Maui News

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.

The Maui Food Technology Center is actively seeking Maui County businesses interested in participating in the prestigious Tokyo International Gift Show. Scheduled to be held at Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo International Exhibition Center on Sept. 4-6, 2024, TIGS presents a prime opportunity for local businesses to gain exposure in the international market.

“Angels on Assignment” is a new, volunteer-based program launched by Maui Cancer Resources to support Maui cancer patients as they get through chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Ahupua‘a Stewards helps high school students on Maui develop and implement environmental decisions informed by ahupua‘a systems. The summer session runs from June 11-July 18, 2024, with in-person classes at the UHMC Kahului campus and field trips to HILT lands and conservation partner sites on Maui, including the Keālia National Wildlife Refuge, Haleakalā Ranch, East Maui Watershed Partnership and The Nature Conservancy. Students meet Tuesdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery and Department of Planning will hold a neighborhood workshop for Kelawea Mauka residents from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Lahainaluna High School Cafeteria, 980 Lahainaluna Road.  

After the devastating wildfires, her nonprofit partnered with many others in the community to provide relief efforts and is currently focused on affordable housing solutions in West Maui.  Nishiki will update members and guests on these efforts in West Maui.

Central Pacific Bank is accepting applications for the WE by Rising Tide program, a free initiative empowering women entrepreneurs to thrive.