Maverick Helicopters made a heartwarming toy drop for local children of Lahaina in need on Saturday. With toys collected through Maverick Helicopters’ Holiday Toy Drive, Santa made an unforgettable arrival by helicopter to the Old Village Golf Course, delivering gifts and spreading the holiday spirit with the help of the Ritz Carlton Kapalua Resort, Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau and Junior Chamber International Honolulu Chapter. 

“Our hearts were so warmed by the kindness and generosity of our Maui community and were thrilled with the opportunity to bring holiday joy to the children of Lahaina,” said Jhoanna Punsal, area sales manager Hawaiʻi. “Our first toy drive in Maui County was a huge success, and we look forward to continuing the tradition for years to come.”

This annual holiday toy drive began at the company’s Southern California location and has expanded this year to include the Las Vegas and Maui operations. Across the three, Maverick Helicopters’ Holiday Toy Drive is anticipated to gather hundreds of gifts.

A newly released 250-page coffee table book, “Big Hearts on a Little Island” from author and Maui resident Victoria Moore, tells the story of how the people of Maui stepped up to help after the devastating 2023 wildfires.

Moore told Maui Now in an email that the level of community care following the 2023 wildfires was “humanity at its best,” and unprecedented for her even after 20 years of international aid work.

“While I was volunteering after the fires I kept finding myself thinking ‘I hope someone is writing this all down,'” Moore said. “I ended up taking it on as my own project, as an offering to my community, and recorded as many of those stories as I could.”

Moore spent a year interviewing nearly 200 Maui community helpers and gathering photos from across the island to weave together the thirteen chapters in this book.

The book features stories of brave first responders, shelter volunteers, convoys by land, air, and sea, grassroots resource hubs, donations that poured in from all over the island, and the local restaurants, businesses, and nonprofits that stepped up to feed and assist thousands of people in need.

The resulting work captures the essence of the Maui community’s response, serving both as an archive for those who lived through it and as a source of inspiration for generations to come.

The team behind the book offered their time and skills pro bono to continue the grassroots efforts reflected in its pages. All of the profits from sales will be donated to support the rebuilding and regrowth of the Lahaina Public Library.

Visit www.bigheartsonalittleisland.com to order a hardcover copy in time for the holidays. Shipping, on-island delivery, and pick-up options are all available.

The first two completed homes under the Housing for Healthcare initiative were blessed in a private ceremony held with the two new tenants and their families, both Maui healthcare professionals who lost their homes and belongings in the devastating Lahaina fires last year. The families moved into their homes this month.

The ceremony symbolized a new beginning for both families, who have been challenged to find stable, affordable housing since the fires. Project leaders say this marks a significant milestone in Housing for Healthcare’s mission to build a foundation of hope and stability for healthcare professionals on Maui.

Maui Memorial Medical Center nurse Leah Pyle and her family of five, lost their home, car, and all their belongings to the fire. After seven months living in multiple hotels with her teenage sons, they were able to find a short-term rental. However, the high cost of rent left them considering whether or not the best future for them was on Maui.

“I am so thankful to finally have some stability and know we can stay here until we are able to rebuild,” said Pyle.

Family practice physician Kyle Mouery, MD, who serves the Lahaina community, was also nearly left no choice but to leave Maui due to the lack of stable housing available for his family of six. Now, as one of the initiatives first tenants, he can remain on the island and continue to serve the community.

“All of our team in Lahaina lost something. Some of us lost family members, some of us lost our houses, we all lost our community,” said Dr. Mouery. “I honestly feel guilty to be among the first to be selected for this housing project as I know that so many people are struggling to find housing security. My family and I have moved five times in this past year since the fires, but we have been lucky to have been welcomed into the homes of my fellow colleagues and other rentals that have gotten us closer to our kids’ schools.”

Among those in attendance at the blessing were Maui Mayor Richard Bissen; Council Member Alice Lee; Maui Health Foundation Board President Tamar Goodfellow; Vice President Karen Williams; Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Melinda Sweany; Maui Health CEO Lynn Fulton; Kaiser Permanente’s Executive Vice President, Chief Health Officer, and Board Chair for Maui Health’s Board of Directors Dr. Bechara Choucair; Lehua Builders owner Sandra Duvauchelle and her team; and many Foundation donors who made these homes possible.

“I am deeply grateful to the past administration, our Maui County Council Members past and present, and for the determination of Tamar Goodfellow, whose commitment to the people of Maui turned this vision into reality,” said Mayor Richard Bissen. “These homes honor the selfless dedication of these healthcare workers who continued to care for our community despite enduring great personal loss.”

Maui Health CEO Lynn Fulton emphasized the importance of this project in ensuring a healthy future for Maui County, saying, “We’re here to improve the health of our residents and to do that we need talented clinicians that live on the island and are a part of our community. Housing is a fundamental health need, and this project is a seed that will help grow a flourishing community of healthcare professionals to care for our loved ones for many years to come.”

During the blessing event, Maui Health Foundation Board President Tamar Goodfellow acknowledged the many hands credited with the project’s rapid progress, which launched in May 2023 after the Maui County Council approved the gift of land. The Foundation’s inaugural Housing for Healthcare fundraiser kicked off in February and thanks to the generosity of Foundation donors and community supporters, has since raised over $9 million to date.

Kaiser Permanente’s fund at the East Bay Community Foundation provided a $10 million, low-interest construction loan to finance the project, crossing the final hurdle to officially break ground in March 2024.

The project’s development partner, Lehua Builders, and property management company Emerald Club Realty, Inc. also played a critical role, working to complete and lease the first two homes in less than seven months.

“Sandy from Lehua Builders offered us pre-registered home designs and worked with the county to expedite the building permits,” says Maui Health Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Melinda Sweany. “She also asked her subcontractors to match the pricing from her original project, saving the Foundation on supply costs.”

“These homes are proof positive that when we come together as a community, we can achieve incredible things,” said Goodfellow. “This initiative helps give healthcare workers peace of mind, allowing them to focus on what they do best—caring for our people.”

With partial funding from Hawaiʻi Community Foundation to build an additional 15 ‘ohana units, this exciting, first-of-its-kind housing project will provide 31 total units, available to lease at below-market rates, for healthcare professionals working in Maui County. Preference is given to those displaced by the Maui wildfires.

The units are located in Kahului, minutes from Maui Memorial Medical Center and other central Maui medical clinics that employ many in Maui’s healthcare workforce. Healthcare professionals who live on Maui may submit their interest online at www.mauihealth.org/H4H or contact Emerald Club Realty, Inc. at 808-242-6629.

Mokuʻula, once the spiritual and political center of the Hawaiian Kingdom, is the subject of a groundbreaking 360-degree animated film that will have its first public showing on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 at 6 p.m. at The Sphere at the Maui Ocean Center. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation presents the public premiere of E Hoʻi Ka Nani I Mokuʻula — Let the Glory Return to Mokuʻula, an evocative animated film that weaves together the powerful stories of the island’s royal past.

Nestled in the waters of Mokuhinia Pond, Mokuʻula was once the piko of the Hawaiian world. Revered as one of the most significant cultural sites in Hawaiʻi, this island served as a spiritual, political, and economic hub through all eras of Hawaiian history. Home to King Kamehameha III and a residence for Hawaiian royalty, Mokuʻula is a sacred place, and the dwelling of the powerful Mo’o guardian Kihawahine.

Today, the island lies buried beneath Malu ‘Ulu o Lele Park in Lahaina, inaccessible to the public, with only a few interpretative signs hinting at its historical and spiritual importance.

Efforts to share the stories of Mokuʻula with the broader community have been challenging, as the site’s physical remains are minimal and the artifacts to showcase are limited. However, since 2021, with the guidance of community members, cultural practitioners, and kūpuna, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation has embarked on an innovative way to honor the legacy of Mokuʻula through animation, using oral histories and expert guidance of Hawaiians connected to the site.

Creating an immersive experience for viewers through a 360-degree animation, this film transcends traditional museum displays and brings back to life the history of Mokuʻula, from its early significance as a sacred island to its role as the heart of the Hawaiian Kingdom and explores the ongoing efforts to restore and preserve its cultural legacy.

As part of a broader initiative to deepen public understanding and respect for Hawaiian heritage, this audiovisual exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity for the public to connect with it in a vivid and emotionally resonant way and marks a vital step in reviving the presence and significance of Mokuʻula in the community.

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation hopes this film will inspire deeper respect and curiosity about this sacred site, furthering efforts to protect and revive one of Hawaiʻi’s most sacred places.

Support provided by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program.

Event Details:

• Public Premiere: Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at 6 p.m.
• Cost: Free
• Reservation for this event is required: to reserve or for more information, visit LahainaRestoration.org or contact Kimberly@lahainarestoration.org
• Parking: Free
• Additional Free Showings: Friday, Dec. 13 and Dec. 27 at 6 p.m.
• Location: The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center, 192 Māʻalaea Rd., Wailuku, HI 96793

Luis Fuentes saved lives in Lahaina on Aug. 8, 2023, and is a fitting winner of the Maui Non-Profit Directors first Community Impact Hero of the Year Award. 

He fought back emotions as emcee Kathy Collins read the account of Fuentes’ heroism prior to the presentation of the award Thursday night at the organization’s annual meeting, held at the Maui Beach Hotel.

After pulling two children and their grandmother from their car on Front Street, he hurried them into the water as Bubba Gump Shrimp exploded in flames nearby. He videotaped a message on his cellphone, expressing to his family how much he loved them, then stashed the phone in his backpack and secured it with a rock up against a wall.

He dove into the ocean and treaded water for nine hours while supporting a 9-year-old boy. Numb from the chest down and burned shoulders up, Fuentes came ashore. Firefighters found him after midnight lying in the sand with his face buried in the rocks and gasping.

“This award is for the heroic efforts you took during the wildfires in putting others’ lives before your own,” Collins said.  

After the fires, Chef Fuentes of Island Catering volunteered his time, feeding those impacted by the fires. 

“Maui Non-Profit Directors association wants you to know it did not want your heroic efforts and your service to our community in a time of need to go unnoticed,” Collins said.

Recognizing Fuentes was one of the more touching moments of the evening with the organization honoring the Humanitarian of the Year, Community Business of the Year and one of its own as the Executive Director of the Year.

Before the awards, 2nd Circuit District Family Court Judge James Rouse swore in the organization’s officers: President Paul Tonnessen of the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center Maui; Vice President JD Wyatt, Ka Lima O Maui; Secretary Kandice Johns, UVSC (Us Versus Cancer); and Treasurer Richard Carr, Hawai‘i Animal Rescue Foundation. 

Board members at large are Judge Bevanne Bowers, Maui Mediation Services; Courtney Ikawa, Big Brothers Big Sisters; Nicole Hokoana, Maui Behavioral Health Resources; and Maggie Pulver, Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

The winner of the Humanitarian of the Year award was Greg Peros, who was nominated by the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center. Through his leadership with the Kiwanis Club of Maui Foundation, Peros raised funds during the holidays to provide 2,000 gifts to children in the Lahaina and Upcountry areas impacted by the wildfires. The drive was so successful, Peros was able to distribute leftover gifts to MEO and Children & Family Service.

The other nominees were Bri Collo, who spearheaded a group of Moms to collect school supplies to fill backpacks for children. Their efforts led to the distribution of 239 backpacks last year and the establishing of the nonprofit UNTO-ONE Foundation, which nominated her.

Justin Yanagida of Yanagida Fitness is an example of how fitness can change lives. An overweight child with asthma, he turned his life around through exercise and fitness. The author of “Fighting Sickness With Fitness,” he volunteers to work with MEO Youth Services middle and high schoolers on healthy lifestyles and self-defense.

The Community Business Award was presented to Mason Services of Maui, nominated by Big Brothers Big Sisters. The company has funded a scholarship for a Big Brothers Big Sisters high school graduate and has been a reliable sponsor for the organization’s two major fundraising events. Edgar Tomas accepted the award.

The other nominees were Hawai‘i Community Foundation, nominated by The Spirit Horse Ranch; Highridge Costa, MEO; Island Catering, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center; Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate, Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate, Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center; and T S Restaurants, UVSC. 

Ikawa, Maui Regional Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, was selected Executive Director of the Year by an independent committee that included business, government and other community leaders.

She “demonstrates the concept of leading from the front,” said her nominator Jessica Crouse, a Big Brother Big Sisters of Maui Regional Board member. “She is more than willing to take on any of the tasks she expects of her team and works alongside them.”

The other nominees were Matthew Bachman, Habitat for Humanity; Paige Deponte, Spirit Horse Ranch; Susie Thieman, Lōkahi Pacific; King Van Norstrand, Nā Hoaloha; and Art Vento, Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

In the wake of the devastating wildfires on Maui last August, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawaiʻi has been involved in several community efforts to help those impacted by the tragedy.

One of these efforts is a grassroots collective called Laukanaka to provide and deploy traditional Native Hawaiian healing practices to those impacted by the Maui wildfires.

The program connected Hawaiian cultural practitioners specializing in lomilomi (traditional massage) and hoʻoponopono (conflict resolution) for those impacted by the Maui fires. UnitedHealthcare supported the effort through a $25,000 grant that partially funded the initiative.

Laukanaka consists of two traditional “Pā” or school of learning. Pā Iwi Ola under the direction of Kumu Enrick Ortiz and wife Kaʻiulani Akamine, and Haku Hoʻoponopono Practitioners from Loea (experts) Richard and Lynette Paglinawan. Both groups work in tandem to offer an impactful cultural approach of healing for the wildfire survivors.

“The Hawaiian word ʻLaukanaka’ means ‘many people,’ in this instance, many people; lomilomi and hoʻoponopono practitioners coming together to serve those impacted by this recent tragedy,” said licensed massage therapist Enrick Ortiz of Pā Iwi Ola, whose business provides lomilomi therapeutic massages.

“Laukanaka” also implies inclusion of the many survivors who are “navigating their unique healing journey,” said Leni English, a Haku Hoʻoponopono Practitioner.

Through the program, the community affirmed the value of cultural practitioners as an effective and impactful response to healing, English added

“Laukanaka was deployed soon after the fire to help with the recovery by providing these Hawaiian healing sessions to foster a space of healing, respite and aloha,” said Ortiz, who operates Pā Iwi Ola with his wife, Kaiulani Akamine.

“At least 10 lomilomi and hoʻoponopono practitioners are deployed on a monthly basis to Maui to assist those impacted by the recent wildfires,” English said. “The community response has been positive. Many individuals and families, including children, frequently and regularly use our services. Laukanaka also offers a Keiki Korner with Aunty Kate (Kahoano)…and others who enjoy activities and kūkākūkā (talk story).”

Over the last 11 months, 931 Hawaiian healing sessions were provided to the Lahaina community, said Ortiz, consisting of 797 lomilomi sessions and 134 kūkākūkā sessions.

English credits the University of Hawai‘i Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana for being responsive to our community’s needs by organizing the initial resources that allowed for Laukanaka to launch quickly.

“UH Maui College became a hub of services for those impacted by the fires and many throughout the state,” English said. “Laukanaka was launched as a result of Enrick (of Pa Iwi Ola) reaching out to support Maui and our Chancellorʻs leadership.”

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort generously provided space for Laukanaka to serve the community in Lahaina, Ortiz said.

“For Hyatt management and staff, many of them were fire survivors themselves and were encouraged to use our services,” Ortiz added. “They shared how Laukanaka has had a positive impact on work morale.”

In addition to this latest effort to support the Maui Community, United Health Foundation previously announced a $500,000 donation directed to Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Maui Food Bank. Additionally, UnitedHealth Group employees worldwide were encouraged to participate in the “United for Giving” program which matches employee contributions, dollar for dollar.

“UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawaiʻi is committed to helping people live healthier lives and helping the health system work better for everyone,” said Kalani Redmayne, CEO for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawaiʻi. “Supporting Laukanaka to bring culturally relevant forms of healing to communities impacted by the wildfires is just one way we are working to live our mission for the people of Hawaiʻi.”

Like a flame-thrower fueled by hurricane-force winds, the Lahaina wildfire raced mauka to makai, reducing whatever stood in its path to smoke, ash, concrete blocks and twisted metal. Then it reached the town’s iconic Banyan Tree.

Despite devastation around it, the 60-foot-high tree survived, enduring into its 151st year this past April. Its leaves browned and curled in the immediate aftermath of the fire. Yet today the tree stubbornly sends out its lush green leaves in silence, a reminder that the eerily quiet ghost town remains off-limits to the general public almost a year after the disaster.

The tree’s resilience can be explained, to some degree, by happenstance.

Speaking with reporters last week during a media tour of the Lahaina burn zone, Maui County Arborist Tim Griffith pointed to the north corner of the Lahaina Banyan Court Park. Forty percent of the tree has been removed, the expanse of tree closest to that point at the intersection of Front and Hotel streets.

That’s also where there were a couple of two-story structures — Pioneer Inn and the Wharf Cinema Center — went up in flames. The fire “burned a lot hotter (there due) to more fuel,” Griffith said. “So this section just really got superheated and had no protection.”

“The rest of the block (mauka of the tree and Front Street) was one-story (buildings), and it had these two giant monkeypod trees between the banyan and the buildings across the street,” he said. “So that section didn’t burn as hot. The fire hit the monkeypods, went up the monkeypods, and kind of just flashed over the top. The monkeypods went up, died almost instantly. The bark started falling off within weeks. So they definitely took the brunt (of the fire) and acted as blockers for the banyan.”

Immediately after the fire, the banyan’s leaves were brown and curled, Griffith said, “but nothing down below was really burned. There’s no char on the trunks.”

The wooden benches underneath the tree — most of them survived, he said. So, did the wooden lamps.

“So, it was more of a flash over the top, as opposed to just the fire coming in at ground level,” he said.

As far as helping the tree recover, it’s going to need a lot of tender, loving care, probably over the next 20 years or so, Griffith said.

“The new growth, we do have to train it, prune it to create a canopy,” he said.

Cuttings from the tree are being cared for in various places, and they will be used to plant and try to return the tree to places where burned parts have been removed. Hopefully, newly planted parts of the tree will grow toward the parent tree and fuse together in the future, Griffith said.

The goal is to “re-establish the footprint that we had before,” he said. So, there’s a “minimum 20-year plan of just pruning every year, every couple of years, depending on how fast the trees are growing.”

Progress will depend on the health of the tree, and, if it’s not growing as fast as hoped, then there won’t be as much pruning.

The tree is outfitted with sensors to detect water flow into the tree.

In April, the Lahaina Banyan Tree reached 151 years old, after being planted on April 24, 1873, by Lahaina town sheriff William Owen Smith to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina.

The tree has been the largest banyan in the United States. It’s also listed as an exceptional tree in the state of Hawaiʻi.

Koholā Brewery is set for a grand opening July 21 as a taproom and restaurant at the Wailea Village shopping center.

This marks the second comeback for the independent craft beer brewery founded in Lahaina in 2014. The first came after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down operations for three months in 2020 at its West Maui Center, located off of Honoapiʻilani Highway. Then, after investors came to its rescue, the Aug. 8-9 Lahaina wildfire reduced the Lahaina business to ash and rubble nearly a year ago.

“Business was actually very good before the fire,” said Koholā Brewery owner and President Mary Anderson. “We had generated enough demand. We had brought on more capacity, and the company was really looking forward to a stellar year.”

At the time, the brewery employed about 16 people to brew and package beer, with other employees serving customers beer in the taproom at the front of the house, she said.

And, there was entertainment provided by mostly local musicians, playing contemporary Hawaiian music. “That was one of the really special things about the Lahaina spot. We used to kind of call it Lahaina’s living room,” Anderson said.

On the day of the wildfire, strong winds were howling, and Anderson said management decided not to open the brewery or taproom that day. The Launiupoko resident said she had been losing power at home.

“The taproom was supposed to open at noon (on Aug. 8), but it was obvious that the weather was just gonna be questionable at best,” she said.

Three employees came to Anderson’s home to seek shelter with their pets. Then, Maui police came to Launiupoko the morning of Aug. 9 to tell everyone to evacuate, she said. They sought refuge in Central Maui. But there was a harrowing three to four days trying to locate everyone without cellphone service. Fortunately, “everyone was safe,” she said, although “about 75% of my folks lost their homes. We were a very Westside-oriented company.”

Since the wildfire, “it’s been a very long road,” Anderson said. “It seems like more than a year has passed.”

The first decision, after the magnitude of the Lahaina wildfire disaster was grasped, was whether it was even possible to keep the business alive, she said.

“We had nowhere to brew. We had nowhere to package our product, and without that, what are we?” she said.

For three months, “frankly, we didn’t know up from down… Do we want to walk away from this business, or can we keep this thing alive? … We all care so much. There’s so much passion around the company.”

The answer came in the form of support from competitors within the state’s craft beer community, which Anderson said is “ridiculously generous.”

“We started to have conversations with the craft brewing industry here in the state around what were our options? What could we do?” she recalled. “We got many offers to help, but really what we needed to do was find that partner that we could create a sustainable, long-term business relationship.”

From that search, Koholā Brewery formed a partnership with Kona Brewing Co., the state’s oldest craft brewing company, on the Big Island.

“We were able to do a contract brewing agreement with them pretty quickly, which was amazing,” she said. “We flew over there. We worked on our recipes with them, and we were able to get out Talk Story Pale Ale back in tanks.”

And, with the help of Kona Brewing Co., Koholā Brewery was able to get all five of its core brands back on the shelves of supermarkets and grocery stores statewide. The brands are: The Waterman IPA; Talk Story Pale Ale; Lahaina Haze; Red Sand Amber Ale; and Lokahi Pilsner.

Talk Story received the Gold Medal Hawaii Craft Beer in 2023. Lahaina Haze won that medal in 2021, 2022 and 2023; and Lokahi Pilsner received a Silver Medal Hawaii Craft Beer in 2023, and a Great American Beer Festival Bronze Medal in 2016.

The Kona Brewing Co. shares a passion for craft beer, and “they love brewing our beers,” she said, adding that her company brewer, Robert Burn, has been working closely with Kona’s brewmasters to produce Koholā beer on the Big Island. It’s challenging, she said, “it’s like trying to walk into a different kitchen and cooking that same exact recipe.”

While it may seem ironic that a business competitor is helping save Koholā Brewery, “we’ve created a business relationship that is absolutely win-win,” Anderson said. “Great businesses do create long-term relationships as you find win-win.”

A silver-lining in the wildfire’s aftermath has been discovering the aloha spirit in the islands, and “people just fundamentally love our company and wanted it to be successful, and so anything that they could do to help us was really important for them.”

As for reopening at at new location in Wailea, Anderson said expansion was part of Koholā’s business plan before the wildfires, and a lease had been signed for the Wailea Village location before the disaster.

“We were very lucky because we were expanding the company. We were expanding our wholesale side, and we wanted to expand into this,” she said, gesturing to the new taproom/restaurant with indoor-outdoor seating.

The new location aims to give customers a food and beer experience, she said. “This is something we’ve never done before, which is very exciting.”

The restaurant’s menu comes with the help of former Pacific’o Executive Chef Isaac Bancaco, born and raised on Maui, who joined the Koholā team in March as vice president of operations. “We partnered with him and said, ‘Hey, how about, you know, making this thing something special?”

The new restaurant/taproom has more than double the seating space as the Lahaina site, she said. “We love the indoor/outdoor feel we’ve always had,” she said. “I think it’s a nice, very welcoming environment but casual.”

There are plans to offer entertainment at the new Koholā Brewery site, but the new business is also working with its neighbors to provide entertainment in the nearby courtyard, she said.

Menu and craft beers have been priced to be affordable to residents and visitors alike, she said.

For example, a Korean corn dog with Portuguese sausage, mozzarella cheese, Talk Story beer batter and mustard-mayonnaise is $13. A pothole fern salad with butter lettuce, local tomatoes and ska is $14, and a backyard poke bowl with fresh ahi, sesame-soy, seaweed salad and sticky rice is $21. Servings of Koholā flagship draft beers cost $8.50.

Koholā is Hawaiian for humpback whale, and the business’s logo features a whale tail in its design.

For more information, visit Koholā Brewery’s website here.

Akakū Maui Community Media, along with sister access stations ‘Ōlelo on Oahu, Hō’ike on Kaua’i and Nā Leo on Hawai’i Island, won two Hometown Media Awards at the Alliance for Community Media national conference in San Jose, California in late June, for a collaborative effort to broadcast a statewide vigil following the Aug. 8. 2023 Maui wildfires.

The Hawai’i Executive Collaborative (HEC), along with Rediscovering Hawai’i’s Soul, partnered with Public Access Television Stations in each county to simultaneously broadcast daylong, live, statewide, vigils from multiple locations across the Hawaiian Islands on Sept. 1, 2023. The intention of the ‘Kīpuni Aloha No Maui’ event was to bring much needed emotional and spiritual healing in the aftermath of the August wildfires. The sunrise, noon and sunset ceremonies were rooted in Native Hawaiian practices and included leaders of diverse faiths.

The event generated more than 541 stories, and mentions from local, national, and international media outlets with an estimated 5.84 million views.

The collaborators earned recognition for their topical and technical achievement. 

Akakū’s production team, led by Production Director Kat Tracy, covered vigils from Moloka’i and Hāna, in addition to east, central, and west Maui.

“Akakū is honored to have helped produce this unprecedented, live, statewide broadcast with the HEC,” organization leaders said.

Highlights from the vigil are available online at: bit.ly/Maui-Vigil.

Rising from the ashes: building walls and a foundation

Walls are now in place for the first home to be rebuilt in the Lahaina impact zone since the deadly August 2023 wildfires. It’s a visual reminder of the hope that exists among those wanting to return to their beloved neighborhoods, and an encouraging sign of progress as displaced residents work their way through the permitting and construction process.

“I was in complete denial that the fire would ever get to my home,” said Gene Milne who was in the process of building his home on Malanai Street when the Aug. 8 fire tore through the neighborhood, killing at least 102 people and destroying much of Lahaina Town.

Milne was evacuated at around 8 p.m. on Aug. 8, and waited at Wahikuli Wayside Park with hopes of returning to his home when the smoke had cleared, but when he finally gained access a couple of days later, what he found was complete loss. “It was devastating to us… we had hearty siding… it was as fireproof as it could possibly be,” said Milne of his home, which was 70% complete with a finished ʻohana unit that he had been living in for almost a year.

“We were taken in by some neighbors, some friends, for a couple of weeks. Then we moved back to my mother’s place out in Henderson, Nevada,” said Milne, who spent the last 10 months on the mainland, where his wife remains until more of the rebuild is complete.

While Milne was walking on solid ground Wednesday, there were times in the last several months that he felt discouraged and almost pulled the plug on his rebuild.

“One of the biggest [problems] was we ran into some issues with our soil testing, and we didn’t have a lot of answers. That was really disturbing. It was hard emotionally to deal with. We got to the point where we almost said ‘no,’ and started looking for houses. Eventually my wife and I just said, ‘okay, if we don’t know by this date, then we’ll make a decision,'” he said.

At one point Milne called his old relator to weigh his options and determine what the process would be if he decided to sell the property. “He was very adamant,” Milne said of his realtor. “He didn’t even want to touch any of the cases because the negative, connotation to go with it, so it never really was a serious thought.”

A recent study by the nonprofit Hawai‘i Land Trust (HILT) and Kahālāwai Consulting LLC studied the threat of accelerated land loss by local families and businesses.  It noted that despite new regulation and a significant outpouring of public and private aid to counter immediate displacement, the Lahaina disaster may lead to increased real estate sales and accelerated land loss in the years to come.

Milne said the rebuild has been healing for him. “I’m not a person that sits still very well,” he said. “Really from right after the fire, I was on top of trying to get my permits.”

onSince permits were still open on his property, the process towards rebuilding was smoother than starting from scratch. “The ʻohana was so new that they basically did a quick review, and within three days, I had my permits. It was fantastic. It got me started… and, we’ve just been going gangbusters ever since,” said Milne.

Milne said he’s putting his own sweat equity into the rebuild with 95% of the project being done on his own. “I’m just out here every day, getting done what I can, being creative about how to get beams hung up or things like that… [I’m] just hanging out by myself. Obviously things like the plumbing and electrical and slab work, I have to have someone else do.”

Inflation is a factor that property owners must face as they look for economical ways to stay in Lahaina.

“You know, things are a lot more expensive than they were the first time around, so you have to deal with that… I’m using my insurance money to rebuild with, so I’m not paying any interest… but, it’s a challenge. For me, I’m very lucky that my house was new, so it was insured for a proper value. I imagine many people that have gone through the last couple of years that have not increased their insurance, that it could be a much bigger problem for them,” said Milne.

He said people in his neighborhood are trying to help each other out by sharing contractor information and first hand accounts of businesses that do a good job for a reasonable price.

“Hopefully within about… six or seven months… I’ll have the ʻohana finished up. My wife and I will be able to move into that… and then I’ll get started on the main home,” said Milen who is looking forward to the day his wife will join him in mid-August. I’m looking forward to that day where I can have a cocktail on the lānai and enjoy Maui—home.”

One-year mark nears: Mayor focuses on funding, transition to permanency

As the one-year mark nears since the August 2023 wildfires, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said the focus in the coming weeks will be on securing funds as Maui transitions away from temporary housing to permanent rebuilding.

“I feel very grateful. So very humbled by all the work that’s gone into this so far,” said Bissen, who joined local media in a visit to the impact zone on Wednesday. “As you’ve seen throughout the day. It’s taken a team effort from search and rescue, debris cleanup, hazardous material cleanup, residential, commercial… there’s so much going on.”

He pointed to Milne’s Wahikuli residence saying, “This is one of the visuals, a milestone, which is the first of its kind, the first building that’s this far along… I think it shows the progress, but more of the hope that our people can see that they, too, can get to this point, once they’ve gotten their lands cleared and the land is safe to return, to come to us, get that permit… I think what’s going to impact most people is their ability financially to be able to rebuild.”

He said, whatever the government can do to try to help with that, is his next focus.

“What I’m going to be focusing on is asking the federal government to get us our Community Development Block Grant disaster relief funds. That was a big reason I was in Washington, D.C. last week was to get all of our partners, our federal family, together to say we need these funds to help us with the permanent build. We’re at that point where we’re getting ready to want to rebuild permanently. I think everyone understands FEMA is temporary help—and it’s been incredible; but we’re ready to transition to the permanent site. So the focus right now is on getting CDBG funds through Congress,” said Bissen.

Mayor Bissen said he wants people to call and ask us for help if they need it.

“I want us to be able to provide case managers for our folks as they go through this process… I know every situation is different. We want people to know not to give up hope—that we are doing everything we can, just as much as we can, to help get them back to their properties,” said Bissen.

Despite plans to rebuild an identical lot, ‘This neighborhood will never be the same’

Kim Ball, Hi Tech Surf Sports owner and a member of the Mayor’s Lahaina Advisory Team is eagerly awaiting the next step in his rebuilding process on Komo Mai Street. Ball was working in Central Maui after the fire and learned that his home was lost from his son Cody, who hiked in from Kā’anapali to survey the damage and learned his home on Aki Street was also destroyed.

“I think I was in shock for a couple of days,” Ball said. But his despair turned toward action in the days, weeks and months that followed.

Since his home was only five years old before it was destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires, Ball said he knew his contractor would still have his plans, and that’s where he began.

“Actually, the contractor—he was a skate kid who used to work for us in the 90s, at our shop. So, now he’s a really good contractor, and he built the house five years ago. He had the plans. He texted me right away saying, ‘We’re there for you.’ So that gave me good peace of mind the whole time.” he said.

Ball tells Maui Now he plans rebuild the exact same home. Although the footprint for his home will be identical, the area around him will likely be different due to life changing moves some neighbors had to make in the aftermath of the fire.

According to Ball, all 67 homes in the neighborhood were locally owned and were owner-occupied. His home is among at least four in the neighborhood that have cleared their lots and are moving forward with next steps.

“I think the thing is, you know, for the rebuild, you have to have all your t’s crossed and iʻs dotted,” said Ball. Having architectural plans, an electrical engineer and the right contractor have all helped to make the process a smooth one for him.

The permitting process for Ball took 15 days. “I mean, I’m amazed that, you know, we’re 10 months out and I didn’t think we’d be this far along.”

Ball plans to stay at a temporary cottage while his home is under construction. Contractors have estimated the move in date would likely be in a year.

“My wife is sleeping better now, knowing it is maybe going to be a year. We have a place for a year because there’s nothing worse than being on pins and needles. Where are you going to move? Where are you going to be? We moved three times before we got to the place right now,” he said.

As for his business, Ball has five skate shops on the island, including one at the Westin in Kāʻanapali. The West Maui location was closed for two months after the fire. “We reopened two months later and [admittedly], it’s been pretty slow; but we wanted to get people back to work, and we want to get some normalcy with our company. Things have picked up the last few weeks, but it’s been tough business Island wide,” he said.

As a member of the mayor’s advisory team, Ball said that much of the focus to date has been on getting people out of hotels and into longer-term housing solutions. “Now it’s just trying to get people rebuilt, get back on their lots. They need a more stable, living situation,” he said.

With commercial cleanup now underway, the visual progress has been a positive sight for those close to the impact zone. Ball said he’s looking forward to getting the community swimming pool and parks back as the rebuild gets underway.

Mega fire recovery expert: Maui’s higher property values to impact the speed at which rebuilding occurs

Jennifer Gray Thompson, a nationally recognized subject matter expert (SME) in megafire recovery, has worked in 18 megafires in five states and is CEO of After the Fire USA, an organization created by wildfire survivors and experts to support communities as they recover from fires.

“We call this a mega fire because it has an outsize impact on the land and the people,” said Thompson during an interview from the impact zone, saying such fires burn much hotter and faster and are deadlier than others we’ve seen before. “A mega fire has an outsize impact because it burns really hot and it actually destroys the infrastructure under the ground. It’s not a house fire. It’s not an orderly wildfire. It’s like a Godzilla that actually trumps through a place and just does utter destruction. It’s often very hard for people to make sense of it in their minds when they are looking at the destruction after it.”

She described the Lahaina fire as the deadliest mega fire in the United States in over 100 years. “So not only was there a destruction of commercial property in the downtown [area] and the homes, but also a tremendous loss of life. And that’s something that really does complicate the recovery, as it should,” she said.

Thompson said she’s encouraged by the rate at which everyone has leaned in—from federal, state and local—to clean up and address infrastructure issues. She said it’s the first time she’s seen rebuilding happening at the same time as debris removal.

“So I caution people to look at any fire, but in particular this point and try to layer other fires over it. Exactly. There are some things that we know what to expect in the timeline, but there are other things, like the fact that this is the most remote place on Earth, and it’s an island that has incredibly high land values and relatively low incomes with respect to what people have to rebuild,” she said.

Thompson explained that the higher property values on Maui will impact the speed at which the rebuilding can happen.

“And even though I am a mega fire expert, I always know walking into a community that I need to know all the demographics, I need to know the land values, all of those things. The higher the land value, the faster the rebuild. It’s just a matter of numbers of the interest. Unfortunately, developers, (which you’ve been very good at sort of warding off the worst of that)… there’s always going to be a pressure to rebuild because of the extraordinarily high land values here and relatively low incomes,” said Thompson.

“We’ve never seen that before. But we still know that you will be rebuilt between year five and year six, probably at the most between year six and year seven, but primarily 90% [to] 95% rebuilt by then. there are other communities with very low land values, especially if it’s a community that had, like Paradise, low land values and a much older population, and they choose not to rebuild most of the time,” Thompson explained.

In this case, experts acknowledge that Maui is very special in that way, but it means it also requires special care. Thompson cautioned against pushing for expedited results when it comes to rebuilding.

“Faster is good because you do need those visual deliverables, but faster should also, always hold the values of the community at the center of it first, ” said Thompson. “I caution people from the mainland, if they come here and they want to participate in the rebuild that they bear, and that they keep all of the values of the people of Maui in mind first, and that they contribute to something that will also show the rest of the world what’s possible after mega fire.”

Thompson said Maui is on the “world stage” for climate resiliency, and how to rebuild back in a way so the area does not burn down the same way. “There are ways to do that. It’s going to be hard. None of it is simple. But if that can be planned for at the beginning with a vision and by really leveraging the care of the people who want to help this place rebuild, you can reduce that number dramatically; or you can make sure it’s passing to family members, because the number one goal is to get everybody home who lost their home, not new people,” she said.