Michelle Obama to visit the farm

Area youths who work at MA’O Organic Farms in Waianae will get a treat Thursday when Michelle Obama, in Hawaii for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, stops by for a visit.

A White House statement said the anti-obesity crusader will talk with the youths about leadership and responsibility, and access to healthy, affordable food.

Accompanying her will be local chef Ed Kenney of town restaurant in Kaimuki, who buys most of his produce from the farm, and who a few days later will, at the first lady’s request, prepare a luncheon meal for spouses of visiting APEC officials.

Nothing fattening, of course.

Hawaii not so far away after all

It seemed impossible for members of the marching band at Arsenal Technical High School, in an impoverished area of Indianapolis, to afford participating in a parade on Oahu next month to mark the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.

But Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay came to their rescue Tuesday with a $170,000 check to take care of most of the expenses.

"A lot of our kids don’t have the opportunity to leave and go to Hawaii, outside of the state (or) sometimes even outside of the city," Larry Yarrell, the school’s principal, told The Indianapolis Star.

Donations combined need to reach a $230,000 goal to enable students to make the trip.

"I’m betting they can, too," wrote Star columnist Erika D. Smith, noting that "many of the students who will go on this trip don’t even own suitcases."