… Congratulations to GOODFELLOW BROTHERS for doing a great job on the road widening — it seems to be moving along at a clip with a minimum of traffic holdups. The only people you see standing around are the flag men, and I understand it is  an all-Maui work crew — way to go!!!…

… and LAHAINATOWN ACTION COMMITTEE held its Annual Town Hall Meeting last week and elected a new slate of board members — an excellent slate actually. Officers will be voted on at the monthly meeting this week. The next LAC event will be Chinese New Year, when the good luck lions will dance down Front Street on Friday, Feb. 19, starting with the ceremonial firecrackers at the Old Lahaina Courthouse at 5 p.m. The following day, the lions will be at the Wo Hing Temple, sponsored by LAHAINA RESTORATION FOUNDATION. And THE WHARF CINEMA CENTER will host a lion dance and martial arts demonstration on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 11:30 a.m. …

… this year is the Year of the Tiger, which happens to be my year. I am expecting the Tiger will do due diligence and bring good fortune to us all!…

… this past week, NOAA held a reception at the Old Lahaina Courthouse to present the plans for the makeover of the historic building. The plans are impressive — a complete rejuvenation for the grand old lady, who is approaching 150 years…

… and over the pond, the loss of the Massachusetts Senate seat to the elephants sure took the wind out of a lot of sails — just goes to show what can happen when political complacency takes place. Even the president jumping in at the last minute couldn’t save the day for the Democrats — too little, too late…

… and the arrest of the missionaries transporting the children out of Haiti without documentation is an eye-opener — what were they thinking? Just because a country is brought to its knees doesn’t mean that the laws of the land can be bypassed…

… I understand there is a plan to fix the wreck in Lahaina Harbor — and a very good plan it is, also saving the reef that has grown around it. Now don’t wimp out, you guys!!!…

… the Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational will be all over the West Side, beginning Saturday in Kapalua. Highlights include the “Kickoff Paint Out” at D.T. Fleming Beach and Kapalua Bay on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.; the free lecture “American Masters: From Frederic Remington to Mark Rothko” on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Pioneer Inn; the “Pacific’O Sunset Paint Out” at Kamehameha Iki Park on Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m.; and “Pioneer Inn Lahaina Harbor Quick Draw” in the harbor area on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. …

… and mahalo nui loa to all the senior citizens who turned out in force to greet the QUEEN VICTORIA when she sailed into Lahaina last week. They put on a great show, and the visitors loved the music — had them dancing on the dock!!…

Up Front Lahaina is a twice monthly feature. To protect his innocence, the writer chooses to remain anonymous. The views expressed in this column belong to the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Lahaina News staff and owners.