Maui Business

The Hawaii Meth Project is accepting submissions for its 2016 “Break the Ice” Art Contest, a statewide initiative aimed at communicating the risks of methamphetamine through art, while empowering the state’s youth to share the organization’s “Not Even Once” message.

A “make your own saimin bar” will be featured at the next Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce Business Talk Story at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 12, at Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapū.

Workshop topics will include hands-on hive workshops including hive inspections, making nucs, small-scale queen rearing, identifying pests and diseases, small hive beetle control, Varroa mites, beekeeping equipment, monitoring and record keeping, bee microbes, nosema ceranae, effects of fungicides, organizing local groups for support and continuing education, soap making and more.

The Housing Choice Voucher program, also known as Section 8, will be the topic of the upcoming edition of Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa’s community television show.

Five experts in global food justice, environment, human rights, GMOs and pesticide issues from Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe and Hawai’i will participate at Hawai’i Alliance for Progressive Action and Pesticide Action Network North America’s “Challenging Global Impacts of the Agrochemical Industry: 2016 Food Justice Summit.”

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and its High Technology Development Corporation agency will hold information sessions on new funding programs for technology and manufacturing companies.

Reiki Master and Author Shalandra Abbey will present an overview of the topic, as well as a demonstration.

Hawaii Energy offers a limited-time Solar Water Heating Tune-Up rebate of $150 for the third year in a row. Since 2014, over 2,500 residents have taken advantage of the rebate.

Hawaiian Airlines is offering special rates from Maui to the West Coast starting at $358, available through Jan. 7, for travel from Jan. 11 through March 16, 2016 (Monday through Thursday).

The State Tax Department has selected Jaysen Morikami as the new Taxpayer Advocate. He has worked to resolve both taxpayers and tax practitioners’ problems the past 11 years in the department’s Taxpayer Services Section.

Curbside Christmas tree pickup service will be available for Pā‘ia, Haikū, Makawao, Pukalani and Kula on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 2 and 3, 2016, from 8 a.m. to noon.

While the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge on the eastern mid-elevation slopes of Mauna Kea is celebrating its 30th anniversary, it’s also facing very serious challenges, including the instability of federal funds.

Annual reports due in quarter one (January to March) will be available online Jan. 4, 2016, at and must be filed with BREG by midnight HST on March 31, 2016.

Verizon is holding complimentary wireless Android smartphone, iPhone, iPad and mobile device workshops at its store in the Maui Marketplace on Dairy Road in Kahului throughout January.

November arrivals to Maui increased 2.8% to 193,355 and visitor days increased by 3.8% in November 2015 compared to last year. Maui also saw a 7.5% increase in exclusive stay to the island in November. Visitors to Maui spent $320.4 million, a +5.2% increase over last November, bolstered by higher daily spending (+1.3% to $198 per person). Growth in arrivals from US West (+3.6%) and US East (+3.8%) offset declines from Japan (-7.9%) and Canada (-3.7%).

The Hawai‘i Meth Project has appointed Scott Kuioka as chairman of the organization’s board of directors.

The awards are given annually to supporters of the state’s local fruit industry—Mark G. Wright, Ph.D.; David Frenz, Tracie Matsumoto, Ph.D; Lisa Keith, Ph.D; and Peter Follet, Ph.D.

Jodie Toward, MD, has joined the pediatrics department at Kaiser Permanente Maui Lani Medical Office in Wailuku.

BNP Paribas Group, the sole owner of First Hawaiian Bank, recently announced that it is considering strategic alternatives for the subsidiary.

The majority of people in Hawai‘i erroneously believe their health insurance plan and government programs will cover the costs for long-term services and supports, according to a recent statewide survey commissioned by of the State of Hawai‘i Executive Office on Aging.