Maui Time Food & Drink

Best of Maui Politics & Environment 2009

Sort by: Title | Date | Rating | Feedback spacer

Sort Order: Ascending | Descending

Displaying 15 records found.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Best Community Non-Profit, Winner
Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Address: 200 Waimaluhia Lane, Wailuku, HI 96793
Phone: 808-242-9754
Big Brothers, Big Sisters Maui celebrates 40 years in August with a Luau Fundraiser and open house at their Waimalulani Street location. Helping kids in the community through mentoring programs makes them number one with Maui Time readers. But did you also know that they help keep your house clean by picking up unwanted household goods and small appliances? Turning your used goods into cash for their programs—it’s a win-win, and furthers our island’s recycling and sustainability goals. 200 Waimaluhia Ln., Wailuku, 808-242-9754, bbbs.org. JR

Best Maui-Based Political Blog, Winner
Craigslist.org political forum
Come on people, really? We're not saying the Craigslist forum doesn't offer amusement, diversion and even occasional insight, but it's hardly a blog. Really, this should serve as a rallying cry to Maui's bloggers: get your engines revving, because there's obviously a hole that needs filling. JS

| listing |

(2)

Best Scariest Public Figure, Winner
Gov. Linda Lingle
That Gov. Lingle (a former Maui County Councilmember and Mayor) is a frequent target of criticism in these pages is no secret. She just gives so much ammo: from the Superferry to work furloughs, Lingle is nothing if not a magnet for controversy. Clearly she has her supporters, but they seem to be in shorter supply these days, veto PR stunts notwithstanding. As we prepare to close the book on her eight-year reign, the Lingle Administration gets low marks for transparency and compromise, two essential qualities for effective leadership. Next year Hawaii will get a new governor; whoever that person is, they’ll inherit a state with a lot of issues, many of which can, and should, be pinned on Lingle. JS

Best State Blunder, Winner
Hawaii Superferry
Address: One Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Ste. 300, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-853-4010
Website: http://www.hawaiisuperferry.com
Ah, the Superferry. Love it or hate it, everyone’s got an opinion. (For evidence of just how polarizing this issue is, see the runner up.) But after all the money, protests and legal wrangling, the only opinion that really mattered was that of the Hawaii Supreme Court, which ruled that Act 2—the special law that allowed the vessel to launch without a completed Environmental Impact Statement—was unconstitutional. That put the boat out of commission. But while the saga is over, at least for now, the motives that led the Superferry to be hurried into the water without a sound legal or financial plan—and the true cost of this boondoggle to taxpayers—remain murky. JS

| listing |

Best County Official, Winner
Jo Anne Johnson
Winning this award once is one thing; could be a fluke, or based on a single, transitory issue. But the fact that Councilmember Johnson has been voted Maui’s top county official multiple years in a row—and, has, in fact, dominated the category—shows shetruly doing something right. That something is faithfully serving her West Maui constituents, and working to earn and keep their trust. Term limits mean this is Johnson’s final go-round on the council. She’ll go out having gained widespread respect from colleagues and voters, which is all any politician can ask. JS

Best Town to Live, Winner
Kihei
If you like beaches and sunshine, this is your spot. Yes, many will complain about the tourists (though not as much these days) or say the town is just a long, hot strip of bars and condos (which is only sort of true). But come on, admit it, Kihei is a fun place to be. From the Triangle to always-lively games of beach volleyball, there’s no shortage of pleasing diversions, and with the BOM award-winning pool and all those awesome beaches, beating the heat is as easy as it is enjoyable. JS

| listing |

Best Town to Visit, Winner
Lahaina
Yes, trekking over to the West side can be a chore. But it’s one of those things where, once you do it, you’re never sorry you did. Front Street, with its wealth of shops and eateries, is the obvious draw. But even just sitting under the Banyan Tree watching the parade of humanity or using a trip to Maui’s historic whaling village as a jumping off point for the many proximal—and awesome—surfing, swimming and snorkeling spots is worth the trip. JS

| listing |

Best Political Activist, Winner
Lance Holter
“No-nonsense” and “pull-no-punches” are two good ways to describe Lance Holter. Another one is “dedicated.” Among other things, Holter is chair of the Sierra Club Maui Group, but his commitment to environmental and social justice issues dates back to his days in the Peace Corps. Our own Rob Parsons once compared him to an iconic old West sheriff in a white hat, and that’s pretty much right on the mark. The key difference is Holter has no plans to ride off into the sunset—not with so many important battles left to fight. JS

Best Use of County Funds, Winner
Maui Bus
Phone: 808-871-4838
Just about anywhere you go, public transportation is an under-appreciated service. But for those who can remember what life was like before Maui had a county bus system, appreciation is in no short supply. Sure, there are always things to grumble about, but overall our buses are clean, reliable and pretty dang cheap when you consider what it costs to fill your tank. Finding examples of the government misusing taxpayer money is easy. Once in a while, it’s nice to be able to say: I’m glad I paid for that. JS

Best MPD Cop, Winner
Officer Keith Taguma
You haven’t really lived (on Maui at least) until you’ve been ticketed by Officer Taguma. As notorious as he is thorough, Taguma has an almost supernatural knack for being in the right (or wrong, depending on your perspective) place at the right time, fining drivers for everything from an expired safety inspection sticker to staying for 2 hours, 1 minute in a 2-hour space. We’ll leave his checkered past alone for now (if you’re interested, Google “Taguma v. Estrada”) and just say this is one cop who dives into his job with both boots. JS

(1)

Best Environmental Non-Profit, Winner
Pacific Whale Foundation
Address: 300 Ma'alaea Rd., Ma'alaea, HI 96793
Contact: Anne Rillero
Phone: 808-249-8811
Email: anne@pacificwhale.org
Whether you want to see whales or support their protection (or, probably, both), make PWF your first stop. Their dedication to studying and honoring Maui’s majestic annual visitors is well documented, as is their ability to get you up close and personal with slapping fins and bursting blow-holes. Becoming a PWF member is good for two reasons: you get discounts on their cruises and other perks, even as you help ensure these amazing animals will continue to live, and thrive. 300 Maalaea Rd., Suite 211, Wailuku, 808-249-8811, pacificwhale.org. JS

| calendar |

Best Way to Kill Your Car - Edit Pick, Winner
Road to Hana, Back Way
Nona, my van, hasn’t been quite right lately. First she overheated after about five minutes of being on. Then her master cylinder began to give. Now it’s the starter. I trace the ills that plague my $100 purchase back to that fateful day I decided to take the back way home from Hana. The road was bumpy, sketchy and decidedly uphill, which I realized once I passed Ulupalakua. So take heed. KB

| listing |

Best County Blunder, Winner
TVR Crackdown
Maui has no shortage of divisive issues, many of them related, directly or indirectly, to the visitor industry. But no issue divided the community more sharply, or led to a bigger backlash, than the County’s crackdown on transient vacation rentals. Mayor Charmaine Tavares’s decision to shut down TVRs, made shortly after she took office, was a shock to many and has proven to be a huge drag on the local economy. Even if you think TVRs need to be more heavily regulated, the answer isn’t to send the hammer crashing down, especially not now. This issue exemplifies the Mayor’s “plantation” mentality and lack of leadership, a deadly combo that has put the island on shaky ground. JS

| listing |

Best Environmental Issue, Winner
Water
You know that slogan they’re always singing on the radio: “By water, all things find life”? It may be annoyingly catchy, but it’s also undeniably true. Without water, none of us would exist. It’s important to remember that, because it’s easy to take this precious life-giving elixir for granted. From pumping huge quantities of water to South Maui to turn desert into jungle to giving developers exemptions on water use restrictions to the fight over Native Hawaiian water rights, this is an issue with many facets (not to mention faucets). But in the end, it’s something everyone, regardless of race, economic background or social standing, should care deeply about. And clearly, based on the results, you do. JS

| listing |

Best Political Scandal, Winner
Wayne Nishiki's Dowling Loan
OK, forgive us for a moment while we toot our own horn: the biggest political scandal of the year, as voted on by you, was broken in these pages. Now, for the uninitiated: Wayne Nishiki ran for the South Maui County Council seat as the independent candidate with no binding ties to the island’s big developers. He also accused his opponent, Don Couch, of being too developer-friendly. After the election, which Nishiki won narrowly, new information came to light: on a form filed well after the deadline, the Councilman revealed that he took a $100,000 personal loan from developer Everett Dowling while out of office. An ethics investigation was launched, but the results were never made public and Nishiki remains in office. It’ll be interesting to see, if Nishiki chooses to run for reelection, whether he’ll try to play the independent card again—and if the voters will buy it. JS