PBS HAWAII chief Leslie Wilcox has landed singer Jimmy Borges for her “Long Story Short” program. No doubt Jimmy will have much to say as he recently had a huge cancerous tumor removed from his liver. He came through the surgery with flying colors and is continuing to do fine, he said this week. Leslie didn’t have much trouble landing Jimmy for the program as he is a member of PBS Hawaii’s board of directors. The program will be taped on Sept. 26 and shown about a month later …

CONGRATS to Leslie for being honored Monday night as one of four 2011 Hookele Award winners by the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation. The other award winners are Lea Hong, Hawaiian Islands program director for The Trust for Public Land; Tony Krieg, chief exec for Hale Makua; and Robert G. Peters, head of school at Hanahauoli. The awards celebrate Hawaii’s nonprofit leaders and provide $10,000 to each to be used for “professional or personal development.” The awards were presented at a reception at the Community Foundation office …

RICH ELSNER, 74, a versatile musician, singer and arranger who lived in Hawaii for more than 30 years, died of cancer in his Las Vegas home Aug. 7. His partner, Michelle Cook, was by his side. Rich and his sisters, Pamela Elsner and Paula Elsner Nurse, backed Don Ho at Duke Kahanamoku’s after the Aliis went on their own as a solo act in the late 1960s. During his Hawaii career, Rich worked in bands behind Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Williams, Barbara Eden, Ricky Nelson, Sarah Vaughn and Bob Hope and many other mainland headliners on their visits here. Besides Don, he also worked with a who’s who of local stars including Danny Kaleikini, Martin Denny, Emma Veary, Ed Kenney, Tommy Sands, Dick Jensen, Del Courtney, Jimmy Borges, Shari Lynn, Ethel Azama, Gabe Baltazar, Loyal Garner, Haunani Kahalewai, Moe Keale, the Rich Crandall Trio, the Relatives (with his sisters) and others. Both Pamela and Paula live on the Big Island. Rich’s daughter, Malia Sage, said a celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. Sept. 24 at Honoka‘a Methodist Church. “Rich Crandall’s coming,” said sister Paula Tuesday …

FOR THE SECOND consecutive year, Monettes Artisan Fish and Steak restaurant at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has received Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” honor … The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas has been highly ranked by the 2011 Insiders’ Select Award by the online travel agency Expedia.com. Insiders’ Select, a global program that identifies the top hotels available on Expedia based on “quality and value,” ranked The Westin property No. 11 out of 500 hotels and resorts …