Maui Council committee advances Haʻikū fire station project, 6-2

A Maui County Council committee voted 6-2 Monday to advance three bills clearing the way for construction of a long-awaited fire station in Haʻikū, over the objections of two council members who argued the project sits on land wrongfully taken from Native Hawaiians.

Approximately 200 customers in West Kuiaha and Awalau areas of Haʻikū have had low water pressure or no water since 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, due to a well outage, according to the County of Maui Department of Water Supply (DWS). Drinking water tanks have been stationed in the area until service is restored.

Festivals of Aloha released its 2026 schedule of events and theme, “Ea Mai Ke Kai Mai – Rise Up from the Sea,” in support of Gov. Josh Green’s declaration of 2026 as the “Year of Our Coastal Kuleana.”

September events on Maui include sign-waving at the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Shopping Center and safeTALK training at UH Maui College on Sept. 10, followed by Crisis Intervention Team Training on Sept. 30.

The County of Maui Department of Human Concerns Immigrant Services Division will host a United States Passport Application Acceptance Fair by appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at the Maui Family YMCA Westside Resource Center, 226 Kupuohi St., Lahaina.

Additional Hawaiian Electric employees arrived on Hawaiʻi Island on Monday, including lineworkers, engineering and other support teams from Maui and Oʻahu, to aid in restoration efforts and help speed recovery. Three newly arrived Oʻahu crews are working in the Kona area today. Seven additional Oʻahu crew members will arrive Tuesday in Hilo.

Festivals of Aloha kicks off at Wailuku First Friday guided by its 2026 theme, “Ea Mai Ke Kai Mai – Rise Up from the Sea,” in support of Gov. Josh Green’s declaration of 2026 as the “Year of Our Coastal Kuleana.” on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the heart of Wailuku Town.

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua will welcome artists, cultural practitioners, musicians, and educators from across Hawaiʻi for the 34th Annual Celebration of the Arts, taking place Sept. 18-19, 2026.

Families impacted by Hurricane Lala may be eligible for assistance replacing essential baby and young-child items that were lost or damaged during the storm.

West Maui Construction Inc. is performing modifications to the Kīhei Wastewater Pump Station No. 9, which will result in a temporary closure of the roundabout on Ulua Beach Road, along with a section of parking to be unavailable. Beach access will still be available to the public by way of the existing beach access pathway.

The Department of Water Supply is asking those in the West Kuiaha and Awalau areas to continue conserving water because a well is currently out of service. Those in the affected areas may experience low water pressure or water outages while DWS crews work to restore service.

The Nisei Veterans Memorial Center (NVMC) will host a special community screening of Voices Behind Barbed Wire on Saturday, Sept. 12, at its campus located at 665 Kahului Beach Road. The program is free to attend, and reservations are required.