Ka‘ū News Briefs, Wednesday, October 28, 2020

   KAI LOKI'S RESTAURANT & BAR opened in Ocean View today. Jesse Ke of Pāhala, accompanied by her daughter Kehau, invited the blessing of aloha to the premises, as friends of owners David and Jessica Pannell gathered to celebrate the revitalized dining location at the intersection of Hawaiʻi Boulevard and Hwy. 11.

     Offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and full bar service, the extensive menus features island favorites with the owners' promise to focus on using locally sourced products from the finest suppliers in the area and to prepare each meal made to order. There is ample parking. The new owners of the former Mehe's offer breakfast from 8 a.m. (7 a.m. on Sundays), followed by a comprehensive lunch menu at 11 a.m., and dinner from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (9 p.m. on Fridays). Kai Loki's is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. 

Kai Loki's blessing by Jesse Ke with help from daughter Kehau.  Photo by Verna Keoho

    Several members of the local community were involved in creating the eclectic big island decor to purposely reflect its rural location. A series of large island murals welcome customers at the entry. Lava rock, bamboo, and other natural elements, distinctively focused on the Kaʻū lifestyle, surround diners in this casual spot, inviting them to linger among the camaraderie of friends and staff. 
    Wondering about the origins of the name? Kai and Loki are Dave and Jessica's handsome huskies. They, too, were draped with lei, as their namesake celebrated its opening.

    Among the many candidates vying to serve Kaʻū, one official certain of reelection is County Council Maile David who ran unopposed for her final two-year term which begins in December. She told The Kaʻū Calendar that she will wrap up her many projects, from finishing restorations and upgrades to Nāʻālehu Community Center to the twists and turns of helping the county and community through the pandemic. She said that, after her final term, determined by a four-term limit, she will look forward to spending time with her husband fishing along the shore. When asked whether she would run for the state legislature, she said she would not separate from her family and community to spend so much time on Oʻahu for the legislative sessions. 

    Also ready and already elected is Kelden Waltjen, the new Prosecuting Attorney, who won in the primary. 
    Running for mayor are Mitch Roth and Ikaika Marzo. The winner will be sworn in Monday, Dec. 7 at noon. 
    Winners for posts in the Hawaiʻi Legislator will begin their terms upon election. 
    Running for state House of Representatives in East Kaʻū and Volcano into Hilo are incumbent Democrat Richard Onishi and Republican Susan Hughes. 
    Running for state Senate in East Kaʻū, Volcano into Puna, are Democrat Joy San Buenaventura and Aloha ʻĀina candidate Ron Ka-Ipo. 
    Running for state House of Representatives for West Kaʻū into Kona are Democratic contender Jeanné Kapela, Aloha ʻĀina candidate Citlalli Johanna Decker, and Libertarian Michael Last. 

    Winners for seats in Office of Hawaiian Affairs will begin their terms upon election. Running for the OHA trustee's seat for Hawaiʻi Island are Keola Lindsey and Lanakila Mangauil. Running for the open Office of Hawaiian Affairs At-Large trustee seat are incumbent Keliʻi Akina and Keoni Souza. 

    The winner for District 2 in the U.S. House of Representatives will be sworn in on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 6 a.m. Running are Democrat state Sen. Kai Kahele, Republican Joe Akana, Aloha ʻĀina Party's Jonathan Hoʻomananawanui, Libertarian Michelle Rose Tippens, American Shopping Party's John Giuffre, and nonpartisan candidate Ron Burrus. 

Kaʻū's County Council Maile David, third from left, meets the crew at Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub today, which she  helped to fund through the federal CARES Act. Already re-elected, she heads into her final term.

    Winner in the presidential and vice-presidential national election will be sworn in on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 6 a.m. Running are incumbent Republicans Pres. Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, and Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. 
    County Charter Amendments are also on the ballot. See the October Kaʻū Calendar for the entire list.To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

CU HAWAII'S CHERYL WEAVER RETIRED Oct. 13, after serving credit unions for 36 years, Cheryl Weaver retired Oct. 13. She served as President and General Manager of Kaʻū Federal Credit Union from 2010 until January 2012. She helped to shepherd Kaʻū's merger with CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union and became its islandwide Marketing Manager. Weaver led a rebranding program for CU Hawaii, with new logo and rollout of increased communication with members and the broader community. "The merger with CU Hawaii brought many more services to the people of Kaʻū," said Weaver. "My heart is with the people of Kaʻū who welcomed me as one of their family members."

CU Hawaii's Cheryl Weaver retired in October.

    She said her main focus in serving the credit union community has always been on financial education for all of our members. She started Financial Reality Fairs for high school students. She remains on boards of high school organizations that provide these programs and scholarships. "It's a community that knows everybody and we all help each other in all aspects of our life. Kaʻū is a good model of how we all need to support each other," she said.
    In Kaʻū, Weaver fostered the receipt of a grant that brought funding for financial education, presented to her by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye. She sat on the Board of Directors of the statewide Hawaiʻi Credit Union League.
    Weaver grew up in Ewa Beach on Oʻahu and graduated from Campbell High School. Her first credit union job as marketing director with Tyndall Federal Union in Panama City, Florida, where her husband was stationed in the military. Her credit union experience included locations such as Hickam Federal Credit Union on Oʻahu and California Coast Federal Credit Union in San Diego. She was a regular guest on morning television news in San Diego, answering questions about finance.
    During her career, she served in senior management for credit unions with up to a billion dollars in assets, as well as smaller, rural credit unions like in Kaʻū, with $10 million in assets.
    CU Hawaii operates out of its main Kaʻū headquarters in the building constructed by Kaʻū Federal Credit Union in Nāʻālehu, with branches in Pāhala and Ocean View. It offers walkup and online connectivity for its members. Credits unions are member-owned.
    See cuhawaii.com.

Suzanne Dix, restoring one of the murals she painted two decades ago, featuring Pāhala's famous senior line dancers. Photo by Julia Neal

THE MURALS AT PĀHALA SENIOR CENTER are shining brighter with a restorative facelift from their original artist, Suzanne Dix Kaliko. She painted the images of seniors well-known in the community 20 years ago. She said it was amazing to document the village, the garden with Taka Fukunaga, and the lively seniors. before she became a senior. Now an official member of Pāhala Senior Center, Dix Kaliko continues her relationship, teaching painting to its members before the pandemic.
    She recalled that three of the senior ladies in one of the murals were renowned line dancers. Other murals depict seniors performing in costume, their Bon Dance, Filipino movements, and hula. "Pāhala is a richly diverse cultural place as represented by the seniors," she said. The seniors are very talented in music, dance, and cooking, and also planted many of the food-bearing trees that remain in the senior garden, she said.
    Dix Kaliko lives in Ocean View where she works in oils and acrylics in her studio. See dixstudios.com.