Maui News

The Maui Chamber of Commerce invites product vendors and food truck operators to submit applications for participation in the 2024 Hawaiian Airlines Made in Maui County Festival. Scheduled for Nov. 1-2, 2024, the 11th edition of this annual celebration will take place at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

A portion of remote county roadway at Alelele Point near Mile Marker 39 will be closed to all traffic, with the exception of emergency vehicles, between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday starting May 1, 2024, due to an emergency slope repair project on the makai side of the road, according to a County of Maui Department of Public Works announcement today. The road closure is expected to last five months, the department said. Alelele Point is located on the southeast side of Maui and connects Kaupō and Kīpahulu.

The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is launching its inaugural Reef-Friendly Landscaping certification course on May 22, 2024.

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court convened at Kailua High School on Friday, giving more than 300 students the opportunity to observe oral argument in an actual case. 

The bill provides HDOA an additional 44 positions, including 22 inspector positions in the Plant Quarantine Branch. 

Between May 1 to May 15, adoption fees at all Maui Humane Society adoption locations will be reduced in price. The “Empty the Shelter” event is part of a national effort that’s helped more than 226,000 pets find loving homes since 2016.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery is urging wildfire property owners who opt for the Alternative Debris Removal Program to stay informed by signing up online for important notices.

As Maui residents look ahead to rebuilding after the devastation of the August wildfires, there’s another danger awaiting them — fraudulent construction contractors.

The federal disaster center at the Lahaina Civic Center is moving to Hyatt Regency, and a state resource center will open at Royal Lahaina Resort in the coming days.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources increased a fine against the owners and operator of the luxury yacht, Nakoa, to $1,818,85.97 on Friday, to account for biological and cultural damages, as well as “emotional distress to the community.”

With National Small Business Week (April 29-May 3) coming up, a number of workshops and programs are available to small businesses of Maui to build skills and connections. Co-presented by Maui Economic Development Board, workshops include helping sub-contractors to work with government; teaching how to use Quickbooks for business; building a capability statement; and exploring the work of the Maui Food Innovation Center.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D. nominated, and the Hawai‘i State Legislature confirmed, three new members to the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority Board.

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi nei, and Queen Kaʻahumanu Center will celebrate with the community on May 4 from 11 a.m to 1 p.m.

The Construction Industry of Maui today announced that it donated $26,000 to Maui High School this past week to benefits its high school construction vocational programs. The funds raised at CIM’s first annual golf tournament last September, a total of $50,500, includes the $26,000 disbursement to Maui High School. The second annual golf tournament is scheduled for Sept. 28 at The Dunes Maui Lani Golf Course.

Applications are being accepted for directors to head two new County of Maui Departments – the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources and the Department of Housing.

Travel services provider, CLEAR, will begin offering its optional identification verification services at Kahului Airport on Tuesday. The new airport vendor will allow travelers who subscribe for a fee to CLEAR, to use a dedicated line to verify their identity using biometrics such as an eye scan or fingerprint, instead of having to show a government-issued photo I.D. Passengers will still need to be screened by TSA.

Maui Public Art Corps in collaboration with the County of Maui and Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House / Maui Historical Society will host its third “Hui Mo‘olelo Film Festival” from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. The event is FREE and will be held at ProArts Playhouse in Kīhei. The public is invited to this premiere of a new collection of animated film shorts that celebrate Maui history, culture and sense of place.

The Ka La‘i Ola interim housing development for wildfire survivors in West Maui received a significant boost today as the Hawai‘i Community Foundation through its Maui Strong Fund, announced a $40 million grant to local nonprofit HomeAid Hawai‘i.

The Kahakapao Access Road, also known as the Makawao State Forest Reserve Access Road, on Maui will face a two-month closure starting next week to undergo infrastructure improvements related to storm drainage and debris mitigation. The work is scheduled from May 2 through June 28, 2024.

In 2023, Matson contributed $6 million in cash, services and equipment support to organizations in Hawaiʻi, Guam/Micronesia and the South Pacific, with the largest concentration of giving in Maui disaster relief and community support at $1.7 million.