Kudos to all those people who successfully adjusted to the COVID-19 health and safety rules to host non-virtual, no-live-streaming events, including state Department of Education Kaua‘i Complex Area Superintendent Paul Zina (nope, he just was feeling under the weather so played safe and stayed away) and all the DOE for pulling together the annual Kaua‘i District Spelling Bee, with title sponsor Kama‘aina Kids, at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School in Puhi Friday (nope, Jeannie Morris was not there either).
Kudos to all those people who successfully adjusted to the COVID-19 health and safety rules to host non-virtual, no-live-streaming events, including state Department of Education Kaua‘i Complex Area Superintendent Paul Zina (nope, he just was feeling under the weather so played safe and stayed away) and all the DOE for pulling together the annual Kaua‘i District Spelling Bee, with title sponsor Kama‘aina Kids, at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School in Puhi Friday (nope, Jeannie Morris was not there either).
The DOE’s Sean Doi was having a workout adjusting the microphone for the field that ranged from fourth graders to eighth-grade students to minimize contacts and ensure sterilization. Congratulations to Johnray Salud and Michaela Alcaraz on getting the top two spots in the annual event!
More kudos to Kaulana Finn (that hula was chicken-skin!), and Kurt Akamine (he was the techie helping with the computer slide show) of ‘Ohana Pacific Health, Kaua‘i Adult Day Health Center (they’re down to just having half their population attend on any day to keep the numbers in compliance with pandemic rules), on getting their 38th annual Awards recognition off the ground. Yes, everyone got awards. Congratulations to Michael Ellis, Fusako Harada and Nancy Smith for being the outstanding kupuna at the place located near Hamura Saimin (you can’t go in the door — gotta use the ADA ramp instead).
Kudos, too, to Travis Koga and his ‘ohana on the opening of Hanapa‘a Fishing Co. Kaua‘i (if you get the right parking space, you can check out Pono Coffee and Bakery, too), which opened its doors without the traditional grand-opening hoopla. The most important thing for all those fishers is they are open!
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.