Jul 22, 2011 | Community
As one of Maui’s last surviving mom-and-pop stores, Pukalani Superette contributes to the island’s economic sustainability by providing a local alternative to supermarkets and chain stores, buying from island suppliers and providing jobs to Upcountry residents. “Sumiko Nakashima ran the Superette from 1965 to 1990 and always passed the discounts offered from the vendors down to the customer,” says co-owner Myles Nakashima. “We still do this, which is why our prices are very competitive.”Originally called Tanizaki Store, the establishment has its roots in Maui’s plantation past, opening in 1924.
“You can tell our store was built in a time of small towns and plantation camps,” says Nakashima, who owns the business with his brother, Aric. “Our store has approximately 3,300 square feet of sales area and about 1,200 feet of kitchen prep area. The inside is homey with raw wood interior paneling, friendly cashiers and chances are you will run into somebody you know with our prepared foods in hand.” The Superette is known for the potato macaroni salad created by the owners’ mother, Sumiko Tanizaki Nakashima and an aunt. The business buys many of its goods from local vendors, such as island fresh fish, backyard limes 15 pounds of limes at a time or Lahaina pickled mangoes.
Myles Nakashima said the business is also looking to remain competitive in the future by continuing its mission to provide customers with a clean, safe shopping environment, offering the best products available at a reasonable price. “My vision is to have a healthier line of prepared foods, maybe a salad bar and a hot foods bar with soups,” he says. “I believe the future of Pukalani Superette hinges on remaining competitive. Since the economic downturn, most businesses are only now starting to emerge with decent profits. Events that occur thousands of miles away directly affect all of us,” Nakashima adds.
Jul 7, 2011 | Community
Continuing our series on newly appointed County Department Directors, reflecting the role of government in responding to community values and needs.
The Maui County Department of Housing and Human Concerns provides island residents with assistance in all stages of their lives, says Director Jo-Ann Ridao. “I often refer to my department’s operations as being from the womb to the tomb,” she said. That’s because the department has seven divisions, covering housing, early childhood, immigration services, grants management, the county’s Volunteer Center, Kaunoa Senior Center and the Office on Aging. “My philosophy is to address the needs of a broad range of our community members. An important aspect of my role is to mentor my division heads and facilitate the great work they do,” Ridao said. “I’m the kind of person who enjoys being a mentor.” For Ridao, her department’s priorities are to address the community’s needs for food, shelter and safety.
As budget constraints and limited funding resources present an increasing challenge, the government will need to develop more partnerships and new ways to address human needs, says Ridao. Part of the solution, she believes, is engaging all segments of the Maui Nui community — from unions to churches to businesses — to support the mission of Housing and Human Concerns. “We need to build even further on our tradition of aloha, caring for each other in our community, and volunteerism.” Continuing to provide affordable housing is another community priority close to Ridao’s heart.
A former director for Lokahi Pacific, an independent, private non-profit housing and community development organization based in Wailuku, Ridao has extensive experience in addressing human needs and concerns, and among her accomplishments is selection as a participant in nonprofit management program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. She was born at the Maluhia Hospital in Wailuku and graduated from St. Anthony High School. The rewards of her job are plentiful, she said. “To see immigrants relieved because their paperwork is in good shape seniors getting the support they need and the new first-time homebuyer who moves in to their their home, all of that is wonderful to see.”
Jun 29, 2011 | Community
Armed with a sense of adventure, students from the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance mixed fun and education on Lāna‘i as part of their 2010-2011 capstone event. Alberta de Jetley of the Coalition for a Drug Free Lāna‘i “played” tour guide, using her nonprofit’s van to give the 10 participating teenagers a taste of her home island. They explored the Lāna‘i Culture and Heritage Center, visited with Lāna‘i business owners, planted kombucha and watermelon at Bennie’s Farm, and volunteered at The Cat’s Meow, a thrift shop that raises money to benefit the feral cat sanctuary, which de Jetley helped to establish.
“Any kind of program in which we can show the youth their future possibilities, I’m glad to help,” de Jetley said. “We might possibly be the catalyst or spark plug that leads them to their future endeavors.” The students also enjoyed swimming, hiking and a barbecue at a Lāna‘i campground where the island’s aloha spirit came alive when several residents stopped by to offer the youth some treats. “It was so much fun,” said Willow Krause, who just completed her first year as coordinator of the Youth Alliance. “It really did feel like a culminating activity in which there was a lot of learning and bonding with the kids.”
A 1998 Baldwin High School graduate, Krause said she was impressed with this school year’s Youth Alliance students. “They’re just so much more focused than I was at their age. They have plans for college, ideas on what’s next in their future and even what professions they want to learn about.” Krause said the students show a lot of openness toward new things, even on Lāna‘i where for some of them it was a first-time visit. “They’re just ready to jump in and learn new things.” All together, nearly 40 students in grades 9 to 12, including one home-schooled youth, participated in this year’s Youth Alliance activities. Recruiting for next school year begins in August. For more information, contact Krause at willow[at]medb[dot]org.
Jun 16, 2011 | Community, Events
This week, as the Maui Film Festival begins, movies will pay tribute to people who take effective action for a better world. It’s what the Film Festival Founder and Co- Director Barry Rivers said has been always been the focus of the annual event that entertains and enlightens Maui audiences. “The intent is to address issues that include the environment and the interpersonal relations of the people in the islands,” he said. “At the end of the day, we want to share a window on the world that they may not have seen yet.”
The Festival runs June 15-19, with movies playing at the Celestial Cinema in Wailea and at the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. More information is available at www.mauifilmfestival.com. Children 12 and younger are admitted free on opening night and the closing day of film showings. There are also special events featuring award presentations for outstanding artists, actors and moviemakers, a Taste of Chocolate experience and a panel discussion by filmmakers. This year’s movie lineup includes six films with a Hawaii connection. All the movies attempt to entertain while seeking truth and shedding light on stories and issues, which is the core of the mission of the Maui Film Festival. “It is this belief in the power of creativity that gives the Maui Film Festival its character, its energy and its soul.”
Rivers and his wife, Stella, who live in Haiku, have received accolades for their event, now making its 12th run on Maui. The Celestial Cinema setting in Wailea is a deliberate part of the festival’s vision of showcasing movies in the natural beauty of the island. “Visitors and residents alike tell me that this is the most unbelievable movie-going experience,” Rivers explains, adding that many plan their vacation schedule or entertainment budget around the festival. Rivers credits sheer willpower and the passion and energy of some 300 people, many of whom are volunteers, for the success of the festival.
Jun 9, 2011 | Community
Continuing our series on newly appointed County Department Directors, reflecting the role of government in responding to community values and needs.
“As an avid photographer, I truly appreciate the breathtaking landscapes of Maui. Protecting them, preserving view planes, and making common sense decisions to limit human impacts on our environment are close to my heart,” says Will Spence, the new County Director of Planning. Among Spence’s priorities are streamlining the permitting process and reviewing procedures to simplify the application and approval process. “Regulation needs to serve a purpose,” observes Spence. “Without appreciable environmental protections or community benefits, putting our residents through a costly, lengthy, or complicated process for its own sake makes little sense.”
Spence’s philosophy is to provide opportunities and incentives for encouraging “smart” development—for example, in existing urban areas and locations identified in the Maui County Plan. Spence points out that the basis of Maui County’s zoning code was established in the 1960s, when most development was focused on large projects – resorts, hotels, and condominiums, and major infrastructure. The permitting process has always reflected this history so that it has not been as nimble or as customized as citizens would like, and it has left out the little guy, says Spence. “The planning process needs to be user-friendly and adaptable, and reflect community priorities like supporting a diverse and sustainable economy, preserving the environment, recognizing cultural sensitivities, and simply reflecting human needs. It should also reflect the era of the internet and modern technology.”
With a planning degree, Spence has worked on Maui in the field for almost 20 years, both as a planner for the County and in the private sector as a consultant. “One of the things I particularly appreciate about my role now is that the County Department Directors work very collaboratively – we talk to each other all the time, and that really helps get things done.”
Jun 1, 2011 | Community
On a recent weekend in May, the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance spent an unforgettable few hours at the offices of The Maui News, where they learned what it takes to interview, write, edit, photograph and produce stories for media publication. The visit was in keeping with the Youth Alliance purpose of gaining a greater understanding of key institutions in our community, preparing them to become leaders of change.
Guided by Maui News staffers Ilima Loomis, Lee Imada, and Matt Thayer, 20 Youth Alliance members began with an orientation session, followed by a workshop on the finer points of interviewing and drafting a story from the material they gathered. Panelists drawn from the community, invited by Loomis, willingly volunteered as the students’ interview subjects. The panelists included leaders from the Maui Humane Society, the Institute of Astronomy, Na Koa Ikaika baseball, the Reef Association, and the Drug Court. Students then used computers at the newspaper offices to compose their stories, which were reviewed by several other staff members who volunteered their time to help with the editorial process. The best stories will be chosen for publication.
One group of Youth Alliance members participated in a media photography workshop led by award-winning staffer Matt Thayer. He guided the students on using the professional-grade equipment to capture a particular feeling or mood from their subjects, picture composition, and documenting the session itself. “I really enjoyed learning about the technical aspects of camera work and I better appreciate what’s involved in taking the perfect picture and working under deadlines,” observes King Duke, a Youth Alliance member attending Maui High School.
May 26, 2011 | Community
“Choral performance, like other forms of music, really nourishes the soul when done right,” observes choirmaster Bob Wills, the founder and volunteer director of Maui’s Summer Masterworks Festival. This August, the second annual Festival will be held at Kihei Baptist Church and will feature 70 choir members and 35 intrumentalists performing Bach’s Magnificat as well as works by Mozart and Vivaldi. Next summer, Wills envisions a week-long event that will include choirs drawn from beyond Maui, providing the island economy with a welcome boost. “In our first year, we brought together choir members from across Maui to perform Mozart’s Requiem,” says Wills. “We were expecting an audience of maybe 150; on the night, 550 showed up, we had standing room only. It was a huge success and we obviously tapped into a very enthusiastic market.”
Maui is fortunate to add Wills, who works as a realtor when not volunteering, to the list of talented and visionary residents that have developed and staged annual arts events such as the Maui Film Festival, the Maui Photo Festival, and the Writer’s Conference. Wills credits his wife, Beth, a music teacher and choral director at Lahaina Intermediate, as a major partner in the choral success he has enjoyed. As a choirmaster and professional singer back in Minnesota, where he grew up, he directed large choirs of up to 300 and took groups to perform in Europe, where his audience included Pope John Paul II. On Maui, he has worked with Baldwin High School students and been involved in musicals such as The King and I, The Sound of Music, and Annie at Iao Theatre. “The arts fulfill an important human need: they elevate our spirits,” says Wills. His real reward comes from teaching. “When someone I’m working with reaches that “aha!” moment – that’s what makes it all worthwhile to me.” As for his personal philosophy, Wills explains: “Singing has got to be fun. It’s the journey that’s important, not only the destination.”
May 19, 2011 | Community
Continuing our series on newly appointed County Department Directors, reflecting the role of government in responding to community values and needs. Keith Regan holds the “No. 2” position in the County administration, a role he also filled in Mayor Arakawa’s administration from 2004 to 2006 following two years as Director of Finance. On a day-today basis, as the Director of the County’s Department of Management, Regan provides management oversight to the 16 County Departments and mediates between them whenever necessary. His Department of Management also oversees the County’s extensive IT (information technology) network and its GIS (geographic information systems) function, providing mapping and other resources.
Regan’s current priorities are streamlining the County permitting process, improving infrastructure, and promoting balanced and sustainable economic development. “I’m a nuts-and-bolts guy, and I like to see how long-term vision will affect the community positively,” he notes. “I believe in the importance of providing well-paid opportunities here in Maui County for our children so they do not have to leave for other places. That’s why economic diversification is key.” In addition to the technology sector, Regan sees promise in developing the film industry and in promoting sports activities as practical examples of growing the County’s economic base.
In 2001, Regan was named by Pacific Business News as Young Business Person of the Year and Community Leader of the Year. Regan is a committed volunteer—he is a board member of several organizations, including the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui, Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation, and two of Maui’s Kiwanis Clubs. Regan is currently involved in a relief effort he cofounded with his wife, Lynn: “Following the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we launched the Aloha Initiative, to provide home-stay respite here in Hawaii for citizens of Japan affected by the disaster. Over 140 families here have volunteered as hosts for evacuees for up to three months—truly ‘living aloha’,” Regan explains.
May 13, 2011 | Community
The ancient Romans had a phrase for it: Mens sana in corpore sano – “a healthy mind in a healthy body”, referring to the ideal balance for living a productive life. Thanks to coaches and community volunteers like Scottie Zucco, our keiki in Maui County are able to pursue sporting activities that enhance their lives. Zucco is the founder of the Aloha Volleyball club, which counts well over 100 participants and whose mission is to grow volleyball on Maui. The club does a lot a voluntary “behind the scenes” work, maintaining volleyball courts around Maui and running free tournaments year-round. The club also holds instructional camps and offers financial assistance as needed. Zucco has a fullschedule; in addition to his voluntary activities, he is a parttime PE teacher at Kula Elementary School and Achievement Academy, a Wailuku homeschool, and he coaches the Seabury Hall girls’ varsity volleyball team.
“My philosophy in coaching volleyball is about building character first; competition comes second,” says Zucco. “Young athletes mirror what their adult role models are doing, and I’m a believer in the system embraced by legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. His “pyramid of success” stresses values such as hard work, enthusiasm, loyalty, self-control and commitment. A good coach has to care about each child, and these qualities define character,” he adds.
Zucco has done much to promote youth beach volleyball on Maui, a format that the NCAA has just recognized as a scholarship-eligible college sport. He is quick to recognize that the rise in popularity in the both indoor and outdoor volleyball owes much to the hard work of other clubs in the community and growing cooperation amongst coaches. “Right now I’m working on plans to develop more courts and facilities,” says Zucco. “This year we pioneered a pilot High School beach league, and one of my goals is to see it develop as an official sport in the MIL.”
