Kahikinui fire 93% contained; evacuation orders lifted

Bacon Universal, the exclusive dealer for Kubota and Komatsu equipment in Hawaiʻi, has announced a new partnership with the Oskie Rice Event Center, signing on as a facility sponsor under an initial one-year agreement.

Starting July 1, 2025, the fee for a Hawai‘i vehicle safety inspection will increase by 75 cents to $25.75 for automobiles and trucks and to $17.75 for motorcycles and trailers. This is the first fee increase for vehicle safety inspections since 2017, according to the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation. The department reports that the increase […]

Pukalani resident Zoe Alexandra Asue has been named as 2025 Makawao Stampede Queen, according to an announcement from the Oskie Rice Event Center and Kaonoulu Ranch. Asue, 23, is the daughter of Alysha Asue and Brandon Kusunoki. Her sister is Hunter Asue-Kusunoki, and her grandparents are Wayne and Leonora Asue. Zoe Asue is from a […]

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents unanimously approved the appointment of Matt Elliott as UH Mānoa’s next athletics director during a special meeting on June 16. Elliott was selected by UH President Wendy Hensel following a national search that drew more than 110 applicants. His first day will be June 30, 2025.

The Maui Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance with any information on the whereabouts of Mary Panaguiton, 50, of Wailuku.

Carl “Soot” Bredhoff, a respected leader in Hawaiʻi’s ranching and cattle industry, passed away May 31 at his home in Kula. He was 90. 

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement announced the acquisition of Nā Mea Hawaiʻi, a cultural retail institution that has served Hawai‘i for more than two decades. Nā Mea Hawaiʻi will be integrated into a larger suite of economic and entrepreneurial initiatives, including: KūHana Business Accelerator; and The Mākeke.

The County of Maui Department of Human Concerns is soliciting grant proposals for mental health programs to support community-based initiatives in areas impacted by the August 2023 Maui wildfires in Lahaina and Kula.

The opening of the annual fishing season at Koke‘e on Kauaʻi, brought anglers of all ages to Pu‘u Lua Reservoir to catch rainbow trout. The reservoir was stocked earlier with 22,000 trout, the largest number ever.

Evacuation orders for Kahikinui were lifted at 7 p.m. today, June 16, due to increased fire containment, according to Maui Emergency Management Agency. The fire has burned 330 acres since it first started Sunday morning, and was 93% contained as of nightfall on Monday.

Areas of the War Memorial and Keōpūolani complexes in Kahului will be closed briefly this week for events and training, according to the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation.

Mayor Richard Bissen and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, serving as acting governor, signed emergency proclamations in response to the ongoing brush fire in Kahikinui.