#Maui Now

There are two public aerial displays planned this year–one on July 2 as part of the 26th Annual Lānaʻi Pineapple Festival, and the other on July 4, as part of the Lahaina Fourth of July Fireworks celebration.

Six-year-old Kahului resident, Cru, has been waiting for more than two years for “Mickey to get out of quarantine” so he can go to Walt Disney World. On Saturday, Make-A-Wish Hawai’i and community members surprised him with an event to let him know that his wish would soon come true, according to a news release. 

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is advising anyone traveling out of Honolulu, Kahului, Līhuʻe, Kona, or Hilo to arrive early, especially if traveling between the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

In state observance of the Independence Day 2022 holiday, all public libraries and library support offices will be closed Saturday, July 2, through Monday, July 4, a news release said. Makawao Public Library will be open with “special hours” on Friday, July 1, the release added.

The Hawai‘i Children’s Trust Fund awarded a two-year $80,385 grant to Maui Family Support Services to fund the nonprofit’s Navigation Services that helps up to 150 participants per year. 

To increase the number of Native Hawaiians who attend and graduate from the University of Hawaiʻi, Nā Pua Noʻeau UH Mānoa hosted a free residential summer program for 18 high school students from across Hawaiʻi and the continental United States.

This is the latest action in a series of efforts in response to increasing alarm regarding the health hazards posed by lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury in baby foods, including cereals, purees, and other products for babies and young children, aside from formula, the release added.

The grant will support Hoʻokākoʻo Corporation’s “Ke Awa Ho‘omalu (Safe Harbor)” program, which will be implemented at Kualapuʻu Preschool and Elementary on Molokaʻi, and Waimea Middle School on Hawaiʻi Island, a news release said.

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association’s 25th Annual “Excellence in Education presented by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits” golf tournament raised $40,000 to support youth scholarships.

The trash included bottle caps, cigarette butts, wrappers, broken water balloons and other remnants of a party in the park as planes landed at nearby Kahului Airport.

Visitors to Haleakalā National Park Created $76.7 Million in Economic Benefits and Supported 598 Jobs in the Local Economy

A fire at a homeless encampment in Waiehu, Maui burned a half acre before being brought under control on Tuesday afternoon.

Saying the move is a step toward closure, the council’s Government, Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee voted 8-0 today to recommend a resolution authorizing the county’s acquisition of the home for public purposes, such as a Hawaiian cultural education building or other public facility. The resolution now heads to the full council. 

Hot temperatures and gusty trade winds fueled an early afternoon Wailuku brush fire in Piihana Road area, according to Maui Fire Department. No damages or injuries occurred with the half-acre fire, which was reported at 12:49 p.m. today and under control by 2 p.m.

The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary is resuming its court interpreter orientation workshops in July for people who speak English and another language.

Anyone between the ages of 5 and 8 years old may register. Space is limited. The deadline to register is July 11, a news release said.

Residents should expect to see an influx of emergency response vehicles and officers on the campus.  As part of the training, loud noises may occur.

In order to qualify for funding, a cancer patient must need financial assistance, be a permanent Maui County resident, 18 years old or older and be diagnosed with cancer by a qualified medical doctor. Scholarship maximum is $500 and payments are made directly to health providers and not patients.

The US House Committee on Appropriations recently approved $29.8 billion for the FY 2023 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, which includes funding for financial programs to help small businesses and middle class families struggling with the high costs of inflation.

Hawai’i Gov. David Ige notified lawmakers and the public today of his intent to veto 30 of the 343 bills passed by the 2022 State Legislature, including a renewable energy bill that could jeopardize a solar-to-battery storage system project for Lānaʻi.