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Samoan-American comedian, actor, writer, and producer Anette Arinix Aga has won the ‘OHINA Greenlight Award for her script of “Kamaʻāina Not Kanaka,” granting her $20,000-worth of production support toward her script becoming a completed short film.

US Reps Jill Tokuda of Hawaiʻi and Carol Miller of West Virginia introduced the Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act to increase access to federal programs that help grow and strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals in primary care, mental and behavioral health, and dental services. 

Effective Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, the Maui Bus Lahaina Villager route will be adding back six bus stops that were originally part of the route prior to the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire. 

Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. announced the selection of Kainoa Casco as Vice President of Land Productivity and Asset Management. Casco is responsible for developing and executing strategies to create value by increasing the productivity of unimproved land in West Maui.

Momentum Dance Maui and Maui OnStage open the festive and family-friendly holiday favorite “Nutcracker Sweets” on Saturday, Dec. 14 for six performances only. 

The County of Maui Department of Liquor Control office, located at 110 Alaʻihi St., Room 212, Kahului, will be closed for a half-day for department training starting at noon Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.

The transition team of President-elect Donald Trump is promoting the nomination of former Hawaiʻi Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as his nominee for director of National Intelligence.

The Maui Police Department currently has 11 unclaimed bodies at the forensic facility. Officials are requesting assistance in contacting family members of the deceased.

The median price of a single-family home on Maui was $1.3 million in November, according to a monthly statistical report by the Realtors Association of Maui. That’s $100,000 short of the all-time, $1.4 million record set in September of this year.

West Maui residents can dispose of recyclable bulky items at a Go Green Recycling event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Lahaina Civic Center.

Maverick Helicopters made a heartwarming toy drop for local children of Lahaina in need on Saturday. With toys collected through Maverick Helicopters’ Holiday Toy Drive, Santa made an unforgettable arrival by helicopter to the Old Village Golf Course, delivering gifts and spreading the holiday spirit with the help of the Ritz Carlton Kapalua Resort, Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau and Junior Chamber International Honolulu Chapter. 

The public is invited to be part of the effort to support Lahaina’s ‘ohana this holiday season by volunteering for the Lahaina Clean-Up Kōkua on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. Organized by All Hands And Hearts and the Ho‘ōla iā Mauiakama Long Term Recovery Group, this event brings the community together to clear ineligible debris from fire-damaged properties, helping families prepare to rebuild their homes and lives.

Lahaina Cannery and Lahaina Gateway, West Maui’s premier shopping destinations, are welcoming a group of new tenants for the holidays – businesses that have been adversely affected by the wildfires and have been shuttered for nearly a year and a half.

The Rotary Club of Northbrook, Illinois, extended a heartfelt proposal to the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset, aiming to bring joy to children affected by the Lahaina fires this Christmas season.

Lights at the Hāna Ball Park tennis and basketball courts are temporarily out of service until further notice, according to an announcement by the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation.

The word mākia was selected as the 2024 Huaʻōlelo (Word) of the Year by the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, College of Hawaiian Language (KHʻUOK). The word, meaning “aim, motto, or purpose,” inspires resilience in these transformative times, and a serves as a powerful reminder to move forward with intention and clarity.

The Hawaiʻi State Junior Golf Association | First Tee – Hawaiʻi (HSJGA|FTH) conducted the 2024 Tour Championship at Wailea Emerald Golf Course this weekend Dec. 7-8. This event was 36 holes and by invitation only. A total of 57 junior golfers from across the state teed up in the event. This tournament was the final event that awards points to the season race to the coveted HSJGA | FTH Player of the year.

This past year, Hart has worked with Google, to develop a new algorithm, “Perch,” designed specifically for recognizing Hawaiian bird songs. With this new technology Perch can identify the unique sounds of Hawaiian birds with limited data, allowing Hart and his team to accurately estimate bird numbers across large areas.  In a parallel effort, Hart is collaborating with ʻĀhuimanu, a group dedicated to native bird conservation, to create a special oli (chant) that uplifts Hawaiian birds.

A Maui coalition of the Hawaiʻi Workers Center has departed to Washington D.C. where they will demand that Congress release disaster recovery funds for Lahaina. 

The three-day 2024 Kaapuni Invitational basketball tournament sponsored by Maui Toyota concluded on Saturday. Results from each day are posted here.