Nov 18, 2015 | Community
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and High Technology Development Corporation sponsored Maui County’s participation in the first statewide, 36-hour, 2015 DevLeague/Uber Hawaii Hackathon. The free event, held October 23rd to 25th, was partnered with Livecoding.tv, an educational streaming platform to connect participants around the state. Ten thousand dollars worth of prizes, and an opportunity to meet with an Uber engineering team in San Francisco, was offered to winning teams in various web-design categories. “This exciting event was a key initiative to continue to grow and connect the developer community and provide valuable skills,” said DevLeague co-founder Russel Cheng. “The weekend-long program and new partnership between DevLeague and Uber enabled participants to come together in both physical and virtual spaces.” The teams collaborated and built web-based transportation applications using Uber’s application programming interface (API) which are protocols and tools for building software applications.
“I’m thankful to MEDB for stepping up to host the Maui location,” said Web Designer Ben Ward. “The event brought entrepreneurs, programmers and designers together to build prototypes, test business ideas, assemble skills, make friends and lose sleep.” Beginning Friday night, participants presented their web and app ideas that could integrate with Uber.
“We ended up with two great projects,” explained Ward. “Ride Guardians, which allows the user to utilize a buddy system that will notify friends about where or when he/she will arrive at the agreed destination. This improves safety and builds trust with the Uber service.” The second project, Nightout, is a quick way for friends to vote on where to spend their night out and get around safely with Uber. “I’m happy to report that Nightout was selected out of nine teams across the state and took the Best Overall Application Award!” exclaimed Ward. “Our winning team, Jordan Amor, Milo Turner, Steve Homer and I, plus all Hawaii participants, proved that tech talent doesn’t just grow in California.” The main sponsor, DevLeague, is a Honolulu-based code boot camp where students can learn to code at a professional level through an intensive hands-on 12-week camp or a 26-week accelerated learning program.
I’m thankful to Maui Economic Development Board for hosting the first statewide, 36-hour, 2015 DevLeague/Uber Hawaii Hackathon on Maui, an event that brought entrepreneurs, programmers, and designers together. The winning Maui team, Jordan Amor, Milo Turner, Steve Homer, and I, plus all Hawaii participants, proved that tech talent doesn’t just grow in California. The Best Overall Application Award went to our app Nightout.
Ben Ward, Maui Web Developer
Oct 28, 2015 | Community
Maui student Keola Paz Paredes, son of a Bolivian immigrant to the United States, has initiated an outstanding mission to help children in Bolivia who play soccer. Paredes, a senior on the Kamehameha High School soccer team in Pukalani, has been playing soccer since he was a young child. “I first got the idea for my project when I was 11 years old,” Paredes explained. “My family and I brought soccer shoes for three children belonging to the woman who helped in my grandmother’s house in Bolivia. When the kids tried on the shoes they had massive smiles on their face, a joy almost like nothing I had seen before. I got this amazing feeling of pride knowing I had helped to give that to them.”
A few years later, Keola and his family went to Bolivia with about 50 pairs of shoes and a bunch of other miscellaneous equipment and brought it to a barrio neighborhood in the upper reaches of La Paz. “When we got there, the children had their faces pressed up against the gate which surrounded the concrete field they played on. The best part was, they didn’t even know we were bringing them anything, they just thought we were going to play soccer with them,” Paredes exclaimed. “Needless to say, when we started handing out the gear, the children went wild! It was then that I realized how many people I could impact and I wanted to do even more.”
Paredes, realizing what he wanted to do next, recently collected 100 cleats and nine suitcases full of equipment from soccer teams around Maui, including brand new uniforms from the American Youth Soccer Organization. “I am currently working on a short documentary about the current situation in Bolivia and already have a confirmed TV channel to show it on. I’m going to advertise the need for good soccer gear and ask for more donations to keep the project running for years to come. I’d like to leave a lasting impact on the children in Bolivia.” To help Paredes, email keola@gmail.com.
Sep 30, 2015 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
Mama’s Fish House, family-owned by Floyd and “Mama” Doris Christenson, has been buying fish directly from Maui fisherman for over 40 years. These local fishermen, representing a way of life, culture and tradition in Hawai’i, consistently deliver the freshest and finest local Maui seafood. In May 2013, Mama’s Fish House, in cooperation with Maui fishermen and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac), funded and deployed the first of two fishing buoys approximately 30 miles off the northeast shore of Maui. The buoys are technically called a Fish Aggregation Device (FAD) and are anchored to the seafloor at a depth of over 1500 ft. “They are located in deep, off-shore waters that are habitat for pelagic species such as tuna, mahi-mahi, ono, and billfish,” said Mama’s Fish House Marketing Director Karen Christenson. “The concept of a FAD is a small platform or skiff that is anchored to the ocean floor, with a GPS beacon for tracking,” Christenson explained. “The floating buoy attracts the fish, offering some protection for smaller fish that, in turn, attract larger predator fish.”
“FADs have proven to be a successful sustainable food source while reducing transit times and fuel costs for fishermen,” said Mama’s Fish House Executive Chef Perry Bateman. While the State of Hawaii maintains a network of FADs across the islands with the objective of providing recreational fishing opportunities, Mama’s FAD is different. “It is the first buoy funded by a private business to support the fishermen and Wespac’s research,” Chef Perry said.
Recognizing that data collection is critical to ensuring sustainability for local Hawai’i fish stocks, Mama’s Fish House encourages fishermen to submit their catch reports to the State of Hawai’i and Wespac. “Having accurate reports is being pono, doing the right thing, and perpetuating our culture of fishing,” said Chef Perry. He added that all Hawai’i-licensed fishermen can fish at Mama’s Fish House funded buoys and sell their catch to anyone. “The goals of community FAD projects are to increase fishing opportunities and cooperative research, and to provide community benefits.”
Sep 16, 2015 | Community
On Saturday, September 19th, Mental Health Kokua (MHK) presents ARISE, a film and music benefit generating mental health awareness, at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului. The program includes the world premiere screening of Haleakala: A Trek for Dignity directed by MHK Media Specialist Don Lane and produced by MHK Director Dr. Tom Vendetti. Beginning at 5 pm in the Yokouchi Founder’s Courtyard, the event offers a silent auction with live music performed by multiple Na Hoku Hanohano artists, including Keola and Moanalani Beamer, Uluwehi Guerrero and Makaha Sons. The featured keynote speaker, Jesse Close, is an internationally recognized author, poet and advocate for mental health reform. In her book Resilience: Two Sisters and a Story of Mental Illness, Close chronicles her journey to recovery and activism through the help of actress Glenn Close, her sister.
Unfortunately, negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have a mental health condition are common. Dr. Vendetti is attempting, through his work at Mental Health Kokua, to change the way those affected are treated in the Maui community and throughout the state. Haleakala: A Trek for Dignity puts a human face on people who experience mental disabilities while hoping to inspire their time of recovery,” said Dr. Vendetti. “Trekking with Don Lane and the other participants in the film, from the summit of Haleakala to the sea, exposed the truth that people can and do achieve optimum recovery with proper mental health treatment and community support.”
“Join us for an amazing night of entertainment benefiting MHK in their efforts to assist those diagnosed with a mental illness and related challenges,” said Lane. “When people ask about the film, I usually speak from my perspective as the director. It’s an inspiring journey, an analogy and proof that recovery is possible — given the opportunity. We want people to know we are here and offer services for those that need it.”
For more information, visit: www.mentalhealthkokua.org. For tickets, visit: www.mauiarts.org or call (808) 242-7469.
Aug 26, 2015 | Community
Sponsored by Maui Economic Development Board’s Women in Technology (WIT) Project, the Maui County 4-H Youth Development Program and the Maui Police Department (MPD) Forensic Team recently held this year’s 4-H Tech Connect event. This event challenged over 65 elementary, middle and high school members to investigate a crime scene using the latest forensic techniques. Since 2006, WIT’s Tech Connect has been helping to infuse science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) into the Maui County 4-H experience in alignment with the national 4-H movement.
Recalling the popular TV show, the 8th annual Connect event brought Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) to life for the Maui County 4-H members. The afternoon began with an all-too-real kidnapping intended to bring CSI problem-solving into sharp focus. MPD’s Evidence Specialist Anthony “Tony” Earles gave students an introduction to forensic science along with pointers on collecting evidence and then let the young investigators explore the staged crime scene.
“The students really got into it,” said WIT STEMworks Director Isla Young. “They were able to use real-world forensics to do fingerprint, hair, fiber and footprint analysis. They also got to watch a fascinating DNA presentation by Evidence Specialist Earles!”
After collecting and analyzing clues, 4-H’ers correctly determined that the evidence pointed to Suspect A. The kidnapped victim was successfully returned and the perpetrator arrested by MPD’s Detectives Bennett and Hamilton.
The hands-on activities of analyzing fingerprints and footprints in addition to information about career paths in forensic science and criminal justice provided an experimental learning opportunity for students interested in this career path. The whole experience inspired 4-H’er Kami Echiverri to think about a career in forensics. “I love to help people around the world and CSI gives me the opportunity to do just that,” she said. “I hope more girls can be passionate about STEM.”
Apr 8, 2015 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
More than 30 percent of Maui’s energy needs, on average, are being met by renewable energy sources such as wind and rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, and the trend continues to rise, making Maui a national and global leader in the adoption of renewable energy. This was just one of the positive observations to emerge from the 2015 Maui Energy Conference + Exhibition that spanned two days at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center last month. More than 300 energy industry leaders from Hawaii, the Mainland and Japan attended and shared ideas on how to better serve customers in today’s rapidly changing power generation and delivery environment.
At the conference, Program Committee member Holly Benz of Schneider Corporation said: “All eyes are on Hawaii.” Benz said outsiders are continuing to closely watch the state and its work on energy issues. “There is a tremendous opportunity for Hawaii to lead, to test and to learn.” Keynote speakers Alan Oshiro, President of Hawaiian Electric Company and Eric Gleason, President of NextEra Energy Hawaii shared perspectives on the acquisition of Maui Electric’s parent company, HEI by NextEra and outlined the benefits that it can bring to customers and Hawaii. NextEra, the largest generator of wind and solar energy in North America, has announced its commitment to lower Hawaii’s high electricity costs.
One of the nine thought-provoking panels, “Focus on the Customer—Maui Style,” discussed proposed changes in Maui’s energy landscape, concluding that these must be transparent to residents and engaging for young people. “In my business,” Cathy Nobriga Kim, vice president of Maui Soda and Ice Works said, “energy is crucial.” When asked how businesses could be involved in renewable energy solutions for Maui, Kim observed that business involvement in pilot projects to develop renewable energy solutions are beneficial. Other panelists said that government and community leaders must step up to explain the changing energy landscape. Information provided to residents must be true and trustworthy; “There needs to be transparency,” one panelist said. The conference was hosted by the Maui Economic Development Board and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
Mar 4, 2015 | Community
A first-time event called WordCamp sold out with 175 people attending and participants giving “exceptionally positive” feedback for the two-day workshops held recently on the University of Hawaii Maui College campus. “The primary motivation for bringing WordCamp to Maui was to educate, elevate and inspire web and software development on Maui,” said Jon Brown, WordCamp Maui lead organizer. Mission accomplished, Brown said.
WordCamp Maui, which had a host of sponsors and supporters including Maui Economic Development Board, attracted a full spectrum of attendees from bloggers to photographers, online marketers to small businesses, educators and Web developers. Brown, a Maui resident and owner/partner of 9seeds LLC in Nevada, coordinated the event along with his fiancée, Elena Rego, and eight other people. Every WordCamp is unique, Brown said, and Maui’s was no different, offering business track training for WordPress and Web development professionals, and beginners lessons for those unfamiliar but interested in WordPress usage. “Putting together a nonprofit conference, entirely with volunteer organizers and speakers was a challenge,” Brown said. “Fueled solely by a love for WordPress community, the volunteers all rose to the occasion and helped deliver a great conference for Maui.”
WordCamps happen all over the world. Maui’s featured sessions on how to use WordPress more effectively, advance techniques and security issues. A talk on Facebook advertising and another on online marketing in general appeared to gain a lot of interest from the WordCamp attendees. “I think it’s a foregone conclusion how important a Web presence is,” Brown said, adding that customer interaction for businesses often begins and ends online. That’s why the information WordCamp provided on Maui drew a lot of interest. Brown said he’d like to see a WordCamp held in Hawaii every year with the next one possibly being held on Oahu. “If not, we’ll aim to organize another on Maui in 2016,” Brown said.
Feb 4, 2015 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
Join the conversation!
Share your priorities and values about energy on Maui – today and in the future – as part of a project called “MPowerMaui: An Energy Conversation”.
Sign up and participate in small group sessions during the month of February. These 90-minute sessions are designed to be engaging, interesting, and informative.
You will learn more about energy, think about your own actions related to energy, prioritize issues, consider what actions you would or would not support, and develop messages for decision makers. The results of these MPowerMaui conversations will be presented at the “Maui Energy Conference” to be held on March 25-26, 2015 and reported to the community.
We invite you to either host a session at your home, company or organization by bringing together 12-16 individuals and a MEDB representative will run the session … or sign up for a session that MEDB organizes.
For more information and to sign up to participate, please call 875-2336.
The MPowerMaui project is presented by the Maui Economic Development Board with sponsorship from the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) Energy Office; and the UH Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI).
Dec 31, 2014 | Community
The descendants of the late Rev. Sokyo Ueoka and his wife, Tomiyo Waki Ueoka, have marked the New Year season on Maui for nearly 100 years with the Japanese tradition of mochi pounding. In the year 2014, the tradition continued with more than 100 relatives gathering in Paia on the grounds of the temple, “Bachozan Mantokuji,” which the minister founded. “Everyone knows that the Saturday after Christmas, you don’t make any plans because it’s reserved for mochi pounding,” said 50-year-old Kevin Kimizuka, a fourth-generation Ueoka and oldest child of the 3rd generation matriarch of the family, Shirley Ann Kimizuka. “This is what we do as a family. It’s what we’ve always done.”
As a child growing up, Kimizuka watched his grandfather, the late Robert Ueoka – the Ueokas’ second oldest of 10 – measure the batches of sweet mochi rice year after year. Kimizuka has since assumed what he calls “the easiest job” in mochi pounding. Each batch of rice – weighs seven pounds – and every grain is washed and soaked overnight. On the day of mochi pounding, the rice is measured and then placed into handmade steam boxes. After steaming, the mochi is mashed by the Ueoka men. It’s then followed by one man pounding with a wooden mallet while another turns the mochi in an usu (deep bowl) between pounds and sprinkles water on the mochi. When the mochi is smooth, the hot batch is placed on a table where the Ueoka women cut and shape the mochi into balls. Soon after, the women brush off the excess potato starch on the mochi and they fit them into containers for each family. The Ueokas traditionally make three types of mochi – “okasane,” which is used as an offering for their altar; “komochi” or plain, which is placed in a soup made on New Year’s Day; and “an” which is filled with red beans. Shirley Ann Kimizuka said she could not imagine a New Year celebration without mochi pounding. “We all look forward to it. We grew up with it and it’s a part of our life that means a lot to us.”
