#Kula

Clayton Kim says the hospital where his son Brent Kim was temporarily transferred can no longer provide care for his disabled son.

Eight of the nine residents at Kula Hospital’s Hale Makamae, a facility for developmentally disabled individuals, had to be moved off island.

The National Weather Service has extended the Flash Flood Warning for Maui until 10:30 a.m. At 7:16 a.m., radar showed heavy rain over east Maui. Rain was falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour. The heaviest rain is falling over the Kaupō area. Additional heavy showers are expected through the morning. Flash flooding is ongoing.

With 10 days left to go, Kahului is already experiencing its wettest month ever, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS Honolulu office released a chart showing the top 10 wettest months all time. So far this month, through March 21, Kahului has already seen 19.92 inches of rain.

A plan to use $130 million from the state’s first climate impact tax got the full backing of lawmakers on the critical House Finance Committee. Now it heads to the Senate.

US Rep. Jill Tokuda recently held a series of agriculture listening sessions across Hawaiʻi to hear directly from farmers, ranchers, and producers about the challenges facing local agriculture and food systems in advance of a potential markup of a Farm Bill in the House Committee on Agriculture. 

The National Weather Service has extended a Flood Advisory for the island of Maui until 1:30 p.m. At 11:13 a.m., radar continued to show heavy rain over north facing slopes of Haleakalā, including the Hāna Highway.

Bobby Pahia hopes to fill the seat that will be vacated by Yuki Lei Sugimura as she launches a bid for mayor.

These efforts are at the top of the state’s list of 10 priorities for improving wildfire prevention after the deadly and destructive blaze on Maui in 2023.

Curbside trash pickup routes in Kula and Haʻikū/Paʻuwela areas resumes Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, after missed routes Friday, according to the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management Solid Waste Division.

The Waihe’e Villager and Kula Islander each see fewer than five riders per hour. Maui County hopes switching these routes to microtransit, which is like a hybrid between Uber and a public bus, will increase efficiency and cut wait times.

Economists say Maui’s tourism industry is “outperforming” other islands as visitors continue to return after the 2023 wildfires, a trend that could help cushion the island from an overall weakening economy.

Residents can do the kind of prep work firefighters would to make their homes defensible, and they can do it long before the threat of fire arrives.

More than 94% of Maui County is under some kind of drought as Hawai’i comes off the third-driest season in the last 30 years.

With a Stage 3 water shortage in effect for Upcountry areas, the County of Maui Department of Water Supply is providing additional information.

The State of Hawaiʻi continues to work on a 10-year management plan for a 3,434-acre parcel of watershed conservation land in Upper Kula that was acquired five years ago from a private trust.

Maui County is moving closer to installing gates on the road, but residents and emergency officials aren’t sure it will deter people from starting fires.

The hale pāpaʻi program has been running since August 2024 and the one-week free class offered in conjunction has attracted more than 400 students, 70 of whom were high school students this summer, according to Talia Purdy of the school’s academic affairs support staff. 

Of the 446 applications already filed, 76% are for the first-time homebuyer program, reflecting the impact of the August 2023 wildfires on renters and the ongoing struggle of residents to afford a home in today’s pricey market.

Neighbors remember Kula Lodge and Restaurant’s tasty breakfasts, the cozy lodge setting and the generosity they showed after the 2023 wildfires. Kula Lodge’s owners say the restaurant is a “complete loss.”