Nuff Sedd Has More to Say
Local band celebrates new CD with a party at the MACC.

Article from: The Maui Weekly

Nuff Sedd—David Wood, Duane Rosa, Kit Okazaki and Joshua Kahula—will celebrate the release of a new CD, Life … in a Song, at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Nuff Sedd burst onto Hawai‘i’s entertainment scene several years ago with a fresh, innovative interpretation of reggae music. On Saturday, Sept. 17, the local band with a huge following will celebrate the release of its new CD with a party under the Yokouchi Pavilion at Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC), beginning at 6 p.m. Special guest artists are The Kryptones, Alika Nako‘oka, Pi‘ilani Arias, Lia Live and HHB.
With the release of their debut album, Open Doors for Strangers, Nuff Sedd dominated record sales and drew sell-out crowds throughout Hawai‘i and the South Pacific. At the 2005 Hawai‘i Music Awards, the band won “Best New Artist,” “Group of the Year” and “Song of the Year” awards.

Raised on the slopes of Haleakalä in Upcountry Maui, the band members have performed together for over 10 years. Members include Joshua Kahula (lead vocals, guitar and songwriter), David Wood (bass guitar, songwriter), Kit Okazaki (tenor saxophone) and Duane Rosa (drums, percussion).

In recent years, the guys have been writing, composing and recording, and have now completed their much-anticipated second record. The new CD, titled Life… in a Song, includes ten tracks of cutting-edge original music, which masterfully crosses genres, including island, reggae, rock, acoustic and R&B.

From the band that brought our community hits like Cherry Bomb, Life is Perfect and Simple Eye, the new CD is guaranteed to be one of the top releases of 2011 in Hawai‘i. Their first single from the record Bits & Pieces currently dominates the airwaves across the state and the Pacific.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on show day (plus applicable fees). This concert is only open to adults 21 years and over. Call the MACC Box Office at 242-SHOW (7469) or go online to MauiArts.org

Article From: The MauiWeekly

The 29th Annual St. John’s Kula Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in lovely, cool Kēōkea. This festival is always greatly anticipated by Maui residents and visitors alike as a tradition that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
This year, a new layout will facilitate easier access to all the food, fun, fundraising, entertainment and events, but will still showcase the spectacular views of the valley and coasts and offer everything that everyone has come to expect from this event.

The festival will showcase delicious food, including Portuguese bean soup, waffles with fresh Kula strawberries, a wonderful vegan curry, grilled-on-the-spot hamburgers made from Maui Cattle Company beef, fudge, plate lunches, fresh Chinese chicken salad and more, as well as cold drinks and coffee.

Fresh Kula produce, plants and cut flowers, baked goods, a gift shop with handmade items and an assortment of treasures, beautiful gift baskets, a wide variety of crafters, children’s games, free face painting, a silent auction and live entertainment will be offered all day long.

The festival stage will showcase Uluwehi Guerrero’s choir, Na Leo Lani O Maui; Derick Sebastian; the Hula Honeys; and SideTracks. Entertainment will also include the Future Stars of Maui—Gabrielle Goebbert and Austin Carvalho (together known as “The Flow”), The Mill with Christy, Lilly and Zoe and a surprise or two.

Proceeds from this annual event are usually shared with a variety of local nonprofit organizations each year, which are selected by the church, but this year, the organizers decided to focus on one nonprofit. This year’s beneficiary is Hospice Maui; specifically, to contribute to building a 12-bed hospice unit, Hale Ho‘olu‘olu, a place for comfort, compassion and care.

The vision for Hale Ho‘olu‘olu is more than bricks and mortar, construction and staff jobs—it is to help patients live out their lives more peacefully, with more dignity and with less pain, and to provide comfort for the families whose grief is then lightened. It is the highly skilled compassionate team of Hospice Maui caregivers who assist the patients and their families through this transition. Their ideality is a community pulling together to invest collectively in Hale Ho‘olu‘olu, making a peaceful end-of-life experience a reality for all of Maui. Learn more about the hale at http://www.hospicemaui.org/hooluolu.

St John’s Episcopal Church has been a community center since its beginning in 1900 and continues by offering its facilities for a number of community organizations, operating a pantry that distributes boxes of food to families in emergency situations, and holding a Fellowship Dinner on the last Friday of every month where all are welcome to come and enjoy a free meal and friendship.

Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. For more information, or to contribute to the auction or volunteer your time, call (808) 878-1485.

St. John’s is located at 8992 Kula Highway across from Kēōkea Park.

Tourism Related Jobs Could Top 159,000

By Sonia Isotov
Article from: http://www.mauinow.com

Expected growth in Hawaii’s visitor industry job count could reach as high as 159,542 in 2011, according to a statement released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).

The statement issued by the HTA was a reaction to statements made by President Obama and Governor Abercrombie last night regarding the importance of job creation in order for our state and nation to fully recover from the economic downturn.

“Hawaii’s visitor industry helped to provide 152,864 jobs in the state in 2010, the largest generator of jobs among the major industry sectors. Tourism is also the largest single source of private capital into Hawaii, with visitor spending reaching $11.4 billion and contributing to $1.1 billion total tax revenue,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO Hawaii Tourism Authority, in a written statement.

“With new airlift, marketing and destination experience-based programs, we anticipate the number of tourism related jobs to grow to 159,542 by the end of 2011. Tourism is a natural export for Hawai‘i and the US and provides a strong foundation for our economy.”

Groundbreaking of Pu’u Kukui Elementary

By Wendy Osher
Article from: wwww.mauinow.com

Maui broke ground today on a new $37.1 million elementary school that will serve the growing Central Maui community of Wailuku.

Pu’u Kukui Elementary School, which is roughly translated as “Hill of Enlightenment” is expected to accommodate an estimated 550 students in grades K-5.

The 98,562 square-foot facility will sit on 14 acres of land provided by Kehalani Mauka, LLC, and is scheduled for completion by August 29, 2012.

During today’s ceremony, Governor Neil Abercrombie emphasized his commitment to education and the critical role of Hawai’i’s keiki.

DOE Superintendent Ronn Nozoe, Sen. Pres. Shan Tsutsui, and Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa join in digging shovels into the ground at the groundbreaking of Maui’s newest elementary school. Photo by Wendy Osher.
“Two of our most important goals right now are to grow jobs in our economy and invest in young people,” said Gov. Abercrombie. “By building a 21st Century campus at Pu’u Kukui Elementary, we will be doing both. Our administration is investing our dollars into putting our children first,” he said.

Senate President Shan Tsutsui of Maui took a moment to thank the late Rep. Bob Nakasone who was among those who worked to secure a $14 million appropriation during the 2007 legislative session to plan, design and construct the new school.

“It was his (Nakasone’s) vision, his commitment to public education and really supporting our keiki, that drove projects like this back to our community here on Maui,” said Sen. Pres. Tsutsui.

Tsutsui said the project will bring hundreds of much needed jobs to the island of Maui for the next several months. He said over the long term, it will result in a positive impact not only on the surrounding community here, but for neighboring schools as well.

Senate President Shan Tsutsui (left) and DOE Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe (right) were among the dignitaries in attendance at the groundbreaking of Wailuku’s second Elementary School. Photo by Wendy Osher.

State and county leaders stood alongside DOE represenatives as groundbreaking got underway for the new Pu’u Kukui Elementary School on Maui. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Governor Neil Abercrombie poses for a photo with construction crews at the new Pu’u Kukui Elementary School in Wailuku. Photo by Wendy Osher.
“We need to not only treat this as a new building, but as a building block on a different way to deliver education, so that the rest of the state can follow us,” said Wesley Lo, the Department of Education Representative for Maui.

The Governor expressed a similar sentiment saying, “We’ve got to recognize what’s happening across the state, but particularly on Maui. It’s so exciting to be on Maui. You can see change–you don’t have to talk about it–you can see the change that’s in the air,” said Gov. Abercrombie.

“It’s clear to me that as far as Maui is concerned and perhaps symbolically for the whole state, this is a new start. This is a new day,” he said.

The campus will consist of eight buildings and a covered play court. Buildings include four classroom structures, an administration builidng, a library/media center, and a student center.

The Department of Education will also seek LEED (Leadership in energy and Environmental Design) Silver Project certification. Under the designation, the school will be fitted with an air conditioning commissioning program, and natural day lighting design for energy conservation.

“This school, this commitment, is an investment in our young people,” said Gov. Abercrombie, “and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Bob and Donna Hansen were featured on the front page of today’s edition of the Maui News at our great $4.5 million listing at 75 Opalipali Place. Here is the link to the article featuring insight from UH economists and Bob and Donna Hansen of our Hansen Ohana:
The Maui News

For information on 75 Opalipali Place or to speak with Bob, Donna or Clint Hansen please call or email us anytime.