It’s said that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. So it goes for Maui’s Island Plan, a long-range planning document adopted in 2012 to guide the county’s decisions until 2030. It contains this bit of policy direction: “Promote a desirable island population by striving to not exceed an island-wide visitor […]
Quizunderstood: How well do you know cane burning permit violations?
1. On Mar. 25, the state Department of Health announced that they were fining Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar for violating their burn permit last summer. How much was the fine? A. $5,300 B. $6,300 C. $7,300 D. $8,300 E. $9,300 2. Though overshadowed by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, real estate developer Roque De La […]
Quizunderstood: What do you know about Maui politicians taking sides in a Hawaiian Airlines union dispute?
1. On Mar. 17, business reporter Howard Dicus said on Hawaii Public Radio that one state legislator had taken the side of the Air Line Pilots Association in their ongoing dispute with Hawaiian Airlines, and had even issued a press release asserting that. Though Dicus didn’t name the legislator in his report, the legislator is […]
Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa calls Councilmembers White, Hokama ‘snollygosters’
While our publication doesn’t usually publish op-ed pieces from local elected officials, we’ll make an exception for the following opinion piece on county budget politics, which was written by Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and emailed to us and other local news organizations on May 7. It is, as you’ll see, rather pointed–especially towards Maui County Councilmembers […]
With massive federal budget cuts looming, Haleakala National Park says it brings in lots of money
Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the federal government is about to embark on some of the most contentious budget negotiations in years. Because that’s the whole point of electing right-wing Republicans to congress while a moderately liberal lame duck Democratic president is finishing out his second term, right? Eager to start exercising some power, […]
Quizunderstood: How well do you know visitor industry worker attitudes?
1. According to data released by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on Mar. 25, Hawaii’s unemployment rate in February was 4.1 percent. What was Maui County’s unemployment rate that same month? A. 3.7 percent B. 4.1 percent C. 4.4 percent D. 4.8 percent E. 5.3 percent 2. On Mar. 24, the County […]
This Monday, Sept. 15: County Of Maui To Start New Community Budget Meetings Series
I know, I know, the thrill and excitement of community budget meetings is just too much for most people to handle. But County of Maui officials are saying hold on, they’ve revamped the annual series of meetings, where they go on the road to various locations around the county and ask people what they want […]
Maui Filmmaker Brian Kohne Talks Story About His New Suspense Thriller Kuleana
Standing in his living room, Brian Kohne has a view right out of a movie. The house–which Kohne calls “Malama Pono”–is in Wailuku Heights, and from there he can take in everything between Kahului Harbor, Kihei and Upcountry. At night, with all of Central Maui’s streetlights illuminated, the house must seem like one of those […]
This Thursday, May 2: County of Maui Real Property Tax Rate Public Hearing
The Maui County Council will meet this Thursday, May 2, at 6pm regarding real property tax rates for Maui County’s fiscal year of July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014. While the meeting (which is nicely scheduled in the evening so working people can attend) marks the last of the county’s scheduled budget sessions, it […]
County Budget Rejects Funding Request For Hana Arts
For the past two decades, Hana Arts has been providing arts and cultural programs to the remote, rural Hana and East Maui community. Due to a decision in a recent County Council budget meeting, they’re going to be $30,000 short next year. Hana Arts formed in 1991 to provide children’s arts and crafts classes. Over […]
Here is Why The County of Maui Should not Give Terryl Vencl and the Maui Visitors Bureau Three and a Half Million Dollars
The story goes that Terryl Vencl spends a lot of time at Maui County Council budget hearings. Supposedly, she’s there every day, during the spring months when the council painstakingly reviews its proposed budget, which is hovering between $550 million and $560 million. It makes sense, because Vencl, the executive director of the Maui Visitors […]