Haʻikū Fire Station project stalls as Maui County Council panel wrestles with land title dispute

“Item D-7 does not ask BLNR to award a 30-year water license to Mahi Pono. The item asks BLNR to authorize a public auction for a water license for certain government surface waters in East Maui,” according to DLNR.

After more than 17 years of planning, the proposed Haʻikū Fire Station has hit a legal stumbling block significant enough for council members to seek legal advice in a closed executive session and delay further consideration for two weeks.

Maui County Council members unanimously adopted Tuesday two resolutions approving special events permits for the 2026 Maui County Fair and the Aloha Classic Windsurfing Tournament.

The Maui Economic Recovery Commission, Healing Journey Team welcomes the community back for Paʻūpili Lahaina 3rd Saturdays, a monthly gathering dedicated to healing, connection, and strengthening the resilience of Lahaina.

There is no tsunami expected following a 5.1 earthquake reported at the Loihi Seamount, south of the Big Island. The quake occurred at 5:49 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.

Women’s Round One has been called ON at the Outerknown Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, Stop No. 7 of the 2026 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). After three days saw the completion of the men’s first two rounds, the world’s best women will get their shot at Teahupo’o at this year’s event.

Kamaʻole Beach Park II, including restrooms, reopened today, Aug. 11, 2026, along with the adjacent section of South Kīhei Road that closed after damages from a Kona Low storm in March, according to the County Department of Parks and Recreation.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health, in collaboration with Aloha House, CARE Hawaiʻi, Inc., Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center, Pacific Counseling Group, LLC and Project Vision Hawaiʻi, has launched Project Hoʻoulu — The Hawaiʻi Resiliency Project, to support children, youth and adults affected by the recent Kona Low floods on Maui, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu and Lānaʻi.

Hawaiian Electric customers continued to add rooftop solar systems at a solid pace through the first six months of 2026 despite the loss of the federal clean energy tax credit at the start of the year, the company announced.

Hui O Ka Wai Ola, a volunteer-based coastal water quality monitoring program, has resumed regular testing at Mākena Landing after community members made clear how much this stretch of coastline means to them. Hui O Ka Wai Ola previously monitored Mākena Landing from 2017 to 2020. In recent years, the site has drawn more requests for renewed monitoring than any other in the program’s history.

The National Hurricane Center is tracking a broad area of low pressure east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands that is expected to develop within the next couple of days and move northwestward across the central Pacific.

With HCL’s current momentum and readiness, Gilbreath expects that within 10 years, HCL will be a $200-million loan fund serving 250 families with affordable mortgage financing each year. This will offset the outmigration of Hawai‘i-born local residents who are leaving the state because they can’t afford to stay here, according to the announcement.