Fire recovery, water, invasive species: Maui County candidates tackle district issues

Kalama Intermediate School has been selected as the first middle school campus in Hawaiʻi to join the statewide “Drive With Aloha” campaign initiative.

2026-2027 MHLA Board members include: Stephen Bennett, President of Trilogy Excursions; William Bethel, General Manager at Hilton Grand Vacations; Naomi Cooper, Deputy Director of Maui Hotel and Lodging Association (non-voting); Eric Duff, Dual General Manager at AC Marriott Hotel & Residence Inn; Richard Elliott, General Manager at Andaz Maui; Fred Findlen, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa; Myra Galinato, Vice President at Blue Hawaiian Activities; Stephen Hinck, Area Managing Director & General Manager of the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows; Kaleo Kenui, General Manager at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa; Melissa Lee, Hotel Manager at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua; Gregg Lundberg, General Manager at Courtyard Marriott – Kahului Airport; John Pele, Executive Director of Maui Hotel and Lodging Association (non-voting); Aaron Placourakis, President & CEO of AMP Restaurant Group; Michael Pye, Fairmont Regional VP of Hawaiʻi & General Manager of Fairmont Kea Lani; Chris Rabang, Market General Manager – Westin Vacation Club, Maui & Marriott Vacation Club, & Island of Hawaiʻi; Angela Vento, General Manager of Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott Maui; and Maile Wong, Vice President & Region Manager of First Hawaiian Bank.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources has suspended the deadline for accepting the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Pacific Missile Range Facility and Kōkeʻe Park Geophysical Observatory, to protect the public’s ability to participate in the review.

This weekend (Sept. 18–20), Wailea Golf Club in Wailea is hosting one of 12 PGA Jr. League Regionals nationwide. Sixteen All-Star teams from across the region — including two local squads from Oʻahu (one in each age division) — will compete for a spot at their divisional National Championships (13u and 17u).

A community budget meeting is scheduled next week in Pāʻia-Haʻikū for residents to share their priorities and provide input on the County budget for Fiscal Year 2028, which begins July 1, 2027.

As part of ongoing efforts to harden the electrical grid and reduce wildfire risk on Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Electric crews will begin its first targeted area of replacing existing copper power lines with new aluminum conductors along East Kamehameha V Highway between Onioni Drive and ʻUalapuʻe from Saturday, Oct. 3 through Thursday, Oct. 8 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The project includes replacing 8 miles of power lines and upgrading 27 poles.

US Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced legislation to help stop illegal child labor. The bipartisan Stop Child Labor Act would increase maximum fines for violations, establish new criminal penalties, allow victims harmed by violations to file private lawsuits, and encourage collaboration between employers and government to stop child labor violations before they occur.

The Nov. 3 general election ballot will include eight proposed amendments to the Maui County Charter.

The Department of Planning is holding community meetings to share information and gather feedback on the Maui Island Special Management Area boundary assessment project.

Following the success of the Kōkua Hawaiʻi Island Donation Drive, residents and visitors are encouraged to continue supporting our neighbor islands by coming together to help the Kauaʻi community, which was devastated by Hurricane Lowell. The Kōkua Kauaʻi Donation Drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26 and 27, 2026, in Kahului, the County of Maui Office of the Mayor announced.

The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Maui in August was 2.9%, up from the 2.8% rate in July, and the 2.4% rate at the same time last year, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Recovery efforts following Hurricane Lowell and the Kona Low storms in March, flood mitigation and updates on the North-South Collector Road and the use of R-1 recycled wastewater are some of the specific topics that will be covered, Cook said.