Maui visitor arrivals lag, but metrics point to stronger construction, housing sectors

Mayor Richard Bissen announced the selection of John Smith, a leader with the County of Maui’s Department of Public Works, to serve as the new administrator of the County’s Office of Recovery. County officials say Smith has been instrumental in leading infrastructure restoration efforts following the recent wildfires. In his new capacity, he will now oversee the County’s comprehensive recovery efforts.

Maui Council Chair Alice L. Lee announced that the Maui County Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the Lahaina Civic Center Social Hall on a proposed ordinance for the Kahoma Village project, where five residential buildings were destroyed in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires. Lee said the council will also hold special meetings Dec. 13 and 23 in the Council Chamber to discuss bills amending land-use and development standards for the Honua‘ula development—a 670-acre, multiuse housing project in South Maui. To view meeting agendas, visit mauicounty.us/agendas.

The Construction Management Association of America recently named the temporary King Kamehameha III Elementary school on Maui the 2024 Project of the Year. The national award celebrates skill, collaboration and impact of construction management for the project.

The Hawai‘i Community Foundation is awarding over $2 million dollars in Maui Strong Fund grants to 24 nonprofit partners providing culturally relevant and holistic mental health resources to families, individuals, and youth affected by the Maui wildfires. The nonprofit partners will use the funds to provide a broad range of services including art therapies, trauma-informed workshops, Hawaiian language and cultural immersion education, and peer-to-peer mental health support for youth.

The US Senate unanimously passed the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, which includes Tokuda and Hirono legislation to lessen the tax burden on survivors of the Maui wildfires. The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will host a “Holiday Bash & Electric Light Parade” on Friday, Dec. 13 at 4:30 p.m. on the Kahului campus’s Great Lawn and Pā‘ina Building dining area. The event is open to the public and admission is FREE.

First Hawaiian Bank today announced that bank employees and retirees have ushered in this year’s holiday giving season by contributing a donation of $873,987.53 to 36 charities in Hawai‘i, Guam, and Saipan as part of the bank’s annual Kōkua Mai employee giving campaign.

Azeka Shopping Center will host the 22nd Annual Toys for Tots charity drive this Sunday, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at Azeka Makai in Kīhei. The community is encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys to benefit underprivileged youth in Maui County. Plus, don’t miss the fun with appearances by local motorcycle clubs, […]

Maui-based nonprofit Kelea Foundation has announced the grand opening of its new headquarters and community space in Kahului.

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi based on all available data following a 7.0 (preliminary magnitude 7.3) magnitude earthquake reported at 8:44 a.m. HST (10:44 a.m. PT near the epicenter) on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reports there is a tsunami threat for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees elected Trustee Kaialiʻi Kahele as board chair on Wednesday. Kahele succeeds Trustee Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey of Maui who has served as chair for the past four years. The board and administration recognized and thanked Lindsey for her service as board chair.

Visitors to Maui island lag behind by pre-pandemic arrivals in 2019, according to a fourth quarter 2024 Statistical and Economic Report released by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

First Hawaiian Bank today announced that bank employees and retirees have ushered in this year’s holiday giving season by contributing a donation of $873,987.53 to 36 charities in Hawai‘i, Guam, and Saipan as part of the bank’s annual Kōkua Mai employee giving campaign.

Visitors to Maui island lag behind by pre-pandemic arrivals in 2019, according to a fourth quarter 2024 Statistical and Economic Report released by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Here on Maui, 14 months after the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires, there were 180,609 visitors to Maui in October 2024, which was higher than October 2023 (134,493 visitors, +34.3%), but below October 2019 (238,043 visitors, -24.1%). Visitor spending increased to $388.5 million in October 2024, compared to $332.9 million (+16.7%) in October 2023 and $379.8 million (+2.3%) in October 2019.

Servco Pacific Inc. acquired Big Island Toyota’s Hilo and Kona locations today, Dec. 1, 2024.

Forecasters say surf of 12 to 16 feet is expected along northern shorelines of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, with surf of 8 to 12 feet along western shorelines.

Warning was issued for several areas along California and Oregon coasts, including San Francisco, following magnitude-7 earthquake about 40 miles west-northwest off northern California coast this morning; Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu says there was no threat of tsunami waves in Hawai‘i.

Southerly winds and increasing moisture ahead of an approaching front and upper disturbance will lead higher rainfall chances for portions of the state today...

Elevated but relatively short-period NW swell will continue to move through island waters over the next several days, keeping surf elevated along exposed N...

Kumano I Ke Ala o Makaweli, a Native Hawaiian-led nonprofit, will use the grant funding to implement the West Kauaʻi ʻOihana Mahi ʻAi Kalo (Taro Farming Industry) Revitalization Project.

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said there was no threat of tsunami waves in Hawai‘i.

Big Island police had made 873 DUI arrests so far this year by the end of that week, a 2.95% increase compared with 848 during the same period last year.

Board voted 8-1 in favor of the 50-year-old former state and U.S. lawmaker to succeed Carmen 'Hulu' Lindsey, who had the post for the past 4 years.

Cohort of 5 ʻalalā, the native Hawaiian crow, released in pilot reintroduction project on leeward slopes of Maui's Haleakalā and first attempted elsewhere other than Hawaiʻi Island.

Help put a smile on a child's face this year by donating to the annual KBIG-FM Toy Drive, which supports several organizations around the Big Island.