Jan 11, 2012 | Community
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Stone of Hope Monument, High Street, Wailuku
Maui retirees Terri and George Rainey have been involved in planning and promoting Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations in Hawaii for nearly two decades now. Terri Rainey recalled meeting the late civil rights leader for the first time in 1961 at her church in Los Angeles. “He inspired all of us to always do good and help others to help make a difference in their lives. I have carried his message with me all my life,” she said. Rainey and her husband, George, founded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition-Hawaii (Honolulu) and have extended it to Maui. The Coalition has been working with the nonprofit African Americans on Maui Association to coordinate events on Maui.
Rainey said it is the goal of the Coalition, which includes the Maui division, “to educate the community, especially the younger generation, about Dr. King, his principles, and how important it is to preserve his memory.” The 2012 Maui celebration runs throughout the week and officially opened Jan. 9 with Mayor Alan Arakawa signing a proclamation acknowledging the County of Maui’s recognition of the Dr. King holiday and his legacy. “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leading advocate for civil rights through non-violent means nationally and internationally, and we shall honor his memory through our actions and deeds as a tribute to his legacy,” Rainey said. Residents can learn more about King by visiting the island public libraries to see special book displays made in tribute to King. There are also churches including Grace Church, Ka‘ahumanu Congregational Church and the Temple of Peace in Haiku, which are holding services honoring King on Sunday, Jan. 15.
Celebrations culminate Monday, Jan. 16, with an inaugural bell ringing at 8 a.m. at the Ka‘ahumanu Congregational Church in Wailuku. A ceremony follows at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Stone of Hope Monument in front of the County Building on High Street. The Stone of Hope monument, the only one of its kind in the State, was dedicated in 2006 in memory of the life and legacy of Dr. King. From there, a march continues on to Market Street. The holiday will close with an entertainment program from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center stage. All events are free and open to the public.
Jan 4, 2012 | Community
Continuing our series on County Department leadership, reflecting the role of government in responding to community values and needs.
While residents enjoy the peace of living on an island with a relatively low crime rate, the job of maintaining public safety falls to Maui County Police Chief Gary Yabuta and the more than 400 employees of the Maui Police Department. “I have a great team,” said Yabuta, who joined the department as an officer in March 1983 and became chief in June 2009. “It’s a diverse organization with a variety of people who have highly technical skills.” “The greatest resource we have is our officers and our employees,” he said.
As of mid-December, the department has 344 officers out of 375 positions allocated and another 117 civilian employees. Yabuta has taken the step of opening dialogues with communities, holding several public meetings this past year. “I enjoy working with the community,” he said. “Our goal is to remove the fears of the community in their own neighborhoods.” Yabuta said his department is working hard to develop community partnerships and educate the community about crime. One of those steps was to develop, with the assistance of The Maui News, the weekly Crime Watch feature on Mondays that reports on property crimes throughout Maui County.
Another effort has been to continue work with establishing Neighborhood Crime Watch groups, which are organized neighborhood, residential or retail areas that come together to look out for each other and report suspicious activity to police. There are at least 45 such groups throughout Maui County, and Yabuta said he’d like to see more. The department continues its efforts to educate young people about the dangers of drugs and alcohol through its drug and alcohol resistance program, better known as DARE. That program has expanded to include anti-bullying education. Yabuta acknowledged that many officers and civilians in his department also work closely with the community on their own time, participating in a variety of charitable fundraisers and community events. “It’s not the chief telling them to do this. Good officers, good employees, they make the time to assist and help their own community; it’s what makes great character and a good law enforcement officer and employee.”
Dec 28, 2011 | Community
The New Year brings with it a sense of optimism as we look forward and prepare for exciting challenges ahead. Having been exposed to the Focus Maui Nui vision, Youth Alliance members shared a positive outlook on the county’s future and their role in it. “I want to be a part of the future of Maui,” 17-year-old Marie Sijalbo said. A senior at Maui High School, Sijalbo has been actively involved in the robotics program – a project supported by the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Fund. Sijalbo dreams of a career in engineering and a return after college to the islands where she hopes to serve as a productive citizen. “If students leave the island to go to college, I think they should come back and give back to the community who made them who they are today.”
Lavinia Sagario, 16, joined the Health Occupations Students of America group at Maui High, to prepare herself for a future in the medical field. “I want to be a physician,” she said. More specifically, Lavinia is contemplating the field of radiology. “Hopefully Maui will have need for more doctors and I can come back to my roots,” Lavinia said. The two members of the Youth Alliance said they’re hopeful that the island’s economy will improve and jobs will become plentiful again. “I think it’s scary right now that although you get an education sometimes it doesn’t mean you get a job after (college),” Marie said. “It makes me wonder what am I going to do.” Marie and Lavinia said their strategy now is to get involved at school and in the community. “I’m trying to get well rounded and be involved in community service to help my chances for the future,” Marie said.
Youth Alliance Project Coordinator Willow Krause organizes monthly community service projects in part to give participants a greater understanding of the community they live in and how they can give back. “I think teenagers are often given a bad rap,” Krause said. “Every student I’ve met has been wonderful and I think their future is bright.”
Dec 21, 2011 | Community, Sustainability
Hunger and the holidays were on the minds of Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance members as they sorted hundreds of donated canned goods at the Maui Food Bank. With Christmas only a few days away, about 15 high school students volunteered their time to learn about hunger in the community and how to help those who have very little to eat during the holiday. “When I think of hunger, I think of a big city like New York. It’s hard to picture hunger on Maui – but the reality is, it’s here too,” said Kristen Gilchrist, a 15-year-old sophomore at Lahainaluna High School. Kristen shared her thoughts about hunger as she scanned through cans of nonperishable items such as fruit cocktail, soups and pork and beans. “It’s hard for me to imagine what it’s like to be wondering where your next meal will come from because I’ve never had that. I’m fortunate, I’ve always had food,” Kristen said.
At Maui Food Bank, approximately 10,000 pounds of food is distributed weekly to families in Maui County. Volunteer Coordinator Tasha Mohline accommodated the Youth Alliance at a time the warehouse would normally be closed. “I’d take any opportunity to teach and educate the youth about hunger and what we do for the community,” Mohline said.
The teenagers spent about three hours sorting out approximately 20 packed shopping carts of canned goods. The items will eventually be picked up by the 100-plus agencies that rely on the Food Bank to provide them with supplies to serve needy families. Sharmaine Pasalo, a 17-year-old Maui High School student, said she was surprised at the sight of heaping cans of food. “It shouldn’t be this way, people starving in our community, that’s really not good,” she said. Tyler DiGiulio, also 17 and a student at Maui High, said his first visit to the Maui Food Bank left him feeling grateful that he doesn’t have to worry about hunger in his own life. “I think it’s great that we’re helping people in need.”
Dec 14, 2011 | Small Business
Curtis and Naomi Takaoka
The Takaoka family, led by the late Mike and Patsy Takaoka, first assumed ownership of Tasty Crust in 1957, sold it in 1982, and took it back in 1997 with Curtis and wife, Naomi, offering to assist as Curtis’ parents took a well-deserved retirement. With 27 employees on the payroll today, Tasty Crust provides a menu of local favorites including saimin, teriyaki steak and the ever-popular hot cakes. From Monday to Friday, as many as 20 gallons of hot cake batter is prepared – and up to 30 gallons on weekends. The Mill Street restaurant sits in the same spot it was built on in 1944 and still uses recipes from Patsy Takaoka and her closest friends and family.
Sustaining the business success could lead to adding more staff and/or raising prices. “It’s a constant battle having to take care of business in this economy. Eventually we’re going to have to tool the business a little bit, but I think we’re going to keep the menu the same.” Takaoka said he appreciates the support the community has given his restaurant. “We’re so thankful we’ve been able to do business on Maui. Everyone has been so supportive and we’ve got a lot of people who have been very, very loyal to us.”
