Deborah Caulfield Rybak, Author at

Honolulu Civil Beat Nails West Maui Water Issue; Maui Now Does Same with Māʻalaea

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak April 23, 2022Politics

Water nerds rejoice! There's a new sheriff in town and her name is Marina Starleaf Riker. She joined Honolulu Civil Beat in February as its first full-time Maui-based reporter. The…

South Maui State Rep Tina Wildberger Will Not Seek Re-election, Further Office In 2022

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak April 4, 2022Politics6 Comments

Two-term State House District 11 representative Tina Wildberger will not run for office this year, she said Monday in a surprise announcement that is sure to send shock waves through…

Canadian news site: Mahi Pono owner poses ‘threat’ to East Maui water supply

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak March 1, 2022Politics

Maui Pono’s ongoing battle for East Maui water has popped up in a story on a Canadian news website. Writing about the Public Sector Pension Investment Board’s $267-plus million, 56,000-acre…

“Milton Choy is like my brother.” Former Maui environmental management director stands firm on friendship, dismisses no-bid contract concerns

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak February 17, 2022Politics

Hawaii’s political landscape continues to shudder after the explosive bribery scandal that resulted in guilty pleas this week by former Maui state senator J. Kalani English and Oahu state representative…

Council Urges Mayor to Pursue Leases for East Maui Water

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak January 19, 2022Politics1 Comment

The Maui County Council’s recent override of Mayor Michael Victorino’s veto of the widely supported hotel moratorium rightly made a lot of news. However, the Council took another action during…

Sierra Club Contested Case Hearing Pt. 3: Final Arguments

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak January 5, 2022Politics5 Comments

Politics on Maui moves into 2022 with a new story on an old subject: East Maui water, who gets it, how much and why. Last month, the state Board of…

Sierra Club Contested Case Hearing, Pt. 2: Testimony Flows from Water Witnesses

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak December 16, 2021Politics

Closing arguments brought Sierra Club’s contested case hearing before the Board of Land and Natural Resources [BLNR] to a close Wednesday morning. Sierra Club wants the Board to hold East…

Water Contest: BLNR/Sierra Club’s Hidden Hearing

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak December 14, 2021Mahi Pono, Politics4 Comments

When it comes to breaking news, last week was a doozy. The Kona Low storm drenched Maui, killed power, flooded neighborhoods and brought holiday preparations to a soggy halt. On…

Facts, “Lies” & Audiotape: The Aftermath of Mayor’s Meeting with Anti-Mandate Activists

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak October 21, 2021Politics14 Comments

Should Mayor Michael Victorino’s administration be trusted to release accurate news to the public? To the media? Should Maui County citizens be treated respectfully when they contact the mayor’s office?…

Polling Expert: Maui Now Survey is “Meaningless Garbage”

By Deborah Caulfield Rybak September 29, 2021Politics3 Comments

Results from a Maui Now poll ricocheted around social media Monday within minutes of the erstwhile news website’s publication of its “survey,” which looked like bad news indeed for Mayor…