The Mayor Goes To Washington

(from left) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack speaks with Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi and Kaua'i County Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. during the U.S. Conference of Mayors 2011 winter meeting in Washington, D.C.

Mahalo to Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. for keeping the island of Kaua’i abreast of the challenges other cities and counties are facing today. Carvalho recently attended the 79th U.S. Conference of Mayors’ winter meeting in Washington, D.C., to uncover opportunities for funding and project support for Kaua’i. While there, Carvalho met with U.S. Reps. Colleen Hanabusa and Mazie Hirono, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of EducationArne Duncan, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Tucson Mayor RobertWalkup, the latter to whom he offered condolences for the recent shootings there on behalf of the people of Kaua’i. Carvalho also joined in signing a civility accord aimed at eliminating hateful, violent and divisive rhetoric from public discourse. Bravo, Mr. Mayor …

Congratulations are due to the five senior staff officers who were recently honored in a badge-pinning ceremony at Kaua’i Police Department headquarters. They are Henry Barriga, Administrative and Technical Bureau captain; Michael Contrades, Patrol Services Bureau captain; Alejandre Quibilan, assistant chief of Patrol Services Bureau; Sherwin Perez, Investigative Services Bureau captain; and Mark Begley, assistant chief of the Administrative and Technical Bureau. County managing director Gary Heu called the officers “an awesome leadership team we can be proud of.”

Welcome to the new slate of 2011 police commissioners: chairman Charles Iona, vice chairman Ernest Kanekoa Jr. and commissioners Russell Grady, Thomas M. Iannucci, Alfredo Nebre Jr. and James O’Connor, who got right to work during their first meeting of the year. Topics they’re tackling include coming up with suggestions for goals for Police Chief Darryl Perry to consider in 2011 …

Those who like to let their proverbial hair down or just be inspired might be happy to learn it’s a great week for music, starting off with Kaua’i’s All Angels Jazz Festival. The festival celebrates its fifth anniversary Feb. 4-6 at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 4364 Hardy St. in Lihu’e, beginning with jazz ukulele duo Benny Chong

and Byron Yasui, followed by Seattle jazz vocalist Greta Matassa, pianist Jim Howard, bassist Dean Taba and drummer Abe Lagrimas Jr. The festival continues at 7 p.m. Saturday with Hawaii’s Grammy Award sweetheart Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom. Sunday morning’s two free jazz masses at 8 and 10:30 a.m. at the church bring the festival to a close with a 24-voice choir in tribute to “The Spirit of Queen Liliu’okalani” with hula and special musical guests. Concert tickets cost $30 in advance and $35 at the door, and can be purchased at the church office or online at stmichaelskauai.org. For more information, call 245-3796 …

North Shore residents with a craving for jazz not wanting to make the run all the way to Lihu’e can check out jazz singer and “master cat” Kevyn Lettau, who will be accompanied by Mike Smith on guitar and Will Lydgate on bass at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville. Known for her vocals and compositions, Lettau is a voice educator whose career has spanned 30 years and spread across 12 albums. The concert promises to run the gamut of jazz standards, originals, Brazilian jazz, and rhythm and blues. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and are available at Hanalei Harvest Market, Hanalei Surf Co., Hanalei Strings and Things, Healthy Hut, North Shore Pharmacy, Magic Dragon Toys and Kauai Music and Sound. For more information, call Michaelle Edwards at 826-9230 …

(from left) Assistant chiefs Mark Begley and Alejandre Quibilan, and capts. Sherwin Perez, Henry Barriga and Mike Contrades were honored for their service in a badge-pinning ceremony at KPD headquarters

Those wanting to pick up a bit of Lettau’s ear can attempt to do so by taking one of her voice workshops, which will be held at 7 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 3, also at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville. Cost is $20 …

It’s time to bring out that inner Monet, Manet or Seurat. The National Tropical Botanical Garden in Lawai is featuring a botanical illustration course from Feb. 24 through March 6 at its education center. The two-week course aims to teach the fundamentals of botanical illustration techniques using graphite pencil, colored pencil, pen and ink, and will be taught by renowned botanical illustrators Wendy Hollender and Alice Tangerini. Cost is $860. For more information, contact Judy Roberts at 332-7324 ext 207 … Deadline is March 4 to nominate someone age 65 or older for the Outstanding Male and Female Older American Award. The Agency on Elderly Affairs seeks nominees who have made exceptional contributions to the community, and forms are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. week-days at 4444 Rice St., in suite 33 of the Pi’ikoi Building. For more information, call the Agency on Elderly Affairs at 241-4470 …

Kudos to Princeville’s Makai Golf Club, which recently was named one of “America’s Top 100” golf shops by Golf World, a Golf Digest publication. Makai Golf Club is one of 25 named in the “Resort Course” category on the list. Criteria included revenue per-square-foot and per-round-of golf; appearance, layout and product displays and successful sales initiatives. The 18-hole Makai Course and the 9-hole Woods Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1971, have been buzz-worthy for quite some time. To reserve tee times, call 826-1912 or go to www.MakaiGolf.com …

Congratulations are also due to Lihu’e-based Unlimited Construction Services Inc. for being selected as the general contractor for the new Safeway Beretania store on Oahu. Construction is slated to begin this month, following a Hawaiian blessing and groundbreaking ceremony in January. Unlimited president Jay Manzano says the project will provide more than 200 jobs and help put dollars back into local circulation …