Highlighted News Stories from January & February 2024.
Opening Coin Toss Of Super Bowl LVIII To Acknowledge Lahainaluna Football After Maui Wildfires, This Coming Sunday (February 11, 2024).
The NFL will honor the Lahainaluna High School football team at Super Bowl LVIII for their community efforts following the Maui wildfires. Coaches and players, who faced personal losses, will serve as honorary coin toss captains. The team’s resilience inspired the community amidst devastation, leading to a successful season. The NFL supports their recovery with grants and new equipment. A special video narrated by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota will precede the coin toss. Mariota is a native of Hawaiʻi and has provided continued support for the community in the aftermath of the wildfire. The Lahainaluna Principal expresses gratitude for the opportunity. Lahainaluna High School football coaches Dean Rickard (co-head coach), Garret Tihada (associate head coach) and Bobby Watson (former head coach) will join players Morgan “Bula” Montgomery, Teva Loft, Kaulana Tihada, and Kuola Watson as honorary coin toss captains at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on Sunday, 2/11. “Amidst the devastation, the resilience of the Lahainaluna High School football team emerged as a source of inspiration and rallying point for the broader community of Lahaina, Maui, and Hawaiʻi. Through the support of the local community and the school, the Lahainaluna football team was able to rally together and complete their shortened season, successfully advancing to the state’s championship high school football playoffs,” according to the NFL announcement. NFL Films highlighted their story in a recent documentary, which can be seen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYaPOqe7RCs
Wall That Heals, A Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica, Arrives In Town.
The Wall That Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, just arrived on Maui. It will be displayed at War Memorial Stadium until Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 1:00 PM. Admission is free. Volunteer training, a Veterans Walk, Agent Orange Awareness ceremony, and a closing ceremony are scheduled. The exhibit, hosted by the Maui County Veterans Council and the County of Maui, includes a Mobile Education Center. Motorcycle officers escorted the procession to the stadium.
Note: Parts of this post were written using ChatGPT, with details gathered from Maui News.