#Lahaina

Rents have dipped since the beginning of 2024, but advocates worry more people will be without housing or leave the island if more isn’t done.

The children of Elmer Lee Stevens, who lost their mother in the Lahaina fire, filed a petition with the court that, if granted, would allow them to join the settlement for the many residents who lost loved ones and homes in the fire.

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation invites residents to provide input on proposed plans for the Lahaina Recreation Center playground area during a community meeting Feb. 4, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lahaina Civic Center Social Hall.

The US Department of the Interior has awarded the Maui County Department of Environmental Management a $15.6 million grant for recycled wastewater facilities in Lahaina, according to an announcement.

Commercial operators at Kā‘anapali Beach say the court order could force them to shut down if their permits are not renewed this year, jeopardizing jobs of people impacted by the August 2023 wildfires. 

Tom Hoge leads the 60-player field with a 9-under-par 64 after the first round of The Sentry, while Maui’s youth get to see their heroes in person.

The balance of power on the council could come into play on critical issues that include the mayor’s proposal to phase out thousands of short-term vacation rentals.

President Joe Biden signed US Rep. Jill Tokuda’s (HI-02) Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act into law. Under this law, the National Park Service, in consultation with state and local partners, will study the suitability and feasibility of a National Heritage Area designation for Lahaina.

The first two families to finish rebuilding in Lahaina are both on Komo Mai Street, one of the earliest neighborhoods to take shape after the wildfire. Residents say it was a close-knit neighborhood and that the reconstruction and slow return of the community is a hopeful sign.

Immigrant communities, who made up nearly a third of Lahaina’s pre-fire population, have faced hurdles in their recovery from the blaze that range from language barriers to a lack of access to services reserved for U.S. citizens.

A 47-unit, $20 million educational workforce housing project is set to open with its first units available in July 2025. Full completion is expected by spring 2026. Students, staff members and administrators at the four public West Maui schools are encouraged by the news.

A decision made under the 2019 Trump administration could impact the fees cable companies pay to the state for public programming.

Seabury Hall presents “KA‘AO: A Hula Drama,” a production by the school’s Hawaiian Studies Department. This unique cultural event will be held for one night only on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 5:30 p.m. at Seabury Hall’s A‘ali‘ikūmākani Creative Arts Center.

A Maui coalition of the Hawaiʻi Workers Center has departed to Washington D.C. where they will demand that Congress release disaster recovery funds for Lahaina. 

The Maui Invitational has seen several dramatic games in the first two days of its return to the Lahaina Civic Center for first time since 2022. The championship game today at noon pits No. 4 Auburn against the University of Memphis.

The US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to advance the Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act, legislation jointly introduced by US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and US Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI). The bicameral legislation will direct the National Park Service, in coordination with Maui County and other state and local partners, to study the suitability and feasibility of a National Heritage Area designation for Lahaina. The bill now goes to the Senate Floor for consideration.

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management’s Wastewater Reclamation Division announced that it has amended the Sewer Service Status from “red,” which indicates a property does not currently have active sewer service, to “green,” meaning the sewer service is active, for 28 properties in Lahaina including: 25 lots in Kuhua Camp area; and three lots on Lahainaluna Road.

The Wahikuli neighborhood watch program works with the Maui Emergency Management Agency to augment checkpoints in the area to prevent looters and disaster tourists.

Maui traffic delays can be expected from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. the next day on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 16-17, according to the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation. Trucks will be hauling temporary modular homes for wildfire survivors from a baseyard on Hansen Road to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Kilohana temporary housing site in Lahaina.

Online feedback on the draft of the County of Maui’s Long-Term Recovery Plan for Lahaina is currently open on www.MauiRecovers.org/lahaina. The deadline to submit feedback is Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.