 were given to the top three submissions in traditional and digital art (grades 7-9 and grades 10-12). “We were pleased with the results of last year’s inaugural Meth Awareness Week, and are proud to continue the momentum in 2014 with a full schedule of events and a strong theme that we trust will inspire our target audience to think more holistically about the dangers of methamphetamine use,” said Hawaii Meth Project’s executive director David Earles. “We hope that this program will continue to open up dialogue about meth prevention and emphasize the benefits of leading a drug-free lifestyle.”

The likelihood of an “extreme” tsunami hitting Hawaii is slim, but city officials aren’t going to take any chances. A series of informational meetings will be held in December throughout Central Oahu to update residents about revisions to tsunami evacuation zone plans.

Sponsored by the city Department of Emergency Management, the public meetings will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10 at Waialua District Park and Dec. 12 at Sunset Beach Recreation Center.

Hawaii’s current preparedness plan is based on the 1946 tsunami that ravaged Hilo and Kauai, killing 159 people — the deadliest tsunami in Hawaii’s recent history.

Studies suggest this plan may not be enough. Evidence found in a sinkhole on Kauai, researched in part by Rhett Butler, a scientist at UH’s Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, says that about 500 years ago, a massive tsunami struck Hawaii — one that is three times larger than the 1946 wave.

There is a 0.1 percent chance that a 9.5-magnitude earthquake in the eastern Aleutian Islands could generate a tsunami that would cause water levels to rise 26 to 30 feet above the Makauwahi sinkhole (the 1946 tsunami raised water levels only 8 feet, in comparison).

It’s a small percentage, but those are the same odds that produced the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan. The city therefore has redrawn its plan to include a second, larger evacuation zone, should this massive tsunami hit.

For more information, visit honolulu.gov/dem.

Brian Varano

Mililani’s Brian Varano plans a captivating hypnotic performance to benefit Toys for Tots this holiday season.

Better known as The Hypnotic Hurricane, Varano has been performing magic in Hawaii and on the mainland for the past 20 years.

The Toys for Tots comedy hypnosis show starts at 7 p.m. Friday (Dec. 12) in Aiea High School’s cafeteria, which will be adorned with holiday cheer and a decorated tree.

“Everything has happened last minute. Everything kind of happened in six days,” said Varano. “I decided to have a show in December, and it’s Christmas so it was a good time to do a benefit.”

Santa Claus also will make an appearance, along with his helpful elves.

Aloha Thai Food of Haleiwa will serve up food from its truck, which will be parked out front.

Tickets cost $20 at the door, but unwrapped toy donations are encouraged for free admission. Children 14 and under get in free. Entrance to the show also comes with a complimentary raffle ticket.

“Our sponsors are the key to this whole raffle,” said Varano. “They turned this from a show into an event.”

Sponsors include 808FORYOU.com: The Place Where Hawaii Shares its Talent, Three Little Birds Unique Home Furnishings, Squeeze Play, Sudz in a Bucket, Center for Natural Healing Hawaii, Deep Myo Massage, Alan’s Airbrush Connection, Judys Lovely Lashes, Aloha Thai Food, Secret Images Photography, the Darrell and Jen Wilcox family and the Mahealani Hubbard family, as well as a sponsor from the mainland.

For more information, visit thehypnotichurricane.com or eventbrite.com.

Islandwide collections are accepted until Dec. 18. Go to toysfortots.org and click the Donate Toys button to find Hawaii collection sites.

Richard’s Roundtable…Rep. Richard Fale

It is with gratitude and humility that I write this last column to you as the representative of House District 47.

On the evening of Nov. 4, 2014, a new leader was elected to serve this wonderful community as your state representative. Rep. Feki Pouha will represent us with honor and integrity in the state Legislature. We are happy to have supported his campaign, worked with him for this district and know this team work will continue. I couldn’t think of anyone better equipped to serve us at this important time. Congratulations and mahalo, Rep. Pouha. We are looking forward to your service.

As I look back on my term as state representative, I am proud of what we accomplished. First and foremost, we were a voice for rural communities across the state. We worked to preserve the unique character and culture of this community with measures such as the repeal of the Public Land Development Corporation, which law-makers approved only two years before. Instead, I listened to my constituents and supported community projects that would provide much-needed jobs to people in our community. We also fought to protect and preserve families and family values.

We took steps forward in bringing relief to traffic congestion at Laniakea Beach. While the barriers were controversial, I believe they addressed the majority of residents’ concerns by quickly and cost-efficiently eliminating major traffic in the area. Residents reached out to express their gratitude that they could get out of their homes and get to work or to the beach without feeling like they were prisoners in their own garages.

Now that something has been done in the short term, I hope the community, lawmakers and landowners can work cooperatively and with respect to find a long-term solution to this challenging issue. I also hope the issue helps current lawmakers think proactively about some of the traffic concerns our community will continue to face along the North Shore.

We replenished the state’s Hurricane Relief Fund with $160 million and the Rainy Day Fund by $50 million, both of which were raided to make up for our state’s budget deficits in 2013.

We also fought against measures that would raise the cost of living on hardworking families, and prevented efforts to tax pensions and retirements. I firmly believe you should choose how you want to spend the money you earn.

I am proud of what we were able to do, but I also wish we could have done much more.

My appreciation for this community will never end, and I look forward to finding more opportunities to continue the great work we have started. Mahalo for this truly fulfilling opportunity to serve such a wonderful community. I look forward to seeing you on a beach or football game soon.

Please feel free to contact me at repfale@gmail.com if there are community concerns that I might be able to address with you.

A hui hou.

Mililani’s Kristen Miguel has been named the Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division’s Volleyball Player of the Year, the league revealed recently.

A senior outside hitter, Miguel was among key components for a Mililani team that went 12-3 this fall.

“We knew Kristen was Mililani’s go-to girl,” said Aiea head coach Kory Toyozaki. “We did our best to slow her down, but she’s a ‘game’ player — she does her job regardless.”

(OIA volleyball All-Stars are selected in a vote of league coaches at season’s end.)

The Trojans won 10 of their first 11 matches, including a stretch of eight wins in a row. All told, Mililani went 34 days — beginning in mid-September — without suffering a defeat.

The Trojans finished third in the OIA post-season tournament to earn a berth in the New City Nissan Division I State Volleyball Tournament. A first-round loss to Waiakea ended Mililani’s hopes for a state title, but the Trojans finished their 2014 season on a winning note by defeating Kamehameha-Maui in the consolation round.

Mililani sophomore Hope Carter also was chosen to the First Team as a setter.

Trojan teammates Sarah Legalley and Kayla Magbaleta were chosen for the Second Team at outside hitter and libero, respectively.

Receiving Honorable Mention honors from Mililani were Katie Asberry and Nina Torio.

Leilehua’s Elisha Levasa made the First Team as an outside hitter.

The Mules went 7-4 overall this fall, including a 7-3 mark in the OIA Western Division. A loss to Castle in the first round of the OIA Tournament ended Leilehua’s bid for a State Tournament berth.

Leilehua also had Saramasina Docktor, Ember Punahele-Manea, Jordan Tolentino and Tiana Cantero-Kawelo chosen for the Honorable Mention Team.

Despite going winless in the West, Waialua had several players recognized individually, as Leaa Puleiala, Shaina Dingal, Jaceillan Malolebe, Amber Ho, Mariah Pao, Gabriella Delgado and Kyra Miller earned Honorable Mention Honors.

jackster.1969@yahoo.com

Early season travel always has brought out the best in the Mililani girls basketball team in recent years, in head coach Patrick Basilio’s view.

With that in mind, the Trojans opened their 2014-15 pre-season with trips on back-to-back weekends to both Hawaii island and Maui for tournaments.

“(Travel) always proves to be a big benefit to us,” Basilio said. “We definitely have that family environment now, and that’s No. 1 for us in preseason.”

With perhaps the youngest team of his tenure as the Mililani coach, the search for cohesiveness is more urgent. The Trojans opened preseason camp by welcoming returnees Summer Bolibol, Shantel Appleby, Jamie Yuki and Kristin Miguel, but fresh faces figure to fill out their remaining rotation.

“It is tough to gauge right now because we have so many young up-and-comers playing,” Basilio said. “The competition has been fierce. We’ve played the best teams in the state.”

Indeed, the Trojans already have faced Kona, Hilo, Kamehameha-Hawaii, Honoka‘a and Lahainaluna twice.

“Playing those teams gave our girls a good perspective, as far as them seeing how much we still have to work to reach that level,” Basilio said.

For their part, Bolibol, Appleby, Yuki and Miguel all experienced success a year ago for the Trojans, who went 15-2 overall en route to a third-place finish at the Hawaiian Airlines Division I State Tournament. (Mililani finished second to OIA champion Roosevelt.)

The foursome will likely see their roles expand further this time around, as the Trojans regroup following the graduation of standouts Kayla Torres, Mikaela Limper (Puget Sound) and Sarah Liva (Portland State).

Appleby, who is a junior post player, made the all-tournament team recently on Maui and is poised to have a great season, according to Basilio.

“She can pretty much do it all now,” Basilio said of Appleby’s progress. “We’re trying to get her to be able to play the 3 (position) in college so she can play fronting the basket and with her back to the basket.”

Yuki will handle the point guard duties this season, while Bolibol will hold down a forward spot.

“Summer has been coming along nicely,” Basilio said of Bolibol. “She’s probably our biggest leader right now. She’s trying to put a lot on her shoulders because she knows this is a young team.

“Jamie has come a long way,” he added of Yuki. “She worked hard through the spring and summer, and now the other girls look at her as a leader.”

Miguel, who recently was voted OIA West’s Volleyball Player of the Year, will likely play the center spot.

“She’s so strong, she’ll be our 5,” Basilio said.

The Trojans begin their OIA Red West season Dec. 18 on the road versus Campbell. The rest of Mililani’s road slate includes games at Waianae (Dec. 30), Leilehua (Jan. 8), Nanakuli (Jan. 14) and Waialua (Jan. 22).

Mililani’s home schedule includes dates with Pearl City (Dec. 20), Radford (Dec. 23), Kapolei (Jan. 6), Aiea (Jan. 10) and Waipahu (Jan. 20). jackster.1969@yahoo.com

Email Central Oahu events to cchang@midweek.com by Dec. 17 for the Dec. 24 edition.

• EVENING FAIR Hawaii Okinawa Center sponsors its “Evening in Waipio” Craft Fair from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10 at 94-587 Ukee St., featuring more than 60 vendors, plus andagi and a silent auction. Call 676-5400. • CONCERTS Wahiawa Middle School presents its winter chorus concert from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11 and winter band concert from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12. Call 622-6500.

• HALEIWA MARCH North Shore Chamber of Commerce presents its annual Haleiwa Town Christmas Parade from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12, moving from Weed Circle to Haleiwa Beach Park. Call 637-4558 or 772-4896. • LEILEHUA EATS Leilehua High School presents “2nd’s at Leilehua” from 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12 (and every second Friday) at the school, featuring food trucks, entertainment and more as a campus fundraiser. Visit 2nd’s at Leilehua on Facebook.

• ALICE AUDITIONS Auditions for Alice In Wonderland are heard at 7 p.m. at Applause! Performance Academy in Wahiawa. All roles are available. Actors should arrive with 16-24 bars of a prepared song that best shows off their voice. A second casting call will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 13. • WAIPIO PARADE Gentry Waipio Community Association’s Christmas parade begins at 10 a.m. Dec. 13 at Waipio Shopping Center, followed by live holiday entertainment from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 671-2272.

• NUTCRACKER As part of the 2014 Mililani Holiday Festival, Mililani Town Center presents excerpts from The Nutcracker, running every 15 minutes, from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 13. • NEIGHBORS All Central Oahu neighborhood boards are on recess in December. Call 768-3710.

• BLOOD DRIVES Hawaii Blood Bank has donor drives from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Dec. 23 at Dole Plantation, and 7-11:45 a.m. Dec. 24 at Mililani Town Center. Call 848-4770. • OHANA Waimea Valley hosts La Ohana (family) Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 21 (and every third Sunday) with half-off admission for kamaaina and military families, makahiki games, demonstrations, a keiki scavenger hunt, artisans and more. Call 638-7766.

Koko Marina Center will add another option to its repertoire of eateries when Gokoku opens Sunday (Dec. 14) in the former Just Tacos and Miguel’z space next to Assaggio.

The restaurant will serve traditional and contemporary Japanese food, including a sushi and tempura bar. Gokoku will be open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Valet parking will be offered Friday and Saturday nights.

Gokoku will be able to accommodate large groups and private parties in its 3,500-square-foot space, and can seat 106. The restaurant also plans to hire 55 full-and part-time staff.

“We are very excited to be opening in Hawaii,” stated Akiyama Takahashi, founder, president and CEO of Pierthirty Group. “I visit Hawaii often and think it’s so beautiful, and the people so friendly, and so I have always wanted to open a restaurant here.”

Gokoku is the first of 20 restaurants Pierthirty plans to open in Hawaii, joining the 180 eateries the company owns in Japan.

For more information, visit kokomarinacenter.com.

East Oahu waters will shine bright from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 20 for the 18th annual Festival of Lights Christmas Boat Parade at Hawaii Kai Marina. Sponsored by Hawaii Kai Marina Community Association, the nautical procession substitutes parade floats for bedazzled yachts and boats, with prizes for best overall entry, boats under 20 feet, boats 20 to 30 feet, and boats 30 feet and over.

Attendees also can expect live entertainment and visits from Santa at Koko Marina Center, Hawaii Kai Towne Center and Hawaii Kai Shopping Center. Event T-shirts are available to purchase at the Marina’s office on 377 Keahole St., Suite D-1C.

For more information, call 396-2469.