Paia is normally a sleepy little North Shore town, known for attracting a rich mix of Europeans, hippies and kite surfers. It’s a mellow place, with boutiques, curio shops and restaurants that provide an eclectic selection of foods from around the world. But now, the delicate strands that bind up Paia into such a colorful community are stretching–quite possibly to the breaking point–and it’s all the fault of Kiss.

See, the front man of the old rock band Kiss is a very conservative guy named Gene Simmons, who later achieved prominence by starring in Gene Simmons Family Jewels, a reality show about his own life and by launching the men’s lifestyle publication Gene Simmons Tongue, which actually published five complete issues in 2002 before going under. Anyway, Simmons is now a partner in Rock & Brews, a chain of restaurants based in California that intends to open a new location in the old Jacques’ spot in Paia.

This has caused a certain degree of consternation on the part of those who currently live and work in Paia. “The Paia Merchants Association works to maintain the town’s vibrant commercial district by honoring the area’s unique seaside culture and history while looking toward the future,” said association executive director Rose Potter in a June 13 email to me that detailed her organization’s concerns over Rock & Brews’ plans. “Unregulated formula based businesses potentially threaten this goal and could lessen our town’s appeal.”

“Unregulated formula based business” is a very generous way to describe Rock & Brews. It’s probably not a bad place (if your idea of a great restaurant is one that offers a selection of pizzas, burgers, fried things and beers) and might even make decent neighbors in the community.

“This is not going to be a ‘cookie-cutter’ restaurant from the Mainland and forced into Paia,” developer Bill Frampton said in The Maui News’ June 11 story on the controversy. “Instead, the design has been calibrated and modified by professional Maui architects and [a] Hawaiian artist and cultural adviser to become part of the multilayered fabric of Paia.”

But the focus on what the restaurant (slated to open near the end of this year) will look like and whether it will “fit” in with other town businesses detracts from what seems to me the real problem with Rock & Brews: that so much of it’s whole “concept” is either tired or just plain bullshit.

“Our concept is all about making everyone feel like rock stars,” Simmons is quoted as saying in the April issue of Hawaii Business, which broke the story on Rock & Brews opening in Paia. The magazine then paraphrased Simmons, writing that “diners will feel like they’re backstage at a concert.”

On paper, this is a dynamite concept: imagine walking into a restaurant and immediately getting mobbed by paparazzi photographers, hipster journalists and coked-out groupies, while obsequious promoters instantly agree to all your most insane demands (like the time Van Halen wanted all the brown M&Ms removed from their backstage dressing room).

Unfortunately, Rock & Brews has different ideas of what actually transpires backstage at concerts. According to Hawaii Business, Rock & Brews’ atmosphere “will include big-screen TVs blasting classic music videos and concert footage from as far back as the ‘60s, plus posters and photos of America’s classic rock bands.”

Wow, way to kill a dream. Then again, the whole notion of teaming rock music with food named for song titles and beer has been done to death (see the global chain known as Hard Rock Cafe, which holds at least one of Simmons old guitars in its memorabilia collection). Rock & Brew’s owners admit to this with little humor and no irony on the company’s own website (Rockandbrews.com):

“Two friends at a Kiss concert enjoying craft brews had an epiphany: Nothing goes better than Rock & Brews,” states this Rock & Brews web page. “This insight may have occurred to other people before Dave Furano and Michael Zislis got together, but the two have brought their unique experiences to make their dream spot a reality in El Segundo” (for those unfamiliar with Southern California, El Segundo is a mostly aviation- and oil-industry city that borders Los Angeles International Airport).

Looking over the Rock & Brews menu online, with its chili, fries, burgers, pizzas, hot dogs and beer–many of which are named after songs–the question isn’t whether the restaurant can look like it belongs in Paia, but how long the place will be open. Paia is home to Mana Foods, which is packed like all the time with locals who want healthy, organic, vegetable-laden food. What’s more, there’s no resort anywhere near Paia, and Rock & Brews is planning on opening next door to Charley’s, which has long established itself as a top North Shore nightlife spot.

For Rock & Brews, all this bad publicity proceeding their opening may actually be good for them. Because after they open, they could face silence, which most rock bands probably agree is far worse than booing.

Photo of Gene Simmons: Alberto Cabello/Wikimedia Commons

The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded a grant of $1.17 million to the  Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) to fund state library IT infrastructures, networks and other technology costs. These funds are distributed annually as part of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) to libraries in all 50 states and U.S. territories, making each state responsible for meeting the effort requirements.

“LSTA funding is the primary source of federal funding for America’s libraries,” said state librarian Richard Burns in a June 13 press release, ”and HSPLS would be unable to provide the programs, public access technology and resources we do without these funds.”

The grant enables Hawaii’s public libraries to continue to offer annual subscriptions to online databases, Microsoft IT Academy, PowerSpeak Languages and newer resources like eResource and Ed2Go, as well as covering some eBook, eAudio and eMusic access costs. These services are accessible to anyone with a valid HSPLS library card.

Photo of The Bookworm by Carl Spitzweg: Wikimedia Commons

Maui High School students Mitchell Borge and Lawrence Paet, under the guidance of instructor Shannon Rowe, raced through the grease, grime and pressure of a ticking clock to earn a fifth-place finish in the 64^th annual Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Finals at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. The two-student teams from each of the 50 states competed for nearly $12 million in various scholarship prizes.

For the first stage of the National Final, teams had to take a written exam testing their automotive knowledge. The top 10 highest scores then moved on to the next stage, where students worked to diagnose and de-bug their given 2013 Ford Explorer XLT’s digital, mechanical and electrical problems with speed and accuracy. After the teams were finished with their repairs, they raced to slam the hoods shut and drive their vehicles across the finish line to the awaiting judges. The score received on the written exam, combined with the hands-on portion determined the winner of the National Title.

The competition hopes to promote and prepare the next generation of technicians in automotive care.

“From connected cars to alternative fuels, automotive technology is advancing at a faster pace than we have ever seen and tomorrow’s technicians need to be savvy, innovative and eager,” said Marshall L. Doney, AAA Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, in a June 11 press release. “The Ford/AAA Auto Skills competition develops future technicians who will ensure motorists will receive access to quality repair.”

Typically, more than 13,000 teams from across the United States compete for a chance to represent their schools in the National Finals. Only 10 of the original 50 teams moved on to the hands-on portion, out of which Mitchell and Lawrence placed fifth. Vale High School, located in Vale, Ore., won the top prize, which includes the chance to shadow Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne and his racing team as they prepare his car for an upcoming race.

 Photo: National Archives/Wikimedia Commons

It’s estimated that the first Polynesian voyagers left South-East Asia to explore the Pacific in 1500 BC. Hawaii was settled by these canoe-paddling navigators in 900 AD. And in 1975, the cultural renaissance of recovering and reviving the ancient art of wayfinding began. The voyage of the Hokule’a from Hawaii to Tahiti inspired many, and proved the skills of the ancient Polynesian maritime navigators.

Maui’s non-profit group Hui o Wa’a Kaulua (“Assembly of the Double-Hulled Canoes”), formed in 1975 with a similar motive: to construct a double hull canoe, or wa’a kaulua. The group launched the Mo’olele (“The Leaping Lizard”) later that year, and since then the 42-foot wa’a kaulua has voyaged the islands of Maui Nui and as far as the Big Island and Oahu.

But in the last 17 years, Hui o Wa’a Kaulua has set its sights on transoceanic voyaging. Now, after nearly two decades spent sitting in a hale under the benefaction of generous supporters, the time for Maui’s 62-foot, double-hulled Mo’okiha O Pi’ilani to set sail has nearly arrived.

At the June 15 Kamehameha Day Ho’olaule’a at Kamehameha Iki Park in Lahaina, Hui o Wa’a Kaulua will announce the launching date for the Mo’okiha o Pi’ilani.

“This canoe has been touched by many people in the community and it is now her turn to do what she was meant to do,” stated Hui o Wa’a Kaulua in a June 12 news release. “Students on board the deep-sea voyaging canoe will have the chance to learn leadership values and cultural knowledge in a unique environment that is not bound by walls… Through the importance of sustainability and respect for the environment stressed on the wa’a, Lahaina will only benefit from the people the canoe touches and her presence is a symbol that honors the rich maritime history of these islands. Mo’okiha is for our community and youth.”

The Ho’olaulea will go on from 9-5pm and will feature canoe exhibits, canoe rides, makahiki games, awa ceremonies, youth activities, local entertainment, food booths and the opening of the Polynesian Voyaging Theater. Pacific’O restaurant will be a food vendor at the event and all proceeds from their donation will go towards the completion of Mo’okiha o Pi’ilani.

Indeed, the non-profit is still calling for supporters to get the launch off the sand, requesting “generous supporters who understand the need for cultural awareness and education, and volunteers are also needed for Crew, daily work on the canoe, rigging, and Kupuna that are interested in giving daily tours.”

Hui o Wa’a Kaulua’s mission is “to conduct model educational programs to excite and challenge the youth and their communities to learn, respect, and care for their natural and social environment.”

Learn more at Huiowaa.org or visit at 525 Front St. Lahaina. Check them out at Facebook.com/pages/Hui-O-Waa-Kaulua. For even more info call 808-667-4050 or  email huiowaakaulua@gmail.com.

Photo courtesy of Hui o Wa’a Kaulua and Cadencia Photography

In celebration of 13 years of business, Maui Surfer Girls is partnering with the Will Smith Foundation to provide local Maui girls with scholarships to attend their July surf camp. In addition to offering surfing and stand-up paddling lessons for individuals and groups in Lahaina, Maui Surfer Girls has put on these summer surf camps for over a decade, hosting hundreds of teen girls from all over the country.

Dustin Tester started Maui Surfer Girls as a way to pass on the skills she learned from her dad growing up in Maui to other young girls. The Maui Surfer Girls staff is made of seasoned surfing instructors with various educational and professional backgrounds. Targeting girls 12-17, their summer surf camps provide a holistic surfing experience that includes surf lessons, oceanography and surf etiquette talks, as well as other ocean adventures and fun activities. Regardless of past experience or ability, Maui Surfer Girls seeks to “empower girls through the sport of surfing.”

The passion Tester uses in her surf lessons translates to other areas of her life as well. She recently participated in her first Paradise Speedway dirt track race and loved it. Though her time trial wasn’t the most impressive (“[Someone] asked me if I was driving to Foodland,” she told me), Tester’s second time behind the wheel proved more successful–and addicting. So much so that she hopes to invest in her own Maui Surfer Girls car soon. Ultimately though, Tetster’s true love remains surfing.

“I feel so lucky to share my passion for the surf lifestyle with our students,” she said in a June 13 press release. “We are truly more than your average surf school. Our students gain not only surfing skills, but they also learn an appreciation for Hawaiian culture and respect for the ocean, all the while building self confidence in themselves. This year we want to give back to our Maui community by offering scholarships for our kama’aina girls.”

For more information about Maui Surfer Girls and the summer surf camps they offer, visit MauiSurferGirls.com. To receive a scholarship application, email Dustin Tester at dustin@mauisurfgirls.com and have it turned in by the June 30 deadline.

Photo: Rachel Amarette/Wikimedia Commons

In 2010, Hawaii resident Geoffrey Woodhall was apprehended at Kona Airport. He held a plastic baggie filled with marijuana and was charged with promoting a detrimental drug in the third degree. He was sentenced in a simple decision based on the fact that possession of marijuana, in any amount, is an offense. But the ordeal, which exemplified the inconsistent laws governing medical marijuana in Hawaii, proved less than simple. In fact, the Hawaii Supreme Court finally settled the matter–in Woodhall’s favor–on May 31.

Woodhall is a certificate-holding member of Hawaii’s Medical Marijuana program, which allows the “medical use” of marijuana. “Medical use,” in quotes, is important here, defined by Hawaii Revised Statutes as “the acquisition, possession, cultivation, use, distribution, or transportation of marijuana or paraphernalia relating to the administration of marijuana to alleviate the symptoms or effects of a qualifying patient’s debilitating medical condition…”

The law puts card-holding medical marijuana patients in an awkward place, sandwiched by a further statute, stating that “The authorization for the medical use of marijuana in this section” won’t apply:

• In a school bus, public bus, or any moving vehicle;

• In the workplace of one’s employment;

• On any school grounds;

• At any public park, public beach, public recreation center, recreation or youth center; or

• Other place open to the public

The state argued that “medical use” includes “possession, transportation, and acquisition” so “the prohibition on medical use in public places under HRS § 329-122 includes possession, transportation, and acquisition.” Or in other words, Woodhall broke the law by simply having his medicine in a public area.

Understandably, Woodhall thought this absurd. “[A]qualifying patient would seemingly always be in violation of H.R.S. § 329-122(c)(2)(E) when transporting their marijuana unless they were walking/transporting in their own home, on private property, etc.,” he said in his response. “How the qualifying patient would be able to get their medical marijuana to their own home or to private property seems a near impossibility since they would arguably have to walk somewhere open to the public, such as a sidewalk, to get to their home or private property.”

The court and the judge sided with Woodhall in the end, agreeing that the intent of the Medical Marijuana program is indeed to allow the access of Medical Marijuana. Further, the court found that “the district court erred in re-determining the fact of medical use in contrast to the parties’ stipulation… We further hold that the rule of lenity requires us, under the specific facts of this case, to construe HRS §§ 329-121,-122, and -125 against the government, as there is an inconsistency between the authorized transportation of medical marijuana under HRS § 329-121, and the prohibition on transport of medical marijuana through ‘any… place open to the public’ under HRS § 329-122(c)(E).”

In other words, the inconsistency and lack of clarity in the law requires the courts to side with patients. And thus a baggie-caused case, resulting in years of litigation that almost ended in the state making an absurd invalidation of its own program, drew to a close.

Hawaii aside, numerous states have operational medical marijuana programs (and the University of California has its own Center of Medicinal Cannabis Research). This is despite the federal government’s continuing classification of the drug as Schedule I (potential for abuse and no medical use).

What’s more, a recent survey shows that 57 percent of Hawaii residents favor legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana instead of continuing the flawed and indefinite, trillion-dollar prohibition approach pursued for nearly a century. Even hemp, which contains no psychoactive compounds, is illegal under federal law, despite its myriad uses from paper to fabric.

Plus, seriously, we live Hawaii.

Yet in the last session, efforts to legalize recreational cannabis, decriminalize possession, and grow hemp have failed to pass the legislature. A bill to modify the Medical Marijuana program did pass, though the changes don’t touch the issue brought into question by the Woodhall case.

Click here to read more about the case from the American Civil Liberties Union Hawaii.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

You were the jerk who smashed in the window of the rental car in ‘Iao. Were ya havin’ a bad day? Needed to bust something up? Because there was clearly nothing – N-O-T-H-I-N-G – in there to steal. Oh, except a bag of arare, which you left behind (guess you weren’t hungry). Maybe you wanted to get into the trunk. But you didn’t even pop it open. Real smart guy. Doesn’t matter, because there was nothing in there, either. Yeah, it was a “tourist” car. A “tourist” on his first visit to Maui. A Filipino-American. Also, a West Point member of the military who serves to give you the right to be a J-E-R-K.

Illustration by Ron Pitts

In a seemingly unlikely partnership, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Conservation International’s Hawai’i Fish Trust have joined the Sportfishing Conservancy to host the 2013 Sanctuary Classic, a three-month long photo contest for individuals who have freshly caught fish. While a fishing contest sounds like the last thing any marine organization with the words “sanctuary” or “conservation” in its name would support, the contest is designed “to promote recreational opportunities and reward sustainable fishing in America’s National Marine Sanctuaries,” according a June 7 NOAA news release for the event.

Why not? Sure, the killing of fish and the saving of them appear to be diametrically opposed ideas, but the National Marine Sanctuary System is no organization of prudes. Their purpose is not just to protect the resources of the nation’s “special places,” but also to “facilitate compatible uses including all types of recreation.”

They know the score. Ninety-eight percent of National Marine Sanctuary waters are open to recreational fishing this summer. And to many, these places provide a timeless outdoor, cultural experience.

“This is a great opportunity for families to go out fishing together and experience the bounty that Hawaii’s ocean has to offer, while strengthening the culture of sustainable fishing,” said Jason Philibotte, director of the Hawai‘i Fish Trust for Conservation International in the news statement.

Considering the fact that for one-in-six people living on planet Earth fish from the ocean remain the primary source of protein, this “culture of sustainable fishing” is one that must be strengthened to ensure there is enough of this resource for peoples to share now and into the future. Besides, as long as families aren’t going out with dynamite or poisons, they aren’t generally to blame for unsustainable fishing. According to the World Wildlife Foundation, overfishing is largely due instead to poor fisheries management, pirate fishers without respect for fishing regulations, and massive bycatch of juvenile fish and unwanted marine species.

On the other hand, “The Sanctuary Classic in Hawai‘i promotes safe and pono fishing practices that can help sustain our marine resources from generation to generation,” said Elia Herman, sanctuary co-manager of Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) in the June 7 statement.

Malia Chow, sanctuary superintendent, added “The Sanctuary Classic gives the community a way to experience the sanctuary and learn about how we are part of nature, and also fosters a sense of responsibility for our environment.”

This is the second year of the Sanctuary Classic. Support for the event is being provided by national and local partners, including: The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, The Guy Harvey Foundation, The Sportfishing Conservancy, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, NOAA Fisheries Service and West Marine, and Conservation International’s Hawai‘i Fish Trust.

The contest runs from World Oceans Day, June 8, and until Labor Day, September 2.  Awards will be given by the Sportfishing Conservancy based on online voting. Ten $100 weekly prizes are up for grabs for the best photos from across the country that show fishing in a national marine sanctuary or adjacent waters. At the end of the summer additional $1000 prize scholarships will be awarded for the four pictures that best exemplify youth fishing, family fishing, or conservation in a sanctuary.

For information on the 2013 Sanctuary Classic, guidelines for responsible fishing, and how to enter, visit: Sanctuaryclassic.org. For NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries see Sanctuaries.noaa.gov and for the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/

Photo of 2012 Sanctuary Classic winner courtesy of sanctuaryclassic.org

The legal and partisan debate over Obamacare seemed endless, but it now seems that–in Hawaii at least–the new online health insurance marketplace that Democrats have been promising for years is now about four months away. According to a June 10 news release, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently gave the thumbs-up to Hawaii’s proposed “Hawaii Health Connector,” which is what state officials call the website where individuals, families and small businesses can go to buy health insurance.

“This is an important step in our progress to transform healthcare in Hawaii,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the June 10 news release. “Every resident deserves a good, equitable system of healthcare, and this new online marketplace requires insurers to offer better benefits and reward quality.”

State officials say the Hawaii Health Connector should be operational on Oct. 1 of this year. Any plans purchased at the site will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. Those wanting more information can go to Hawaiihealthconnector.com.

Photo of President Barack Obama signing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Pete Souza/Wikimedia Commons

Brienna Gomes, 17, of Kahului hopes to be the first female motocross rider from Maui to make it to the annual Red Bull AMA National Amateur Motocross Championship. It’s one of the most renowned amateur motocross races in the world, and takes place in late July and early August. In the past, this race has acted as a launch pad for amateur racers to pursue their dreams of turning pro.

Gomes, her parents and her two sisters are attempting to raise the money necessary to send all five of them to the National Championship race at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Tennessee. By selling T-shirts and asking for donations through their website Sendbreetotennessee.com, they hope to raise $15,000.

Gomes’ love for riding started when she was five years old, her mother Marlayna said in a statement to MauiTime. Immediately after participating in her graduation ceremony at Baldwin High School on May 17,  Gomes flew to Anza, California where she raced in the Southwest Regional Championship, earning second place and qualifying her to join 1,400 other riders from across the country and compete in the National Championship on July 28-August 3.

So far, she’s earned a sponsorship from Cycle City Kawasaki and continues to train on the motocross track in Pu’unene.

Photo: John Moses