Paia Says Farewell To Missing Welcome Sign

By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
PAIA — A “Welcome to Paia” sign, one that greets thousands of residents and visitors headed toward Hana, is missing.

The large $2,000 redwood sign, which was on Hana Highway just outside the historic plantation town, was reported gone since Tuesday night, said Lisa Starr, chairwoman of the Paia Main Street Association.

“We don’t really know what really happened. One of the support posts is upright. The other is knocked over,” she said on Thursday.

Starr went to the site to investigate and said the sign looked like it may have been knocked over from the position of the posts. She combed the nearby bushes for the sign or its remains, but found nothing.

The missing sign was “quite new,” she said. It replaced a sign that had been stolen.

Starr said she reported the missing sign to police. Then she began polling Paia merchants to see if any knew what happened. Most didn’t know the sign was missing.

“Oh boy,” said business owner Stefano Mosi. “I’ll keep my eye out for it.”

Mosi said he comes to work through Kuau, so he doesn’t see the sign on the Kahului side of town.

Becky Kikumoto, longtime co-owner of Jaggers in Paia, also didn’t know the sign was missing.

“As a store owner, we definitely want that there. It’s important that people know they are in Paia,” she said.

“I think it’s a nice way to identify the town. It’s a historic town, and I think the sign should be there.”

Mosi said the apparent theft of the sign doesn’t surprise him as there have been numerous incidents of vandalism around town since December. The most serious were shop windows damaged by slingshots — including the windows of Ono Gelato Co., which Mosi co-owns.

Starr said the Maui Police Department has been very helpful in halting vandalism in town for the past two months and said she feels the missing sign is not related.

The original signs were put up more than 10 years ago. Two other signs are posted near the Holy Rosary Church on Baldwin Avenue and on the Hana side of town in Kuau. The signs are hand painted on sandblasted redwood boards.

Starr said the Paia Main Street Association paid for the signs to be posted at three entrances to Paia Town.

“We are proud of our community, and our signs bring awareness of Paia town, which has become an attraction for residents and visitors. With our many excellent restaurants, boutiques, shops and galleries, our wonderful Paia Youth Center and our many diverse churches, and of course the world-class ocean sports events, we want the world to know they are arriving in historic Paia town,” she added.

The signs are about 3 feet wide by 4 feet tall on 5-foot posts reading: “Welcome to Paia, Maui’s Historical Plantation Town.” An image of the old Paia mill with its smokestack is part of the design.

Starr said the sign builder encouraged a “monument type” of sign, or something more permanent as the redwood signs would deteriorate from constant exposure to sun and wind.

With one sign missing again, Starr is really considering that idea and said the business community could come together to plan more permanent signs.

“Many people continue to make great efforts to assure our town will thrive and be a permanent part of the north shore into the future. Maybe we should consider erecting permanent monuments of stone for our welcome signs,” she said.

Anyone with information about the missing sign may call Maui Crime Stoppers at 242-6966. Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of people responsible for felony crimes.

Theft of the $2,000 sign would constitute second-degree theft, a Class C felony carrying a potential five-year prison term and a maximum $10,000 fine.

• Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.