#Wendy

By Wendy Osher Maui Community Correctional Center Escapee Harry Kahaleauki was apprehended today (Wednesday, May 12, 2010) at approximately 3:05 p.m. in the Kihei area. Authorities say Maui police tailed the vehicle Kahaleauki was in for a few minutes before making a traffic stop at the intersection of North Kihei Road and Piilani Highway. Kahaleauki, […]

Two teens suffered critical injuries in a single car crash in Waikapu early this morning. The accident was reported at about 1 a.m. Saturday, May 08, 2010 near mile marker 3 of the Honoapiilani Highway. According to police reports, all three occupants of the car were ejected when the driver of the 2008 Chrysler Sebring […]

(Posted by Wendy Osher @ 9:50 a.m. 4/6/10) Maui council members will consider a bill next week that seeks to prohibit the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. The bill was introduced by Councilmember Joseph Pontanilla and will be heard by the council’s Committee of the Whole. “The proposed bill mirrors […]

(Update 6 a.m. Thursday 5/6/10) A vehicle collided with a telephone pole overnight causing 3 telephones poles to collapse. Hawaiian Telcom continues to work in the area, however Baldwin Ave is open and police Officers are monitoring traffic. (Update 5:30 a.m. Thursday 5/6/10) Baldwin Avenue in Upcountry, Maui remains closed this morning.  The road closure […]

(Updated @ 11:46 a.m. by Wendy Osher) The Honoapiilani Highway is now open in both directions.  The road was reopened shortly before 10 a.m. after being closed overnight because of an encroaching brush fire.  Fire crews were able to establish a fire break this morning, allowing motorists to utilize the Honoapiilani Highway, which serves as […]

Two American Red Cross emergency shelters remain on standby due to a brush fire in West Maui that remains active.  Shelters were opened last night at the War Memorial Gym in Wailuku and later at the Lahaina Civic Center in West Maui.  Three people who were evacuated from their homes spent the night at the […]

(Updated 10:05 a.m. 5/4/10 by Wendy Osher) The Honoapiilani Highway is now open in both directions.  Motorists can expect a delay as traffic resumes its normal flow.  The Road was open a couple of minutes before 10 a.m.  It was closed overnight as crews battled an 1,100 acre brush fire that advanced to Olowalu overnight […]

By Wendy Osher The Pacific Whale foundation is offering an emergency ferry shuttle service for those stranded on either end of the island by the Ukumehame brush fire and subsequent Honoapiilani Highway Road closure. Greg Kaufman, the Executive Director of the Pacific Whale Foundation said the agency had offered the service in past emergencies to […]

(Update by Wendy Osher at 6:30 a.m. 5/4/10) The Honoapiilani Highway remains closed between Maalaea and Launiupoko as crews continue to battle a fire that was first reported at around 2:30 yesterday afternoon.  An assessment this morning determined the fire burned 1,100 acres and advanced overnight to Olowalu and is now near the main roadway.  […]

The Department of Education is alerting residents of a scam in which false solicitations are being made for monetary donations to assist with the recent fire at Kahului School. Reports have been made by residents in the Kihei area who claim a male and female couple in their 30’s, along with a child, have been […]

By Wendy Osher The council’s budget and finance committee spent time yesterday debating grant funding for the Wailuku Main Street Association/Tri–Isle Main St. Resource Center. Council member Michael Molina questioned reasons for repeated cuts noting a 10% cut in each of the last two fiscal years, and a proposed cut of 25% in FY2011.  Budget […]

By Wendy Osher The council’s Budget and Finance Committee continues to fine tune details of their FY 2011 Budget.  The majority of public testimony Wednesday morning focused on calls for restoration of funds for farming programs. In his testimony yesterday, Maui County Farm Bureau Executive Director Warren Watanabe said, “A proposal to take $50,000 away […]

The foreclosure sale of the Makena Beach & Golf Resort has been moved to May.  A bidder is being sought for the 310-room hotel located on 1,800 acres in South Maui. The property is situated at Maluaka Beach and includes two 18-hole golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., three restaurants and bars, and […]

By Wendy Osher The Budget and Finance Committee today heard a proposal that adjusts the fare for passes on the Maui Bus and maintains the free service for riders that utilize the MEO bus. The proposal calls for a new $20 per month fare for passengers who use the Loop and Villager routes.  Currently, there […]

By Wendy Osher The council’s budget committee continues deliberations today (Wednesday, April 28, 2010) following several hours of testimony yesterday on the 2011 Budget.  Department heads expressed concern over recently announced plans to cut an additional 60 positions that were reported as vacant by the Department of Personnel Services. Several of the departments sighted discrepancies […]

“Nothing is easy and I can empathize with many of the decisions that we have to face.  But I do appreciate what the administration is going through, but I also appreciate that you’re (Council Chair Joe Pontanilla) trying to look at the concerns of the general public, interpret that as well as what all nine […]

“I heard today a number of the departments defending their turf, and that’s fine, I understand.  I’ve been through those kinds of exercises when I was in the business world—you come in and you justify your expenses, positions, expansions and deletions.  They did a good job and I respect that.  It’s our responsibility now to […]

“I think this morning was quite difficult for me to just listen to some of the testimony, especially when the bulk of the testimony came from a good number of our own departments,” said Molokai council member Danny Mateo. “It bothered me to hear some divisions talk about: ‘if the proposals says as it is, […]

“When I listened today to the different departments and their reasons for restoring funding, their reasons make sense; however in this time of three years of constant cuts, still we see from property taxes and the general fund that it is diminishing,” said councilmember Wayne Nishiki. “We in Maui County have not laid off one […]

Tourism in Hawaii is stabilizing according to Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert who responded to statistics released for March 2010.  The monthly statistics Wienert said represented the largest increase in visitor spending in four years, benefiting nearly every sector of the economy. “March, boosted by spring break, brought increased visitor arrivals and slightly higher per person […]