“Kula Sunset,” comes to us from Cynthia Conrad Send your best photos from Maui County to mauiphotos@mauinews.com for a chance to see them featured on our website and in our weekly print edition A grant information session for Maui County’s recycling grants program will be at 2 p.m In light of increased property values driving up tax payments the Maui County Council’s budget committee has .. Copyright © 2025 Maui News Publishing Company LTD | https://www.mauinews.com | 100 Mahalani Street ‘It was great to get a song that’s entirely in Sanskrit on Radio 1 “Go cash your giro giro”’‘It was great to get a song that’s entirely in Sanskrit on Radio 1 We were all living together as a band in Swiss Cottage The first time we played our version was at Glastonbury festival in 1993 then blagged our way on to the stage in the Hare Krishna free food tent The arrangement with the droning chords and the chant in the middle pretty much happened on the spot We continued to play it every night at every show for two years until we got a proper record deal It’s not just a song: it’s a doorway into thousands of years of tradition with the promise of spiritual adventureIt’s one of those songs that continues to evolve and surprise you however many times you play it It’s a doorway into thousands of years of tradition ontology and history encapsulating the promise of spiritual adventure You have to have a mood of service towards it because it belongs to the world It’s one of those songs where the band are getting as much benefit as the audience As for the lyrics: Sanskrit is often called “the language of the gods” Why on earth would you not want to try that in a pop song Govinda is one of the “intimate” names of God which translates as “reservoir of pleasure” any of the names with the prefix “Go” (meaning “cow”) glorifies Sri Krishna’s youthful time as the divine cowherd plays his magic flutes in enchanted forests and steals the hearts of heavenly milk-maidens One of the turning points was when we were touring our debut album to a sold-out show in Blackburn in front of 2,500 people in various states of intoxication with their arms in the air This has got a life of its own.” It was the perfect miraculous convergence of sublime and ridiculousness We were playing around the north London Camden scene but also going out to the West Country and playing to a very different so if we could play Glastonbury Assembly Rooms alongside some psychedelic sitar player We’d always loved the hippy music of the 60s and 70s and had been equally fascinated by Indian classical music and eastern mysticism A friend introduced us to the Bengali musicians who ended up playing on Govinda We always finish live sets with itWe worked with John Leckie who had produced the first Stone Roses album and before that this brilliant psychedelic record by the Dukes of the Stratosphear The verse is repetitive but we’d been listening to the George Harrison version for months There’s lots of the tambura – the four-string sitar from Indian classical and folk music that gives the droning sound – and the tabla (the hand drums) all over the record We had to remember that we were still these whitey westerners It was great to get a song that’s entirely in Sanskrit on Radio 1 although I think most people saw it as one of those gimmicky songs I remember people at early gigs shouting the lyrics as: “Go cash your giro giro.” Some old songs you get tired of playing live It has a power that’s beyond us; we’re just the vessels All we have to do is play and let the universe do the rest of the work Kula Shaker are performing at Chalfest, Stroud, 18-19 July, and Lakefest the man found guilty of running over and killing Parole Officer Christine Guerin Sandoval in Colorado Springs back in 2023 He will be behind bars for 48 years and 364 days Kula was sentenced as a habitual offender by Judge David Shakes because of his criminal record A jury convicted Kula in February on the following charges: Officer Guerin Sandoval was one of three parole officers trying to arrest Kula on a warrant Kula was sitting in his car at the time and tried to drive away it's worth noting that service members who retire and then teach at the Academy are considered civilian instructors Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5 Report a typo Privacy Policy | About Our Ads New Kula Ball Fields’ parking lots will close for asphalt maintenance and repairs on Thursday according to the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation The parking lots are expected to reopen at regular hours on Saturday for re-striping and are expected to reopen on Saturday contact the department’s Maintenance Division at 808-270-7382 Soomaaliya – Puntland ee Soomaaliya ayaa shaaciyay inuusan helin wax taageero dhaqaale ah oo caalami ah tan iyo markii uu bilaabay dagaal militari oo lix bilood socday oo ka dhanka ah kooxda Daacish (ISIS) oo ku dhuumaaleysaneysa buuraleyda Cal Miskaad ee gobolka Bari ayaa sheegay in gacan shisheeye oo keliya ay ahayd duqeymo cirka ah oo lagu bartilmaameedsaday xubnaha ISIS balse aanay jirin wax kaalmo dhaqaale ah oo la siiyay maamulka dowladda federaalka Soomaaliya ayaan wax taageero ah siin Puntland taasoo uu ku sheegay mid salka ku haysa khilaafaad siyaasadeed “Beesha caalamka hal dollar kuma aysan bixin dagaalka aan kula jirno ISIS,” ayuu yiri Lugatoor “Waxaan aaminsanahay in tani ay tahay mid ka mid ah dagaallada ugu adag ee la dagaallanka argagixisada ee Soomaaliya ka socda.” Lugatoor ayaa xusay in Puntland ay miisaaniyaddeeda ka goysay qayb si ay u maalgeliso howlgalka militari taasoo muujinaysa sida maamulka uga go’an yahay inuu la dagaallamo argagixisada isla markaana uu sii wado adeegyada muhiimka ah sida mushaharka shaqaalaha iyo maamul wanaagga Waxa uu sidoo kale ammaanay kaalinta Soomaalida qurbaha kuwaasoo uu sheegay inay bixiyeen malaayiin dollar si ay u taageeraan dagaalka Beelaha deegaanka ayaa isna dhankooda ku deeqay raashin iyo xoolo si loo taageero ciidanka Inkasta oo ay jirto xaalad adag oo dhinaca taageerada ah haddana dowladda Puntland ayaa ku dhawaaqday howlgal cusub oo magaciisu yahay “Onkod,” kaas oo lagu beegsanayo kooxda Al-Shabaab ee la rumeysan yahay inay ku dhuumaneyso buuraha Calmadow Advertise with GaroweOnline and expose your brand to a global audience of loyal visitors from across the world In kasta oo khilaafkaasi weli uu saamayn leeyahay haddana dib u bilaabashada kulamada baarlamaanka Xiisadda ayaa cirka isku shareertay kadib weerar ka dhacay magaalada Pahalgam ee ku taalla Kashmir ee ay maamusho Hindiya Copyright © GAROWONLINE All Rights Reserved personal essays and photographs are just some of the literary and artworks featured from students faculty and community members in “Kula Manu,” a BYU–Hawaii student-run literary journal under the Faculty of Arts & Letters “[Kula Manu] is such a good way to represent how diverse we really are but also from our way of thinking and experiencing things,” said Carly Stone an adjunct faculty in the Faculty of Arts and Letters and teaching assistant for English 392: Introduction to Literary Editing and Publishing said the literary magazine serves as a time capsule for each year it has been published how we’re concerned about different things then and how we’re happy about different things today,” Stone said She said there were not many literary journals from Hawaii or Polynesia but through the people who started Kula Manu more than 50 years ago they felt the power of documentation and its influence on people “I think the first group in 1962 put together what they thought was collectively who they were at that time,” she continued Stone said it is really fun to see the different trends in literature and art published in Kula Manu the students are experimenting with grammar like texts and formatting,” said Stone She said the submissions from each student and faculty and community members were really creative and different “They are not just sticking to one way of doing things,” she added a senior from the Philippines with a major in communications media & culture and an editorial team member of the 2025 Kula Manu said the designs of the magazine have evolved over the years “There are a lot of artwork and photographs that are different now because we have more students than before,” she explained Stone said Kula Manu does not have a definite genre “Although in the past we’ve always focused on island life and on cultural aspects of what you’re experiencing as students [and] whatthe community members are experiencing,” she said Stone said they have traditionally pushed more themes like diverse experiences such as self-discovery a senior from the Philippines majoring in political science and a member of the 2024 Kula Manu creative design team introspective and nature themed [journal],” said Torio Marcaida said it is leaning more into nature “We came from different parts of the world so it’s bound to have those in it,” Marcaida said Stone said it depends each winter semester who is on the team that handles Kula Manu what they will put in the journal and how it will look like in the end “Once they decide what pieces of work they want to include they will work with authors on grammar and will start publishing and creating the book,” Stone explained “It is vulnerable to share certain aspects of [this] creative work because it’s not easy to open up to people.” Torio said she felt good with everything she and her design team put into the journal “I feel like everything we put there has its own charm to it,” said Torio She emphasized it was handled with love and care as it has its own significance to the journal and the community itself Marcaida said the submission of entries for Kula Manu are blind meaning the team doesn’t know who submitted an entry until it has been selected The editorial team considered itself as mediators to other teams who have published Kula Manu to ensure unity moving forward with decisions for the magazine In terms of using the advancement in technology Kula Manu has been striving to level up its game we used social media like Instagram and we also contacted the university communication through email and student bulletin to disseminate the information regarding the submissions for Kula Manu,” Torio explained For the promotion of the 2025 Kula Manu journal it makes it a lot harder to manage a website Marcaida said the Kula Mahu staff “also collaborates with different departments because of its growing followers,” she added Stone said the website Kula Manu has is only for the submission of entries and not for actual online publication for now Marcaida said one of the biggest challenges of producing the magazine is time management “There came a point where people will be submitting on the deadline and we have to go through all of the submissions because we want to be fair even though it’s all blind submissions,” she said As for Torio she said it took awhile for them to selection what art and literary works they put into the 2024 Kula Manu journal “Not everyone on the team agreed on the same things “That is why ours is different from the previous ones It does not have QR codes of songs or music a junior from Utah majoring in English with an emphasis on professional writing said she will be submitting an entry for the Kula Manu 2025 editing and getting everything to look good,” she said She said she must feel comfortable with the writings she will be sending for the Kula Manu because if it is accepted “It is vulnerable to share certain aspects of [this] creative work because it’s not easy to open up to people,” she said Ivie said if she could describe Kula Manu in one word She said it inspires her to improve in her own literary life “But it also inspires me to learn more about other people’s stories and to recognize that everyone has different ways of influencing others,” Ivie continued She said because of the inspiring artwork and literary works published in Kula Manu before and the things I’ve gone through through writing and especially poetry,” Ivie said By telling her story through literary works she said she gets to find common ground and relatability with other people “I get to be a better writer because I’m writing for an audience,” she explained One of Ivie’s hopes for Kula Manu is to see more showcasing of the actual people who are being published in the literary journal “It can be a way for me to learn more about them and their background like where they came from and their cultural significance so I can better understand more and empathize with their piece,” Ivie said As promoted by the Kula Manu team under the Faculty of Arts & Letters Kula Manu 2025 will be published by the end of the Winter 2025 Semester The deadline for submission of entries for the journal was March 4 Ke Alaka'iCampus News CenterBYU–Hawaii #192055-220 Kulanui Street Bldg 5Aloha Center Room 134(808) 675-3694kealakai@byuh.edu Posted by | Apr 24 Kula Hawaiian Kitchen was born out of a deep love for Hawaiian culture and the Aloha spirit that captivated Chris and Ayako Williams during their time in Hawaii Chris graduated from high school in Hawaii they spent two wonderful years living there Those experiences profoundly influenced their lives instilling in them a deep appreciation for the warmth of the Hawaiian people and their cuisine The name “Kula” holds special significance for them “Kula” means “Gold” or “Golden,” and it is also a tribute to their beloved Golden Retriever They brought Kona with them from Oahu to the mainland and his presence in their lives inspired the name of their vineyard and winery When the opportunity arose to open their own Hawaiian restaurant it was only fitting to carry that name forward expressing their love for both their cherished pet and the rich culinary traditions of Hawaii Their journey to opening Kula Hawaiian Kitchen was driven by their desire to share the comfort food they love with the community After closing their first tasting room in Atascadero each night they often found themselves craving the familiar flavors of Hawaiian cuisine That passion led them to create a space where they could introduce others to the flavors that had become so dear to them They built the restaurant from the ground up in La Plaza relocating their tasting room right next to it the support from the community has been overwhelming Initially unsure how their blend of Hawaiian flavors with Asian influences would be received they have been thrilled by the enthusiastic response They are grateful to their customers and wine-club members for their incredible support and remain committed to bringing them a unique and authentic Hawaiian dining experience filled with the Aloha spirit Copies of Paso Robles Press Magazine are directly delivered to 23,000 readers in zip codes 93446 and 93465 and 2,000 dropped with support from advertisers and subscribers we are Making Communities Better Through Print.™ To subscribe or advertise, click here. Camille DeVaul joined the 13 Stars Media team in 2020 as a community writer focused on Paso Robles and Templeton she is dedicated to sharing the stories of our community with the highest standards of journalistic integrity Camille collaborates closely with the Publisher on all North County publications including Morro Bay Life and Central Coast Living She also oversees our San Luis Obispo County editorial team managing over 15 freelance writers and photographers Camille enjoys spending time with her family on their bean farm Reach out to Camille at editor@13stars.media Paso Robles Press is the community’s top-ranked news source for Paso Robles mailing 30,000 monthly copies to our community most-trusted news source for our community Good News • Real News • Your Hometown News Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XtalPi (2228.HK) today announced the official signing of a strategic R&D collaboration agreement with U.S.-based Kula Bio in Boston This partnership initiates a joint research initiative worth multi-million USD focused on developing the next generation of microbial organic fertilizers to provide breakthrough solutions for agriculture in arid and desert regions By integrating artificial intelligence (AI) the collaboration aims to enhance agricultural productivity and accelerate the global transition to green and efficient farming practices across China Kula Bio's technology is based on research led by Harvard University professor and National Academy of Sciences member Daniel Nocera who was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009 The company has developed microbial organic fertilizers that compete with chemical fertilizers The partnership will focus on overcoming soil degradation in drought-prone regions through innovative microbial fertilizers designed to transform non-traditional arable land into high-quality farmland the two companies will leverage XtalPi's globally leading AI and automation R&D platform and Kula Bio's extensive expertise in microbial technology to co-develop innovative biofertilizers tailored for arid and desert agricultural applications The multi-million-dollar R&D investment will be allocated to AI-driven product optimization with initial commercialization efforts planned in China and the Middle East expanding global arable land resources and promoting ecological resilience XtalPi will oversee field trials in China and the Middle East covering at least five crop types to ensure that research outcomes translate into practical applications with strong market potential Kula Bio will utilize the technological advancements from this collaboration to accelerate global agricultural decarbonization and sustainable development This collaboration marks another milestone in XtalPi's strategic expansion of its AI-powered agriculture ecosystem Following recent partnerships in AI-driven crop breeding with CyberPlantX and intelligent seed R&D platform with Guangdong Hengjian Investment and Shouguang Vegetable Group the Kula Bio alliance further solidifies XtalPi's commitment to modernizing agriculture through cutting-edge technologies By leveraging AI and automation to address key challenges in agriculture XtalPi continues to drive the industry's transformation into a tech-driven Harrison Yoon commented: "Kula Bio's groundbreaking microbial technology is poised to create powerful synergy with XtalPi's state-of-the-art AI driven breeding and microbial design platform this collaboration marks a bold step forward in accelerating innovation and addressing some of the world's most urgent sustainability challenges through next generation biological solutions." commented: "It's an honor to forge this strategic collaboration with Kula Bio's world-class team as we accelerate large-scale deployment of next-gen green agricultural solutions in arid regions worldwide we're delivering market-defining products that overcome arable land limitations while setting new industry benchmarks for future sustainable farming practices Our AI for Science platform will continue driving this transformation - creating scalable climate-resilient farming systems that balance food security with environmental sustainability." is harnessing the power of naturally occurring microbes to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional nitrogen fertilizers Utilizing supercharged microbes and precision application Kula Bio provides an environmentally friendly and cost competitive alternative to traditional nitrogen sources XtalPi Holdings Limited ("XtalPi," XtalPi-P 2228.HK) was founded in 2015 by three physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) It is an innovative R&D platform powered by quantum physics By integrating first-principles calculations XtalPi provides digital and intelligent R&D solutions for global and Chinese companies in the pharmaceutical today announced a license agreement on XtalFold™ XtalPi (2228.HK) has announced a strategic partnership with Indonesia's powerhouse led by one of its prominent business pillar Sinar Mas Multiartha Agriculture Environmental Products & Services Environmental Products & Services Artificial Intelligence Do not sell or share my personal information: Anticipated completion time has been extended to Monday Water customers in parts of Upper Kula and Makawao are experiencing an outage through 8 o’clock tonight The water service outage is due to a mainline break from Friday The outage is from 1700 Piʻiholo Road and above and Olinda Road/Lumahai Place and above; affecting 30 homes and 2 standpipes Water buffalos are located at: bird sanctuary  Impacted consumers need to flush their waterlines outside for 10-20 minutes then run their faucet for another 10-20 minutes before use The Department of Water Supply apologized for any inconvenience This article brought to you in partnership with the Hawai‘i Journalism Initiative — a Maui-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization LAHAINA — To mark the birth of their first child Kevin and Kelly Williams planted a tangerine tree in their Lahaina yard When their second child Malia arrived in 2020 But the trees never had a chance to bear fruit before the Aug their property management business and most of the town Get more stories like these delivered straight to your inbox Sign up for the Hawai‘i Journalism Initiative's weekly newsletter: on their new property in Ukumehame about 15 minutes south of Lahaina the family is growing a much bigger bounty — about 220 trees that one day will return to the backyards of families like theirs “Absolutely amazing to be able to think one day we can drive through Lahaina and see the trees that we helped raise,” Kevin Williams said.  Over the past year and a half, a sprawling network of volunteers, local farmers, nurseries and hotels have stepped up to host thousands of young trees growing in pots that will be replanted in Lahaina through the Treecovery Hawai‘i project.  the initiative has bloomed into 6,200 trees being cared for at 25 grow hubs with about 160 already replanted at the handful of homes that have been rebuilt in Lahaina and Kula While displaced families focus on returning to their homes the volunteers are making sure the trees and the soil are nurtured and ready to shade and feed the community for years to come.  “It really does a lot to people’s minds and hearts when they see growth and they see that rebirth of the land,” said Duane Sparkman founder and president of Treecovery and chair of the Maui County Arborist Committee “Restoring the ‘āina from the soil up is what we have to do.”  When 59-year-old Ekolu Lindsey talks to relatives from his dad’s generation about Lahaina Everyone had their favorite fruit trees in Lahaina and oftentimes they were the ones in their own yards who lost his Front Street home in the fire.  “All those stories, it’s the memories of home. It’s all part of who we are as people,” said Lindsey, a Treecovery board member and head of Maui Cultural Lands a nonprofit that works to protect and restore Hawaiian resources across the island The removal of breadfruit trees and diversion of streams to pave the way for sugar cane production in the mid-1800s dried up the once productive landscape and opened the door for invasive species.  Sparkman and his team launched Treecovery with the goal of growing 30,000 trees to replace what Lahaina lost Lindsey sits on the board along with Matthew Murasko Rodger May and cultural adviser Archie Kalepa.  It’s a labor of love where the on-site workers or volunteers water weed and transfer the plants to larger pots as they grow Treecovery takes requests for trees on their website buys them from local nurseries and transports them to the grow hubs where they are cared for and labeled with the names of the families they will be donated to product designer and brand builder who met Sparkman while volunteering in Honokōwai Valley 17 years ago Murasko said they’ve raised about $600,000 and that they pay full price for the trees and pots to help support local businesses The trees cost about $100 each but can get as expensive as $2,000 for a 65-gallon mango tree or $3,000 to move and install a large palm tree the group has provided 85 trees for one 27-acre home in Kula to replace those planted by the owner before the Aug 2023 wildfire that destroyed 26 structures and burned nearly 700 acres Upcountry The group also has supplied 75 trees for eight homes in Lahaina One of those homes had eight large palm trees planted with the help of cranes while the trees for the other homes were either planted by the homeowners or with the help of volunteers There are a variety of trees, including native species like koai‘a and ‘a‘ali‘i; fruit trees like Mapulehu mango peach and citrus; and flowering trees such as plumeria and puakenikeni.  Nine more homes in Lahaina and one in Kula have requested trees in the past month Treecovery is working to fill their requests.  Sparkman, a longtime landscaper and former scientific biological technician at Haleakalā National Park who has been honored for his organic landscaping practices said Treecovery wants to return the natural system of healthy microbes into the soil.  The steady recovery of the iconic 150-year-old banyan tree is proof that it can work Sparkman said it’s grown “leaps and bounds” more than they expected with the help of 500 gallons of microbial life rich with fungi and bacteria that trees need and pests can’t survive in.  but man can help it by pulling these indigenous microbes and moving it for nature,” he said.  A critical part of the effort to restore the soil is Jonny Klassen Klassen visits the grow hubs every other week and some homes once a month to apply a special microbial brew that will help the plants grow and thrive.  On a sunny Thursday morning behind the Hyatt Regency in Kā‘anapali 18-year-old Jomicah Roman and Klassen’s 17-year-old stepson Skyler Cereceres filled three backpack sprayers with the muddy mixture and walked the rows of milo Each recipe is concocted specifically for the location wood chips and other green waste from the hotel with food scraps that are then composted into a dark brown soil and mixed with water and food for the microorganisms — in this case it’s dead insects to help them learn to consume pests and seaweed to create more fungi for the soil.  Fungal-dominated soil is good for trees; for other plants he might add more sugary foods that would produce bacteria helping to break down organic matter and provide nutrients to the plants Good soil structure can also help prevent runoff and erosion and Klassen said if soil health isn’t a focus as Lahaina rebuilds “We’re putting all of this time and money and effort into rebuilding,” Klassen said “But if we don’t … also think about our shoreline erosion and our water management then all of that is going to be somewhat for nothing for the next generations.”  When the Williams family lost their property in the fire so they split the cost of a 6.6-acre property in Ukumehame with another fire-displaced family in January 2024 but they wanted to do something to help the community and heard about Treecovery at a birthday party.  Sparkman gave them little orange flags and let them pick out different trees for each family member The Williams family cleared a quarter-acre of their property and brought in 170 trees that later increased to 220 they take pictures of their two daughters next to the trees they picked to track their growth.  “Everyone’s trying to do what they can with what they have so that’s our small contribution,” Kevin Williams said their homes are rebuilt and they’re ready to move back in they’ll at least have a mature tree that’s a few years old rather than just a fresh keiki tree.”  Trees made their Lahaina home beautiful and livable including a big kukui nut tree that provided shade lilikoi that “just took off” and plenty of papaya and starfruit to eat.  “I think everyone first considers the structures and the buildings are the trees that provide all the fruit and the shade and the greenery,” Kevin said “To be able to grow fruit and have that with your family or share with your neighbors … it’s just a way that ties the community together in kind of a beautiful way.” after the birth of their son in February 2024 the Williams family restarted the tradition of planting a tree for each child who planted a pear tree for Kevin and an apple tree for his older brother David Clements’ farm serves a special purpose as the acclimating grounds for the trees that come from growers in rainy East Maui Clements currently has about 800 potted trees on a quarter-acre of his property though he had as many as 1,600 at one point The sunny days and cool nights help the plants “get used to getting blasted by nothing but sunshine,” so that the journey to Lahaina won’t be such a shock.  The selection at Clements’ grow hub includes a few prized pots of the banyan tree that were grown using an air-layering technique which allows a new plant to be grown while attached to the parent plant This makes the new plant behave as if it’s as old as the parent plant preserving the maturity and allowing it to bear fruit sooner than a brand-new plant Clements married into a family that has actively farmed the land for 85 years starting with an initial crop of cabbage planted by his wife’s grandfather the farming operations have scaled back as the older generation aged and the younger generation found other jobs A bartender at the Andaz Maui and a longtime friend of Sparkman Clements grows palm trees on the property and said he had plenty of of sunshine time and space to offer when he heard about Treecovery’s work He loves knowing that some of his trees end up in the backyards of local residents before they go to Lahaina and thinks the connections made between the displaced families and the people who fostered their trees are priceless Clements says “everyone feels a little lost in knowing that they can’t donate financially to make a huge difference,” but that every bit of help is meaningful “I know it’s not the biggest thing in the world to do for these folks that have lost everything but if we can take this burden off of them and give them a little hope and give them a little reason to believe that other people are out here caring for them I think that’s worthwhile,” Clements said.  Fledgling ‘ulu plants are also preparing for their future move to Lahaina at the nursery of Maui Nui Botanical Gardens in Kahului Last year the organization purchased 42 ‘ulu trees that people could sponsor for donation to residents in Lahaina and the rest are available for those who want them The trees are a true maoli or native variety of ‘ulu from pre-European contact days said Executive Director Tamara Sherrill.  Sherrill said they will hold on to the trees for as long as people need Currently one tree takes up a gallon-sized pot; within two years they could expand to pots of 3-5 gallons and require a couple of people to transport.  They also have ʻōhiʻa plants from wild varieties in Mauna Kahalawai that were collected by a Lahaina resident who fled the fire and saved a whole pot of seedlings that she donated to the botanical garden The trees are mostly claimed and will be ready for distribution soon.  “It’s wonderful to think of even just one of these trees being something that gives people comfort or food or beauty in the future Heavy rains have caused a main line break in Hāpapa Gulch in Kula DWS crews are currently unable to assess the extent of the damage Potable water buffalos will be staged at the bottom of Copp Road and Kula Highway Current estimated water service outage time is 7 p.m Updates will be provided as more information is available on the family farm where he had lived his whole … The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread on the family farm where he had lived his whole life Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 Tuesday morning Friends may call from 4 until 7 Monday at the Goettsch Funeral Home Visitation will resume on Tuesday morning from 10 until 11 at the church Memories or Condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com Those remembering Allan are his eight sisters Diane and Donna Kula; and many nieces and nephews Joseph in Prairieburg and Sacred Heart in Monticello He graduated from the Anamosa Community Schools with the class of 1973 He continued his education at Kirkwood College passing his CDL examination Alan raised feeder pigs on the family farm He was awarded the Golden Hammer award while working at Menards Alan loved the farm where he planted many trees over the years He enjoyed tinkering around the equipment and the buildings and taking care of the cats and dogs Allan was a very devoted and life-long member of the St He had great reverence and love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus The Gazette has been informing Iowans with in-depth local news coverage and insightful analysis for over 140 years independent journalism with a subscription today © 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved Listen to “In the Groove” with Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m Always a good day when we’ve got a fresh Tall Black Guy flip to explore alongside new music from Cousin Kula Durand Jones & the Indications and more Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 15 Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. WDET is a community service of Wayne State University CONTACT Membership Sponsorship Studio Rentals Technical Support Pitch Us a Story Help/FAQ Other Inquiries Shows Podcasts Schedule Listen Live Contests & Giveaways SUPPORT WDET Membership Leadership Circle Car Donations Business Sponsorship Broadcast Partners Program More » INSIDE WDET About Staff Jobs & Internships Public File FCC Applications Investigative stories and local news updates Coverage of the Hawaiʻi State legislature in 2025 Award winning in-depth reports and featured on-going series Get the week’s news delivered straight to your inbox The same day flames tore through Lahaina in 2023 another fire in Kula caused millions of dollars in damage The recovery effort there has been quiet but intense As a deadly inferno tore through Lahaina and West Maui in August 2023, another fire raged Upcountry in Kula. The blaze burned hundreds of acres, destroyed dozens of homes and transformed much of Haleakalā’s landscape into a scorched and barren wasteland an emerald sea of baby black wattle trees blanketed the mountainside as the forest began to reemerge from the burn scar But Kula residents do not welcome the fresh greenery and they are largely why Maui’s Upcountry region remains one of the most fire-prone places to live in Hawaiʻi and they fall over and are basically tinder lying on the ground,” said Ellison waiting to be Hawaiʻi’s next big mega-fire.” Unlike Lahaina, no lives were lost in Kula — famous for its misty mountain hiking, agricultural history and paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboy, culture — or in either of the other two fires that burned on Maui that day. But the rural area sustained more than $32 million in damage Recovery efforts in Kula are being spearheaded by nonprofit groups founded by local residents committed not only to clearing debris but preventing future fires by removing invasive plants and restoring the mountain’s native flora The Kula Community Watershed Alliance has also taken steps to make sure Kula benefits from any legislation or public funding geared toward Maui wildfire recovery efforts The alliance is the only Kula organization explicitly named as a partner in the official “long-term recovery plan for Lahaina,” released by the county earlier this month “We all lost people we loved in Lahaina and we were heartbroken Though Kula Community Watershed Alliance and Mālama Kula have taken different recovery approaches both groups have prioritized community outreach and removing fire fuels such as invasive trees On a Tuesday earlier this month, more than a dozen people spent hours volunteering with Mālama Kula and removing wattle that had begun to regrow. Most were students from Azusa Pacific University in California who had traveled there with a Christian group called Praying Pelican Missions. they uprooted each plant by hand before tossing it aside Nearly a thousand volunteers — locals as well as visitors from other parts of the world — had spent thousands of hours removing the invasive plant over several months but fields of fresh wattle grew as far as the eye could see “It kind of looks like we didn’t do anything which can be defeating,” said Mikaylee Garcia a volunteer who recently graduated from Azusa Pacific “But we try to remember the impact it makes long-term We’re getting rid of these to prevent fires in the future.” The volunteer hours of people who travel with organizations like Praying Pelican and All Hands and Hearts have been critical to Mālama Kula Though some of the work being done by volunteers might eventually be paid for or contracted by government agencies like the Department of Agriculture or the Natural Resources Conservation Service Taking immediate action would benefit the community’s mental health while also alleviating some immediate fire risk Mālama Kula has been turning some of the waste into wood chips that act as mulch hold soil in place and discourage regrowth of invasives They also installed two of the state’s first cameras that can detect smoke 20 miles away and alert the local fire department “It’s been hard because government speed is government speed It doesn’t mean the resources aren’t there and it doesn’t mean they won’t come in the future,” Ellison said “Our goal is to get our community back to whole and help people get back in their homes The first step in doing that is you have to visualize what your new home is going to look like You have to be able to go to your property without crying.” Many community members have appreciated the visible progress since the fire the good people who have worked tirelessly have really saved the community a lot of time “It was eerily similar to this Kula fire Tekula acknowledged how difficult it is to continue living in a burn zone surrounded by reminders of a traumatic experience But she said the Kula Community Watershed Alliance has tried to balance that sense of urgency against the need to do the work properly and take other plans for landscape restoration into consideration.  For example, Tekula said, the alliance wants to acknowledge and support the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s already-funded plans to clear and stabilize much of the burn zone through the emergency watershed protection program “We’re working on the landscape-scale restoration of all 200 acres that burned,” Tekula said “We’re talking about tens of thousands of trees.”  But the group — guided by a neighborhood council of Kula’s fire survivors subject matter experts and other advisors — also recognizes the value of making visible progress.  the group has cleared invasive trees from dozens of acres and stabilized more than eight acres of burned land with wood chips made from invasive wattle and eucalyptus trees They also recently planted a 600-square-meter native plant teaching garden at the edge of Pōhakuokala gulch surrounded by a metal fence to keep away animals such as deer and pigs is to teach local students and community members about responsible watershed management.  While working to secure additional funding and waiting for funding that has already been awarded through grants from the U.S the Environmental Protection Agency and others Tekula said the alliance has relied on roughly $480,000 from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund and at least $400,000 from other organizations and private donors.  was until recently entirely privately funded and raised close to $300,000 from about 100 individual donors between November 2023 and December 2024 the organization was awarded significant funding from the Rotary Foundation and Maui County and it has continued applying for grants “Restoring an entire landscape requires a lot of paperwork who has worked in conservation on Maui for more than two decades and is among the alliance’s advisers.  “It’s super slow and it’s painstaking,” Imhoff said “but the funding that is coming in is millions and millions of dollars and will fund stuff that we can’t afford to do on our own.” Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation Unfortunately, being named a finalist for a Pulitzer prize doesn’t make us immune to financial pressures. The fact is, our revenue hasn’t kept pace with our need to grow, and we need your help Civil Beat is a nonprofit, reader-supported newsroom based in Hawaiʻi. We’re looking to build a more resilient, diverse and deeply impactful media landscape, and we hope you’ll help by supporting our essential journalism Civil Beat has been named the best overall news site in Hawaii for the 14th year in a row by the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter The Maui Department of Water Supply is reporting a service outage in parts of Upper Kula and Makawao due to a mainline break  The outage is expected to continue through 3 p.m today and affects 30 homes and 2 standpipes Two water buffalos are located at the bird sanctuary residents may experience brown water and should flush waterlines outside for 10-20 minutes A man was found guilty of vehicular homicide and other charges Wednesday afternoon for causing the death of a Colorado Springs parole officer in September 2023 In addition to vehicular homicide, Justin Kula, 42, was found guilty of manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, and third-degree assault in the death of Christine Guerin Sandoval who was Pueblo sheriff's deputy for 12 years before serving the last five years of her career as a parole officer for the Colorado Department of Corrections Guerin Sandoval died after being struck by Kula's vehicle while she was attempting to serve a felony warrant in Colorado Springs Another parole officer was seriously injured during the incident Kula had attempted to flee when contacted by parole officers hitting Guerin Sandoval and another officer before leaving the scene Guerin Sandoval was taken to a nearby hospital but later died from her injuries Prosecution says Kula killed officer while attempting to fleeIn her closing statement Wednesday afternoon a deputy district attorney representing the 4th Judicial District argued the prosecution had proven all the elements of the charges against Kula beyond a reasonable doubt Kula had been identified by multiple parole officers on the scene prior to being contacted including the parole officer to whom his case was assigned Law enforcement had been contacted that day by Kula's ex-wife who told parole officers she was concerned for Kula's life due to a medical condition involving an injury to his leg Prosecutors argued that parole officers gave verbal commands to Kula such as instructing him to raise his hands and not to reach for anything in the vehicle They drew their weapons due to Kula having warrants for parole violations The prosecution stated Kula decided he did not want to be arrested and backed up striking another vehicle before throwing his vehicle into drive and hitting Guerin Sandoval and another officer at the scene Guerin Sandoval was dragged briefly under Kula's car and suffered head-to-to injuries Her death was ruled a homicide by the El Paso County Coroner's Office Kula also failed to return to the scene to render aid or information and never attempted to contact law enforcement about the incident The speed at which Kula attempted to flee also constituted reckless driving for the purposes of the charge of vehicular homicide Prosecutors also mentioned the September 2023 incident was not the first time Kula attempted to flee from law enforcement In a 2020 incident captured on body-worn camera Kula was contacted by Fountain police officers and attempted to start his vehicle and leave the scene Fountain police used a stun gun on Kula and detained him The DA's office also recounted that civilian witnesses previously testified they clearly recognized the parole officers to be law enforcement from their uniforms and their commands Kula's defense attorney claimed his client believed he was in imminent danger of being shot and killed and did not know who was at his car door "What do you do when a gun is pointed at you?" the attorney asked the jury The attorney argued that the officers were strangers to Kula who opened his door and pointed guns at him leaving him "not knowing if they were going to rob him or hurt him." None of the witnesses that testified during the trial said they ever heard law enforcement verbally identify themselves and none of the witnesses had Kula's vantage point The defense argued Kula simply acted as quickly as he could to get away as he was not paying attention to details like the parole officer's uniforms Believing he couldn't fight his way out of the vehicle against a firearm citizens can use proportional force to defend themselves without a duty to retreat if they genuinely believe force is needed to prevent imminent harm It was also "not practical" to return to a scene where Kula reasonably believed someone had just attempted to mug him if they were simply concerned for Kula's health the parole officers approached Kula's vehicle with their weapons drawn we ask you not to find him guilty," the attorney concluded the prosecution argued there was no testimony during the trial that explicitly stated Kula was afraid for his life or that he could not recognize law enforcement and was focused on the gun in his face The defense also did not present any evidence that a lesser degree of force would be inadequate there was not a gun in Kula's face until he attempted to flee the scene but that's not a danger of death or serious bodily injury," the prosecution said "Christine Guerin Sandoval is dead because of a choice Justin Kula made." A second phase of Kula's trial will begin Thursday during which a jury will ultimately determine whether he is a "habitual criminal." If found guilty of being a habitual offender More on Pueblo crime and public safety: Pueblo police seized fewer drugs, much more fentanyl in 2024 Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com will speak at the Rotary Satellite Club of Kīhei-Wailea on April 15 about the group’s ongoing wildfire recovery efforts in Kula and the challenges that remain following the 2023 fire The meeting takes place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m The event is open to the public; RSVP by emailing rotarymeansbusinessmaui@gmail.com Ellison will discuss the nonprofit’s community-led approach to disaster recovery including services such as green waste disposal bins and smoke and fire detection cameras He will also highlight the importance of green waste management and its link to public safety Mālama Kula has mobilized more than 3,000 volunteers who have contributed nearly 27,000 hours toward cleanup and recovery The 501(c)(3) nonprofit was formed in response to the disaster and continues to address ongoing needs in the area For more information on upcoming meetings and volunteer opportunities, visit www.rotarymeansbusinessmaui.org The victim has since been identified as Kilipaki Nelson the Maui Police Department extended condolences to Nelson’s family and friends A 42-year-old Wailuku man was killed in a single vehicle collision in Kula A preliminary police investigation reveals that the white 2007 Kenworth flatbed tow truck that the man was driving failed to navigate a right bend in the roadway colliding into a metal guardrail before overturning The flatbed was loaded with six large concrete retaining wall blocks striking an unattended green 2006 Toyota Sienna the operator of the tow truck sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene The occupants of the residence were not injured Police say the operator of the tow truck was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and the vehicle’s airbags did not deploy according to a preliminary report released by police The involvement of alcohol or drugs has yet to be determined as the investigation remains ongoing This was Maui County’s second traffic fatality of 2025 compared to zero at the same time last year The County of Maui Department of Water Supply issued a boil water notice for certain Upper Kula areas impacted by a main line break in Hāpapa Gulch during the winter storm If DWS customers did not lose water service during the storm on Jan if you reside in or near the affected areas and experienced a service outage or low pressure you are advised to boil your water until further notice Affected areas are as follows (includes all sides of these roads): The water service outage is estimated to continue until 7 p.m please boil water as a precaution until system testing confirms it is safe to drink DWS will provide notification when the advisory is lifted The process of flushing and sampling will begin after pipeline repairs are completed Test results require 24 hours to process Daily updates will be provided following each sampling period DWS will inform customers when tests confirm that no bacteria are present Heavy rains have caused a main line break in Hāpapa Gulch Due to the extreme weather conditions Thursday and Friday DWS crews are currently unable to fully assess the extent of the damage contact DWS Administrative Officer Adam Mundy at (808) 270-8046 during regular business hours call the DWS 24-hour service line at 808-270-7633 General guidelines on minimizing the risk of microbial infection are available through the US Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 2025 Kula’s KULA token launches to put real assets in the hands of real people Press Release COINTELEGRAPH IN YOUR SOCIAL FEED15 April 2025 – After four years of building quietly It was built for transformation to make the uninvestible and to give communities the power to govern it themselves Untapped minerals in Malaysia are the kinds of assets traditional finance will ignore and crypto doesn’t reach Its vision is simple: a world where capital doesn’t just extract but restores Where communities move from being recipients of aid to architects of their own futures Where governance doesn’t happen behind closed doors Every token gives direct voting power over how the Kula treasury allocates real-world capital There’s no backroom deals and no passive coasting Kula’s governance isn’t about making noise "There’s a lot of noise in this space,” said Samuel Chen We came to give people a way to govern what’s always been out of reach Kula raised $17 million dollars from aligned partners to build full-stack infrastructure Kula has deployed capital into real-world projects that represent over $40 million dollars in underlying asset value These initiatives are already active across the RegionalDAO network and they’re just the beginning Capital is already invested and projects in Zambia and Nepal are already in process: Small-scale energy where people on the ground vote on what happens next More are coming in locations across the globe from Poland to India Kula runs on what it calls a Web 2.5 model The foundation is based in the Cayman Islands with Kula’s Group operations across Mauritius and Singapore to ensure that everything on-chain is backed by clarity off-chain This hybrid structure gives Kula what most projects still lack: the ability to move fast while staying compliant To scale globally without breaking the rules that protect people to separate governance from speculation so that KULA remains a utility for decision-making It showed up to care for what the system has left behind It doesn’t chase hype cycles or marketing moments It teaches people how to govern what was never theirs to control before Token holders will vote on which RegionalDAOs receive funding It’s a demonstration of what happens when capital meets care and communities are trusted to lead This isn’t just a token launch. It’s a step toward a financial system that remembers who it’s supposed to serve. Start participating at www.kuladao.io Website: https://www.kuladao.io/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/kula-dao X: https://twitter.com/kula_dao This publication is provided by the client Cointelegraph does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content or services mentioned in the press release Cleanup continues in the wake of a winter storm that brought heavy rains high winds and flooding to parts of Maui County Jan The Maui Emergency Management Agency is working with local and state partners to continue assessing damage from the storm. Residents and businesses impacted by the storm can submit damage reports to MEMA online at https://www.mauicounty.gov/mema The reports are used for ensuring safety and guiding emergency response efforts; allocating resources and setting priorities; supporting emergency declarations and funding requests; restoring infrastructure and utilities efficiently; planning long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts; and providing community support and public information Mayor Richard Bissen signed an emergency proclamation early Thursday ahead of the storm which gives the County the legal authority to mobilize resources activate emergency plans and streamline processes to respond quickly and effectively The public is encouraged to stay informed through credible sources such as the National Weather Service, the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency and MEMA. For more information on emergency preparedness and to sign up for alerts from MEMA, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/MEMA A boil water advisory was lifted today for Upper Kula areas after testing showed no E.Coli and no total coliforms bacteria in the water the County of Maui Department of Water Service announced as well as another round of samples taken Monday were negative for the presence of E.Coli and total coliforms The samples taken Monday were reviewed this morning DWS had issued the boil water notice for customers in Upper Kula areas that lost water service or experienced low water pressure following a main line break in Hāpapa Gulch in Kula caused by heavy rains during a winter storm Jan 2025. Affected areas were Ihe Place to Kanaio Road Lower Kula Road, ʻIoʻio Place and Upper Nāʻalae Road (included all sides of the road) after repairs were completed Saturday night Potable water tankers had been positioned in the Kula area while the advisory was in effect A 63-year-old Kula man has been arrested and charged with first-degree negligent homicide while operating a vehicle in a negligent manner in connection with a fatal traffic collision that took the life of bicyclist Volker Weiss Initial police reports indicated that speed might be a factor in the collision at approximately 11:25 a.m Government reports show that Jeffrey Rayner Short of Kula was the driver of a 2021 grey Jeep Gladiator pick-up truck that was traveling east on Pūlehu Road was passing and overtaking multiple vehicles when he collided into the bicyclist who was traveling west in the westbound lane of travel Records show Short was intentionally overtaking/passing at the time of the collision A “human factor” listed is “misjudgment.” His manner of driving was determined to be “aggressive and reckless” while improperly passing on the wrong side of the road Weiss was wearing a helmet and died at the scene Government records show Short was not impaired at the time of the collision Short was arrested at his residence Wednesday morning on an information charge Maui Police Department spokeswoman Alana Pico said Short’s arraignment and plea are scheduled for Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court Maui Now contacted Short’s defense attorney first-degree negligent homicide is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $25,000 This charge usually involves causing the death of another person while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or causing the death of a “vulnerable user” while driving in a negligent manner Weiss’ stepdaughter Marina Starleaf Riker said her father had “a child-like sense of wonder about almost everything around him we heard from so many people who told us that he had become like a brother or their closest best friend,” she said and he had this special gift of making everyone around him feel like their big dreams were possible known to many as “VW,” was born and raised in Hamburg He worked all around the world in the food and beverage industry before coming to Maui but cycling was his great love,” Riker said “He will always be remembered for his vibrant smile,” she said He was “so full of love and kindness that he made everyone close to him feel as if he were their dad Court records show Short pleaded no contest in March 2011 to consumption or possession of intoxicating liquor while operating a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle without due care He was fined $200 and ordered to pay other fees and take driver education Maui Now requested a mug shot of Jeffrey Short but Pico said none would be provided because a 9th Circuit Court ruling in Houston v MPD provided arrested person’s mug shots to the news media as a matter of routine public information the court ruled that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office practice of posting mug shots online is unconstitutional His mug shot was posted online for three days (KRDO) - A Colorado Springs jury has found the man accused of running over a parole officer with his car and killing her in 2023 manslaughter and other charges on Wednesday marking an emotional end to a long legal process for loved ones quickly backing his vehicle out of the parking spot he was in and fatally running over Parole Officer Christine Guerin Sandoval in the process His arrest affidavit showed he had been using meth and heroin at the time of the incident He also told police he that thought he was being robbed and claimed he did not know Sandoval was a law enforcement officer His defense team explained similar sentiments in their Opening Arguments of the trial on Monday calling Officer Sandoval's death a tragedy the Chief Deputy District of the 4th Judicial DA's office argued that the officers were wearing marked uniforms with two alternates not partaking in the deliberation a former coworker with Sandoval in the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office shedding tears and hugging one another outside the courtroom after the verdict the past year and a half has been just like a never ending nightmare." Miller explained holding hands with another loved one as she spoke on Wednesday the loss still bears heavy despite justice being served to Christine's now convicted killer She was she was more than any of that life And she was just the greatest person I think that we've ever met." Their efforts now turn towards more accountability beyond just the man who took their beloved wife Miller says she wants to see laws change to better protect parole officers not only by allowing them to do their jobs more directly but by also keeping dangerous criminals off of parole and keeping them in jail "Giving parole more leeway to go back and do the jobs that they're set out to do We're tired of this catching and release system that we have." Miller stated explaining that the 'fight has just begun' for Sandoval the very same jury will take part in Phase Two of the trial which will center around whether or not Kula is guilty of three habitual offender charges which serve as sentence enhancers to the four counts he was convicted of KRDO13 Investigates has previously reported that Kula had 13 prior felony convictions in the state of Texas that if Kula is convicted of being a habitual criminal his sentence could balloon to as many as 36 years in prison Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here. KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KRDO Jobs | FCC Applications | KRDO FCC Public File | KRDO FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information | Contest Rules 2025This paid press release is provided by Kula and was not written by CoinDesk CoinDesk does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for this content.London an impact investment company leveraging blockchain-based governance to drive real-world change is thrilled to announce that His Excellency Tamrat Admassu This appointment marks a pivotal moment for Kula as it scales its mission to make the uninvestible investible unlocking value in overlooked assets through decentralised governance and investment and enabling financial sovereignty for communities Tamrat Admassu led Ethiopia through a transformative period in the early 1990s guiding the nation from dictatorship to democracy with a focus on institutional reform and reconciliation where he will support governmental partnerships and the integrity of governance structures across emerging markets “I’ve seen firsthand the impact of governance failures and the hard work needed to rebuild trust - both in institutions and in people,” Tamrat said “Kula’s vision of a world where economic power is equitably distributed and communities control their financial futures resonates deeply with me It’s about creating systems that truly serve people.” blends smart contract automation with real-world accountability to manage real-world commodity projects these decentralised entities oversee initiatives ranging from agriculture to renewable energy ensuring local communities have a voice through tokenised participation Kula’s robust and decentralised ecosystem powers this governance model and oversee treasury activity with participation taking precedence over speculation “We’re building a future where communities aren’t just beneficiaries but active stewards of their economic destiny,” said Chris Turner “His Excellency’s experience at the intersection of governance and reform makes him the perfect partner to help us navigate this journey with integrity and care.” Kula is poised to redefine how blockchain can drive systemic change By placing governance at the heart of its ecosystem Kula aims to create a world where economic power is equitably distributed and communities irrespective of geography or status Be part of this global shift in how governance, investment, and impact come together. Learn more about Kula, its projects, and their recent launch at www.kuladao.io Kula is an impact investment company focused on real-world assets Our mission is to make the uninvestible investible We envision a world where economic power is equitably distributed and communities control their financial futures • LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/kula-dao About ShareSaveCommentSmall BusinessEntrepreneursWhy Kula Believes AI Can Change The Face Of Recruitment ForeverByDavid Prosser Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights 09:00am EDTShareSaveCommentKula's founders Forbes first featured Kula in 2022 breaking the news of a $12 million funding round for the start-up the company has more than doubled in size and grown its revenues year-on-year by an average of 70% the co-founder and CEO of the company believes many organisations are looking for additional functionality from recruitment software “The balance of power in the labour market has shifted over the past two years,” Ravi says “It’s now much more of an employers’ market with a better supply of candidates for each role; one result is that companies need more help to deal with the flow of applications they are receiving.” Many companies believe AI can provide that help Research published earlier this year by LinkedIn suggested 62% of recruiters now think AI has the potential to have a positive impact on their activities It highlighted opportunities for AI tools ranging from help with writing job descriptions to managing candidate engagement Kula’s proposition is an applicant tracking system (ATS) which automates much of the work that companies have traditionally had to do manually when recruiting The software includes outreach tools to help employers target potential recruits for roles that need filling – exploiting resources such as LinkedIn and GitHub for example – as well as a screening tool that scans applications to automatically work out which candidates are the best fit for the job in question process tools enable employers to stay on top of interview planning and scheduling And an analytics tool sits in on interviews to provide an automated summary of the conversation “The goal is to substantially reduce the cost of recruitment through greater automation but also to reduce the chances of making bad hires or missing out on good candidates,” Ravi says By helping employers to systematically rank candidates at each stage of the process against the job descriptions and requirements they have set out the ATS is intended to identify the best person for the job from the widest pool of talent possible one critical question that companies such as Kula must face is whether they can put AI to work in the recruitment process without introducing biases some AI tools have been criticised for appearing to discriminate against particular groups – showing prejudice on the basis of gender or race Ravi insists robust governance has been a priority for the company as it has built AI tools into its software “The issue of bias is something that all recruiters need to be aware of as the technology develops but it’s our responsibility to protect them,” he says “That means educating employers about this issue but also ensuring that the software is built in a way that confronts bias and prejudice.” Kula believes its newcomer status in the recruitment market can help it secure competitive edge as AI gains traction While Ravi himself has a long track record in the field with previous recruitment roles at companies including Freshworks the company’s four-year history is relatively brief “We are the first major hiring platform to be built after the AI-boom so we’ve harnessed many of the advances of AI into our platform and purpose-built them for recruiting use cases,” Ravi argues around 20 of Kula’s existing customers have signed up to use the AI platform enabling the business to trial and test its functionality The company believes it is now in a position to take the product to market targeting medium-sized businesses – with between 100 and 1,000 employees where its customer base is currently predominant The company’s existing funding gives it sufficient runway to pursue that strategy over the next year or so but Ravi expects to launch further financing rounds in due course believes the company can make rapid progress "Kula is poised to disrupt a market that’s been eagerly awaiting a next-generation platform,” argues Sabuncu “Recruiting teams are looking for bundled tools built with efficiencies enabled by AI and designed intuitively by people who understand how they use products.” when the last of the debris was carted away from the 26 properties that burned to the ground in the Aug veteran contractor Mark Ross knew he and his Upcountry neighbors needed to move quickly to rebuild.  Because once the cleanup finished in Lahaina town where another wildfire on the same day destroyed more than 2,200 structures the demand for lumber and labor on the island surely would surge “We could build unencumbered in a sense and not have to wait in line … because we knew Lahaina was a priority.” But Ross and others in Kula feel that golden window is closing amid the long wait to get approvals and pay for the costly wastewater upgrades needed to rebuild their homes with Lahaina’s residential fire debris cleanup complete and just a handful of homes under construction in Kula residents worry progress in Upcountry is stalling “Kula was the first one to be cleared by the Army Corps (of Engineers),” Kyle Ellison said during a meeting in Pukalani on Tuesday “Now Kula is falling behind in the rebuild process largely due to the bottleneck in the wastewater So there’s an urgency to this that I just want to make sure comes out of this meeting tonight.”  The state Department of Health is considering changes that would allow Upcountry properties to use the cesspools they had before the fire an exemption extended earlier this year to Lahaina Residents hope this will help them rebuild more quickly there were about 88,000 cesspools in the state and officials were concerned that the roughly 53 million gallons of untreated sewage released into the ground each day by all of the cesspools combined would contaminate groundwater More than 12,000 of those cesspools were on Maui, including about 7,400 Upcountry, one of the priority areas for conversion because of the levels of nitrate contamination in the groundwater that the Health Department determined was from sewage disposal systems it’s a problem they’ll have to pay for sooner or later After the fire burned down the Kula home of octogenarian Tom Liu and the cottage his daughter was living in on the same property friends and family told him to take the insurance money and buy himself a nice place to move into right away.  But Liu thought about the neighbors who banded together after the fire the businesses who delivered food to the donation hub at Kula Lodge where he was staying and the volunteers who called him “Uncle Tom” and fetched him new clothes when all he had after the fire was his slippers So he decided to rebuild on the property he bought for $889,000 in 2004 Insurance payments for the structural damage covered just under 60 percent of the rebuilding costs so he’s dipped into his personal property payout to cover the shortfall He also used about $45,000 of the insurance money provided for code changes to install his septic system but Liu said it would have cost even more had he hit rocks or roots Liu applied for building permits for both the house and the cottage in November and applied for the septic system around February mainly because the county told him they were waiting on the state Health Department.  never thought he’d live long enough to have to convert his two cesspools But now new builds like his require the upgrades Liu paid for the installation of a septic system and removed the bottom floor and one bedroom from the plans for his main house “We’re taking it away from other things to build the house,” Liu said because I don’t have enough budget to do that.” Lahaina isn’t hampered by the same issue as Kula because the Health Department released guidance in March that allowed rebuilt homes in Wahikuli to continue using existing cesspools as long as they were structurally sound and met other conditions such as hooking up to the county sewer line once it’s installed The Wahikuli subdivision is listed as Priority Level 1, the top ranking for cesspools most likely to cause harm to people and the environment, according to the Hawai’i Cesspool Prioritization Tool Now the Health Department is considering extending similar guidance to allow Upcountry residents who are rebuilding their homes to continue using their cesspools said “one of the major reasons” the department is considering this is because everyone else in the state has until 2050 to convert “We’re basically trying to get everybody back to where they were before that,” Nagato said via phone during the meeting on Tuesday “And it would be simple if everybody built the same house that they had I think when people are going to get their claim money or invest their own money into rebuilds they’re probably going to want to build better So that does kind of change the situation.” But Kula residents say they don’t have the money to build bigger homes especially with insurance payouts less than the cost of rebuilding and code changes that include wider setbacks from the edge of their properties Liu’s 1-acre property was big enough to fit the massive septic tank and leach field but he pointed out that his neighbors higher up on Kulalani Drive have smaller lots right next to the gulch Ross’ property also has limited space to work with — the roughly triangular-shaped parcel is bordered by Haleakalā Highway and a gulch with a single entry point along Kualono Drive.  Ross bought the home in 2002 for $320,000 and has been renting it out long term He and his wife live in Makawao with their five kids and her parents and they had hoped to make the Kula property their retirement home when the kids graduated from college Now they’re not sure when that will happen Ross said he submitted the plans for his septic system in April and has since gone back and forth with the Health Department over the location He said the department suggested putting the leach field under his driveway which he said is built on blue rock and thus won’t drain which is on the opposite side of the property from the cesspool and from the spot where he says a septic tank will fit he doesn’t want to build a home on top of a leach field “This should be something that makes sense that’s cost-efficient and correct,” Ross said why would I spend $150,000 on something that’s not going to work?” Ross just wants to use his cesspool and wishes that Health Department staff on O’ahu would visit their properties so they could understand the dilemma Kula residents face.  all my neighbors are going to benefit from it,” Ross said “So that’s basically been my driving force.” Maui’s state engineer retired last year and that the department has struggled to fill the position Staff come over from O’ahu to deal with complaints and supply instructions for installing systems but “we rely on the design engineers to present to us what is happening at their site.” Nagato said two months is a “normal” wait for a permit but that the department can prioritize fire-affected properties that are getting stuck in the statewide queue if they’re notified by Maui County there’s no standardized way to flag those County official Wendy Taomoto told residents at the meeting to have their engineers label their emails as “urgent” when submitting plans Nagato also cautioned that if the department allows Kula residents to continue to use their cesspools it’s unclear how that will affect homeowners who included the installation of a septic system in their insurance claims With residents like Liu frustrated over spending thousands of dollars to be in compliance and other residents urging the department to let them use their cesspools GETTING PEOPLE BACK IN THEIR HOMES IS KEY  In Lahaina, the rebuilding effort is ramping up quickly. As of Friday, 191 building permits for 157 properties had been submitted, with 78 permits issued for 68 properties, according to county data One of those has already completed construction only seven building permits for six properties have been submitted with three permits issued for two properties the square foot cost of building goes up,” said Ross who’s been a contractor for 30 years and owns Ross Home Repair Services They’re moving to Lahaina because they’re now ahead of us in certain areas.” A University of Hawai‘i economist pointed out earlier this month that the need for thousands more construction workers in Lahaina will likely outpace the local workforce Contractor Stephen Smith knows he could find plenty of construction jobs in Lahaina if he wanted the owner of 808 Consulting and Construction said his crew only does one job at a time — right now it’s Liu’s house — so they can get it done more quickly instead of jumping between jobs He says the number of permits approved outweighs the number of contractors on island and lately it’s been hard to get materials like concrete and beams “So construction work always feels good But it even feels better when you’re rebuilding what somebody lost It’s just sad because the costs have gone up on materials.” they did six homes in Wailuku that cost about $269 per square foot Liu’s home will likely come out to about $415 per square foot.  a director with the firm 4LEAF that the county has contracted to help process building permits said the number of permit approvals doesn’t necessarily mean Lahaina is moving faster than Kula pointing out that “it’s a difference in order of magnitude.”  When asked if he thought allowing Kula residents to keep using their cesspools would help speed the process along Anything we can do to expedite the building process and get people quickly and safely back in their homes is my goal.” a civil engineer and the manager of the county Department of Management’s Engineering Program also pointed out that the factors that could hold back approvals include the time it takes for homeowners’ engineers to submit the plans and revise them after the state provides comments Taomoto said health officials have to be firm on the rules because of what can go wrong when a septic system isn’t installed right. She also noted that residents will need to convert their cesspools eventually and shouldn’t wait until the deadline “The rules are there to protect you from a backup sewage,” Taomoto said “It’s going to back up if it doesn’t have the proper slope if the soil condition doesn’t allow proper drainage All those things have to work out so that this leach field functions properly.” Liu is just glad the issue is taken care of and he hopes his soon-to-be-finished cottage will be an inspiration for his neighbors.  I just wanted to be left alone,” he said as he watched a worker paint the cottage on Friday “But it is a feel-good story for the rest of the people Tom got started.’ At least we got started with the recovery phase.” deputy director for Maui Hotel & Lodging Association said it’s places like the upcountry Kula Lodge that make Maui feel like home who recently joined forces with the lodge for a quarterly mixer celebrating Maui’s Habitat for Humanity said she remembers when the lodge was a central hub for residents during the wildfires “People were able to find a lot of refuge and support at the Kula Lodge during that time,” she said Now she’s hoping the lodge can continue to be a place of comfort The association chose it as the location to host their quarterly mixer to help showcase the revamping of the lodge’s menu and wine list “Because of the fact that we were still coming out of COVID and the fires happened as well we wanted to give them the opportunity to show their updates,” she said The historic Kula Lodge is under new ownership and management by the Vojdani family who previously owned the 5 Palms Restaurant in South Maui restructured and reopened at the Kula Lodge in 2022 Cooper said guests and attendees were provided with special food items “We had a lot of good feedback,” she said “The response from our members was very high They had such a positive experience at the event and we were able to have a little introduction given to everyone there.” Following the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association event the Kula Lodge hosted another special dinner featuring wine from the Far Niente Wine Estates the Western Regional Sales Manager for the company participated in the special dinner featuring their Napa Valley-based wines The Kula Lodge’s Chef Raul Bermudez and Executive Sous Chef Junior Ulep designed a five-course meal to go with the Far Niente portfolio of wines presented by Rice On the menu included seared diver scallops with braised garden fennel and royal ossetra caviar to go with a Post & Beam Chardonnay Carneros 2022 they served star anise spiced duck breast with charred persimmon tamarind gastrique that went with an En Route Pinot Noir “Les Pommiers” Russian River Valley 2022 wine Guests were also served a delicious passion fruit sample that likened itself to shaved ice with a thai basil granita attendees were speechless while tasting the A5 Wagyu ribeye with golden pave toasted with onion mornay and shaved truffles The meal was paired with a Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022 wine The final dish of the evening was a blood orange souffle accompanied by a Dolce Late Harvest Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley 2018 who donated a round of wines during the dinner said he is grateful to be able to work with local restaurants such as the Kula Lodge during this time “There’s always been great synergy in the islands with the Far Niente Wine Estates,” he said “We believe great wines have a connection to great places.” “I firmly believe in those special moments made on vacation in a magical setting with the one you love is really when connections are made to brands and to moments.” He also said working in a collaborative way with Hawai’i vendors helps to support the local economy “I think anything we can do to lean forward to create additional value-add for our partners is something that’s important,” he said Kula Lodge Executive Sous Chef Ulep said he hopes more people continue to find comfort at the Kula Lodge this holiday season and into the New Year come experience the Kula Lodge & Restaurant,” he said “We will continue to use local sustainable products in our special menu events to come including more wine dinners.” For more information, visit kulalodge.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page a blockchain-powered impact investment firm has rolled out a governance token designed to give investors and local communities shared control over real-world asset projects.  The $KULA token gives holders the chance to vote on key investment decisions The initiative combines traditional management structures with decentralized blockchain participation aiming to bring transparency and local representation to projects historically shaped by external investors according to a note shared with crypto.news.  Token holders will have full voting rights and cannot delegate or proxy their votes a move the company says will increase accountability and direct participation Kula’s governance model is structured around tokenizing decision-making in ESG-aligned projects with smart contracts used to deploy funds to independently approved infrastructure and development initiatives The token is currently listed at $0.07 on several exchanges Kula has already launched development efforts in Zambia where it partnered with Bekazulu Mining to develop a limestone concession and secure sustainable water access for local communities.  Additional projects include a hydropower-backed digital economy in Nepal and a sustainable forestry initiative in Malaysia The company’s advisory team includes international development leaders signaling a push toward inclusive decision-making across regions A community recycling event will take place on Saturday Hosted in partnership with Mālama Maui Nui the event will accept various recyclable items Residents are encouraged to register in advance to coordinate drop-offs or to volunteer or may contact volunteer@mmnui.org for more information The Kula Community Watershed Alliance (KCWA) will host a community conversation focused on residential wildfire prevention and resilience on Thursday is designed to equip residents with the tools and knowledge needed to make their homes fire-resistant and reduce the risk of wildfires in the community This event is being held in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) and will feature a presentation by Nani Barretto Firewise Program Director and Co-Executive Director of HWMO They will discuss strategies for reducing fire hazards and share essential educational materials that will aid the community in making their homes safer during wildfire season The Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the risk of wildfires to people and support for communities and homeowners HWMO empowers residents to take preventive actions to protect their homes and landscapes from the growing threat of wildfires “After attending HWMO’s Hawaiʻi Wildfire Summit and taking part in the Home Ignition Zone Assessment and Mitigation (HIZAM) training with Jack Cohen the nation’s foremost expert on the wildland-urban interface I was truly inspired,” said Sara Tekula Executive Director of the Kula Community Watershed Alliance “This training empowered me to think differently about how we can reduce the risks wildfires pose to our homes and families I’m excited to bring this conversation to Kula and offer residents practical science-backed strategies for protecting their homes and ensuring the safety of our community.” The conversation will also include a Q&A session where participants can ask questions and share their own experiences related to fire safety and wildfire mitigation Firewise Program Coordinator for Maui County will also be available to address additional questions it’s critical for our community to be proactive in fire prevention,” Tekula added “The timing of this event is perfect as it provides a crucial opportunity to educate and empower our neighbors to take action now to protect their homes.” Home » Obituaries » Michael Kula Westport’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church has celebrated its final regular Sunday Mass A lack of priests led to the decision…… Tarah Heupel experienced something rare for a 38-year old — a spontaneous coronary artery dissection An Aberdeen man is counting his blessings after a heart condition caused him to fall in his driveway when temperatures…… Several athletes and coaches with ties to the Aberdeen region are among the 23 people who will be inducted into…… the trial for a man accused of running over and allegedly causing the death of a Pueblo parole officer will begin Monday at 9:00 a.m as the court begins its jury selection process and accident involving death or personal injuries Kula is accused of killing Christine Guerin Sandoval in September of 2023 after he fled while Sandoval and two other parole officers were attempting to make contact with him in Colorado Springs Sandoval was a longstanding member of the Southern Colorado law enforcement community and was a member of the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office from 2007-2019 In 2018 Sandoval was awarded the 2018 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award both the Colorado Springs and Pueblo communities paid their respects as a procession was held between the two cities News5 will continue to bring you the latest in this trial as it moves forward Monica Loui looks up at the steep hillside above Kula Sandalwoods Inn and Café That’s where the fire ripped through last year damaging their business and burning structures But the Alliance and our community — they're healers,” she said She’s referring to the Kula Community Watershed Alliance the area that was covered in ash just over a year ago is blanketed with wood chips to prevent erosion “This whole remediation of the hillside was a healing process for us,” said Loui and not knowing how we were going to take care of that hillside it could have endangered property and human life The Watershed Alliance is led by executive director Sara Tekula and is made up of Kula neighbors and community members “Fall 2023 — around this time last year — we stabilized this whole hillside with a three-inch blanket of mulch made from the very trees that fueled the fire," she said “I don't know if you can see with the white flowers up here Along with chipping invasive trees like black wattle Tekula says they’ve held native seed collection events in their ahupua’a followed by opportunities for growing guidance “We did a propagation workshop so people could see how to germinate and grow,” she explained And so hundreds of seeds went out into the immediate community have been doing a great job of growing them.” Pam and Dave Albright’s Kula home was narrowly spared from burning and they wanted to give back “We just wanted to help out and feel like we could be doing something and not just waiting around,” said Pam Albright We've grown over 200 plants at this point.” The Albrights and dozens of other community members have been tending the seedlings in their backyards and gardens One family is even nurturing native koa in a tiny greenhouse next to what used to be their home that burned to the ground “They've been coming back to their land that doesn't have a home on it anymore to tend these babies,” sad Tekula Local schools are also involved in growing and planting the Alliance held a planting event with students and residents putting hundreds of natives into the ground on one of the restoration sites brushing his hands over the leaves of a young ‘ohia tree as he shared planting instructions like every tree that you put into the ground give it your energy,” he explained to attendees “This plant could grow for a thousand years right here.” A community nursery is coming soon to grow natives on a larger scale the Emergency Watershed Protection Program a federal program through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will come in to do stabilization work in the steep and hazardous gulch areas of Kula’s burn zone the alliance has stabilized about eight acres of burned property through community and volunteer efforts alongside other local grassroots organizations like Malama Kula The Kula Community Watershed Alliance will be restoring about 120 acres in the future “This is not a short-lived project by any means,” said Tekula “This is years and years of bringing the burn scar back to life and actually better than it was before.” The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is issuing Guidance for Existing Cesspool Use in Residential Kula, Maui It was developed in an effort to support Kula residents affected by the wildfires working to rebuild and reoccupy their homes This guidance follows a similar framework as the guidance for the Wahikuli Houselots Subdivision in Lahaina but with significant differences due to the fact that neither the County of Maui nor private wastewater collection systems have plans for building wastewater treatment works for the Kula area The County of Maui has been coordinating with the DOH in the development and implementation of this guidance which allows wildfire-impacted homeowners to rebuild and reoccupy homes while ensuring the integrity of existing cesspools and without creating new cesspools The Hui Makua o Ke Kula Kaiapuni o Kualapuʻu announced a grant award totaling $40,000 that will support the Native Hawaiian community through the Office of Hawaiian Affairs The grant will help to reinforce and strengthen Native Hawaiians’ connections to ʻohana (family) moʻomeheu (culture) and ʻāina (land and water) and support work in OHA’s Mana I Maoli Ola Strategies and Outcomes ʻohana of Hawaiian Language Immersion Program (HLIP) students on Molokaʻi will have access to an assortment of opportunities to support students at home Family members may participate in Lā ʻOhana workshops Hui Kamaʻīlio –Conversational Hawaiian language parent classes or access to online immersion focused Hawaiian language courses as well as additional supportive ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi resources such as audiobooks The HLIP on Molokaʻi include Pūnana Leo o Molokaʻi Ke Kula Kaiapuni O Kualapuʻu and ʻO Hina i ka Malama (at Molokaʻi Middle and High Schools) Immersion students ʻohana of all four schools have access to this year’s resources thanks to funding through an Office of Hawaiian Affairs project grant and matching funds from Hui Makua o ke Kula Kaiapuni O Kualapuʻu families and community as the natural world around which the kukui will grow and eventually become the leaders of tomorrow who will develop into those torches of light for our lāhui and the world to see and follow,” said Kaʻala Fay Camara “This funding opportunity will help our consortium develop a base for how the family can engage in their keiki’s education and nurture their growth across multiple schools of learning through Hawaiian Language and culture.”