There's much to be thankful for on Maui - too much to have expressions of gratitude limited to a one-day turkey/football feast with family and friends. It's easy for blessings to get lost in the welter of everyday life.In the 1950s, Maui was a financial backwater. Young Mauians routinely left ...
A Maryland income tax case recently attracted national attention when it was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in mid-November. It's interesting because it involves the one credit in our income tax system that is considered to be an integral feature of the system itself, namely the credit ...
As a storyteller, I appreciate a good narrative. Long or short, tragic or comical, true or not. As British author Philip Pullman said, "After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world."This week, our cup runneth over, with the debut of Brian Kohne's ...
Homes in Tucson, Ariz., have gravel for lawns and more shapes and sizes of cactus than you can imagine.Last week when the University of Arizona basketball team was busy winning the Maui Invitational, my wife, Karen, and I did a sort of exchange program, traveling to Tucson to spend Thanksgiving ...
Q: Why is the Haliimaile tennis court the "stepchild"? About a year ago, I wrote a letter regarding the bad condition of the tennis court in Haliimaile. I was very happy to see that there was some progress in maintaining the grass around the court. Also, the doors and the net were repaired, and ...
After seven meetings over almost the entire County Council term, the Water Resources Committee, chaired by Council Member Mike Victorino, on Nov. 19 passed a bill to provide water conservation guidelines and special controls during a water shortage.The legislation is expected to be heard on ...
It is not exciting work. Every Tuesday, Kihei retiree Tony Pompillio makes the drive to Central Maui, parks his car at the Maui Food Bank, and spends the next two hours putting cans in bags.His job: fill each bag with exactly 10 pounds of canned protein. It's a simple job, but he puts thought ...
There's is much to be thankful for on Maui, starting with the island. There is no better place in the world to live - beautiful and still a small town despite all. Aloha lives in the hearts of many.On any given day there are hundreds, if not thousands, of islanders who freely give time and ...
I'm so proud of myself. For the first time in my life, I have my Mainland Christmas presents wrapped and ready to send, well before the Postal Service's suggested mailing dates. Unless you're a procrastinator like me, you have no idea what an achievement this is. Every January, as I'm ...
It's holiday season again, which can only mean one thing.Well, actually it can mean any number of things, but one of them is movies.Just in time for Thanksgiving, Barry and Stella Rivers are launching the 15th annual Maui Film Festival's FirstLight Academy Screenings in the Maui Arts & ...
Q: With the EA Sports Maui Invitational basketball tournament coming up today to Wednesday, are there any ongoing traffic projects that might cause additional delays on the road? Thanks, I'm really looking forward to this event and so are my family members traveling from the Mainland.A: Our ...
On July 28, the County Council's Infrastructure and Environmental Management Committee, which I chair, initially discussed a bill that would generally prohibit the use and sale of single-use polystyrene disposable food containers in Maui County.Strong opinions from opposing sides of the measure ...
When you head down Market Street, you will see the efforts by community organizations, small businesses and the county to make Wailuku town more attractive for tourists, residents and investors. It's a walkable town. It's quaint. It's an all-around nice place to work, live and hang out. Then ...
It was a gorgeous day, but cool, particularly after a week or so of higher than normal temperatures. Up in Kula thermometers had dipped into the 50s before the sun made its debut. The outline of Haleakala was an etching against the cloudless sky.A rare visit to Kuau and a later visit to Old ...
Recently, I discussed how Hawaii can grow its gross domestic product, or GDP, and mentioned that the tax system is something directly under our control so we can act on it relatively swiftly. I analyzed our tax systems based on a study called the 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index that is ...
Coffee, tea or me . . . ow?The nation's first cat cafe opened its doors in Oakland, Calif., a few weeks ago, to purring reviews by patrons. Cat Town Cafe, an extension of a volunteer feline rescue organization, serves up coffee and pastries along with quality kitty time. In the cafe's Cat Zone, ...
Upcountry Pool in Pukalani isn't actually the center of the universe. It just feels that way to me and the friends I run into there almost every day. It's its own little world, beginning with "Miss Staci" teaching tiny tadpoles in their colorful goggles. The bigger kids arrive after school, ...
Q: Are there penalties for bed-and-breakfast homes that are not in compliance? I live in an area that has a lot of B&Bs, and I know for certain not all of them are legal.A: Yes. If a B&B is operating without a permit or if a B&B has a permit and is not operating in ...
On Thursday at 1:30 p.m., the County Council's Housing, Human Services and Transportation Committee, which I chair, will continue its deliberations on amendments to the residential workforce housing policy.In eight previous meetings, the committee received testimony from a large segment of the ...
Walking into the Worcester Glassworks studio in Kula feels a bit like stepping into the laboratory of a steampunk scientist.A rainbow of powders and pellets in neat bins line the "wall of color." Activity buzzes around a reheating chamber fabricated by glass artist Bill Worcester from largely ...