Posted by Wendy Osher Earnings at Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE:ALEX) for 2009 were down about two thirds from the previous year.  Net income for the company dropped from $132.4 million in 2008 to just $44.2 million in 2009. Meantime, revenue for the full year 2009 was $1,404.8 million, compared to revenue of $1,879.8 million... Read more »

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs will host two live television specials this month focusing on the “Akaka Bill” more formally known as the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2009. OHA hopes to use the airings as a way to better inform the public about the measure that is now before the U.S. Senate and... Read more »

By Wendy Osher ESPN 550 AM on Maui will broadcast all 12 of the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Basketball tournament games to be played November 23-25 at the Lahaina Civic Center.  The Nationally televised event is hosted by Chaminade University and is touted as the nation’s premier early season college-basketball tournament. Play-by-play will be provided... Read more »

The list of Finalists for the Mayor’s Small Business Awards has been released. This year’s event, “1930s to 2009, Looking Back – Moving Forward,” celebrates the era that many of Maui’s time-honored mom-and-pop businesses got their start. Nominees in the small business category with 11-50 employees include: The Dunes at Maui Lani, David Gleason; Island... Read more »

The Maui Police Department’s Sergeant David Silva is being honored as the recipient of the Officer of the Year Award from the 2009 Hawaii State Law Enforcement Officers Association.  Sergeant Silva will be honored at HSLEOA Conference banquet which will be held next Friday evening, September 25, 2009, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kapalua.... Read more »

An updated assessment of tax revenues shows the state lost an additional $57 million in FY09-worse than the 9 percent decline projected by the Council on Revenues.    Governor Linda Lingle said she will have to make “tough, realistic decisions to close the budget shortfall.”  She did not specify how many workers would be laid... Read more »

The final three contestants on the ABC series “The Bachelorette” head to Maui for a Romantic Getaway.  Jillian Harris, the Bachelorette for Season 5 arrives on Maui for a two-hour episode on July 13 (8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST). The show follows Harris and the remaining three bachelors – Ed, Kiptyn, and Reid -in their... Read more »

The 87th Maui County Fair will be led by a team of two. Sherri Grimes, who served as the Fair Director for the past three years, will become the fair’s Managing Director.  The job calls for oversight of budget and logistics. Grimes teams up with new Fair Director Karey Oura who will lead the fair’s... Read more »

The Royal Order of Kamehameha Kahehili Chapter IV on Maui will commemorate the birth of Kamehameha The Great on Thursday June 11, 2009. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rAJibrpl8o&feature=PlayList&p=A078E01B24798460&index=15[/youtube] The royal society annually observes the day with reverence paying special attention to the significance of Kamehameha’s role in Hawaiian history. The march down Kaahumanu Avenue is a procession as opposed... Read more »

(Posted by Wendy OSHER © 2009; Place holder image courtesy Kapalua Resort) The Whale Quest Kapalua kicks off its fourth edition today with a welcome ceremony hosted by Flip Nicklin, a renowned marine photographer with National Geographic. The three day event runs through Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Kapalua, providing thousands of Hawaii residents... Read more »

(Posted By Wendy OSHER © 2009) U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) reintroduced The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act yesterday, while Congressman Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is designed to begin a process to form a Native Hawaiian government that could negotiate with the state... Read more »

By Wendy OSHER LAHAINA-Six young women on Maui earned titles in the 37th Annual Miss Maui Scholarship Pageant held over the weekend at the Ulalena Theater in Lahaina.  The winner of the island’s new Miss Maui 2009 title is 19 year old Cierra Rauch of Kula.  Cierra is the daughter of Matthew Rauch and Georgette Batoon. ... Read more »

January 26, 2009 Senate President Hanabusa, Speaker Say, Lt. Governor and Mrs. Aiona, former Governor Ariyoshi, former Governor Waihe`e and Mrs. Waihe`e, members of the Legislature, cabinet members, Chief Justice Moon, Chair Apoliona, Mayor Tavares, Mayor Kenoi, military leaders, members of the Consular Corps, distinguished guests, and to the people of Hawai`i…good morning and aloha!... Read more »

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka today voted to support the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (S. 22), a bipartisan package of over 160 bills that includes legislation supporting the establishment of a memorial honoring Hansen’s disease patients of Kalaupapa.  The bill also supports funding in the amount of $5 million over 10 years... Read more »

Governor Linda Lingle named Gil Keith-Agaran at Maui’s newest state Representative.  Keith-Agaran fills the 9th District House seat vacated by the late Representative Bob Nakasone who passed away on December 7th.  The Wailuku Attorney and partner with the law firm Takatani & Agaran, has worked at both the state and county government levels including roles... Read more »