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.”
Dec 24, 2014 | Community
As we prepare for the arrival of 2015, Focus Maui Nui takes a detour from featuring local people, students, teachers and businesses. Today we revisit its roots by urging everyone to recommit to Focus Maui Nui’s five key strategies for action – Improve Education; Protect the Environment, including our water resources; Address Infrastructure Challenges, especially housing and transportation; Adopt targeted economic development strategies; Preserve local culture and address community health concerns such as substance abuse.
Give to Maui Nui
❄ adopt a Robotics team ❄ volunteer as a tutor in science, technology, engineering and math ❄ read a book to your child ❄ provide a teacher with supplies for students ❄ volunteer at a school or a nonprofit ❄ support a Hawaiian language immersion program ❄ become a “big” and adopt a “little” ❄ tutor a child in an after-school program ❄ clean up a roadside ❄ recycle ❄ take a reusable shopping bag for your purchases ❄ donate gently used items to a rummage sale ❄ walk ❄ ride a bike ❄ plant a tree ❄ turn off unused lights ❄ ride the Maui Bus ❄ attend a public hearing of your choice ❄ write or call your elected representative ❄ mentor a small business ❄ eat Maui-grown onions ❄ take a ‘staycation’ ❄ buy a locally made jam ❄ seek out Made on Maui products ❄ buy a book by a local author ❄ learn to hula ❄ speak Hawaiian ❄ track key decision making on a policy ❄ participate in a public hearing ❄ watch public TV ❄ donate to a fundraiser ❄ schedule an annual checkup with your doctor ❄ treat your guests to an agri-tourism site ❄ attend a cultural event ❄ quit smoking ❄ exercise 30 minutes per day, five days a week ❄ eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables ❄
Some ideas from us…Share yours with us below!
Happy Holidays from Focus Maui Nui!
Oct 29, 2014 | Community, Events
Sarai Stricklin, an artist, teacher and fashion designer, is “honored and excited” about her first wedding dress designs debuting at the first Made in Maui County Festival. Held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, the first-time event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. November 8. “I’ve been waiting to bloom from Maui,” said Stricklin, who moved from her studio home in Hana to Waihee in part to grow her business. Stricklin is a lifelong textile artist who has created traditional batik art pieces for home and corporations. She also designs women’s clothing, silk neck ties for men and began recently designing hand sewn wedding pieces inspired by Hawaiian history.
She said the Made in Maui County Festival comes at a time when she’s ready to grow her business. “I have finally met the most incredible people and they’ve been so supportive of my work and my business,” Stricklin said, referring to the festival organizers and the encouragement she’s received to participate in the event. A cancer survivor, Stricklin said she’s been unable to attend off-island events that spotlight Hawaii made products. “It’s just too hard to travel, and really and truly, it’s great that I can show my work here on Maui,” she said. “There is where I want my business to take off.” The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Chamber of Commerce are calling the inaugural event “the largest product vendor show” this year in Maui. Products to be showcased include food, art, crafts, jewelry, fashion, gifts and collectibles. There will be demonstrations plus a fashion show in which designers like Stricklin will show their work.
“This festival was created to help grow our islands’ businesses,” said Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa. “There’s such incredible talent here at home and we’re hoping to open doors for these hard-working entrepreneurs…Our small businesses are the backbone of our islands’ economy and their success will ultimately benefit our community at-large.” A complete list of the 130-plus vendors participating can be seen at: www.MadeinMauiCountyFestival.com/vendors-list
Oct 22, 2014 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
Maui Smart Grid volunteers wrapped up their participation in a pilot project that led many to become more energy efficient. “I really wanted to get a good handle on my family’s energy use and bring down, if possible, our electricity bills. I got that by participating in the Maui Smart Grid Project,” said Maria Drey, one of 66 Maui Meadows residents who participated in the two-year project.
The Maui Smart Grid project aimed to help volunteers monitor their home power use, sometimes in real time, and make adjustments for efficient and cost-effective use of electricity. With the help of one smart meter on property, Drey said her family kept track of their energy consumption and made changes accordingly. They invested in an energy-efficient system for their pool and were more prudent with lights and appliances. Meanwhile, volunteer Alfred Wolf monitored his electric usage to “get a more precise feel for how energy is used and generated at my place.” For Wolf and Thomas Croly, volunteering for Maui Smart Grid meant they could contribute toward the state’s efforts to reach the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative goals. “I hope Maui Electric Co. will gain information from the Maui Smart Grid project to help distribute energy more efficiently,” Croly said.
The project was co-led by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Maui Electric Co. Maui Economic Development Board partnered to engage with the community and project volunteers. The project’s findings will be sent to the U.S. Department of Energy, and shared with industry looking at best uses of technological tools for energy efficiency, according to Leon Roose, principal and chief technologist of GridSTART at Hawaii Natural Energy Institute. “We found on average, people did change their behavior and reduced their energy consumption as a result of having more information on energy use and through tips and awareness made possible through home energy audits,” Roose said.
Oct 15, 2014 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
Maui County students in kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to submit art designs to beautify the island’s JUMPSmartMaui Fast-Charger stations. “This is a chance for Maui’s talented students to shine and jump-start their creative juices by coming up with some original designs for our island’s JUMPSmart electric vehicle charging stations,” said Jeanne Skog, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maui Economic Development Board.
MEDB and Hitachi are sponsoring the student art contest. Judges will look for entries with an original design that positively represents Maui’s community, the environment and clean energy. The EV chargers are an important component of the JUMPSmartMaui demonstration project, which seeks to incorporate renewable energy, smart grid technologies and electric vehicle solutions to achieve a clean future for Maui County. NEDO, Japan’s largest public research and development management organization, is investing $30 million in the project.
The winner’s artwork will be displayed on existing and upcoming JUMPSmartMaui fast charger stations on Maui Island. An example of winning artwork already installed can be found at the Queen Kaahumanu Center station. Currently, stations are located at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Maui Tropical Plantation, Maalaea Triangle (Maui Ocean Center) and Piilani Village Shopping Center. New locations will be at the Pukalani Shopping Center and Long’s in Kulamalu Pukalani. More than a dozen other stations are being planned. Artwork can be created in digital media or using crayon, color pencil and/or paints. Only 2-dimensional art will be accepted. For art contest rules and guidelines, go to www.medb.org Deadline for submissions is 4:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31. Application forms are available at the JUMPSmartMaui Innovation Center at the Queen Kaahumanu Center or MEDB at 1305 North Holopono Street, Suite 1, in the Maui Research & Technology Park in Kihei. For more information, contact Lalaine Pasion at MEDB: lalaine@medb.org, (808) 875-2341.
Oct 1, 2014 | Community, Events
Focus Maui Nui returns to the Maui Fair to begin a community conversation about energy. Maui residents know first-hand how fast the energy landscape changes, and how complicated it is. We hope that a community conversation about energy will capture Maui’s core values and priorities, while providing valuable insights for decision-makers in the months to come.
We will be at the Fair distributing a short survey and an “Energy IQ” Quiz for all who visit the booth. Don’t miss it: You may be surprised by what you learn!
We will be at the usual place in front of the War Memorial Gym. Complete our survey and receive a gift as our thanks!
Sep 10, 2014 | Community, Sustainability
After planting trees in every state across the country, Joe Imhoff and Sara Tekula returned to their roots on Maui, giving life to a newborn son, and their fledgling nonprofit, Plant a Wish. The husband-and-wife team was first featured in Focus Maui Nui three years ago in the midst of a tree-planting mission. They identified tree caretakers in each of the states and helped to spearhead the planting of more than 1,000 native trees at dozens of community tree planting events.
Their plan to create a documentary about the tree-planting venture is still in post-production, in part because they had to turn their attention to the birth of a son, Henry Koa, in October 2012. In his first year of life, Henry accompanied his dad, Joe, in planting a tree on every day in 2013, mostly on Maui but in other places as well. “Even when we were on vacation and then attending a family wedding on the Mainland, Joe made certain they planted a tree somewhere every day,” Tekula said.
Today, Plant a Wish is taking root on Maui where Tekula and Imhoff have partnered in a variety of events and with other nonprofits to bring awareness to land stewardship, tree planting and restoration of native habitat. Plant a Wish is also teamed up with Tri-Isle Resource Conservation and Development, which serves as its fiscal sponsor. Tekula said much of her time is spent in tree dedications, an opportunity that residents take to plant trees in celebration of special events and/or people in their lives. Plant a Wish is also busy during the holiday season when Tekula and Imhoff sell native Christmas trees as a fundraiser and a chance to educate more people about tree planting. “We’re really glad we’re here on Maui and that our mission of tree restoration can keep going.” For more information, go to: plantawish.org
Aug 27, 2014 | Community, Innovation
At Bump Networks, founder Arben Kryeziu says his staff operates on the premise that work is not all about them. “All my team members are non-ego centric,” he said as he explained why the business has been sustainable for almost 10 years now. “To me it’s about the execution and for us, it’s an art form. We are not your cookie cutter business. We start with focusing on our client’s services and how we can build it up,” he said.
A software and technology solutions company, Bump Networks’ clients include the Maui Food Bank, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, the Pacific Disaster Center and Maui Gold pineapple. Bump Networks is just one of several entrepreneurial ventures Kryeziu is engaged with today. Last year, he co-founded mbloom, a business incubator and technology fund. The 37-year-old lives in Kula with his wife, Crystal, and their five-year-old daughter. According to his posted resume at Pegasus Capital where he serves as an operating partner, Kryeziu’s entrepreneurial success “has always hinged on clearly identifying company goals, strategizing resources, and maintaining profitable business models.” He said he and his team follow online trends, analyze successful businesses, and then actively pursue them. He uses “word of mouth” to obtain clients. “To me, it’s a very exciting time to be an entrepreneur,” Kryeziu said. “I especially like working with ‘techies’ to create and ignite something.”
Outside of his business, Kryeziu coordinated in May Maui’s first Startup Weekend, an international movement aimed at inspiring and empowering individuals, teams and communities. About 52 developers, marketers, product managers, technical and technology experts and entrepreneurs – mostly from Maui – participated. Jeanne Skog, Maui Economic Development Board President and CEO, served as one of six coaches for the Startup Weekend participants. MEDB Vice Chairman Ned Davis, founder of fledgling business called Maui Water Solutions, said he benefited as a participant and was grateful for networking with other entrepreneurs. Kryeziu plans to hold another Startup Weekend later this fall on Maui. “Our island and our community are growing. We have the talent here, we just have to come together,” he said.
Jun 25, 2014 | Community, Environment, Sustainability
A new brewery is nearing completion in Kihei. Owned and operated by husband and wife, Garrett and Melanie Marrero, Maui Brewing Co.’s newest venture represents a response to their business’ growing demand. The Marreros founded their company almost 10 years ago and today operate a seven-barrel brewpub in Kahana and a 25-barrel production brewery and canning facility in Lahaina. Come this fall, Maui Brewing Co. will close its Lahaina brewery and open a new 42,000-square-foot facility in Kihei on 5.3 acres in the Maui Research & Technology Park, right next to Maui Economic Development Board’s offices.
“Our business is very multi-faceted,” Garrett Marrero said. “What we have shown and demonstrated is that you can be a successful manufacturing business in Hawaii,” Marrero said. The company’s BrewPub in Lahaina will remain open and together with the new brewery in Kihei, Maui Brewing Co.’s staff will grow from 59 employees today to approximately 140 when the brewery and a new Kihei brewpub opens. “When you manufacture a product truly local, our entire community succeeds,” he said. Aside from the brewery, the Kihei location will also house a distillery, a tasting room and eventually a BrewPub. “People want to support local. They want to support something that’s authentic to the islands,” Morrero said as he explained Maui Brewing Co.’s success. Maui Brewing Co. beers are sold in 11 states and four countries.
Maui Brewing Co. describes itself as a “truly Hawaiian brewery.” The company has been recognized as Hawaii’s No. 1 craft beer producer since 2005. Beers are packaged in eco-friendly materials with cans manufactured on Oahu and designed by local Maui artists. The cans, according to Maui Brewing Co., have the added bonus of better protecting the beer from both light and oxygen damage which can compromise the taste. A unique, recyclable plastic carrying device is used to hold the cans. The spent grain from beer production is donated to local ranchers for cattle feed and composting.
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.”
