From humble roots to sold-out headline shows, Grammy-nominated reggae group Rebelution returns to Maui with special guest Tribal Seeds on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the show kicking off at 6 p.m. at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s open-air A&B Amphitheater and Yokouchi Pavilion.

This will be a return visit for Rebelution, which was founded in Isla Vista, CA, in 2004. The group’s first visit to Hawaiʻi was in 2007, with their inaugural show in the state held on Maui.

Since the release of their breakout 2007 debut “Courage To Grow,” the band has released five consecutive records that have charted highly on the Billboard Reggae Charts, and multiple that held the No. 1 spot. In 2017, they received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album. Rebelution’s electrifying live performances have earned them sell-out headline shows from Red Rocks to The Greek Theatre, as well as festival slots at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, ACL, Glastonbury, and more.

Special guests Tribal Seeds are known for their spiritually driven, refreshing rock vibe infused with the roots reggae style rounding out a reggae superstar night of music. They return to Maui after having performed alongside SOJA at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in 2023.

Tickets for all General Admission (no reserved seats); $49, $99 (VIP) plus applicable fees; VIP tickets include exclusive access to a standing section in front of the stage, the Yokouchi Pavilion restrooms and VIP bars for those in the 21+ section. / A current photo ID required for all to access any 21+ section.

Maui’s 23^rd Art of Aloha will take place on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, featuring ten artists from around the world.

The following individuals will feature their works: Robert Lyn Nelson, Ronaldo Macedo, Dario Campanile, Steve Turnbull, Carrie Graber, Donna Young, Caroline Zimmermann, Alex Bernstein, Sienna Nelson and JP Marsman

The celebration at Lahaina Galleries in The Shops at Wailea will feature the artists’ newest collections, created exclusively for Art of Aloha. The single-day, free event opens to the public from noon to 3 p.m.

Artists attending detail

Robert Lyn Nelson (Maui)
Visionary abstract artist of modern impressionism, cubism and beyond. Creator of the modern marine art genre.

Ronaldo Macedo (Brazil, Maui)
Hawaiʻi’s award-winning plein air artist. Capturing Hawaiʻi, California and iconic Lahaina town. 

Dario Campanile (Italy)
Roman master and creative force of extraordinary abstract expressionism.

Steve Turnbull (Maui)
Maui-based free flowing abstract wood, stone and bronze sculptor.

Carrie Graber (California)
Master luminist and figurative painter in soft realism. Captures Retro Hawaiʻi and the California lifestyle with a Mid Century Modern flare.

Donna Young (Washington)
Figurative expressionist with a distinct, unique style influenced by many cultures, eras and techniques.

Caroline Zimmermann (Italy) 
Unique impressionistic interpretations of Tuscan landscapes, tranquil seascapes and modern florals.  

Alex Bernstein (North Carolina) 
Award-winning, contemporary, abstract glass sculptor known for melding glass and steel. 

Sienna Nelson (Maui)
Maui based impressionistic artist inspired by nature and the beautiful island of Hawaiʻi. 

JP Marsman (The Netherlands) 
Hyperrealism with a twist. Surprising combinations of vibrant objects arranged in a surreal composition.

Guam native Sean Perez has taken the reins as new finance director at Hawai‘i Community Lending.

According to an announcement, he’s excited about making great things happen for the Native Hawaiian community.

“I enjoy hearing the success stories of new homes that we will soon be building and finding for these families,” he says. “HCL’s mission resonates well with me and my passion to help others and assist our community.”

Perez will manage HCL’s finances, accounting, compliance and information technology matters. He’ll also work with HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath and supervising three division managers.

Perez comes to HCL with more than eight years of experience in financial management in the nonprofit and private, for-profit sectors having worked in the legal, social service, health and telecommunications industries as well as with the US Attorney’s Office of Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

In his previous job as director of operations for the Hawai‘i State Bar Association, Perez gained experience in nonprofit financial management and extensive background in accounting, grants management, information technology and human resources.

Currently living in Honolulu, Sean was born in Tamuning, Guam. When he was 10 years old, he moved to Oxnard, Calif., where he attended school and eventually community college. He joined the Air Force Reserves after graduation, leading him to serve three and a half years as an aircrew flight equipment technician at March Air Reserve Base in California.

After his military service, Perez returned to his childhood home of Guam, where he went to college to obtain a degree in finance and economics, and then to pursue a Masters in Business Administration.  On O‘ahu, he enjoys family life with his fiancée and toddler son; fishing and surfing in his time off.

“I look forward to accomplishing great things with HCL and creating new success stories,” he said.

Maui County will host two public aerial firework displays this year—one at the Grand Wailea Resort and another at the Four Seasons Resort Lānaʻi—according to a recent announcement from the Maui Fire Department. The department reminds residents that the import, transfer, sale, or use of aerial fireworks outside of permitted displays is illegal, extremely dangerous, and punishable as a Class C felony.

The sale of New Year’s Eve consumer fireworks starts Friday, Dec. 27 and ends Wednesday, Jan. 1, according to MFD. No permit is required for consumer fireworks, such as sparklers, snakes, and cone fountains emitting effects no higher than 12 feet, during the designated time frame of 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

However, a firecracker permit is required for the use of firecrackers and will be sold only at certain locations in Maui County, including eight locations on Maui, two locations on Lānaʻi, and two locations on Molokaʻi:

• Foodland Kaʻahumanu, 90 Kāne St., Kahului
• Foodland Kīhei, 1881 S. Kīhei Road, Kīhei
• Foodland Pukalani, 55 Pukalani St., Pukalani
• Foodland Kehalani, 255 Kehalani Village Drive, Wailuku
• King’s Cathedral, Walmart parking lot, 101 Pakaula St., Kahului
• Nāpili Market, 5095 Nāpilihau St., Suite 107-A, Lahaina
• Pacific Starr Fireworks, Piʻikea Village Shopping Center, 281 Piʻikea Ave., Kīhei
• Safeway Maui Lani parking lot, 58 Maui Lani Parkway, Wailuku
• Pine Isle Market, 356 8th St., Lānaʻi City, Lānaʻi
• King’s Chapel, 1001 Fraser Ave., Lānaʻi City, Lānaʻi
• Misaki Market, 78 Ala Mālama Ave., Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi
• Take’s Variety Store, 29 Mohala St., Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi

Each firecracker permit costs $25 and allows a purchase of up to 5,000 pieces of firecrackers. There is no limit to the number of permits issued to each person. Permit applicants must be 18 years or older and show proof of age at the time of purchase.

The Maui Fire Department also reminds residents of the following rules regarding fireworks use:

• Fireworks can only be legally set off from 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
• Setting off fireworks outside designated times is punishable by law. Violations are subject to fines of up to $5,000.
• Aerial fireworks are illegal and extremely dangerous. The import, transfer, sale, or use of aerial fireworks without a permit is a Class C Felony.

General Prohibitions:

• It is unlawful to remove or extract pyrotechnic contents.
• It is unlawful to throw any ignited fireworks from a moving vehicle.
• It is unlawful to set off fireworks within 1000 feet of healthcare facilities and facilities for animals.
• It is unlawful to set off fireworks near schools.
• It is unlawful to set off fireworks on public roads, in County parks, at County facilities, cane fields, or places of worship.
• It is unlawful for any person without a permit to set off, ignite, discharge or otherwise cause to explode any fireworks within 500 feet of any hotel.
• It is unlawful for any person to offer for sale, sell or give any fireworks to minors, and for any minors to possess, purchase, or set off, ignite or otherwise cause to explode any fireworks, except that the parents or guardians may allow the minor to use fireworks while under the immediate supervision and control of an adult.

Safety Tips Regarding Fireworks Use:

• Fireworks can be dangerous, causing serious burns and eye injuries.
• Young children and fireworks do not mix. Never give fireworks, even sparklers to young children. Sparklers burn at temperatures of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Older children should only use fireworks under the direct supervision of an adult.
• Always read and follow all warnings and instructions listed by the manufacturer for the safe use and handling of fireworks.
• Make sure you have a clear, flat area to use the fireworks; away from structures, dry grass or brush, or other readily ignitable materials.
• Have a water hose or bucket of water readily available in case of a fire.

Public Aerial Fireworks Display Locations:

• Grand Wailea Resort
  3850 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea
  Dec. 31, 2024 – begins approximately at 11:59 p.m.
• Four Seasons Resort Lānaʻi
  1 Mānele Bay Road, Lānaʻi City
  Dec. 31, 2024 – begins approximately at 11:59 p.m.

“The use of fireworks to celebrate the start of a new year is a privilege that Maui residents continue to enjoy. Unfortunately, this activity increases our community’s risk of fire and fire related injuries,” says a recent Maui Fire Department announcement. “To ensure our community can continue celebrating the start of the new year with fireworks and avoid the risks associated with their use, please remember to do the following: supervise children using fireworks, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety tips provided, use common sense, and watch out for each other’s safety. Let’s all have a safe and enjoyable New Year’s celebration and continue to celebrate the start of every new Year with fireworks. The best way to stay safe is to not use fireworks in the first place… Leave fireworks to the professionals.”

For additional information on fireworks permits, contact the Maui Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau at 808-876- 4690 or refer to the Hawaii Revised Statutes 132D here.

The Pacific Whale Foundation is offering a whale watch program for school groups of children in the 2nd through 5th grade.

The program includes a 90-minute whale watch led by foundation education team members. Participating teachers will also have the opportunity to schedule an in-person classroom presentation before the whale-watching trip.

So, far 141 students have already participated in the program.

“They saw several whales, including a very active mother and calf pair, while learning about identifying humpback whales from their tail patterns, whale anatomy, migration patterns, and heard a live humpback whale song,” according to an announcement.

For more information, visit the foundation website here.

With a mission to protect the ocean through science and advocacy, and to inspire environmental stewardship, Pacific Whale Foundation conducts research, education, conservation and outreach programs for the communities in which it serves: Maui, Australia, Ecuador and Chile.

Founded by Greg Kaufman in 1980 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the world’s whales from extinction, the foundation now operates a social enterprise that offers fee-based programs and services through PacWhale Eco-Adventures to help fund its nonprofit work.

Hawaiʻi has been selected by the US Department of Labor as one of 13 states, along with the District of Columbia, to participate in the National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network initiative, according to an announcement from the Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

The NEON initiative provides “core states” with critical capacity-building support, policy development assistance and ongoing mentoring to promote employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, the announcement says. With this partnership, Hawaiʻi aims to strengthen its commitment to Employment First principles and implement sustainable strategies that enable individuals with disabilities to thrive in the workforce.

“This selection is a testament to Hawaiʻi’s dedication to creating inclusive and competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities,” said Council Executive Administrator Daintry Bartoldus. “Through the collaborative efforts of Hawaiʻi Employment First Task Force, Hawaiʻi is poised to make significant strides in advancing disability employment policies and ensuring every individual has the chance to succeed in the workplace.”

The NEON initiative, administered by the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, focuses on expanding competitive, integrated employment opportunities. This approach ensures that individuals with disabilities work alongside people without disabilities in jobs that pay competitive wages and offer opportunities for growth.

By joining the NEON initiative, Hawaiʻi gains access to federal resources and technical expertise that will enhance its efforts to empower individuals with disabilities. The Hawaiʻi Employment First Task Force will lead the state’s engagement with the NEON initiative, working closely with community partners to implement innovative policies and practices.

Hawaiʻi’s participation in the NEON initiative was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Hawaiʻi Employment First Task Force, a coalition led by the Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

The task force includes representatives from the Developmental Disabilities Division, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Education, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Division, Department of Labor, Statewide Independent Living Council and Work Now Hawaiʻi. Together, these agencies and organizations are advancing policies and programs to ensure individuals with disabilities have equal access to meaningful, competitive and integrated employment opportunities.

Ma Ka Hāna Ka ‘Ike has received $15,000 from the Servco Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Servco Pacific Inc.

Ma Ka Hāna Ka ‘Ike provides vocational training and skill development through hands-on experiences for preschool to high school youth in Hāna.

The foundation gave $15,000 each to three other Hawai‘i nonprofits:

• Protect & Preserve Hawaiʻi gives back to the environment through mauka to makai conservation efforts and aims to protect Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems and cultural heritage.
• Hoʻōla Nā Pua (New Life for Our Children) is committed to the prevention of sex trafficking while providing care for girls who have been exploited.
• Project Hawaiʻi Inc. provides holistic support to over 1,600 homeless keiki across the state.

The nonprofits were selected by the Servco Foundation based on recommendations by Team Serve, an employee-led committee at Servco that helps identify, support and coordinate various community service events.

“We’re grateful to partner with the Servco Foundation every year to support local nonprofits doing incredible work in our communities,” said Lauren Pelascini, Community Relations Manager at Servco. “We’re thrilled to see these organizations continue to drive change and have a positive impact on Hawaiʻi’s environment, economy and community.”

Founded in 1919, Servco Pacific Inc. is Hawaiʻi’s largest private company with operations in the mobility and musical instruments businesses. The company ranks among the top 15 automotive dealer groups in the US with exclusive distributorships of Toyota, Lexus and Subaru in Hawaiʻi. It is the largest Toyota dealer group in Australia.

This year was “Makahiki o nā Manu Nahele: Year of the Forest Birds,” officially proclaimed by Gov. Josh Green, M.D., in January. An estimated 47,000 people engaged in bird-related education events over the year with the goal of raising awareness about Hawaiian forest birds and their plight. But for the birds themselves, it was a complicated year filled with both troubling declines and new rays of hope.

The most critically endangered forest birds continued to experience declines. Kauaʻi’s ʻakikiki is now considered functionally extinct in the wild, with five or fewer wild birds remaining. Declines in wild populations of Kauaʻi’s ʻanianiau and ʻakekeʻe and Maui’s kiwikiu spurred additional collections of birds for captive breeding populations which attempt to prevent extinctions. On Hawaiʻi Island, the population of palila has declined to around 500 individuals, driven largely by invasive predators like cats, rats and mongooses.

It was also a year of inspiring persistence for forest birds. Five ʻalalā (Hawaiian crow) were released into the forests of Maui in recent weeks, marking a historic return to the wild after years of existing only in captive breeding centers.

On Kauaʻi, one of the last remaining wild ʻakikiki, a female named Pakele, was seen with a potential mate named Liko. On Maui, a kiwikiu known as MAPA1 continues to be seen in Maui’s forests years after researchers thought the bird had disappeared due to disease.

As these birds cling to existence, new developments in conservation tools are providing hope for a healthier future.

Conservation crews with the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project spent 2024 implementing the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) to reduce the number of mosquitoes in forests, thereby reducing the threat of avian malaria.

The tool is set to expand to Kauaʻi in 2025, hopefully in time to save Pakele, Liko and any offspring they might have. The partnership Birds, Not Mosquitoes released a new documentary in 2024 titled “Vanishing Voices,” which details the threat of avian malaria and the hope presented by the IIT. The documentary is now available online.

Another sign of hope for forest birds is an increase in awareness among Hawaiʻi residents. A recent pair of surveys by the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species and American Bird Conservancy found that the proportion of Hawaiʻi residents who could not name a Hawaiian forest bird dropped from 59% in 2017 to 24% in 2024.

As the Year of the Forest Bird closes, students from across Hawaiʻi submitted video messages to DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) sharing how they learned about birds in their classrooms and why they hope that these birds will continue to be part of Hawaiʻi for generations to come. Those videos will be shared on Instagram by accounts from DOFAW and partners in the Year of the Forest Birds campaign, which include the Kauaʻi and Maui Forest Bird Recovery Projects, Kamehameha Schools, Bishop Museum, Birds Not Mosquitoes, The American Bird Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and others.

Any time 75-year-old Bo Pardau heads out to do a blackwater dive in deep water off the shore of Kona, he hopes he’ll see something extraordinary.

On March 14, he did. Through his mask, he saw a 2-inch long cystisoma amphipod.

Using his Canon 7D Mark II camera with a 60-millimeter macro lens, Pardau of Kona captured the intricate detail of the amphipod’s body with big strobe lights attached to the underwater housing.

Pardau’s image of the deep-water crustacean won the grand prize in the National Wildlife Federation’s 53rd annual photo contest, in which 3,200 photographers submitted 29,000 images.

Editorial director of National Wildlife magazine Jennifer Wehunt said Pardau’s photo has so much personality and somehow felt familiar “for a creature most of us will never see in the wild.”

Wehunt added: “We try to avoid personifying wildlife, but it’s hard to look at this photo and not think, ‘jaunty!'”

In the magazine, Wehunt wrote that so much of photography is about waiting for the right moment: a subtle shift in lighting, a gentle breeze, a serendipitous encounter.

“When those stars align, boom! The result is like a flashbulb,” Wehunt wrote. “The photographer feels it, and so do we as viewers, even months or years later. It’s an instant jolt with longevity, a precise second that transcends time.”

On the night he took the photo, Pardau had gone out with friends on a private boat to look at the animals coming from depths of 4,000 feet to feed at the surface about three miles off the Kona coastline.

“We look for any larval animal or critter coming up from the deep,” Pardau said. “Conditions that night were quite good. It was a clear night with little chop on the water.”

All of sudden, Pardau remembers seeing one of the other divers looking at the most “fascinating thing” he’d ever seen: a cystisoma amphipod.

Pardau described the crustacean as looking like it was walking and lurking. He knew that the 2-inch-wide transparent creature with multi-eyes like flies would make a fascinating image.

It was the largest thing he has seen out in the blackwater. Most creatures are much smaller.

Pardau won $5,000 as the grand prize winner. He says it will go toward a diving trip to the Philippines.

With categories ranging from baby animals to birds to landscapes to people in nature. Photographers could enter multiple photos and multiple categories.

Click here to view all the winners.

National Wildlife magazine’s 54th annual photo contest is open for submissions from Jan. 15 through March 23, 2025. According to the National Wildlife Federation website, all entries support the conservation mission of the organization, ensuring wildlife and people thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Renate Event & Design and The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua have announced the return of the Maui Songwriters Festival in collaboration with music industry leader, Sony Music Publishing Nashville. Taking place Jan. 15 through Jan. 18, this 10th anniversary event will see headliners Lee Brice and Joel Smallbone, from for KING+COUNTRY, take the stage alongside some of the best songwriters from Nashville.

This year’s festival brings the aloha spirit to life with world-class talent, including ward-winning hit songwriters, artists, producers, and composers from genres spanning Country, Pop, Rock, Americana, Hip Hop, Christian and R&B performing their No. 1 songs and sharing the intriguing stories behind them.

The 2025 festival opens with two complimentary community showcases at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua’s recently reimagined Alaloa Lounge on Wednesday, Jan. 15, and Thursday, Jan. 16. Nashville singer-songwriters Jordan Walker, Frank Ray and Trea Landon will bring their unique sound to the stage on Thursday, Jan. 16, setting the tone for the weekend. For those looking to experience the island’s local talent, Maui’s own singer- songwriters – Akoni Palomino, Tempa & Naor, Gail Swanson – will open the festival with intimate performances.

The festival’s ticketed events include a VIP Meet & Greet and Cantera Negra Tequila Tasting featuring a special performance by Frank Ray on Thursday, Jan. 16. Also debuting this year is the ‘Maui Songwriter Festival FIND’, spotlighting emerging artist Kurt Stevens, an unsigned singer-songwriter brimming with talent. On Friday, Jan. 17, guests can partake in a Wine Tasting and VIP Showcase headlined by four-time Grammy winner Joel Smallbone of FOR KING + COUNTRY and artist-actress MŌRIAH.

Later that evening, the popular “How I Wrote That Song” returns, featuring Grammy-winning songwriter Chris DeStefano alongside Randall King, Brice Long and Deric Ruttan. New to this year’s festival is a family-friendly Movie Matinee Screening on Saturday, Jan. 18. It features “Unsung Hero” 2024 GMA Dove Award Feature Film of the Year starring Joel Smallbone and co- produced by MŌRIAH.

The festival’s grand finale unfolds that night with the highly-anticipated Lee Brice & Friends Finale, along with a special Live Auction in the Aloha Pavilion, concluding the weekend with performances that also include the USAF Band ‘Hana Hou’ of the Pacific.

Katie Neal, the 2024 ACM National Daily On-Air Personality of the Year, will host all events.

With a focus on giving back to the community, a portion of the proceeds from the festival will be donated to the Maui Strong Fund, helping those affected by the Maui fires and to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui. Thanks to the generosity of Maui Songwriters Festival partner-sponsors and attendees, past festivals have raised $170,000 for the Maui community.

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit mauisongwritersfestival.com.