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Student teaching assistant Ryan Chang will earn two associate of applied arts degrees in May (one specializing in culinary arts and the other specializing in baking and pastry). He played a key role in the college’s emergency production of thousands of meals in the aftermath of the August wildfires. 

Maui Huliau Foundation, an environmental education nonprofit serving Maui’s youth, will host their annual Huliau Youth Environmental Film Festival at the Imua Discovery Garden in Wailuku on Saturday, May 4 from 7-8:30 p.m. This outdoor showing will feature eight short environmental films created by Maui students from various schools over the past school year.

Since the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires, nearly 2,000 individuals are still being housed in hotels on Maui. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that currently, 1,969 survivors are sheltered in nine hotels and other sites. The agency provided an update on housing, spending and resources as wildfire recovery nears the nine month mark.

Ryan Hi’ileinani Alo, a 10th grade student at Kamehameha Schools Maui, is a delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders, to be held June 26-28, 2024, just outside of Boston, on the University of Massachusetts Lowell campus.

A field of blooming sunflowers will be the backdrop for the 2024 Sunflower Farm Music Festival on Saturday, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Friends of Haleakalā National Park are planning a three-night service trip to Haleakalā Crater, May 25-28, 2024. The volunteer trip is for experienced hikers and backpackers with a desire to help preserve Native Hawaiian ecosystems. Participants will stay in the Palikū patrol cabin and remove invasive species to protect nēnē habitat.

Council Member Tom Cook and Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura will co-host a community meeting at 6 p.m. on May 8 at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center. The meeting’s intent is to gather input from the community and provide information regarding the County of Maui’s proposed water-delivery agreement with Free Market Ventures. The resolution authorizes the administration to enter into an agreement with Free Market Ventures, LLC, which includes drilling wells in Kula and the County purchasing water from the private source. 

Maui High School’s Chelsea Konno was named the 2024 Citizen Scholar for Maui County. Also recognized from each public school within Maui County were: Penelope Tupou of Baldwin High School; Hennessy Arroyo of Hāna High & Elementary School; Gizelle Rodrigues of Kekaulike High School; M. Jee Abara of Lahainaluna High School; Hershey Lei Estacio Manuel of Lānaʻi High & Elementary School; and Kilinaheokekai Puhi of Molokaʻi High School.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., approved the use of $33 million in state funds for the state match plan for the Broadband Equity Access and Development grant program. Eight programs will be funded with this grant which will have a statewide impact on ensuring Hawai‘i’s goal toward universal broadband access. 

The Maui Chamber of Commerce invites product vendors and food truck operators to submit applications for participation in the 2024 Hawaiian Airlines Made in Maui County Festival. Scheduled for Nov. 1-2, 2024, the 11th edition of this annual celebration will take place at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

A portion of remote county roadway at Alelele Point near Mile Marker 39 will be closed to all traffic, with the exception of emergency vehicles, between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday starting May 1, 2024, due to an emergency slope repair project on the makai side of the road, according to a County of Maui Department of Public Works announcement today. The road closure is expected to last five months, the department said. Alelele Point is located on the southeast side of Maui and connects Kaupō and Kīpahulu.

The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is launching its inaugural Reef-Friendly Landscaping certification course on May 22, 2024.

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court convened at Kailua High School on Friday, giving more than 300 students the opportunity to observe oral argument in an actual case. 

The bill provides HDOA an additional 44 positions, including 22 inspector positions in the Plant Quarantine Branch. 

Between May 1 to May 15, adoption fees at all Maui Humane Society adoption locations will be reduced in price. The “Empty the Shelter” event is part of a national effort that’s helped more than 226,000 pets find loving homes since 2016.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery is urging wildfire property owners who opt for the Alternative Debris Removal Program to stay informed by signing up online for important notices.

As Maui residents look ahead to rebuilding after the devastation of the August wildfires, there’s another danger awaiting them — fraudulent construction contractors.

The federal disaster center at the Lahaina Civic Center is moving to Hyatt Regency, and a state resource center will open at Royal Lahaina Resort in the coming days.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources increased a fine against the owners and operator of the luxury yacht, Nakoa, to $1,818,85.97 on Friday, to account for biological and cultural damages, as well as “emotional distress to the community.”

With National Small Business Week (April 29-May 3) coming up, a number of workshops and programs are available to small businesses of Maui to build skills and connections. Co-presented by Maui Economic Development Board, workshops include helping sub-contractors to work with government; teaching how to use Quickbooks for business; building a capability statement; and exploring the work of the Maui Food Innovation Center.