THE HIGH STREET JOURNAL - Maui County

THE HIGH STREET JOURNAL

‘Tis the season to be jolly at the Kalana O’ Maui building’s front lawn!

Join Mayor Alan Arakawa and the Coun-ty of Maui employees in a ceremonial tree lighting event on the evening of Wednes-day, Dec. 14, 5 to 7 p.m.

Bring your friends and keiki to take part in this family a�air. There will be entertain-ment by Ahumanu and Friends, the Na Kupuna Ohana Serenaders and Dancers, Iao Intermediate School Band and much more. And don’t forget to bring a camera because Santa Claus is coming to town to make an appearance at the County build-ing.

Kindly bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Maui Food Bank. It is op-tional to bring a mat or a lawn chair as you enjoy the music and the camaraderie.

Also, during the event, the winners of the Décor-wreath (wreath making competi-tion) will be announced and entries will be displayed in the front lawn. Pre-registration is required and can be done by calling Kit Zulueta at (808) 270-8299 or by e-mailing [email protected].

During this holiday season, it is important that we all get together as one big com-munity celebrating the spirit of the Holi-days with our ohana. Happy Holidays to all! Please save this date and see you there!

December 2011

The Official Newsletter of the County of Maui

County invites public to celebrate holidays

Assistant Chief-of-Sta� Kit Zulueta & Special Asst. to the Chief-of-Sta� Jenny Daniels take time to pose for a picture after decorating the 18 1/2 ft. Monterey Pine tree, which is in the courtyard in front of the County Building.Oh, and it’s �ame retardant!!! Specials thanks to Mayor & Ann Arakawa for donating the tree.

Planning Department Elves (from left) Tremaine Balberdi, Suzette Esmeralda, Jay Arakawa and Michele McLean get into the holiday spirit by decorating Kalana Pakui with garland.

Message from the Mayor

“If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.”

The above Buddhist saying is one that we should all keep in mind this holiday season. And that is when we help our neighbor we are really helping ourselves.

Service to others, whether it means donating an extra can of food to the local shelter, loaning your car to a friend so he can apply for a job or even picking up garbage as you walk down your street, it all makes a di� erence.

As they say, no man is an island entire of itself. We are all in-volved members of the human race whether we like it or not.

So take some time out while shopping for gifts this year and make sure you give of yourself, as much as you give of your pocketbook. Get your kids involved too so that they can see your good example and emulate it one day themselves.

It does not have to be a big thing. You don’t have to save the world with your bare hands, no one does.

But if everyone does something small, we will see big changes in our community. You can start by checking out the County of Maui Volunteer Center website, www.handsonmaui.com, and see what kind of volunteer opportunities are available.

Otherwise you could check in with your neighborhood church or school. Maui Economic Opportunity also has many volunteer opportunities available.

Or it could be as simple as just paying more attention to your family, spending more time with your children and/or spouse or helping your sick neighbor with some yard work.

We can all make a di� erence; there are opportunities all around us. In this depressed economy it is very easy to get down on ourselves and feel like there is nothing we can do.

You can do something. We can all do something. Small gifts of service done with love are the greatest gifts any human being can receive.

Happy Holidays to you all and thank you again for making Maui County the best commu-nity in the world. Sincerely,

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Despite unprecedented challenges, this has been a historic year of progress for the County of Maui. I’m proud of the role that the Council has played, in partnership with the Administration, the State and Federal gov-ernments, and the private sector, to achieve so many milestones.

For the �rst time, the Council created a General Plan Committee to focus on long-term planning and envision the essential ele-ments of a sustainable future for Maui. The Maui Island Plan is still a work in progress, but it appears certain there will be a new emphasis on smart growth, including mixed-used development and walkable communi-ties. In addition, the increased availability of a�ordable housing and use of renewable energy are clearly Council and Administra-tion priorities for the 20-year planning hori-zon. I see Maui’s status as a world-class resort destination advancing, even as we diversify the economy by promoting desirable careers for local residents in high tech, health and wellness, education, and the arts.

This year, the Water Resources Committee completed the nearly decade-long task of converting the County’s water regulations to ordinances, consistent with the 2002 Charter amendment that established the Council as the policy maker for the Department of Water Supply.

Despite the ongoing economic downturn, the Council’s Budget and Finance approved a bold and progressive Fiscal Year 2012 budget that initiated tax reform, retained our social safety net and fostered economic develop-ment, while maintaining protections for Maui Nui’s fragile environment. In addition, acting on the suggestion of the O�ce of Informa-tion Practices, the Committee established the Council’s �rst temporary investigative group, allowing four Council members to intensively study ways of ensuring a more equitable and precise real property tax system.

Working collectively with the Administra-tion, our sister counties and members of the private sector, the Council hosted the Hawaii

State Association of Counties con-ference – widely regarded as the most success-ful event in the organization’s four-decade his-tory. Speakers included experts in the �elds of open govern-ment, social media, Hawaiian a�airs and the �lm and TV industry.

The Infrastructure Management Committee worked with the Department of Public Works to pass a landmark ordinance ensuring that development on steep terrain is constructed with adequate oversight and safety precau-tions. The Economic Development, Agriculture, and Recreation Committee approved several leases of County property for worthy non-pro�t agencies, while also working to ensure that the visitor industry continues to thrive as the County’s economic engine.

The Policy Committee approved a favorable settlement to the County’s multi-million-dollar lawsuit against Merrill Lynch arising from alleged false statements relating to County investments. In addition, the Com-mittee approved nominees to the decennial Charter Commission and began the process for establishing the Lanai Community Plan Advisory Committee.

The Planning Committee passed a bill es-tablishing solar energy facilities as permitted uses in the Agricultural Zoning District and began review of a new ordinance for short-term rental housing.

The Land Use Committee has been ambi-tious in reviewing several proposed develop-ments to safeguard and expedite a�ordable

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A Message from Council Chair Danny Mateo

See MATEO on next page

Page 4

On behalf of the Mayor and the administration, we want to extend our warmest wishes for a very safe, happy and enjoyable holiday season. This past year has gone by so quickly. We’ve all worked very hard and we wanted to say “Thank You” for all that you have done and continue to do for our community.

This season is a time of re�ection. We should all use take a moment to look back over the past 12 months and really think about the opportunities and challenges we’ve faced. Hopefully, we will use the experiences gained to make 2012 an even better year for us all.

As we move forward in to 2012, we are certain there will be greater expectations placed on local, state and federal govern-ment to “do more with less”, �nd better ways to function, and be-come more e�cient at the jobs we all do. We are con�dent that, at least here at the County of Maui, we have an excellent resource and invaluable asset that will continue to allow us to overcome any challenges put in front of us. Collectively that is you, our employees, that are truly the most important to our ultimate success. Mahalo for all that you do.

Again, on behalf of our Mayor, each of our Directors and Deputies, I wish you all a very Happy Holidays and a prosperous and Happy New Year!

~ Keith A. Regan Managing Director

M.D. Minute

housing projects and to hasten employment for local construction workers.

The County was well represented at No-vember’s Asia-Paci�c Economic Cooperation conference, a memorable event for the entire State of Hawaii. Several Council members had the good fortune of joining Mayor Arakawa and several of his sta� members in interacting with dignitaries from throughout Asia, help-ing to build important economic and cultural bonds. I would be remiss if I failed to note one more bit of history for the County of Maui this year. The Kioea has recently been proclaimed the o�cial bird of Kaunakakai, Molokai. Mahalo to the Mayor and the Molokai Visitors Association

for helping us to recognize the importance of Maui County’s unique habitat for this species.

I am privileged to say that this has been a busy and productive year – truly one of the most noteworthy in the many years I’ve been a resident and public servant of the County of Maui.

Thank you to everyone in County govern-ment for your assistance in helping the Coun-cil reach consensus and make progress for our constituents. I look forward to even more history-making achievements in 2012! Best wishes to you and your loved ones for the holiday season and new year.

MATEO continued from previous page

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Blood bank seeks donations on Dec. 26-28

The Holiday Season is traditionally a time for giving and sharing. What could be more pre-cious than giving and sharing the Gift of Life?It does not cost a penny. It cannot be bought.It really comes from the heart. The December Bloodmobile of the Blood Bank of Hawaii will be on Maui at the Maui Economic Opportunity Auditorium at the Cameron Center, at 99 Mahalani Street, Wailuku, on: Monday, Dec. 26: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 27: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.Wednesday, Dec. 28: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29: 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Besides yourself, if you know of someone who is interested in donating a pint of blood, please forward this e-mail to let them know about these dates and times. Someone else whom you do not know, will live because of your donation.(Throughout our lives, over 60% of us will need and use blood products, but only 2% of us do-nate blood.) As a thank you, donors will receive a coupon for a free pint of ice cream from Baskin-Robbins,conveniently located at the Maui Mall and Queen Kaahumanu Center. (Last time I went to Baskin-Robbins immediately after donating and ate a pint of double fudge chocolate ice cream for lunch.) For appointments, please call 1-800-372-9966, ext. 721. Please bring a valid picture ID with birth date. Among other requirements, you have to:

* be in good health; * weigh at least 110 pounds * have good supply of iron in your blood and * have no tattoos or body piercings in the last 12 months.

Mahalo for caring and sharing the GIFT OF LIFE.

May you share in the blessings of the Season,

John Tam

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Kaunoa opens new Lanaì Senior Center, honors Veterans, remains busy

It was a dream comes true for the kupuna of Lanai! On Oct. 29, four hundred people celebrat-ed the grand opening of the brand new Lanaì Senior Center. Featuring special performances by the Lanaì kupu-na, Kaunoa’s own Kevin Kanemoto, and Councilmem-ber Riki Hokama, the event was a joyful homecom-ing of family and friends from Lanaì and the neighbor islands. The long-awaited senior center includes a multi-purpose hall, kitchen, classrooms, and o�ces for Kaunoa Senior Servic-es, the Maui County Of-�ce on Aging, and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

On Nov. 10, Kaunoa held a special event to honor Maui County’s military veterans. Representing the Army, Air Force, Marine Corp., Navy, and Coast Guard, the audience of two hundred vet-erans, families, and seniors, attended the tribute which included a musical homage to the U.S. military branches by Univer-sity of Hawaii Maui College freshman, Michael Kam (son of Kaunoa Program Assistant, Lynn Kam), a viewing of the documentary �lm, 442 – Live with Honor, Die with Dignity, and a luncheon featuring Kaunoa volunteer Ron Kono’s famous chicken hekka. The event was deeply touching, moving everyone to tears of pride and

sorrow, respect and gratitude, for all of our esteemed veter-ans.

Stay �t and active and keep the weight o� this holiday sea-son. Kaunoa is o�er-ing new classes in Kihei at Hale Mahaolu Ehiku. South Maui residents ages 55 and better are encour-aged to try out the following entry level classes: Beginning Hula –Thursdays at 11:00 a.m.; Begin-ning Line Dance

– Mondays at 10:45 a.m.; Beginning Yoga – Mon-days at 9:30 a.m. For a complete listing of Kau-noa’s on-going health and wellness classes, stop

by at the Spreckelsville and West Maui centers, or call 270-7308 or 661-9432 to have one faxed or sent to you. Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter for the latest activity and special events announcements.

By RUTH GRIFFITH, Dept. of Housing & Human Concerns

The long-awaited Lanai Senior Center opened its doors to the publc on October 29.

Veterans from the 442 remember those we’ve lost over the years.

Veterans from all branches of the U.S. military attended Kaunoa’s Veteran’s Day event in November.

NEWSLETTER STAFF

Editor: Lynn Araki-Regan

Dana AcostaRod Antone

SeaRay BeltranCharnan Carroll

Anna FoustRobynne Fukunaga

Kyle GinozaNadine Gomes

Ruth Gri�thAgnes HayashiGuy HironakaWayne Ibarra

Sue KiangTanya Lopes

Michele McLeanDon Medeiros

Geri OnagaKarin Phaneuf

Ryan PirosKeith Regan

Jan RobersonSarah Shim

Dianne ShimizuWendy Stebbins

Ron StebenTia Stupplebeen

Yuki Lei SugimuraMarc TakamoriJacky Takakura

John TamJo-Ann Tanaka

Kit Zulueta

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Holiday visits to DPW Baseyards

Public Works Director David Goode and Deputy Director Rowena Dag-dag-Andaya have been busy doing their annual holiday visits to the vari-ous Highways Baseyards. They have visited baseyards to of-fer their season greetings, their thanks and ap-preciation for the wonderful work that they do to help maintain the highways in the Upcountry and the Central Maui areas. Dave and Rowena had a great time getting reacquainted with the employees from these baseyards and were very happy to spend the time “hanging” around with the very dedicated and

devoted outdoor sta� of DPW.

As you can see from these photos, they are all looking merry and bright!

Makawao Baseyard personnel with Public Works Director David Goode and Deputy Director Rowena Dagdag-Andaya.

Wailuku Baseyard personnel with Public Works Director David Goode and Deputy Director Rowena Dagdag-Andaya.

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The 19th Annual Lānaì Employee Rec-ognition Luncheon was held on Nov. 8 at the beautiful new Lānaì Senior Center. The event recognized those employees nominated for the Lānaì Employee of the Year, employees with perfect attendance, recent retirees and those celebrating 20 years of service to the county.

Nominees for Lānaì Employee of the Year included Melvin Catiel, Equipment Operator IV with the Department of Pub-lic Works; Victor Divina, Park Caretaker I with the Department of Parks & Recre-ation; Ryan Higa, Fire Fighter III with the Department of Fire and Public Safety; and Tessie Ann Morimoto, O�cer Opera-tions Assistant II with the Department of Police. Although each of these employ-ees exhibit outstanding service and ded-ication to their work, the Lānaì Employee of the Year Selection Committee chose Victor Divina as the Lānaì Employee of the Year. Mayor Alan M. Araka-wa and County Council-members Elle Cochran, Donald Couch, Riki Hokama and Michael Victorino were on hand for the festivities, along with various department directors and deputies, all of whom thanked the attendees for their com-mitment to service. A special mahalo goes out to Maggie Masicam-po and Yvonne Alboro of Lānaì Senior Center for hosting the event, the

Lānaì Senior Serenaders for providing entertainment, and John Ornellas who served as em-cee.

Outstanding Lanaì employees honoredBy GERI ONAGA, Dept. of Personnel Services

County of Maui’s Lanaì Employee of the Year Victor Divina of the Dept. of Parks & Recreation with Mayor Alan Arakawa and Councilmember Riki Hokama.

Elected o�cials with Lanaì Employee of the Year Nominee Mel-vin Catiel, Equipment Operator with the Dept. of Public Works ki Hokama.

Elected o�cials with Lanaì Employee of the Year Nominee Ryan Higa, Fire Fighter III.

Elected o�cials with Lanaì Employee of the Year Nominee Tes-sie Ann Morimoto of the Police Dept.

Budget Director Sandy Baz gives a pule at the Lanaì Em-ployee Recognition Luncheon.

A couple from Lanaì at Lanaì Senior Center.

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Turn around, don’t drownBy ANNA FOUST, Civil Defense Agency Did you know that �ash �oods are the leading cause of direct weather-related deaths in the State of Hawaii, far exceeding the toll caused by high wind events and tropical cyclones? Although �ash �oods in Hawaii can occur during any month of the year, these events are most frequent during the Hawaiian wet season, which runs from Octo-ber through April. Maui Civil Defense Agency re-minds all citizens to be prepared for �ood hazards.

Here are a few tips for you and your family to prepare for Wet season:• Clean gutters and drainage ditches • If you live in a �ood-prone area, identify your evacuation routes ahead of time• Plan for Increased road travel times or pos-sible detours due to �ooding• The wet season brings increased potential for lightning strikes -- outdoor activities may be postponed, canceled, or adjusted • Be prepared for possible power outages

Follow these Safety Rules:• Move indoors during a thunderstorm• If �ooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of areas subject to �ooding. This includes dips, low spots, canyons, washes etc.• Avoid areas already �ooded, especially if

the water is �owing fast. Do not attempt to cross �owing streams. Turn Around Don’t Drown!• Road beds may be washed out under �ood waters. NEVER drive through �ooded roadways. If your vehicle is suddenly caught in rising water, leave it immediately and seek higher ground.• Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threaten-ing conditions.• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize �ood dangers.

Subscribe to emergency civil defense alerts and civil defense noti�cations on the County website at http://co.maui.hi.us/list.aspx. Monitor media, NOAA Weather Radio, Internet sources for chang-es in weather conditions.

On the Web: Maui County Civil Defense: http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.aspx?nid=70NOAA National Weather Service Honolulu HI: http://www.weather.gov/hawaii/ NOAA Climate Prediction Center: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/ U.S. Drought Monitor: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

Fire extinguisher training to be held Dec. 14By RONALD STEBEN, Dept. of Public Works

An informative and important �re extin-guisher training will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 14 in the parking lot behind the Kalana Pakui building. Class times will be at noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

A similar training was held on December 7 and well received by 69 county personnel. Taught by Maui Fire De-partment Public Educa-tion O�cer Kapono Stupplebeen, the class is a fun and informative experience. “Kapono is an excellent teacher and ambassador for the Maui Fire Department,” said Dept. of Public Works’ Safety Specialist II Ronald Steben.

Those interested in attending any of the Dec. 14 classes can contact Steben at [email protected] or call 270-5726 to sign up.

O�ce of Council Services Director Ken Fukuoka uses a �re extinguisher to put out a �re.

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Sun Yat-sen monuments dedicatedMayor Alan Arakawa and the Maui County

Council welcomed Overseas Compatriot A�airs Commission Minister Wu Ying-yih of Republic of China in Taiwan, his delegation and decedents of Dr. Sun Yat-sen when they arrived on Maui on Nov. 14. Both parties and County o�cials then traveled to Sun Yat-sen Park located in Keokea.

A dedication ceremony was held to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of The Modern Chinese Rev-olution and honoring the life of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, known as the Father of the Modern China. It was during his youth while going to school in Honolulu, and later in exile while he and his family lived with his brother Sun Mei in Kula and that he organized the successful overthrow of the Qing imperial gov-ernment.

“It was the Chinese community here on Maui that rallied behind Dr. Sun Yat-sen,” said Mayor Arakawa. “His brother Sun Mei, a Keokea resident, was one of the wealthiest Chinese in Hawaii and he poured his entire fortune into his brother’s work.

We are all proud of the role that Maui played in modern Chinese history in becoming a demo-cratic society and world power.”

A ceremony was held at Sun Yat-sen Park in Ke-okea, during which time the County dedicated a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen, two granite stone lions and a granite stone Chinese gate, all donat-ed by the Sun Yat-sen Founda-tion for Peace and Educa-tion.

At Kepani-wai Park in Iao

Valley, a second bronze statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, two granite stone lions, and granite stone panels inside the Chinese pavilion tell-ing the history of Chinese in Maui were dedicated.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen statue at Keokea Park, located along Lower Kula Road.

Mayor Alan Arakawa shakes hands with Lily Sun, grand-daughter of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. In between Mayor Arakawa and Lily is Minister Wu Yink-yih of the Republic of China in Taiwan

Dr. Sun Yat-sen statue in Kepani-wai Park, located in Iao Valley

Zeke Kalua, O� ce of the Mayor: “There have been many challenges in my life as I can assume others experience as well, but it is always impor-tant to be thankful for the things that we have and not remorseful for things we do not. I am thankful for the ability to be here with the County doing work for the people and thank God for the strength and knowledge to do so everyday. I am also thankful for this opportunity as I know many are still in challenging times economically. Recently, I have been blessed with a wonderful woman in my life and her son and soon the birth of my � rst child. God is good and at times an ev-erlasting faith in my life and I know that with him all things are possible. Make this day and all of your days great, and ‘Mele Kalikimaka Ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou.’”

Nadine Gomes, Dept. of the Corporation Counsel: “My � rst wish for this holiday season is for my nephew, Chaise Kahula (a former employee of DWS), to be warm, healthy and safe as he just left Maui to start his Army basic training in Missouri. Secondly and my biggest wish for this Holiday season is for people to remember the true mean-ing of Christmas. Yes, stimulating the economy is great but the true meaning of Christmas is lost in the lines of the stores. Perhaps if we remember why we celebrate Christmas, peace on Earth and good will to men (and women) will follow.”

Sarah Shim, Kaunoa Senior Center, Dept. of Housing & Human Concerns: “I am wishing that Christmas will be full of laughter, love and “ono” foods.”

Leon Burgos, Dept. of Water Supply: “As the holi-days are near, we may have a lot of wishes; some wants, some needs. I’d like to look back and be thankful of this year. Thankful for our health, families and our accomplishments. Thankful for a job were we can make a di� erence.’”

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Holiday Wishes from County Employees

This holiday season, please keep Jilienne Prutch (aka Jilee-Bean - 2 year old daughter of Joe Prutch in Current Planning) in your thoughts and prayers as she was recently diagnosed with leukemia (Type “ALL”) and will have to undergo 2 ½ years of chemotherapy treatments. The success rate for beating this bone marrow can-cer is very high, like 90-95%, so the parents, Joe & Danielle Prutch, are remaining positive that their little girl will be cancer free in a few years.

Joseph Prutch, Planning Dept.: “ I would like to personally thank the entire Planning Depart-ment for all the love and support they have showered on my family since the diagnosis. The support, love and prayers have been tremen-dous and really help to keep our spirits up. My fellow co-workers got together and donated $500 to help Jilee...incredible! Thanks so much to you all, we love you very much and appreci-ate all that you have done. : )

Let’s Get Healthy!Earlier this year, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa and Managing Director Keith Regan, serious about good health, announced the creation of the County of Maui’s Health & Wellness Program, the goal of which is to improve the health and well-being of County of Maui employees’ lives through health education and activities that will support positive lifestyle change thereby resulting in improved employee productivity and morale and healthcare cost savings for the County of Maui.

Walking on Wednesdays- Wednesdays at noon. Join Managing Director Keith Regan in a 30-minute walk. Location varies each week. For more information, call 270-7211.

Sutji Gunter’s Free Zumba Classes at Kahului Community Center Annex - For more information, call Sutji at 244-9161 ext. 28.

A Free Session on the Benefi ts of Aroma Therapy - Monday, Dec. 19, noon to 1 p.m., Mayor’s Lounge. Presented by Alicia Kalepa.

Sessions for County Employees:

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At the wonderful suggestion of Sarah Shim of the Department of Housing & Human Concerns, The High Street Journal will feature a healthy recipe each month. If you would like to submit a healthy recipe, please email Sarah at [email protected] or contact her at Kaunoa Senior Center.

TURKEY SALAD

Serves 6

3 Cups Cooked Cubed Turkey Breasts1 Can (16 oz.) Pineapple Tidbits (drained)1 Can (8oz.) Sliced Water Chestnuts (drained)4 Green Onions (sliced)

Combined above ingredients and serve with fat free honey mustard dressing.

Healthy Eating Corner

Let’s Get Healthy!Holiday Safety Tips

• When preparing a holiday meal for friends and fam-ily be sure to wash hands, utensils, sink, and anything else that has come in contact with raw poultry. Keep in mind that a stu� ed bird takes longer to cook. • Never defrost food at room temperature. Thaw it in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. • While doing holiday cooking, keep your knives sharp. Most knife injuries occur due to dull blades.• When displaying a tree, cut off about two inches off the trunk and put the tree in a sturdy, water-holding stand. Keep the stand � lled with water so the tree does not dry out quickly. • Stand your tree away from fi replaces, radiators and other heat sources. Make sure the tree does not block foot tra� c or doorways.

• When putting up holiday decorations, always use the proper step stool or ladder to reach high places. Don’t stand on chairs, desks or other furniture. • When you climb, always face the ladder and grip the rungs to climb – not the side rails. Always keep three points of contact on the ladder whether two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand. • When climbing, keep your hips between the side rails and do not lean too far or overreach. Reposition the ladder closer to the work instead. • Prepare your car for the winter by checking items such as the brakes, spark plugs, battery, and tires. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended interval for a tune-up.

By THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCILSubmitted by Ronald Steben

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Transportation users asked to complete survey

The County of Maui, in collaboration with the Maui Accessible Transportation Coalition, is seeking infor-mation from anyone in the community who provides paid or unpaid transportation services to children, youth, teens, seniors, veterans, the disabled and other riders. All providers of transportation service, includ-ing non-pro� ts, for-pro� ts, faith-based groups and volunteers are being requested to complete a short online survey. Survey results will be compiled and distributed to better educate the public and to fa-cilitate coordination of transportation services in the community.

It is important that the inventory of transportation services be comprehensive and complete, so if you do not provide transportation, but know of someone who does, please ask them to contact Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO.) It is important that only trans-portation providers take this survey so in order to get the online survey address please contact Debbie Cabebe at [email protected] or call her at 243-4342 no later than Dec. 16, 2011.

Kaunoa seeks unwrapped toys for tots Kaunoa’s Re-tired & Senior Volunteer Pro-gram (RSVP) is welcoming do-nations of new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots through Dec. 15, in conjunction with the 3rd Annual Dance for Tots Zum-bathon Event, sponsored by Rayo’s Latin Fitness.

Donations will be delivered at the event on Saturday, Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m. at the Wailuku Community Center. A toy can represent hope to a child in need. Help Kaunoa bring hope to the children of Maui County by donating one or more new, unwrapped toys for a boy or a girl, up to age 12. For more information, contact Dana Acosta at 270-7323.

Pictured with dozens of toys for tots from last year’s toy drive are Zumba instructors Carolina Rivera-Louie and Rayo McPhee.

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County welcomes Seo-gu to Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and Seo-gu Mayor Hwan Yong

Park exchanged gifts and letters of intent as they solidi-�ed their sister-city relationship during a ceremony on Nov. 15.

The letter signing ceremony was the culmination of a trip that began in July, when Mayor Arakawa, Council Chair Danny Mateo and a small delegation from the County traveled to Seo-gu to see if Mayor Park was interested in establishing a sister-city relationship.

Last month, it was Mayor Park’s delegation from South Korea who traveled to Maui and o�cially accepted the invitation to begin the sister-city process by signing and exchanging letters of intent.

“As the United States and Korea come closer in �naliz-ing the free-trade agreement, it will improve opportuni-ties for our next generation,” said Mayor Arakawa. “As we

sign a letter of intent today, we are setting the building blocks for the future.”

“Anyone can make an appointment but to execute that appointment is not an easy task,” Mayor Park said. “Since we made an appointment today to build stron-ger cooperation, we must now show how we keep that promise with a strong will and constant endeavor.”

Seo-gu is a district of Daejeon, South Korea’s �fth larg-est metropolitan area. Seo-gu is known as the culture and art hub of Daejeon, a green city that once initiated a �ve-year, one million tree planting project and a place that is dedicated to its youth, with many cultural, aca-demic and sports facilities located throughout the city.

For more information about Seo-gu visit their website at http://www.seogu.go.kr/ and click on the “English” translation button at the top right of the page.

We are each so fortunate to have such wonderful people in our lives, friends, co-workers, loved ones that play a signi�cant part and are important to us. Our lives would certainly not be the same without them. The High Street Journal wishes to share our employees’ good news, be able to get to know each other better and spread these small, but pre-cious joys that add spark to our lives.

This section of our newsletter is your place….to share special moments – whether big or small – and give those well-deserved “ho’omaika’i” to these people in your life. It’s your stories to share your own special moment or that of someone special to you, to express gratitude, praise and/or share the simple but abundant joy it has brought to your life, that which is truly the blessings of life! Please enjoy the following submissions as writ-ten and provided by your fellow employees of the County.

Congratula-tions to Riley Regan, Dain Lee and their �rst grade class of Emmanuel Lutheran School for an awesome performance in the 39th annual Na Mele O Maui Song and Art Competition. Riley is the son of Managing Director Keith Regan and Lynn Araki-Regan. Dane is the son of Kahului Fire Station Captain Brandy Lee and Rhea Lee. Riley & Dane’s class, along with the kindergarten class of Em-manuel Lutheran School garnered 2nd place in their division at the competition that was held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater on Nov. 17. Na Mele O Maui is a renowned student song and art competition showcasing the talented youth of Maui County in perpetuation of our rich Hawaiian culture. Congratulations Emmanuel Lutheran School students! Pictured above are Riley’s Grandma Ann Araki, Riley and Chelsea Konno, daughter of Mayumi and Darren Konno of the Department of Transportation. Chelsea also performed with her Kindergarten class of Kahului

School. Not only did they sing beautifully but they had a lot of fun, too! Great job Riley and Chelsea! We’re so proud of you!

Congratulations to ten-year old Evan Sparkman, son of Duane and Erin Sparkman, and grandson of Peggy and Don Medeiros, Execu-tive Assistant with the Department of Management. Evan is a sixth grader at Iao Inter-mediate School, and after only recently starting at the Ki�mann Maui Elite studio just a mere three months ago moved up in

belt ranking! Proud grandpa Don shares: “Evan achieved his yellow belt in Tae kwon do on his �rst try of testing held on November 17th! He’s doing great! We’re so proud of him!” Evan also entered his �rst martial arts competition on November 26, 2011 in the seventh annual Maui Open Tae Kwon Do Championship. Certainly a memorable action-packed weekend, the family also celebrated Evan’s 11th birthday on November 27th! Congratulations and happy birthday Evan!

We got wind of some BIG news from the Ginoza home front. Nine- year old Kylie Ginoza and six-year old Karissa Ginoza, daughters of Kim and Kyle Ginoza, Director of Environmen-tal Man-agement, were both selected as “Wildcat of the Month” for Wailuku

“Kupaianaha Blessings of Life”

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By AGNES HAYASHI, Dept. of Management

See BLESSINGS on next page

Elementary School! Kylie was selected Wildcat of the Month for Mrs. Schmidt’s 4th grade class for October and Karissa was named Wildcat of the Month for Ms. Nguyen’s 1st grade class for November. Kyle attributes his daughters’ aca-demic talents to his wife Kim; he says, “She really gets involved and takes the time to help them in their school work.” Congratulations Kylie and Karissa! Keep up the good work! Kyle also tells us that his daughters’ talents and skills extend beyond academia as well. Shown in this pic-ture are Karissa and Kylie proudly holding a �ve pound papio that they caught with their Dad on their most recent �shing trip! I guess we’ll have to wait on the �sh story….

Viki and Jock Yamaguchi, Executive As-sistant to the Mayor, extend a loving happy birthday wish to their daugh-ter, Sachi Jaclyn. Sachi, a kindergar-

tener at Wailuku Elementary School turned 5 on Nov. 30. Mom Viki and Dad Jock celebrated Sachi’s birthday with a birthday party which included a specially made

Angry Bird piñata that Jock made all by himself just for Sachi because he says that’s her favorite game. Jock proudly claims that’s the �rst piñata he ever made and is excited about his new-found creativity! Sachi and her birthday party guests had a great time! Happy Birthday Sachi!

Michele McLean, Deputy Director of Planning, shares exciting news learned from employee Carolyn Cortez: “The Maui High School March-ing Band and Color Guard captured 1st place honors in the AAA division at the Kamehameha/Mililani Festival of Bands on Nov. 5, at Mililani

High School on Oahu!” Experi-encing the thrill of the competi-tion and big win for Maui High School are the Color Guard Seniors; pictured are Caitlyn Cortez (far left), daughter of Conrado & Carolyn Cortez (who also was recently recog-nized as the Planning Department’s Employee of the Year), with friends. The only neighbor island school participant in the festival �elding 16 marching units, the Maui High School Marching Band and Color Guard, consisting of 73 winds, 19 percussion, 31 color guard and 3 drum ma-jors took the �eld and earned an overall festival rating of “Superior” - one of only two schools to

achieve the top rank in the festi-val. We were also excited and proud to �nd that so many of our employ-ees have children

that also belong to the band and added to the success-ful performance: Marlena Cua (Drum Major), daughter of Ann Cua of the Department of Plan-ning; Kiana Hiranaga (Flute), daughter of Bev Hiranaga of the Department of Housing and Human Concerns; Kristen Kagoshima (Clarinet), daughter of Cindy Kagoshima of the Depart-ment of Fire and Public Safety; Tad Okazaki (Alto Saxophone), son of Grace Okazaki of MIS/ Department of Management; Erica and Bren-nan Wells (Color Guard Captain and Saxophone, respectively) children of Scott Wells of RPT/De-partment of Finance; Dayna Yoshimura (Drum Line), daughter of Michele Yoshimura, Execu-tive Assistant to Councilmember Joe Ponta-nilla; Marisa Cousin (Tuba), daughter of Tony Earles of the Department of Police; Kyra Vila (Saxophone), daughter of Lito Vila, MVL/Depart-ment of Finance; Kelby Hiromoto (Drum Line),

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BLESSINGS continued from previous page


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daughter of Lance Hiromoto, Director of Person-nel Services; Willard Peralta, Jr. (Trumpet), son of Willard Peralta of the Department of Environ-mental Management; Alani and Mikaela Blando (Trumpet and Drum Line, respectively), daughters of James Blando of the Department of Fire and Public Safety; and Chelsea Baclaan (Color Guard Captain), daughter of Rose Baclaan of RPT/Depart-ment of Finance. Under the direction of Kerry Wa-sano, this year’s production entitled, “The Pathway” earned trophies in the following categories: Drum Major, 3rd place; music execution, 2nd place; color guard, 1st place; general e�ect, 1st place; march-ing and maneuvering, 1st place: percussion, 1st place, and, soloist, 1st place. Michele McLean also informs, “The band and its sta� was recognized by County Council Resolution and Mayoral Proclama-tion on Dec. 2, in Council chambers for their out-

standing achievements, exceptional performance, commitment, perseverance and team spirit which have brought pride and honor to the people of the County of Maui.” Warmest congratulations to the Maui High School Marching Band and Color Guard! You de�nitely proved Maui No Ka Oi. We appreci-ate your hard work and are so proud of you!

Congratulations to the amazing feats accomplished by Aysha and Kai Nishibayashi-Rincon, children of Juan Rincon and Irene Nishibayashi-Rincon, and grand niece and nephew of honorable Mayor Alan Arakawa, and also to Chelsea and Christo-pher Kau, children of Helene Kau of the Depart-

ment of Water Supply. They all competed successfully in the 7th Annual Maui Open Taekwondo Champion-ship hosted by Ki�mannTae-kwondo, Inc.

that was held at the War Memorial Gymnasium on Nov. 26. Kai took the gold in four competitions: the red belt 12-13 years old sparring division, black belt 12-13 years old sparring division, the pair poomsae and the individual poomsae. Aysha won the gold in the pair poomsae, the bronze in the individual poom-sae and silver in the 14-15 years old red belt spar-ring division. Chelsea won the gold in the green

belt 12-13 years old individual poomsae and silver in the 13+ sparring division. Christopher took the gold in the green belt 10-11 years old sparring division and individual poomsae. What skill and focus! We are so proud of you! [This year’s tourna-ment included competitors from Maui, California, Texas and Canada. Masters Gunter and Kathryn Ki�mann have been teaching Taekwondo on Maui for over �fteen years.

Congrat-ulations to Chase Nak-agawa, son of Karene and Eric Nak-agawa of



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the Dept. of Environmental Management. Chase, a freshman at Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus and percussionist with the school band, was cho-sen by his band teacher, Mr. Laufou, to be in “Na Koa Alii”, the Hawaii All-State Marching Band that participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year in New York. Pictured is Chase (center left on the previous page) pausing for a moment while marching in the parade. Bearing the cold weather, Eric and and Karene accompanied their son Chase to the East Coast to enjoy their son’s performance. Na Koa Alii is comprised of 400 high school stu-dents from 41 Hawaii high schools from the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Big Island, with each of the band students selected by the school band director. The Hawaii All-State Marching Band was only one of eleven marching bands from across the nation to be invited to perform in the Macy’s Pa-rade this year. Na Koa Alii �rst journeyed to Wash-ington D.C. where they performed for Congres-sional delegates, then culminated their trip with

the march in the Macy’s Thanksgiv-ing Day Parade. Also select-ed for this high honor were Maui High School seniors

Marisa Cousin, daughter of Tony Earles of the Maui Police Dept. and Kyra Vila daughter of Lito Vila of the Dept. of Finance/MVL. Besides the band performances, Eric shares this picture of Chase and comments “enjoying pizza at Brooklyn’s �nest at Grimaldi’s piz-zeria!” What an awesome experi-ence! Congratulations! We are so proud of all you!

The ninth �oor extends heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Colleen Chang, EA Secretary of the Mayor’s O�ce, who served the County of Maui for twelve years. Presented with a certi�cate and gift by Chief of Sta� Herman Andaya, sta� bid her aloha on Nov. 30. Joining the County in 1999, Colleen was �rst an Executive Assistant to Council-member Dennis Nakamura and then to Council-member Mike Molina from 2000 to 2010. Since Jan. 2011, Colleen served as Secretary to Mayor Executive Assistants Jock Yamaguchi, Bill John Medeiros, Mike Molina and Rob Parsons. The Mayor’s O�ce bene�ted from Colleen’s willingness

to help others, dedica-tion and hard work. Colleen leaves us with her

farewell remark “Helping people is the best reward for me!” Con-gratula-tions Col-leen! We will miss you….

Samuel Kalama Intermediate School announced their Renaissance Students for the First quarter of the 2011-2012 academic school year. Kalama Intermediate School’s Renaissance program rec-ognizes students that excel in the combined areas of academic achievement, good citizenship and

community service. Of exemplary performance were the achievers of the 4.0 grade point average. Our warmest congratulations go to Braiden and Jordyn Paa, children of Edward Paa of the Department of Finance (MVL). Braiden and Jordyn (twins) both achieved a 4.0 grade point average with 14

other students of their seventh grade class. Also accomplishing this 4.0 academic honor with 10 others in his eighth grade class of 250+ students was Thomas Hayashi, son of Duane and Agnes Hayashi of the Dept. of Manage-ment. Awesome job stu-dents! Congratulations!



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Jay Buzai-nis, Capital Improvement Project Coordi-nator with the Dept. of Man-agement, is thrilled about his wife, Junko Nagoshi and her perfor-mance in the recent Maui Makani Classic event held Oct 27-Nov. 1. Jay proudly shares that his wife Junko captured 1st place in the Open Women Wave Divi-sion! Sponsored by the County of Maui and Ameri-can Windsur�ng Tour, the competition included over 100 participants from countries all over the world such as Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, Gua-

deloupe, Germa-ny, Brazil, Canada, France, Chile, UK, Co-lombia, Holland, Russia, Finland and Morocco. A long-time wind-surfer of 16 years

in Japan and Hawaii, Junko �rst started compet-ing at the age of 22 with her very �rst competition here on Maui. Jay adds, “She’s been competing for 14 years now and has won notable awards such as the Hawaii State and Maui county Cham-pion (Slalom division) from 1999 to 2001, 2005 Professional Windsur�ng Tour Rookie of the year, 2005 2nd Place over all Professional Windsur�ng Tour(SuperX division), 2006 1st Place Aloha Classic (Wave division), 2009 3rd place overall Professional Windsur�ng Tour (Freestyle division), and 2009 2nd Place Professional Windsur�ng Tour Lanzarote (Freestyle division)”. Junko and Jay express their appreciation: “We just want to thank the County of Maui, Mayor Arakawa and the people of Maui for supporting a local event. It is much better to be able to compete locally than to spend many dollars traveling to other countries. I hope to see other

events on Maui in the future to help support the local businesses and local athletes. I would very much like to see windsur�ng become a high school sport in the future, like sur�ng.”

Mayor Alan Arakawa and Coun-cilmember Elle Cochran participated in the awards ceremony at the recent EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament.

Jock Yamaguchi, Mayor’s Executive Assistant, extends his congratulations to Duke “who defeated Kansas in the championship game 68-61 to win the Wayne Duke Championship Trophy. Duke captured their �fth Tournament title and remain-ing undefeated in Maui!” Jock also shares a picture taken with a new friend made at the tournament – Kansas Jay Hawk mascot. The annual tourna-ment, arguably the premiere pre-season college basketball tournament in the nation, ran on Maui from Nov. 21 – 23.

To all of you, we most especially extend you our warmest wishes for a safe and blessed holiday sea-son. This is the time to truly appreciate our families and loved ones, for they truly are our Kupaianaha blessings of life! We hope this time brings much joy, love and peace to you and yours! Merry Christ-mas!


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THE HIGH STREET JOURNAL - Maui County