Maui News

If Kamalei Kawa’a’s performance struck viewers as emotional, it’s because it truly was. Kawa’a told Maui Now that his Monday night performance was one of the hardest performances, if not the hardest performance he’s ever had to do.

More than 1,000 households and 4,000 individuals who were directly impacted by the wildfires have received housing, vehicle, utility, clothing and school supply assistance in the five months since the inception of the Maui fires relief program, according to Maui Economic Opportunity.

An affiliate of Komar Investments today filed a complaint in Federal District Court for declaratory and injunctive relief against Maui County’s impending eminent domain action for acquisition of a 20-acre parcel next to the Central Maui Landfill in Puʻunēnē.

The American Association of Geographers (AAG) has announced Nainoa Thompson as this year’s Honorary Geographer. This annual award recognizes excellence in research, teaching, or writing on geographic topics by non-geographers. Thompson was recognized and gave a presentation at the AAG annual meeting yesterday afternoon. The AAG annual meeting is being held in Honolulu from April 16-20.

The US Chamber of Commerce Foundation and American Express have opened the Maui Small Business Recovery Grant Program, which supports Maui-based small businesses impacted by the devastating wildfires of August 2023.

A comprehensive timeline for the Aug. 8-9 Lahaina wildfire has been released by Hawaiʻi Attorney General Anne Lopez. The Phase 1 report is the first of three to be completed as part of an independent investigation by the Fire Safety Research Institute.

Maui County Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura has introduced a resolution to recognize Upcountry post offices for being among the best in the United States. The proposed ceremonial resolution will be taken up at the Council’s April 19 regular meeting.

The president of solar energy company Independent Energy, Desta Rudolph, has donated $50,000 to Project Empower, a nonprofit that has focused on helping Maui recover from deadly wildfires that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, displacing thousands of residents. The donation will bolster the collective efforts of a number of organizations to build 88 units of emergency housing at the 10-acre ʻOhana Hope Village.

Kīhei Marketplace LLC is seeking a permit from the Maui Planning Commission to demolish existing structures and construct buildings for retail outlets, two restaurants, vacation and long-term rentals and parking at its 1.6-acre property across from Kalama Park.

A Maui High School graduate has committed a $10 million endowment to the Maui High School Foundation, a gift that is likely the largest endowment ever to be made from a graduate to a Hawai‘i public school. This is the largest single monetary donation in the school’s history. The donor has chosen to remain anonymous.

Sen. Angus L.K. McKelvey (District 6 – West Maui, Māʻalaea, Waikapū, South Maui) thanked Gov. Josh Green for releasing $3,2000,000 in capital improvement project funds to finance improvements at Māla Wharf and Ramp in West Maui, including resurfacing of the roadway and parking areas, drainage and comfort station improvements, and new lighting.

Honolulu police officers came across a live, non-venomous ball python in a Waipahu home on Saturday morning, while conducting a wellness check for a man who passed away, according to the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture.

The County of Maui announced there will be no weekly Lahaina Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting on Wednesday, April 17, due to County-sponsored events on Tuesday and Saturday this week.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation has launched a new autonomous electric passenger shuttle that will augment the existing Wiki Wiki shuttle bus service at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The new fleet of shuttles, named Miki, the Hawaiian word for agile, will provide another option for airport users to travel between gates and terminals.

Three people were displaced due to a home fire in Kīhei on Monday night. The fire was reported on Auhana Road at 11:19 p.m. on April 15, 2024.

The After-Action Report, produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association, covers all four major fires that began on Aug. 8, 2023. More than 200 individuals were interviewed in the course of compiling the document which covers the period of Aug. 7-11, 2023. Recommendations include more apparatus and fire stations. It does not include information on the cause or origin of the fire, which is still under investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

National Institutes of Health funding awarded to researchers supports employment and purchase of research-related goods, services and materials.

This report will serve as the primary reference for subsequent amendments to the interim instream flow standards for the Waikoloa, Kohākōhau, and Wai‘ula‘ula streams in the surface water hydrologic unit of Waikōloa.

The producer/writer of the film said his initial goal was to produce a 20-minute short for classroom use but the story turned out to be bigger than anyone could have imagined.

SSFM International announced the promotion of five individuals within the firm. Promotions include: John Uno, PE, SE: Manager, Structural Engineering Group; Renee Ishisaka, PE, SE, LEED AP: Deputy Manager, Structural Engineering Group; Wendy McLain, PE, LEED AP: Deputy Manager, Civil Engineering Group; Daniel Kaiawe: Deputy Manager, Highways CM Group; and Lana Barrett, PMP: Deputy Manager, Project Management Group.