2026: Looking Forward
Alfredo G. Evangelista | Assistant Editor
Resolutions. Hopes and dreams. Things we always talk about at the beginning of the year. Yes, many of us swear to be healthier—lose weight, start walking, cut down on sugar and fats. All that stuff. Easier said than done. Maybe it is easier to just buy larger clothes; head out to Costco or even buy stuff on Amazon. I have discovered Amazon sells pants with those stretchable waist bands. (Sorry Macy’s but most of your clothes are slim fit!)
World Peace. That is one that was always thrown in for what we wished for in a new year. Sadly, it is still serious. The war in Ukraine is still ongoing—it began some twelve years ago when Russia annexed Crimea. And it is still going on. And the amount of money poured in by the United States is astronomical. $187 billion has been authorized since February 2022, with an estimated $130 billion that has reached Ukraine. Some of the money appropriated has not yet been released.
But think about it. Over $100 billion of U.S. taxpayer funds, with an estimated U.S. population of 341.8 million—that is over $500 per U.S. resident that has been authorized for the war in Ukraine. And do not be fooled. It is not ending anytime soon. Yes, the 24-hour end to the war promised by candidate Donald Trump is twelve months overdue.
Domestic Peace. Almost six years ago, the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis started riots across the nation. Protest after protest. This month, ICE killed two innocent protesters—Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Only time will tell if the reaction to these two needless deaths will be the same as the Floyd death.
Local Politics. Yes, 2026 is an election year. The hottest race on Maui will be for Mayor. Incumbent Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. will face off against current Council Vice Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura and probably other lesser-known candidates.
Solutions to the housing issue, response to the Lahaina fire, and the economy are probably going to be the most debated issues. And with Sugimura moving on from the Council—and the death of Councilmember Tasha Kama last year—the make-up of the Council will change. (Kauanoe Batangan was appointed by the Mayor to fill Kama’s seat after the Council could not agree on a replacement. Will Batangan be able to hold on to the seat? Will the ‘Ohana Coalition become the majority?)
The Governor’s Race. Governor Josh Green will be running for re-election and so far, there appears to be no one strong enough to defeat him—Democrat, Republican, Independent, or Non-partisan.
The Courts. Will there be more Filipinos appointed to the courts? There are vacancies on the Hawai‘i Supreme Court (Chief Justice), the Hawai‘i Intermediate Court of Appeals, and here on Maui in the Second Circuit Court. Applications for the Chief Justice was extended a number of times as not enough applied but it appears now the minimum has been reached. The last Supreme Court Justice of Filipino ancestry was Simeon Acoba, Jr., who retired in 2014. The first Supreme Court Justice of Filipino ancestry was Benjamin Menor (who retired in 1981) while the second Supreme Court Justice of Filipino ancestry was Mario Ramil (who retired in 2002). (Acoba is the only Judge of Filipino ancestry who was appointed to the Hawai‘i Intermediate Court of Appeals, where he served before being appointed to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court. Artemio Baxa was the only Judge of Filipino ancestry appointed to the Circuit Court bench on Maui. Baxa retired in 2001, after serving for three years.)
The old Chart House. No, not the one in Lahaina but the one in Kahului that was also the old Hideaways. Café O’ Lei purchased the site years ago but there have been delays due to permits. This month, Café O’ Lei posted on social media it was hiring … but no firm date on when it would open. I hope that when they do open, they will bring back my favorite dish—the chicken curry salad. Dana, are you listening?
The Super Bowl. Early next month, the 60th Super Bowl will take place in San Francisco. My wife’s team—Seattle Seahawks will face off against my nephew Jeremy Cajigal’s team—New England Patriots. (Jeremy is such a die-hard Patriots fan he went to a playoff game. I did accompany my wife to the Seahawks’ last home game of the regular season when they beat the Los Angeles Rams—Lawrence Pascua’s team—in overtime.) Yup, I’m a Raiders fan and I hate the Patriots so I’m gonna be cheering for the Seahawks. Sea—–hawks!
Winter Olympics. Next month is also the time for the Winter Olympics that will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. If you like skiing, skating, luge and yes, curling. Yes curling, where the team uses brooms to sweep the ice. Quick question. What if a team from the Philippines used a walis to sweep the ice? Would that be okay? I mean everyone uses a walis nowadays—all the hotels and the maintenance companies. You can find them at Ace Hardware in case you want to buy one.
Maui High School Class of 1976 50th Reunion. Yes, the Spirit of ‘76—the first class to spend all four years at the Kahului campus will be celebrating its 50th reunion this year. The date is set—August 1st at the Maui Beach Hotel ballroom. I am on the committee again this year and we are all excited to spend time with our classmates. It is a mixed feeling because we’re getting older and we’ve lost a few more classmates along the way. (Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about my late brother Rogelio, who died of prostate cancer at the early age of 69.)
In 2026, many of us will face challenges but remember, love trumps hate. So love one another, take care of yourself, and enjoy the moment. It’s okay to work hard but don’t forget to play hard as well.
Golf anyone?
Assistant Editor Alfredo G. Evangelista is a graduate of Maui High School (1976), the University of Southern California (1980), and the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law (1983). He is a sole practitioner at Law Offices of Alfredo Evangelista, A Limited Liability Law Company, concentrating in estate planning, business start-up and consultation and nonprofit corporations. He has been practicing law for 42 years (since 1983) and returned home in 2010 to be with his family and to marry his high school sweetheart, the former Basilia Tumacder Idica.