Top Maui Headlines: June 6, 2018

​​People trying to get close-up views of lava in Lower Puna on Hawai’i Island were cited by DLNR officers ​on the night of June 1st. Seven men, including two from Maui, will have to make court appearances to face charges of loitering in a disaster zone under Hawai‘i County code.​ ​Unpermitted drones also helped spur a temporary flight restriction over a five mile radius of Leilani Estates. Also, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake was reported on Sunday, June 3 in the summit region of the Kīlauea volcano​ — with no resulting tsunami threat.​  The earthquake cracked the overlook deck at Jaggar Museum. Over the weekend, more than 500 earthquakes were recorded in a 24-hour period – the most ever measured by HVO scientists. On Monday, those in the eruption zone were warned of a laze hazard as lava from Fissure 8 entered the ocean at Kapoho Bay. The Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency reports that the plume is laden with hydrochloric acid and volcanic glass particles.  Authorities say contact can cause serious irritation to lungs, eyes and skin.  The laze plume travels with the wind and can change direction without warning.

The Sierra Club Maui Group and Maui Tomorrow are challenging Maui County and Anaergia Services’ proposed sludge farm and power plant along the Kahului shoreline by filing a lawsuit in Maui’s Environmental Court on Thursday.  Under the proposal, sludge from wastewater treatment facilities at Kīhei, Lahaina, and the Wailuku-Kahului Wastewater Reclamation Facility would reportedly be trucked to a site at the Kahului Wastewater Facility and dried using methane gas byproducts involving “biocrops” grown on 500 acres of former sugar cane lands, with additional energy from a propane burner.  This process is also proposed to generate electricity for the Kahului Wastewater Facility.  The community groups challenge Anaergia’s preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement, and claim there was a failure to adequately consider sea level rise predictions.

​Demolition is set to begin on the former Maui Prince Hotel structure at the Mākena Golf & Beach Club.​ ​ATC Mākena Holdings, LLC and Discovery Land Company have announced​ the removal of the seven-story former hotel will ​start this month and is estimated to be complete in December​. In addition to removal of the hotel, Maui Planning Commission approved an amendment for an overall ​reduction ​in height and density of the project from 76 residences and a 76-room hotel to ​a total of ​65 residences.

The Keiki Film Hui movie series begins this week, with admission at $1 per person! The films include The Secret Life of Pets, The Boss Baby, Lego Batman Movie, Happy Feet, Kung Fu Panda 3, Sing, Despicable Me 3 and Shrek 2. Screenings begin at 10 a.m. at Consolidated Theatres’ Queen Kaahumanu Center location until August 1.  Our keiki correspondent Kiana shares the details in our video above!

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