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Even more homeowners may be eligible for mortgage or other qualified housing expense assistance through the Maui County Homeowner Assistance Fund Program. Homeowners on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi who were affected negatively by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for assistance and other resources to help avoid foreclosure.

The parking lot at Cove Park in Kīhei will be closed temporarily from Aug. 5 to 30, 2024, for beautification efforts and addressing safety concerns. The work will include resurfacing and painting parking stalls to maintain and improve the parking area, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced.

The Maui Police Department currently has 10 unclaimed bodies at the forensic facility. Officials are requesting assistance in contacting family members of the deceased.

The first dozen or so Ka Laʻi Ola temporary housing units are nearly ready for occupancy by wildfire survivors in pre-fab, futuristic NanoNest tiny homes with curved ends and floor-to-ceiling transparent walls that take advantage of views of the ocean and West Maui Mountains.

At this time, suspended school bus routes include 56 routes in Central Oʻahu impacting 1,553 registered students, 52 routes in East Hawaiʻi impacting 1,313 registered students, and 39 routes in Central and Upcountry Maui impacting 820 registered students.

Maui Huliau Foundation, a nonprofit organization offering environmental education programs to Maui youth, will host its annual benefit celebration Aug. 17 at Sugar Beach Event’s oceanfront venue in Kīhei.

Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society will host Gathering of the Voyagers, a three-day celebration of Hawaiian and Oceania culture, at Fairmont Kea Lani, Aug. 23-25, 2024. Bringing together revered voyagers, navigators, canoe builders, and cultural practitioners, Gathering of the Voyagers invites the community to come together for a weekend of ceremony, demonstrations, mākeke and kanikapila at Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, a location historically significant to Polynesia’s rich seafaring culture.

On Friday, Maui County lifted an unsafe water advisory that had been in place for nearly a year for parts of hard-hit Lahaina town after the Aug. 8 wildfire disaster, Department of Water Supply Deputy Director James “Kimo” Landgraf announced.

Today, following months of good faith negotiations, the County signed a Term Sheet with key participants in the lawsuits arising out of the tragic Maui wildfires of August 8, 2023. The agreement outlines the framework for a global settlement that would resolve claims and disputes related to the fires that devastated Lahaina and other communities on the island. 

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) Food and Drug Branch (FDB) is alerting residents to a recall issued by Prophet Premium Blends of its Diamond Shruumz brand infused cones, chocolate bars and gummies products because of potentially toxic levels of Muscimol. These products were sold direct-to-consumer online by Prophet Premium Blends, including to Hawaiʻi, and were available for purchase at local smoke/vape shops. A list of stores that received the recalled products can be found at this link.

The Central East Maui Little League majors have made it to the West Region Tournament in San Bernardino, California, taking place Aug. 3-6 in San Bernardino, California. The boys will play in Game 1 against Land Park Pacific Little League of Northern California at 12 p.m. HST (3 p.m. PT) on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024 at Al Houghton Stadium.

The natural rivalry between King Kekaulike High School and Kamehameha Schools Maui on the gridiron has grown over the last three decades, but it has risen to new, unprecedented heights the last three years. “It’s built up for years now and I’ve seen this program grow from when I was small, but I think this year it is heavier than it’s ever been because we go back and forth with some of those guys,” said ‘A‘ali‘i Valle of King Kekaulike. “We’ve seen some of them at a couple clinics and we’re just, like, ‘No, we’re going to beat you guys this year.’ It’s our turn.”

Maui High School is naming its new state-of-the-art building as the Harrison and Helen Miyahira STEM Center in recognition of the couple’s contributions to the school and community. The dedication ceremony will take place on Friday, Aug. 16, at 11:30 a.m. on the school campus at 660 Lono Ave. in Kahului.

Through the generosity of longtime music industry veterans and global music icon, philanthropist Dolly Parton, Cavaliere is releasing “My Hawaiʻi,” with 100% of proceeds going to Maui United Way – Maui Fire Disaster Relief Fund that provides direct financial assistance to community members who experienced loss and devastation from the fires in Lahaina and Kula.

To ensure reliable service, maintenance utility pole work that will impact area traffic along Dairy Road fronting the Maui Marketplace in Kahului has been rescheduled to Monday, Aug. 12 and Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No service interruptions are planned for this work. The work was originally scheduled for Aug. 5 and 6.

The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation today released its Maui Strong Fund One-Year Impact Report sharing the impact of grants deployed to support the immediate and long-term recovery of the people and places affected by the devastating wildfires on Maui in August 2023. 

Lieutenant Oliver Vaas, Fire Fighter III’s Troy Tendo, and Kahiwa McVey have been promoted to the rank of Fire Captain. Fire Fighters Keola Nakoa, Kai Evermore, Brent Barbero, Tyler Orikasa, Reyford Stone, and Thomas Heen have been promoted to Fire Fighter III.

The nonprofit Homestead Community Development Corporation (HCDC) added eight housing units on Maui to its housing portfolio over the last six months. The rental units (located in Wailuku, Lahaina and Kīhei) are first dedicated to wildfire impacted families over the next three years; and then to permanently affordable rental units for Maui citizens.

The state Department of Education and the Hawaiʻi High School State Athletic Association have announced, for the first time in nearly 20 years, there will be a new sport for high school girls to compete in. Beginning in Spring 2025, girls flag football will be in public and private high schools across the state.

Hana Hou Hospitality restaurants will be closed on Aug. 8, 2024, the one-year anniversary of the Lahaina wildfire disaster that killed 102, destroyed thousands of structures and left thousands more homeless.