STORYLINE

Lahaina’s 109-year-old Junior Ranger Patrols the Trails and Keeps Them Safe

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It was a trip of a lifetime for Karen Brodi and her fiancé Lars. The pair had spent the day sightseeing and soaking up the West Maui sun. Hoping to catch a glimpse of a celebrity, they ate lunch at the famous Hula Noodle restaurant and planned on taking a tour of the Thorcon plant later in the day. With a few hours to kill, the couple decided to hop in one of the public ATVs and explore some of the trails throughout the beautiful Lahaina preservation zone. That’s when their trip took a turn for the worse.

The couple soon found themselves stuck in the mud at the bottom of a ravine. Worse, Lars had badly sprained his ankle trying to dig out the wheels of their Manimal ATV. Karen had no idea where they were, which made it hard for rescuers to find them. Emergency drones were dispatched, but authorities told Karen it could be hours before they were located. Just then, she heard what dozens of other troubled tourists have heard in their time of need, the whirring sound of an electric motor.

“All of a sudden this really old lady wearing a ranger uniform pulls up on a tricked out mobility scooter,” Karen says. “I didn’t know what to think, and was just kind of staring at her, when she got up and unwound some cable from a winch mounted on the front. She asked if I could wrap it around the front axle while she chained her scooter to a tree. The next thing you know we had the ATV out of the mud and Lars in a splint she made out of sticks. She gave us both a bottle of water and told me to follow her because she knew a short-cut to the main road. We both thanked her and asked her name. She said it was no trouble and that it was her job; she was Junior Ranger Malie.”

Karen and Lars are officially the 35th and 36th tourist treated or rescued by Malie Kahiko, Lahaina’s oldest Junior Ranger. The 109-year-old star of the reality program Malie’s List is many times older than the preservation zone itself, but says being part of the Junior Ranger program helps her feel young. “They thought I was crazy when I showed up, and told me the program was for kids. I told them that I was a kid at heart and that they didn’t have anything about age listed anywhere, so they’d just have to deputize me.”

Started a year after the preservation zone expansion in 2031, the Junior Ranger program was designed to teach children about: the wonders of nature, the importance of protecting fragile areas, and to cultivate a sense of stewardship in the next generation of wildlife advocates. Despite the age difference between Malie and her other Junior Rangers, she says she feels right at home at their weekly meetings. “I just love the energy of the kids and the look in their eyes when I tell them about the people I helped that week,” Kahiko says.

There’s no doubt that Malie has become an attraction herself, with many tourists wanting to get a picture with the elderly ranger, but admiration for her is not shared by everyone. Compliance Liaison to the Mayor’s Office Elizabeth Stonegate calls the idea of a 109-year-old Junior Ranger, “silly” and says Malie has no business patrolling the preservation zone.

“To be perfectly honest it’s ridiculous. Mrs. Kahiko has no formal training, and didn’t work as a first responder when she was young enough to be useful. I for one don’t think it’s cute or inspiring that an ancient woman, no longer capable of walking from her couch to the kitchen, is cruising around out there. She’s a liability just waiting to happen! Instead of putting herself in dangerous situations, I believe Malie would better serve her family by finding an appropriate care facility and getting her affairs in order. She has reached that special age in life where it is important to acknowledge how close to death you are, and do everything you can to make your passing easier for your family, not pulling people out of the mud, or administering emergency first aid. She has obviously motored on well past her freshness date and needs to stop her antics.”

Undeterred by Stonegate’s criticism, Malie says she has the full support of her family and has no plans to give up her ranger uniform. “I’m not surprised that someone like Elizabeth Stonegate doesn’t get it. When that woman came out of her mother’s womb she started complaining that her swaddling cloth wasn’t designer made. What she and a few others don’t understand is that you are never too old to lend a hand. My scooter Betty has an electric winch, a spare battery, satellite phone, a water pouch, and all the medical supplies I need to handle almost any situation. Sure, I’m a little bit older than the other rangers, but I’m not too old to help when I can. That’s what the aloha spirit is all about! As long as I’m able, I’ll be out there lending a hand or a wheel to whoever needs it.”

STORYLINE

Self-Lighting Torches Put Lahaina Beautification Project On Hold

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A multi-million dollar beautification project has been put on hold, due to safety concerns over automated tiki torches, that are set to replace streetlights in many Lahaina neighborhoods. Numerous injuries, and at least one fire have been blamed on the high-tech devices lighting prematurely, and failing to automatically extinguish themselves, as they were designed. Creator of the self-lighting torches Ano Lee says he’s worked out the bugs, and with the backing of Mayor Cravalho, plans to install the rest in various neighborhoods this week.

Sold to the public as a way to offset some of the recent construction on Front Street, that many see as an unwanted attempt to modernize the look and feel of the area, the project was to cover a wide area around Lahaina. The initiative was to make bus stops, fire hydrants, and mail boxes less noticeable, put severe restrictions on outdoor advertising and business signage, and incorporate more traditional art in public spaces. The main focus however, was replacing many of the area’s streetlights with the automated torches.

Mayor Cravalho says, “Tourists are a vital part of the Lahaina economy, but we’ve always been careful to preserve our history and the aloha spirit of the land. The InterIsland Preservation and Travel Act (IPTA) was designed to help save our culture and infrastructure by limiting the number of monthly visitors allowed to travel to Maui, but it clearly wasn’t enough. We were still losing the look, feel, and other aspects of Lahaina that makes it special everyday. We felt this city-wide facelift was needed to preserve this beautiful place. We decided the automated torches would be the most powerful reminder to visitors that they were in Hawaii, and I’m sure everyone will agree once we work the bugs out.”

Using a specialized recycling solid-fuel-system, with light sensing modules, and a self-ignition system, the torches may be the most technically advanced of all time. “They’re super awesome, the flame is even water resistant. They’ll keep burning in a hurricane!” says Lee. “Without getting too stuck in the weeds, the torches sense when it’s getting dark, ignite and extinguish themselves according to preset lightness levels, and utilize a specialized fuel recycling system of my own design. Basically the fuel melts as it burns and is caught in a special reservoir inside for later use. In theory one of my torches could burn without refilling for over 50 years.”

Despite their technological sophistication, there have been numerous complaints and injuries blamed on the torches, including a recent fire in a public works warehouse. Reports claim that the torches will turn on during exceptionally cloudy days, and children have been known to turn them on by holding umbrellas or pieces of cardboard over them. The fire was caused by a parks employee when he turned out the light in the storage area, and the torches ignited. Lee counters that these incidents were caused by user error and he’s taking steps to “dummy-proof” his inventions.

“These incidents were all caused by people turning up the light sensitivity dial to its maximum setting, making the torches ignite whenever it found itself in a shadow. The public works guy failed to replace the ignition safety rings when he put them back in storage. I’m working on ways to dummy-proof the torches now, but to be honest they’re just so cool, I’m having a hard time changing anything. I mean, these things will provide downtown and select neighborhoods with natural lighting and an authentic Hawaiian feel. On top of that, you never have to worry about losing your lighter at night, these torches are perfect for lighting your favorite cigar or brand of cigarettes. It’s super convenient.”

Still, many residents have reservations about the cost of the project, and the utility of the torches compared to traditional street lights. One of the loudest opponents is Preservation Zone Compliance Liaison to the Mayor’s Office and HOA President of Tanager Lane, Elizabeth Stonegate. She says, “this is not the beautification program I was promised when I voted for it.”

“I think we’ve had enough mysterious fires in Lahaina, we certainly have no need of “don’t know Lee’s” inferno sticks lining the roads. Just look at the areas where these torches have been installed. They look like something out of a movie about college kids visiting a remote tribe, only to end up in a stew pot. I thought this “beautification” would involve things that mattered: Mandatory lawn mowing and improvement days, reasonable house colors, properly weeded flowerbeds in front of every house, prohibiting car washing in your driveway, containing children’s play to backyards and monitoring their noise levels, you know, things that would actual raise property values and make certain areas that I won’t mention right now, more seemly. I can promise you one thing, Tanager Lane will not be participating in this make Lahaina beautiful again fiasco. Under my direction, my part of Lahaina has always been beautiful.”

STORYLINE

Duracave Donates Triage Tents To Help Treat Hurricane Victims

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The fallout from hurricane Neki, which made landfall early Saturday morning, will be felt for years in West Maui, but many who were injured in the storm are feeling the aloha spirit today thanks to Duracave. The company best known for high-end survival gear and portable power supplies has donated several mobile triage tents to the Lahaina Medical Center to help house and treat victims of the hurricane. Thousands of are homeless this morning and hundreds are injured from the wrath of Neki.

Nearly 400 area residents are injured filling local medical facilities well beyond capacity. That number is expected to grow substantially as rescue teams comb through the rubble. While many companies like Veilcorp and Manimal are providing shelter and energy drinks to survivors, Duracave’s donation solves a logistical nightmare for medical personnel working in Lahaina.

“When we saw all the victims left in Neki’s wake we knew we had to do something,” says Duracave CEO Barret Stone. “Duracave is about providing the tools necessary to survive and thrive in the worst conditions nature and political cabals can throw at you. Neki was bad but we’re better.”

“Not all tents are created equal. Our Liberator Modular Tenting System is the most advanced and most secure shelter devised by mankind. Resilient to extreme heat and cold, able to withstand hurricane force winds, and monsoon rains our ultra-tarp material can even keep out many first generation nerve agents. Paired with one of our innovative generators and featuring a negative pressure environment, the Liberator makes the perfect triage environment for you and a buddy, or a whole platoon. It keeps the smell of war and contagions in and any worries out. I use a mid-sized Liberator system as a mobile abattoir on my ranch. Believe me, if it can keep the smell of a 12 ton gut pile from getting out it can contain any disease.”

“The tents were a godsend,” says Director Dalia Forsythe. The Lahaina Medical Center has been hit especially hard. With supplies and personnel already stretched thin the facility simply didn’t have space for all the sick and injured. “We were treating people in supply closets,” she adds.

“Without these tents we would have lost lives. It’s that simple. This morning there was an explosion that injured dozens of rescue workers and may have exposed them to 127 and other toxic materials. Luckily, we now have the room to keep them quarantined until we know what they were exposed to. I’m not the kind of person who would usually talk highly of Duracave and their well-shared political views but they really came through as a company. There is no doubt that they helped us save lives. The hurricane has caused a lot of struggles but I’m amazed at how quickly everyone has come together to help. It makes me proud of my Hawaiian neighbors.”

Not everyone is singing the praises of Duracave however. Despite Forsythe’s admiration for the company, one Lahaina resident calls the tents an eyesore. Elizabeth Stonegate, President of the Tanager Lane Homeowners Association, worries that the tents will discourage new people from moving to the area. “We’re really missing a great opportunity to rebuild a more sophisticated Lahaina,” she says.

“I realize that Neki hurt a lot of people and my heart goes out to them but the truth of the matter is that Mother Nature has offered us a great opportunity. Many of the homes that were destroyed were older traditional dwellings. The kind of places they call “quaint” in real estate listings. We all know what quaint means, and how quaint doesn’t raise property values. Lahaina has changed a lot in the past decade. It’s growing into a beautiful modern city and Neki has helped clean up some of our problematic areas. Since many of those people won’t be able to afford to rebuild even with insurance money we should be courting a more financially secure class of people.

There is nothing about 4 giant sized medical tents that says, “come spend millions of dollars building a new home here.” It looks like something out of a horror movie. The whole reason a hospital has walls is so that you don’t have to be reminded of the sick. I feel terrible that people who chose not to take proper shelter were hurt by their actions but why should their bad choices impact my property values? While everyone is digging through rubble and putting up sci-fi plague tents, I’ve made sure all tree limbs and debris has been picked up in Tanager Lane. We have an unprecedented chance to reshape a more sophisticated Lahaina, let’s do all we can to make it happen and get rid of the tents before it’s too late.”

STORYLINE

Excitement and Controversy Over Upcoming Veil Stop Announcement Continues

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Veilcorp and the County of Maui are set to announce the locations of the first Veil Stops at the end of the week, amid increasing excitement and swirling controversy. Many still consider the next generation public transportation system a wonder, while some worry about safety and improper government influence. A number of recent reports regarding the possible health effects, and corruption have lessened the near unanimous support for the project.

Promising to revolutionize the way we travel locally, the Veil Stop network was met with excitement across the island back in January. Veilcorp said they could convert existing bus stops with little effort and could have a working system up and running within months. Since then, multiple delays, warnings from environmental groups, and corruption investigations have slowed progress and diminished public support for the project.

Mayor Albert Cravalho says that despite the controversy, he believes that the network will be a major attraction for tourists and a huge benefit to residents. “Every project is met with some sort of pushback, but I am confident that the Veil Stop network will change the day-to-day lives of many for the better. In spite of a few activists using bad science and rumors to derail the project, many business owners and residents see the possibilities that the Veil Stops afford and are excited.”

Inventor and technology gadfly Ano Lee is one such business owner. He has been pushing to have an out of service bus stop near his maker commune reopened as part of the pilot program. Lee says that the expansion of the preservation zone ended all public transportation in his area, and the Veil Stop project would return the valuable service to his neighbors and his business.

“Preservation zone rules have kept viable public transportation options out of the area, but the Veil Stop network could change all that. I think the old bus stop down the road is the natural choice. People have to understand what a hot-spot my Chacki Hut has become. Sure, tourists come to Lahaina for the crystal clear water, lush forests, and scenic cliffs. However, the hut is now rated as one of the most popular tourists destinations on a variety of social media outlets. Our selection of peel-n-stick LED lights is second to none, and as far as I know, there is nothing like our custom bobblehead machines anywhere on the island. Since we’re a little off the beaten path, I think it’s only natural that the pilot program start out here.”

Preservation zone compliance liaison to the mayor’s office Elizabeth Stonegate disagrees. She believes that the network should focus on currently active bus stops, saying that an active stop in the area would upset delicate natural areas. She counters, “There’s a reason that the bus routes in the area were discontinued, and it wasn’t to upset Ano Lee and his collection of ungroomables. The stop that Lee is pushing so hard to reopen is less than a mile from my home in Tanager Lane. As HOA president it is my job to protect my neighborhood and home values. I can assure you that the residents of Tanager Lane are not public transportation people. I’m sorry that visitors to Lee’s plastic shed will have to buy their trinkets and trance music somewhere else. There isn’t anything here for the kind of people who would visit his neck beard collective, certainly not a home in their price range. I think it is obvious that these people would be much happier in other areas of Lahaina.”

Chop House owner Bob Abramo agrees with Stonegate, and says the obvious location is one of the stops downtown. Abramo is nearing completion of a multi million dollar “Museum of Meat History” alongside his restaurant, and says that the interest in the new expansion makes his location the obvious choice. However, many have accused Abramo of using his position on the city council to unduly sway the planning committee’s decision. Known for his outlandish statements and direct manner, many are saying his “appreciation program” is a step too far, even for the larger-than-life Lahaina fixture.

He says,

“I really don’t know what all the fuss is about. You hear about people celebrating police officers and first responders all the time. I’m not saying we shouldn’t give a little extra thanks to these brave men and women, they do an incredible job. I’m just trying to recognize other public servants who are too often overlooked. I wanted to recognize those that work late hours missing diners to make sure that the paperwork was done in triplicate. I wanted to give the hardworking people who only have time for instant noodles during the day something they could appreciate. When we started looking at all the groups who put in a little something extra in our local government, one stood out immediately. I’m proud of the “Veil Stop Planning Committee Appreciation Program.” I’m offering everyone on the committee free meals this week at the Chop House. Frankly, with so many vying for their attention I thought it only right that I offered them a spot at my table to relax and make the right decision.”

The committee says they are still looking at a number of areas, and will announce the first Veil Stop locations early this Friday.

STORYLINE

Law That Would Put Quota On Veil Travelers Passes

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Amongst cheers from its supporters and threats of legal action from the opposition, the InterIsland Preservation and Travel Act (IPTA) was passed today. The law would establish tough new regulations on the use of Veil transportation on any of the Hawaiian islands and impose a quota on the number of monthly visitors. Many native Hawaiians see the measure as a much needed safeguard for failing infrastructure and fragile natural areas. Veilcorp calls it a disappointing overreach. The controversial law is set to go into effect in 2047.

Proponents of the legislation say it is needed to protect strained electrical and sewage systems and to shield vital natural areas from overuse. Advocates point to the frequent back-up and spillage problems in Honolulu, and the recent destruction of a turtle nesting beach in Maui by a wedding party, as proof of the need for the law.

Starting next year, anyone planning to veil into the islands must submit a visitor declaration at least 60 days in advance, and outline which destinations they plan to visit as well as provide a departure date. Anyone caught staying past this date, or veiling in without a permit will be heavily fined with the possibility of jail-time for repeat offenders.

Not everyone on the islands agrees with the law. Many local businesses say they depend on a robust tourist trade, and cutting down the number of tourists by what some estimates say could be half, would be the beginning of the end for them. They also point out that so far the state has not explained how they would administer the monthly quotas or the waiting lists that are sure to reach out into year-long delays.

All of these questions and concerns are moot according to Veilcorp spokesperson Lisa Hunt. She says the new law is absurd and clearly unconstitutional, calling it “legislative theater”. Hunt says,

“Freedom of movement under United States law is one of the most fundamental constitutional rights of citizens recognized by the courts. It was recognized in the Articles of Confederation and the right to freely move between states is about as basic as it gets. What the Hawaiian government has done here is nothing more than an act of pandering to a very vocal and militant group of voters. They know that this law will not stand up to scrutiny in the courts. We suggest that they upgrade their sewer systems if they are no longer sufficient instead of spreading it around through legislation. Perhaps these advocates should get out of their comfy chairs and take a more hands-on approach to protecting the natural areas they allege to hold so dear. Stripping away freedoms won’t induce turtles to lay eggs.”

Mayor of the County of Maui, Albert Cravalho, disagrees. He says the law is much needed relief for a problem that has been growing for the past 7 years.

“Freely traveling between states has been considered a fundamental right but the federal government has not been invested with the authority to protect that freedom by the courts. That power has always resided with the states. But more importantly, we have to recognize that the Constitution is a living document. At one time slaves were considered three-fifths of a person, alcohol was illegal, and women were not allowed to vote. The creators of this great document wrote with quills, the ramifications of overcrowding due to veil technology was not on their radar. Oeming and his precious Veilcorp are just the latest incarnation of Captain Cook-like characters trying to exploit the beauty of Hawaii and its people. This problem really started to grow in 2039 when the United States joined 181 other countries in signing The Gateway Travel Accord. Giving virtually the entire population of the planet permission, and the ability to instantaneously stuff themselves into the 4,000 square miles many of us call home is short-sighted to say the least. Every winter our jails are filled with drunk Bostonians and others overstaying their visas. This is not a problem of our making. This is a global issue that was thrust upon us. Luaus aren’t a human right afforded to every southie, Saudi and shanghainese!.”

Albert’s sentiments are shared by many on the islands despite their doubts about the law’s eventual impact on the overcrowding and flash-tourist problems. Local IPTA advocate Elizabeth Stonegate says,

“As President of the Tanager Lane Homeowners’ Association for the past 15 years, I’m no stranger to hard and unpopular decisions so I empathize with the Mayor. If you think putting a travel quota in place is hard you should try getting everyone to agree to mandatory hibiscus planting. I agree that this is a problem that was thrust upon us by other countries. Just the other day a lost tourist wandered into the neighborhood. He walked up to me as I was getting the mail and asked for directions. His accent was so thick and I didn’t know what he was saying at first. You can imagine how off-putting the experience was. If something like that can happen in Tanager Lane, I can only imagine what horrors happen on a daily basis in the less upscale areas around the island.”

STORYLINE

Trapped Children Credit Quick thinking and Doughnuts for Survival

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The saga of 4 Lahaina children trapped inside a barrier wall came to an end today, when rescuers were able to safely remove them from the cavity that they had been huddled in for almost a week. Officials say that the construction drones that were building the wall failed to recognize that the children were inside the foundation trench when they began to pour concrete. Miraculously, none of the children were seriously injured, and all are expected to make a full recovery. The kids credit their survival with the quick thinking of one and freshly made doughnuts every night for keeping their spirits up.

June 10th was like any other typical summer day in Lahaina. In every neighborhood kids were outside playing ball or trying to beat the heat by walking down to the beach or jumping through a sprinkler. Tanager Lane was no different. 4 long-time friends, 10-year-old Brandon Stonegate, 11-year-old Landon Morrow, 10-year-old Greg Pio, and 9-year-old Tammy Laiwi, were playing in Brandon’s backyard, when the ball they were kicking around found it’s way into the trench dug for the barrier wall. The kids knew that construction on the controversial wall was supposed to continue that day, but assumed it would be safe for them to quickly retrieve the ball. They were wrong.

The wall around Tanager Lane had been a hot button topic for months. Opponents argued that it sent the wrong message to tourists and would become an eyesore. However, Preservation Zone Compliance Liaison to the Mayor’s Office Elizabeth Stonegate had been pushing the project, claiming that it was needed to help protect both the neighborhood and the surrounding protected areas. Stonegate said that the wall would “enshrine” the neighborhood and highlight Tanager Lane as an example of an area that had “reached 100% compliance with all preservation zone regulations”.
Stonegate’s plan included using the neighborhood’s maintenance drones to construct the wall in order to save money and keep heavy construction equipment from driving through the area. Many had concerns about turning over such a large project to the automated building-bots including their creator, Ano Lee. “I told Elizabeth that they still had some trouble recognizing objects that should be avoided and people when engaged in large projects, but she wanted to push ahead with the wall anyway,” he says. It now appears that Lee’s concerns were right.

Tammy and Greg were the first to jump in the trench to navigate the maze of rebar to get their ball. According to the friends, the drones showed up almost immediately, and they knew that they were in trouble. “They started to install big panels of wood. I had watched my uncle pour concrete before and knew that they were molds. They didn’t stop when they got by Tammy so Landon and I jumped in to pull them out, but the drones were working so fast that it was too late,” said Brandon. According to the children it was Brandon’s quick thinking and another drone malfunction that saved their lives.
One of the wooden panels was installed at an angle and broken. This left just enough space between the mold and the earthen wall for the children to take shelter as the concrete began to fill the trench. Brandon sealed the space as well as he could with a piece of the broken mold. It would be almost a week before any of them would be reunited with their families.

At first, nobody knew where the children were. Officials had been searching the surrounding forests for over a day before someone finally heard the children’s shouts for help. Worried about the structural integrity of the wall, first responders called in engineers to assess the situation. The tiny air hole the children had relied on was widened and people from around the island gathered to provide what help they could, including Hula Noodle owner Ralph Umeke with his “Mobile Malasada” truck. Along with some bottles of Manimal, some of “Uncle” Ralph’s malasadas were the first food to be lowered down to the children and they credit the deep fried treats with keeping their spirits up. The children remained trapped for another 3 days before engineers could safely pull them free this morning.

Brandon’s mother Elizabeth says she’s thrilled and relieved that the children are safe and healthy and says she and her family just wants to move forward and “let things get back to normal.” She adds, “Having something happen like this makes you think about what’s really important. You are only given one chance and one body to get through life, so it’s important to treat yourself with respect. When I see what these kids eat every day…well it’s no wonder they couldn’t climb out of that trench in time and my son had to risk his life to save them. Hopefully, these families will start taking nutrition a little more seriously. They won’t always have a Stonegate around to help them.”

For his part, Brandon says that he has no regrets about risking his life to protect his friends and says they have never been closer. He says he learned a lot through the ordeal, and his love of Portuguese confections is at the top of the list.

“We’re not allowed to eat that kind of stuff at home. I had no idea that something could be so delicious. Towards the end we were all getting pretty scared and worried that they wouldn’t be able to get us out before something bad happened. Just making it to the evening when the malasada truck got there helped us all. No matter how bad it got down there we knew we’d get warm doughnuts in the evening. I had to get trapped for 5 days in a cramped, hot, dirty hole with my friends to discover those malasadas. I think it was worth it.”

STORYLINE

Veilad Wants to Help You Power Your Vehicle

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A popular program in Lahaina that offers charging credits for electric vehicles in exchange for advertising is set to expand to all of Hawaii. The expansion comes just one year before the state mandated goal of having all ground transportation use renewable energy sources. Started in early 2043, the plan is a joint venture between Veilcorp spinoff, Veilad, and Phxicom.

Veilad has helmed many successful campaigns over the years including branded Reality Machine merchandise, and ads while you travel through the veil, but it was their corporate sponsored animal campaign that served as inspiration for the charging program. “The safety of the Duracave elephant herd served as the impetus for our charging initiative. We thought that giving an owner the chance to brand their vehicle in exchange for Veilcorp charging credit was a win-win situation. However, it wasn’t until we learned about Phxicom’s amazing sprayable display technology that our plan really took off,” says Veilad’s president Brie Howard.

Phxicom spokesperson Scott Parata adds, “Veilcorp has more charging stations than any other company on the island, and with Hawaii’s push to expand the use of EVs, the program sounded like an amazing opportunity. We’re glad we get a chance to show off the capabilities of our sprayable display while doing something to help the environment.”

Owners simply bring their vehicles to a participating facility and have the sprayable display installed on part, or all of their vehicle, depending on which plan they choose. Veilad then runs various advertisements that change depending on location. At the end of the month enrollees get a charging credit usable at any Veilcorp charging station.

The basic program covers the doors and hood of a vehicle and displays a different ad a few times a day. Brie says that for the average driver, the basic program can cover about 25% of their monthly charging bill. The premium program covers the entire vehicle with the Phxicom technology, and offers a much bigger payout.

In addition to covering your whole vehicle, the premium program is much more advanced. Sensors in the display track where a driver is in real time, and displays ads for businesses nearby or of particular interests. For example, if you find yourself near Black Rock Beach, ads relating to swimming and snorkeling will display. Further, the technology will play an accompanying audio track to ads if it senses it is in a high traffic area, regardless of whether or not it is being driven. According to Howard, participants in the premium charging program can expect to never pay a charging bill again.

While the program is a popular one, it is not without its detractors. Many consider the branded vehicles an eyesore. Others complain that the audio ads amount to nothing more than noise pollution, and that they disturb the peace and tranquility of natural areas. Maui police say that complaints about loudly playing ads number in the thousands. There’s also the problem of inappropriate items slipping through. Veilad admits that “there were some kinks to work out at first” but emphasizes that complaints about questionable content have shrunk to almost zero.

However, local resident Elizabeth Stonegate says the problem has been an ongoing one for her.

“It’s to the point where I don’t dare drive the van anymore. The problem started when I took my son and some of his friends to soccer practice. I saw people staring as I drove in, and assumed that they were staring at me. As President of the Tanager Lane Home Owners Association I get recognized a lot, it’s actually a little tiring. Anyway, after we stopped and got out I saw what everyone was staring at. My entire van had been turned into a disgusting advertisement for a questionable dating site. Then the audio began and I was mortified. Since then many of my son’s friends have asked if they could start carpooling with us. Even worse, Shelby had the audacity to question my judgment and fitness as head of the HOA. Even though everyone knows she’s still upset about the whole cat carrier incident, she never dared test my authority before. I work hard on projecting a perfect image. I will not be brought down because some company thinks they can make a buck off of lonely soccer parents.”

Brie reiterates that such issues are the exception rather than the rule and says that Veilad continues to work hard to screen their ad inventory. “For most people it’s an easy way to drive without paying for fuel. It offers valuable information to potential consumers, and is the best way available for a business to communicate its message. If you can live with driving a theme car, we’ll pay for the fuel,” she says.

STORYLINE

Noodle shop teaches kids that recycling can be fun

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Over the past 18 years Hula Noodle has grown from a favorite eatery for the locals to a Lahaina tourist destination. Run by Ralph Umeke, (Uncle Ralph to Lahaina residents), the shop is well known as being one of the best places around to grab a delicious bowl of food and catch up on the local news. Now thanks to a donation from Reality Machine, the Maui landmark is becoming a place where kids can learn the importance of recycling, and have fun doing it.

Umeke never dreamed that his small noodle shop would become a place where kids and tourists alike could learn about the science of recycling, but then again he never thought he’d be famous. When he built the restaurant he had one thing in mind, “making a place where you could grab a warm bowl of food before work, or after a long day surfing, without a lot of fuss or people bothering you.” Everything changed when a brilliant young scientists named Eric Oeming moved to Lahaina and walked through Hula Noodles’ front door.

Despite being known for his gruff exterior and his wariness of tourists, Umeke declared Oeming a “local who just happened to be born somewhere else.” The pair became, and still are, very close friends. Soon Uncle Ralph’s quite local noodle shop turned into a favorite for hundreds of Veilcorp employees and a stop for any company VIPs. Hula Noodle became a hotspot for tourists trying to get a glimpse of the rich and famous, or Oeming himself. The rest, as they say, is history.

The recycling program began like so many things do at Hula Noodle, with Uncle Ralph’s vocal consternation. The issue that was troubling him this time was the amount of wasted food he was throwing away on a daily basis, and he let everyone know it. Bill Stewart, lead designer at Reality Machine, happened to be in the shop at the time and went back to talk to his team. “It was a no brainer,” Bill says. “We all love Hula Noodle and agreed that donating a RMIII to the shop would be a great idea. Having a place where thousands could see one of our machines working up close would be great for business, and we could show Ralph how to break down whatever customers left behind, instead of just throwing it away. I’d be lying if I said that we didn’t also have a laugh about what he’d throw in the recycling drawer when he got upset. We joked that we’d probably have to go down there one day to clear out a rude tourist who was jammed in the machine.”

A week later a working RMIII was up and running inside the shop. “I let my nephew dump the first half-eaten bowl of pho in the machine. He told some of his friends, and by the weekend I had a dozen kids asking if they could help me clean up,” Umeke says. A month later, what started as a novel way for Ralph to get rid of unwanted food and a fun exercise for a few local kids, has expanded into an educational program teaching the importance of recycling.

Umeke and another local business owner, Ano Lee, have partnered to create a unique recycling program many want to expand to other areas. Kids can use Umeke’s machine to recycle trash they’ve found along the beach and in the preservation zone and can deposit the raw materials in a special “Builder Bank” at Lee’s maker commune. “We have a big list of recipes for various things we thought the kids would like,” says Lee. Ranging from backpacks, to various toys and sporting equipment, or even fluorescent shoes, once a child has all the ingredients they need, Lee will demonstrate how it’s made and hand it over as a reward.

“I donate the CHON we get from all the excess food to local farms to use as feed of fertilizer,” says Umeke. “I have to admit that I have almost as much fun as the kids watching something get broken down into it’s core components. The kid’s love it and I’m proud of what Ano and I have come up with. I understand that we’re not going to change the world, but we’re definitely making our little part of it better. I think that’s all you can hope for. With all the tragedy​ in Lahaina over the past few years and Stonegate’s trainwreck she called the visitor restriction program, we could all use a story that we could feel good about. That’s what this is. A chance for all of us to come together and feel some pride in this jewel we call Lahaina and keep it sparkling.”

However, not everyone is sold. Preservation Zone Compliance Officer Elizabeth Stonegate has been a vocal critic of the program. “I rarely have the pleasure of eating at Hula Noodle myself, as I prefer a more spacious dining area and try to avoid people attempting to fight off a weekday hangover with a bowl of noodles. Nonetheless, I am concerned about any establishment that serves food a few feet away from a glorified garbage machine. I’m not sure I understand how the authorities have allowed this to go on for so long. Throngs of kids are breaking the rules daily by going off clearly marked trails to grab bits of trash and plastic bottles. Instead of punishing them and teaching them how vital it is that we all follow the rules, we are rewarding them with cheap plastic toys. I would be mortified if my children were out in public carrying around bags of other people’s garbage. As a society we pay people who have no other options to do that kind of work. We shouldn’t be encouraging our kids to do it.”

STORYLINE

Lahaina Sanctuary Lets Over 700 Cats Live A Pampered Life

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Offering: clean water, good food, 6 miles of cat “highways”, automated toys, a drone cleaning system, and limitless petting, the Lahaina Cat Sanctuary has been called a feline paradise. Founded in March 2028 by owner and Executive Director Felix Popoki, and dubbed “Whisker Island” by its fans, the sanctuary is currently home to over 700 cats of all shapes, breeds, and sizes. One of the largest nonprofit sanctuaries in the world, Whisker Island has saved thousands of cats over the years through its adoption programs, and provides unadoptable animals a place to live out their remaining years. However, running such a large rescue takes a lot of time, hard work, and sacrifice. “My job is literally herding cats,” says Popoki. “It gets so busy around here that sometimes I wish I had nine lives to devote to the operation, but I’m proud of what we’ve done. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

15-years-ago Felix saw a need to do something about the growing feral cat population in Western Maui. A danger to much of the island’s wildlife, in particular many endangered native bird species, most solutions involved trapping and euthanizing the wild cats. “That was just unacceptable to me,” says Felix. So he took out a loan, bought the plots of land on either side of his home, and began construction of what was to become Whisker Island.

“Things were much different then,” Felix says. “I did most everything myself. I relied on volunteers for construction and veterinary services. I spent most of my money on cat food and litter. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t nights that I doubted myself while repairing a scratching post for the 5th time, but slowly word spread about what I was trying to do. Donations started rolling in, and when Veilcorp got behind the project – well, it was the cat’s meow. I thought all of our problems were solved. We were riding high, and then Maui expanded the preservation zone, and I was worried we’d have to shutdown.”

Many Lahaina businesses and families found themselves living within the boundaries of protected lands after, the expansion of the West Maui Forest reserve in 2031. For most, the stricter regulations didn’t change their day to day lives much, but for the owner of a large cat sanctuary, it meant hundreds of hours of structural improvements, and tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs. “We had to install animal friendly netting to keep all the birds out, and the fur in. We had to store the cat food and medicines in securely sealed containers. We had to ship the used litter off-island to be incinerated, and we had to install environmental cleansers to ensure that any disease or parasite didn’t make it off the property. If it wasn’t for Veilcorp’s donation, and all the volunteers who came to help, we wouldn’t have made it.”

Despite meeting all the new requirements, Popoki says he still has a contentious relationship with preservation zone officials. Elizabeth Stonegate, Compliance Liaison to the Mayor’s Office, in particular remains an ardent opponent of the sanctuary. “Dander Island as I like to call it, is only open because of Veilcorp money,” she says. “They have been cited on numerous occasions for improperly stored food. Anytime there’s a strong wind the adjacent land is covered in rogue feathers, and bits of yarn. I know that they have some sort of hi-tech litter system, but let’s just say you don’t want stand downwind of 700 cats, no matter how expertly their litter boxes are changed. However, for me, the worst part is the volunteers. They’re just what you think of when you think of animal hoarders. Old, disheveled, covered in hair, and I hate to say it, but weird. If I see one of them in a store downtown, I leave. I don’t have time to wait behind them at the checkout while they mumble, shed hair, pick through their loose change and coupons. I’m not the only one who feels that way.”

Despite the criticisms, the ten acre refuge has become a popular tourist attraction on the island. Last year, over 20,000 visitors walked amongst the animals, and the sanctuary hosted 18 weddings for cat lovers who wanted share their special occasion with hundreds of feline witnesses. Not all visitors come to play with the cats however. Just as many come to marvel at the technology. “Ano Lee was one of our first and biggest supporters,” says Felix. A fixture in Lahaina, the well known inventor has transformed Whisker Island into the most advanced animal sanctuary around.

“Every litter box sits on a scale that determines when it needs to be emptied,” says Lee. “I’ve repurposed my maintenance drone design to handle emptying and filling the litter, and distributing food evenly throughout the facility. I’ve reinforced the 6 miles of cat walkways connecting the various buildings, and attached tracking that an automated toy pod travels along all day. Every 3 minutes a toy is deployed somewhere along the line for the cat’s amusement, and we also have a number of laser emitters that randomly shine a laser, following a preset pattern, to help stimulate the residents. We have automated cameras that can identify any fights, or potentially sick animals within seconds. If I wasn’t so busy, I’d move into Whisker Island myself. The place is a paradise.”

While he’s proud of his 15 years, Felix admits that there is sometimes trouble in cat paradise. “Feral Heights has never been one of the better neighborhoods in Whisker Island, and we warn visitors to not loiter too long when passing through. Nonetheless, this year scratching incidents have gone up over 60%.” Despite the occasional setbacks, and the never ending list of tasks to complete, Popoki says he loves his work and hopes to eventually house 2,000 cats in the sanctuary. “I feel like I’m sitting in the catbird seat every day, and I want to do all that I can for my tenants. I just wish I wasn’t so allergic to my angels.”

STORYLINE

What the Veilcorp travel ban reminded me, and what we can all learn from it

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It’s been just over a month since my exclusive interview with Eric Oeming and a couple months since the company stopped enforcing its media “travel ban”. In my 20 years at the Seattle Times I’ve covered a number of high-profile stories: Government corruption, the dismantling of the largest human trafficking ring the country has ever seen, a hazardous waste facility leaking toxins into the groundwater, and of course the theft of the first object ever sent through the veil. None of these stories generated they kind of interest in my colleagues as the Oeming interview.

A few were angry that I broke some sort of unwritten code. A fellow journalist, who I won’t name, told me, “We should turn the tables and refuse to write or report anything about them.” Many still wrongly blame the company for the remaining travel restrictions (more on that later). Most however had one simple question, “How did you convince him to talk?” The answer to that question was something that my grandmother taught me a long time ago; something that may seem simple or obvious, but has been lost somehow over the years. The answer is, I asked politely and with respect.

As journalists, our job is to follow a story wherever it goes and report the facts. It is our job to arrange these facts in a coherent manner and provide an unbiased narrative for the public. We are the last line in truth, often butting heads with business and the government. It is a noble profession but it’s one that can leave you jaded. When you are lied to as often as we are, it’s easy to imagine everyone is lying. When you are constantly exposing the damage we do to one another, it’s easy to think the worst of people. When you are constantly dealing with distrust, it’s hard to have faith in others, but we need to.

When you add in the huge amount of money celebrity “journalism” produces, the waters get even muddier. For as long as people have been reading there has been salacious journalism; it’s nothing new. However, the last 40+ years has seen a huge rise in the industry. People have died while being chased by photographers trying to see what kind of clothes they were wearing. We know what everyone eats, and we speculate on what it means when our favorite actress doesn’t eat the bread that came with her dinner. Is she dieting? Is she sick? Does she have a personal vendetta against the baker? It’s gotten to be too much.

My grandmother was one of the first female prosecutors in the area I grew up. She put herself through law school working as a saleswoman . After 25 years of dealing with the worst of society she retired and became a victim advocate. She told me that the most important lesson she learned through all of her careers was to listen and have empathy. The first thing you do when you meet someone who wants to buy a dress, or steal one, is be polite. When someone has gone through a traumatic event it changes them, and it’s your job to make them feel safe and respected. With a few notable exceptions, this was the key to her success. I’m not sure how or when, but it’s a lesson I think many of us have forgotten.

Veilcorp is a corporation made of people. On May 4, 2041 those people experienced a horrible tragedy. They lost friends and co-workers. Some lost family. Many had survivor’s guilt or suffered from PTSD. Federal investigators were everywhere, security and worry was at an all time high, and the company founder was hanging on by a thread. Into that turmoil the media flooded the island, and it was like water being thrown into hot oil.

We know now that the group who forged documents and used fake identification to infiltrate the Veilcorp facility, were just photographers looking for a huge payday, but at the time there was concern that they were terrorists. I still see stories about how Veilcorp is blocking journalists from traveling to Lahaina, when in fact any current travel restrictions are due to low population zone (lpz) regulations. The compliance liaison to the mayor’s office, Elizabeth Stonegate, is actually in charge of keeping the number of reporters veiling in to a manageable number, but that’s a story I haven’t seen anyone interested in reporting. With this as a backdrop I don’t think it’s any wonder that the company felt it had to do something.

I explained all these things to Lisa Hunt. I told her that I wanted to tell their tale about human struggle, and the future of an improbable success story. I wanted people to understand that she and Dr. Oeming were people too and not just faces in the news. Despite the chaos of the previous months, I told her that most people were honestly concerned and curious. I told her I would be respectful of their delicate situation, but truthful in my reporting. I would treat her and the company the way I would want to be treated if I was going through a similar experience. That was my secret weapon, the thing that everyone else seemed to miss.

I’m a big believer that you don’t go out of your way to reward people for doing the right thing, but I think in this case we should commend Veilcorp for seeing the error in their ways, and ending their media blackout. But there’s a bigger lesson to learn here. I think we all learned just how fast things can escalate after a tragedy and how sometimes fighting fire with fire makes an inferno. I think we learned how everyone just wants to be treated politely and with respect, at least I hope we have.