In the June issue Paula Akana and Kimo Kahoano told us tales of how they became part of our daily lives, how their faces and voices deliver the news and more. For readers who might not know, Paula anchors the KITV-4 news, and Kimo tells us about the good things in our Hawaii world via the morning AM 940 radio show. Together they bring the Olympics of hula, the Merrie Monarch Festival, into our Hawaii living rooms and, via the Internet, around the world.

(Editor’s note: If you missed part one, visit generationshawaii.com to read the first installment of our story.)

Now! The story of our dynamic duo continues.

Asking the question, “How do you learn more about icons of communications?” The answer was instantly clear. Become an investigative reporter!

Brickwood Galuteria is Kimo’s partner on the daily AM 940 radio show, Na Oiwi Olino, sponsored by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. His take on their morning show is that they have the opportunity to really bring out all the kaona, layers of meaning, of a story. "Each of our guests has something to tell the listeners. They have passion for what they do,” he says. Describing their “oh, wow” moments on the show, he says, “I can tell you that more than once a week we come to the end of the show and realize how much we, ourselves, have learned. Na Oiwi Olino translates to People Seeking Wisdom. We are the ones who seek and we are the ones who learn," he says of their broad range of topics. "Kimo and I work like the right and left hand. We've been doing this for a long time. Music events, radio, anything that comes our way."

The pair regularly emcees Hawaii’s abundant free concerts. Hawaii's entertainers love the pair. After a Sunday afternoon concert at Waikiki Beach Walk, a young band member commented that "Kimo and Brick know our music, one of them always knows who wrote the song, they remember when we recorded it, heck, they even know our folks!" If Brickwood is on stage with his band, Kimo will slide right in to sing a song or dance a hula. If Brickwood is out on the campaign trail, Kimo simply takes over the show. One last question to Brickwood — now that he has earned his place in the Hawaii State Legislature, will he be looking toward the governor's office? "I have to get my arms around this first," is his answer. Hummmm, he did say "first."

Playing "woman on the street" interviewer, I wandered around campus and asked a few questions. The resulting answers were remarkably the same. Paula Akana is the "ideal woman" according to young women students in a college TV journalism class. "If I could be as composed as that ... " Kim Chang says, her voice trailing off. She says she “channels” Paula when she has to step to the front of the class for a newscasting presentation. "Paula can tell a funny story, report a murder or describe the mood of the people at a protest in front of the Capitol. No matter what she is saying, we believe her," she says with awe in her voice.

Chat with any of the kumu hula at the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo and the response is universal, "We love Paula!" Both Paula and Kimo are serious "students" who pay close attention to detail. From the very start, with 18 years of Merrie Monarch reporting, the duo is known for the time they take to understand the costumes, flowers, chant, use of Hawaiian language and hula implements at the competition. Both were pleased at the switch to high definition broadcast of the 2009 festival because it allowed the at-home audience a better look at the fine details that thrill them from their reporting spot at the corner of the Hilo stage.

Next