Maui News  

The Maui Film Festival launches its 11th season Wednesday with its head in the stars, its heart on its sleeve and its feet firmly and conscientiously planted on the planet.

Continuing for five days and nights through June 20, its more than 35 screenings are divided between its signature outdoor Celestial Cinema in Wailea, and the big Castle Theater screen at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

This year’s films strike a balance between compassionate and thought-provoking, mixing tender comedies of first love with heart-hitting documentaries. True to its tradition, there are cinematic celebrations of surfing and music-making as well.

On the celebrity front, teen heartthrob Zac Efron and surfing auteur Taylor Steele will be honored in awards tributes, presented for the first time this year in the Celestial Cinema, where cameras will provide close-ups visible throughout the majestic amphitheater.

For more on the festival, go to: http://www.mauifilmfestival.com

Due to the triathlon there will some road closures in the South Maui area. See below for the locations.

1. “Lane Closure” Wailea Alanui Dr. (Far Makai lane) from the Marriott to Kaukahi St.

2. “Lane Closure” Kalai Waii St. from Wailea Mauka Rd  to Wailea Ike Dr.

3. “Lane Closure” Wailea Ike Dr. from Kalai Waii St. to Piilani Hwy.

4. “Road Closure” Piilani Hwy from Wailea Ike Dr. to Kilohana Dr.

5. The remainder of the bike and run course is open to the public with bikes on the shoulder of the road.

 June 9, 2010- Maui News

More than 2,000 acres of brush went up in smoke Tuesday, and the fire remained uncontained as of 9:45 p.m. The blaze left black swaths of charred slopes in the West Maui Mountains above Maalaea. 

The blaze forced officials to close Honoapiilani Highway from its intersection with Kuihelani Highway to Ukumehame from around noon to 6 p.m. The closure stranded thousands of visitors and residents, and about 100 people were evacuated from areas threatened by the fire or affected by thick smoke. 

The evacuations included a handful of Maalaea residents, shoppers and workers at the Harbor Shops at Maalaea, shoreline campers, a half-dozen employees at the Kaheawa wind farm and boat operators at Maalaea Harbor. 

HARD TO FIND IMPROVED KIHEI COMMERCIAL LOT

***MLS #342379***

-11000+ sf fully graded, level, and fenced with ornate stainless steel entry gate commercial lot

-Utilities to site include telephone, tv cable, underground 220 electricity and County water

-B-2 Zoning

Priced to sell at $498,000

Call Clint Hansen at (808)280-2764 for more information or for a showing.

Thursday, May 27, 2010 

Visitor spending in Hawaii increased a modest 0.5 percent year over year to $760.2 million in April, marking two straight months of growth, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. 

Visitors from the U.S. West, Hawaii’s biggest market, spent $296.8 million in April, a 5.6 percent increase from the year before. 

The biggest percentage increase in visitor spending came from Canadians, who spent 24.5 percent more in April, totaling $60.2 million. 

The slight boost in visitor spending came courtesy of a 1.1 percent increase in visitor arrivals by air — to 536,194. 

Hawaii saw a boost in visitors from the U.S. West and Canada, with increases of 5.8 percent and 2 percent, respectively. But visitor arrivals from both the U.S. East and Japan were down for the month, by 4.7 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively. 

The statistics measure spending by visitors who arrive by air and do not factor in spending from cruise ship passengers. 

Overall visitor arrivals by air and cruise ship (which brought in 15,865 visitors in April) increased by 1.9 percent to a total of 552,059 visitors year over year. 

Among the major Hawaiian islands, Maui continued to see the biggest increase in visitor arrivals, up 3 percent to 161,140 in April. It is the only island to see continuous growth in visitor arrivals since the start of the year. 

Maui also saw an 8.9 percent increase in visitor spending in April, which totaled $202.1 million. 

Year-over-year results from Hawaii’s top visitor markets for April: 

• 5.8 percent increase in arrivals by air (245,203 visitors) from the U.S. West; 

• 4.7 percent decline in arrivals by air (119,768 visitors) from the U.S. East; 

• 1.4 percent decline in arrivals (83,230 visitors) from Japan; 

• 2 percent increase in arrivals (33,259 visitors) from Canada. 

Read more: Visitors to Hawaii spend slightly more in April – Pacific Business News (Honolulu)