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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.

ʻUlupalakua Ranch reminds community members to mark their calendars for a day filled with ono food, photos with Santa and holiday shopping among local vendors at its Christmas in the Country festival, a full day of festivities on Saturday, Dec. 14.

An oshogatsu mochi pounding event is set for 4 p.m. Dec. 28 at the Wailuku Hongwanji Mission in Wailuku.

Applications are now open for a state-funded program empowering Hawai‘i-based entrepreneurs to develop their food products from concept to business plan and pitch, providing tools to grow and scale their businesses.

BIA Hawaiʻi has announced the 2025 Officers and Directors who will lead the association and the industry in the coming year. These industry executives hail from various sectors within the building and construction industry, including associate members whose products and services support builders, developers, and specialty contractors. 

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will host the first-ever international Academic Esports tournament, welcoming student teams from six countries for the week-long competition. From Friday, Dec. 13 to Wednesday, Dec. 18, gamers from Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Germany, Austria, and UH Maui College’s own esports team will face off in popular titles like Valorant, League of Legends, and Rocket League. A special team from Maui High School will also compete. 

Local firefighters, lifeguards, police, and military personnel are set to compete in the inaugural First Responder & Military Honolua Classic surf competition, co-sponsored by OUTRIGGER Kā‘anapali Beach Resort and Kahākūkahi Ocean Academy.

Several kiawe trees were removed from Mākena Landing Park earlier this week, resulting in concerns and questions shared by regular beachgoers. Mākena Golf & Beach Club reports that the removal of the trees was necessary for the park to remain safe for public access and to minimize risk to the shoreline ecosystem.

AARP Foundation is recruiting friendly and service-oriented people throughout Hawaiʻi to join its Tax-Aide volunteer team. Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-based tax assistance and preparation program. During the 2024 tax season, almost 28,000 volunteers served over 1.7 million taxpayers. Tax-Aide participants saved more than $1.3 billion in refunds and credits.  

Lahaina Cannery is inviting Maui residents and visitors to celebrate the holiday season with photos with Santa, local vendors, and live local holiday entertainment.

Maui Preparatory Academy’s Bright Beginnings Preschool will host a preschool preview on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9 to 11 a.m.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division has been awarded an $11.99 million system of care improvement grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

A newly released 250-page coffee table book, “Big Hearts on a Little Island,” tells the story of how the people of Maui stepped up to help after the devastating 2023 wildfires, from author and Maui resident Victoria Moore.

More than 100 Maui youth enjoyed a festive day of shopping at locally owned stores at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center this past Thursday, as Ledcor Maui concluded its second annual Makana no Nā Keiki (Gifts for Children) program. The gift drive raised $105,000, benefitting three local charitable organizations: Maui Youth & Family Services, Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, and the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui.

Following nine months of programming and development, a mural spread across the temporary campus of King Kamehameha III Elementary School will be blessed on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. The community is invited to participate in the event, which begins promptly at 12:30 p.m. 

The Shops at Wailea is spreading holiday cheer and inviting families to join in the festive fun this December with an exciting lineup of events, giveaways, and live entertainment for all ages. Throughout the month, Maui residents and Wailea visitors can enjoy these special offerings designed to celebrate the magic of the season. 

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education announced today that one previously suspended school bus route in Upcountry Maui will be reinstated starting on Monday, Dec. 9, restoring service for nearly 40 student bus riders.

Food, music, shopping and family fun will all make for a festive Hāliʻimaile Holidays celebration, hosted by Maui Land & Pineapple Co., from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13 at the former pineapple plantation town midway between Kahului and Makawao.