About Town 1-8-14

Kutsunai crowned Miss Oahu 2014

Kutsunai crowned Miss Oahu 2014

Tiffany Kutsunai, 23, born and raised in Kailua-Kona, was crowned Miss Oahu 2014 on Dec. 29 at the Miss Oahu/Waikiki/Diamond Head Scholarship Pageant. The annual event awards young women who display excellent qualities in a private interview, lifestyle, fitness, talent, evening wear and answering an on-stage question. Kutsunai’s talent was performing the Broadway anthem “Astonishing” from the hit show “Little Women.”

Each entrant must have a concept to promote called a platform. Kutsunai’s platform is to bring life to the community through service. Winning this event automatically enters Kutsunai into the Miss Hawaii Pageant held in June in Honolulu.

Kutsunai is the manager of the Vitamin Shoppe in Kona. She is working toward a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and wants to continue her education with an ND as well as a PhD in naturopathic medicine. Along with her educational background, she has been in many Aloha Performing Arts Company productions and is now cast in the role of Hodel in APAC’s upcoming production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Kutsunai’s father, Clyde, is a loan officer at Point Financial. Her mother, Jeannie, works for the Department Of Education as a computer technologist and is also involved with APAC. She has two brothers, Christopher, 27, and Jonathan, 19.

Survey seeks water use information

Water is a source of life and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving farmers and ranchers in the Pacific region a chance to report on their stewardship of this precious resource. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will conduct the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey to gauge on-farm water use and irrigation practices.

“This survey provides comprehensive information on irrigation activities and water use, and the region’s producers themselves stand to benefit the most from this survey,” said Vic Tolomeo, director of the National Agricultural Statistics Service Pacific Regional Office. “By providing comprehensive information on irrigation activities and water use on their farms, producers will help in the development of improved technology, better equipment and more efficient water use practices.”

The survey will also include an additional focus on nursery and horticultural operations. The agency will collect information about irrigation water use during 2013, including application methods, equipment, facilities, expenditures, crop acreage and yield.

The irrigation survey has been mailed to 2,985 producers in the Pacific region, comprised of California, Hawaii and Nevada, with the responses due back by Feb. 10. Information provided by respondents is protected by law and no individual producer or operation can be identified.

Only those producers who indicated irrigation in the 2012 Census of Agriculture will receive the survey. As part of the Census program, the irrigation survey participation is mandatory with accordance to U.S. law.

For more information about the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, call (888) 424-7828 or visit agcensus.usda.gov.

Suicide prevention support offered

The West Hawaii Suicide Prevention Task Force is sponsoring a support group for people who have lost a loved one to suicide from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the West Hawaii Community Health center conference room. The facility is located at the corner of Hualalai Road and Kuakini Highway in Kona. Everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information, call 333-8988.

Korean War veterans meeting Saturday

Korean War Veterans Association of West Hawaii Chapter 279 meets at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars meeting hall at the corner of Kuakini Highway and Makala Boulevard in Kailua-Kona.

Membership is open to any person who has seen honorable service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard if said service was within Korea including territorial waters and airspace from Sept. 3, 1945 to the present or outside Korea from June 25, 1950, to Jan. 31, 1955. Associate members are also welcome.

For more information, call Joe Nimori at 329-3058 or Bob Welter at 929-7001.

Quilters meeting Saturday in Waimea

Mauna Kea Quilters meets from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Thelma Parker Memorial Library meeting room. The group of patchwork quilters donates its creations to raise money for organizations around Waimea, as well as provides quilts to the police and fire departments and North Hawaii Community Hospital for those in need.

Guests are welcome to attend the business meeting and show-and-tell. For more information, call Becky Parkinson at 937-2159.

VFW meeting Saturday morning

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12122 meets at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the post located at 74-5562 Makala Blvd. in Kailua-Kona.

The Ladies Auxiliary has announced its menus for the coming weeks: Saturday, Meat Loaf Special; Jan. 18, Elmer’s sockeye salmon; and Jan. 31, Mexican fare. The public is welcome.

For more information, call 326-5675.

Federal employees plan holiday party

All active and retired federal employees are invited to attend the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association Chapter 1802 holiday party at noon Jan. 18 at Redwater Cafe on Kawaihae Road in Waimea.

An all-you-can-eat luncheon buffet will be served. Cost is $26 per person. Reservations and a check made out to NARFE, Chapter 1802, are due no later than Sunday to Alice Brooks, treasurer, 68-3883 Lua Kula, No. 801, Waikoloa, HI 96738.

For more information, call Mary at 883-9363 or Marcia at 882-7959.