HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani, the birthplace of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, has a new executive chef Rhoda Magbitang.

Before arriving at Mauna Lani, Magbitang was at the helm of The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in California, where she earned prestigious Michelin Guide recognition. She’s worked alongside celebrated chefs such as Jose Andres and Suzanne Goin.

Magbitang joined HNN’s Sunrise to showcase some of her innovative dishes and invite the public to the Mauna Lani Culinary Classic, a multi-day food festival over Labor Day weekend from August 29 to September 2.

In its second year, the Mauna Lani Culinary Classic features chef collaborations, cooking classes, wine tastings and Q&A panels. Highlights include appearances by James Beard Award-winning chefs like Lee Anne Wong, Allen Hess, Nancy Silverton and Andrew Zimmern.

At CanoeHouse, Magbitang plans to build on the restaurant’s legacy as pioneer of a movement that emphasizes locally-sourced ingredients and the diverse cultural influences of the Hawaiian Islands.

Her menu showcases this philosophy, with dishes like Okinawan sweet potatoes topped with black garlic, green onions and crispy kale sourced from Hawaii, and Kauai shrimp braised in a yuzu, sake and soy sauce, served with local mushrooms and butter, accompanied by bread to soak up the rich flavors.

Mauna Lani is on Hawaii Island and part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit their website Mauna Lani Culinary Classic or follow Chef on Instagram @rockyrhodakill.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Hawaii man accused of intentionally killing 25 seagulls on a beach in Washington state has been identified by authorities as 64-year-old James Travis of East Oahu.

Travis is being charged with a felony for animal cruelty, which comes with possible jail time.

Neighbors of James Travis described him as a “nice” older man with whom they’ve never had any problems or seen any signs of aggression.

They saw police in front of his home earlier in the week and were wondering what it was all about.

Washington state officials say in July, Travis intentionally ran over 25 state-protected seagulls at Klipsan Beach and nearly hit two people walking their dogs.

The investigation, led by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police, interviewed witnesses who stopped the Jeep and took photos.

“Just the report of how recklessly he was driving from multiple people, that he intentionally drove into a flock of gulls, really grabbed our attention,” said Dan Chadwick, a captain with Washington Fish and Wildlife Police.

That evidence is now in the hands of Pacific County prosecutors, who have charged Travis with a Class C Felony for animal cruelty.

In Washington state, the maximum penalty is five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

“Our animal cruelty laws are in place for a reason. There’s a difference between intentionally doing an act like this and accidentally running into something, which many people have done before, and they feel awful about it,” said Chadwick.

HNN has reached out to Travis for comment but has not heard back.

Travis’s neighbors say he runs a construction company.

According to Hawaii court records, he does not have a criminal history.

Pacific County prosecutors say the animal cruelty crime does not require a warrant for his arrest but is possible if he fails to appear in court, which is being scheduled in Washington state.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

A private development partnership backed by state financing kicked off construction Tuesday on a 117-unit rental apartment complex in Kihei reserved for seniors with low incomes.

The Liloa Hale project has been in the works since at least 2020, and after prior delays over financing is now scheduled for completion in March 2026.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who attended the ground- breaking ceremony, noted that many kupuna lost their homes in Lahaina in the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfire, and said in a statement that Liloa Hale will be an opportunity to regain a sense of community and age in a safe place.

Dean Minakami, executive director of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp., a state agency that provided most of the financing for the $78 million project, said Liloa Hale is a product of veteran private homebuilders working alongside many government agencies.

California-based High­ridge Costa partnered with local nonprofit development partner Hale Mahaolu, and the partnership obtained Maui County Council approval in 2020 for a package of zoning regulation and fee exemptions.

In 2022, HHFDC’s board approved about $54 million in financing through a combination of bonds, tax credits and a loan to help finance the three-story complex, which at the time was expected to start construction in early 2023 and open by the end of this year.

The developers returned to HHFDC seeking additional financing in 2023 and then again in June after project costs were driven higher by interest rates and inflation. Both times, the agency’s board approved the extra funding.

Apartments with one or two bedrooms in Liloa Hale are reserved for seniors age 55 and over who earn no more than 60% of the median income on Maui. In addition, 12 units are reserved for seniors earning no more than 50% of the median income, and another 12 unis are reserved for seniors earning no more than 30% of the median income.

Monthly rents range from $481 to $1,320 depending on unit size and tenant income. Community amenities are to include a picnic area, club house, laundry room and a landscaped outdoor plaza.

“Today is a day of celebration and a day of gratitude,” Grant Chun, executive director of Hale Mahaolu, said in a statement Tuesday. “Celebration because of course we’re embarking on an effort that’s going to bring 117 new homes to our Maui kupuna and gratitude because … it takes a village to build a village.”

Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge, said in a statement that everyone involved in producing Liloa Hale will be part of a “legacy for future generations of kamaaina to live with dignity in a place they can call home and a place that they know they can afford without any ongoing rental or operating subsidy.”