High Street Journal the an Official Publication of the County of Maui High Street Journal an Official Publication of the County of Maui NOVEMBER 2016
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The High Street Journal The An Official Publication of the County of Maui High Street Journal An Official Publication of the County of Maui NOVEMBER 2016 MAUI COUNTY READIES FOR 3RD ANNUAL MADE IN MAUI COUNTY FESTIVAL LIFESAVING RESCUE PERFORMED AT PUKALANI POOL THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS page 1 The High Street Journal An Official Publication of the County of Maui CONTENTS The High Street Message from the Mayor.................................................................................... 3 Journal M.D. Minute............................................................................................................. 4 Happenings at the County ............................................................................... 5 PUBLISHER / EDITOR Lynn Araki-Regan Maui County readies for 3rd Annual Made in Maui County Festival...................................................................................................................... 7 EDITORIAL COORDINATORS Lois Whitney Tiffany Iida Participate in Family Volunteer Day, Just in Time for Holiday Herman Andaya, Jr. Season ...................................................................................................................... 9 Rod Antone PHOTO COORDINATOR Lifesaving Rescue Performed at Pukalani Pool by Parks Staff ......... 10 Ryan Piros Kulia i ka nu`u ........................................................................................................ 11 CONTRIBUTORS Dana Acosta Hawaii Recreation and Parks Society (HRPS) Donates Baseball Darlene Ane Equipment to Hale Makana O Waiale .......................................................... 14 Mayor Alan Arakawa Karen Arakawa National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week -November 14-20.. 15 James Buika Jan Inouye-Ogata New Online Registration System Launched for PALS Sue Kiang Winter Session ....................................................................................................... 16 Michelle Makii Linn Nishikawa Explore life at 55! .................................................................................................. Karin Phaneuf 17 Keith Regan Thanksgiving Safety Tips .................................................................................. 18 Janice Shishido Wendy Stebbins Kupaianaha (“Blessings of Life”)..................................................................... Ronald Steben 19 Jacky Takakura Pam Townsend POLL: During this Thanksgiving Season, what are you most Leecia Viela grateful for? ........................................................................................................... 20 Sharon Zalsos Winter Break Junior Lifeguard Sessions Offered ..................................... 20 Photo Gallery ......................................................................................................... 21 Cover Photo: Linn Nishikawa page 2 The High Street Journal An Official Publication of the County of Maui MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR Aloha everyone, Recently, we had our Employee of the Year Awards for Maui County. It was a great event and although I know that the winners will be highlighted in next month’s newsletter, I wanted to list them here: - Moloka’i Employee of the Year, Guillermo Dela Cruz, Building Maintenance Repairer II for the Department of Parks & Recreation - Lana’i Employee of the Year, Tessie Morimoto, Office Operations Assistant II for the Maui Police Department - Maui Team of the Year, Amos Lonokauila-Hewett; Eric Neuhart, Linonel Montalvo, Scott Martin, Jeff Watanabe, Chad Sambrano, Michael Howe, Kodi Shepley, Nikolai Reuss, Joshua Dukes, Oliver Vas and Kamuela Guth of the Fire Ground Operations Program for the Department of Fire & Public Safety - Maui Manager of the Year, Luz Domingo, Grants Program Manager, Department of Housing & Human Concerns - Maui Employee of the Year, Laureen Perreria, Administrative Services Assistant I, Department of Public Works All of these employees have done an outstanding job one way or another and I just wanted to say a big mahalo to everyone who does their best to make Maui County the best community in the world. I would also like to take this time to mention the incredible amount of work that our crews in Iao Valley have been doing ever since September 13th. Public Works has a responsibility to ensure our flood control works as it should. The flood control did its job this time and we want to make sure that it is ready again should another flood event like the one that happened in September take place. Because without the flood control it is very likely that everything from Iao Parkside to Waiehu Beach Road would have been covered in water that day. So the work that we’re doing is all about protecting life and property. I would also like to thank your Parks Department for their emergency repair work on Kepaniwai Park as well as the Police Department for keeping all unnecessary motor vehicle traffic out of Iao Valley. All we can do now is to continue making emergency repairs and hope that another flood event doesn’t happen until they are complete. Also I’d like to thank Anna Foust and her team down at Civil Defense. They continue to try and inform our Iao residents on what is going on in the valley, as well as coordinate with FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. There’s still so much work to be done, but I just wanted you all to know that I’m proud, very proud, of the work you’ve been doing so far. Mahalo. Mayor Alan Arakawa page 3 The High Street Journal An Official Publication of the County of Maui M.D. Minute A Message from Managing Director Keith Regan Never was so much owed by so many to so few.” – Winston Churchill Veterans Day offers a good opportunity to thank all those who have served our country and those who are serving now. It’s an extraordinary time in our nation’s history, with much speculation and uncertainty surrounding the upcoming presidential election, violence both here at home and overseas, and even racial tensions spilling over into the streets in many mainland cities. Here at home we are nearing the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, which evokes mixed emotions of sadness for those who perished in the attack and lingering shame over the ensuing internment of thousands of Japanese-American citizens. It was a time of fear and distrust, a chapter in our islands’ history that many would rather forget. Yet I would argue, it is important to remember. One aspect that we remembered recently at the County was the honorable service by members of Civil Air Patrol, which this year also turns 75. On December 1st, 1941, six days before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the nation’s Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was founded. Approximately 200,000 men, women and teenagers from all walks of life participated in CAP during WWII, largely without recognition or reward; an estimated 65 volunteers lost their lives in the line of duty by the end of the war. Movie stars, future businessmen, future airmen and aspiring pilots – they all were amongst the ranks of the unpaid CAP volunteers who flew their own planes or borrowed planes for a total of 24 million miles between March 1942 and August 1943. During these flights, CAP volunteers helped ward off German U-Boat attacks, escorted thousands of convoys and made aerial surveys that resulted in the reporting of floating land mines, ships in distress, dead bodies and 363 survivors floating in the water. Other CAP members patrolled the country’s border by air, keeping watch for forest fires and potential saboteurs, conducted search and rescue missions and provided disaster relief and emergency transport for people in crisis. Perhaps one of the most important functions they also fulfilled was training future pilots, a tradition which to this day continues as one of the main draws for CAP cadets. As Captain Chantal Lonergan said, ”Civil Air Patrol is about teaching our youth leadership, and it is simply amazing to watch them transform from teenagers into leaders during a few short months.” One such youth leader was honored recently at the Mayor’s Office during a ceremony hosted by Civil Air Patrol Maui County Composite Squadron, and attended by Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Eric Michael Lazo was promoted to Cadet Second Lieutenant and received the Billy Mitchell Award. The Maui County Composite Squadron saluted his contributions to the organization and thanked him for choosing to continue his service to our nation with the United States Air Force; he heads off to basic training in a few days. Also recognized was World War II veteran First Lieutenant Calvin Pardee III, who was presented with a Congressional Gold Medal for his distinguished service providing extraordinary humanitarian, combat, and national services during a critical time of need for our nation. It is with deepest gratitude that I extend our thanks to both of these Civil Air Patrol members, as well as all of the past and present CAP members, who are to be commended for their service and for the honor they bring to our community. Keith Regan Managing Director page 4 The High Street Journal An Official Publication of the County of Maui Happenings at THE COUNTY VIDEO, MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS mauicounty.gov. MAPPING INITIATIVE LAUNCHED “We used to see several cases of imported The Maui District Health Office and the suspect cases of mosquito-borne diseases County of Maui today announced it has coming into Maui each year,” Dr. Pang jointly launched a video and mapping noted. “Now we’re seeing several of these initiative to disseminate information about cases per month.”