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Gov. Josh Green, M.D., the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation and US Army Garrison Hawai‘i have signed a new 50-year lease at Kawaihāpai Airfield, formerly known as Dillingham Airfield. The new lease goes into effect July 6, 2024, at which time airfield operations will continue normal operations, including uninterrupted water service to the tenants; water service […]

US Rep. Jill Tokuda journeyed into Lahaina’s rich historic and cultural past with an eye on its future Wednesday.

A number of special events marking one year after the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires will pay tribute to the 102 victims and the two that remain missing. The events are designed to honor the resiliency of a community that has faced crisis and heartbreaking tragedy, and offer residents opportunities to gather in healing and shared support.

The new County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui officially opened Friday with a normal operating schedule of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Lahaina Gateway Unit 102-B, 325 Keawe St., Lahaina, near Ace Hardware. The center will serve as a centralized hub for essential departments and agencies related to recovery.

SB 2085 creates the Office of the State Fire Marshal within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to enhance fire safety and prevention across Hawaiʻi. The state fire marshal, appointed for a five-year term, will coordinate statewide fire protection efforts, propose fire code amendments and oversee fire safety training and certification.

The Honua Finals surf contest will run on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 9-10, at Ala Moana Bowls on Oʻahu. The inaugural Honua Finals: The World Cup of Interscholastic Surfing, presented by Nike Swim provides opportunities for young, talented Hawaiʻi surfers to compete with other elite high school surf teams from across the globe right here at home, in the birthplace of surfing.

Just five households remain sheltered at two hotel sites on Maui as the one-year mark since the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires is just over a month away. The emergency hotel sheltering program managed by the state ended on June 30. 

Task Force officers confiscated approximately 200 pounds of illegal fireworks from a home in Waipahu on Tuesday. On Wednesday, DLE launched SaferWatch, a web and mobile-based security system that allows the public to anonymously report illegal fireworks in the community. Over the Independence Day holiday, 59 illegal fireworks tips were submitted to DLE using the new app.

“We want to make sure that Moloka‘i High School is able to compete at a high level and that transportation is not a reason why they would not be able to,” Mokulele Airlines chief of staff Keith Sisson said.

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation will host a public informational meeting to discuss the planned improvements to Puʻunēnē Ave. (Route 3500) between Wākea Ave. and Kūihelani Highway (Route 380). The meeting takes place on Thursday, July 11, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Maui Waena Intermediate School in Kahului.

Summer EBT, also called SUN Bucks, is a new and permanent program to provide benefits to households with school-aged children to purchase food during the summer. Households will receive $177 for each qualifying child, to be spent during the summer months.

A Kauaʻi man was recognized on a national stage for his integral role in the preservation and education of an ancient fishpond near Līhuʻe. Fred “Peleke” Flores, field operations and cultural resources manager with Mālama Hulē‘ia, received the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Award from the National Education Association in Philadelphia Wednesday.

US Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) introduced a bill on Friday to rename the Captain Cook Post Office on Hawaiʻi Island after First Lieutenant John Kuulei Kauhaihao of Hōnaunau, who was killed in action in Vietnam and posthumously awarded the US Army’s second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross. 

Bacon Universal announced its role as the grandstand sponsor for the upcoming Makawao Stampede 2024, taking place July 5-7 at the Oskie Rice Event Center. As the exclusive Kubota dealer in Hawaiʻi, Bacon Universal will feature a significant display showcasing the latest Kubota equipment, including tractors, excavators, track loaders, and utility vehicles. Highlighting the weekend’s festivities, Bacon Universal offers a meet and greet opportunity with six-time pro rodeo world champion Kaycee Feild.

Four free courses are being offered to Hawai‘i residents through the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges’ Good Jobs Hawai‘i initiative in collaboration with Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)’s Creative Industries Division (CID).

The deadline for candidates to purchase informational tables at the 52nd Kupuna Aloha Luncheon on Saturday, July 27 – which is expected to draw more than 400 kupuna – is on Monday, July 8.

Twenty-nine middle and high school youth learned the importance of creating an emergency fund, not applying for 15 credit cards and that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” when applying for a job at the two-day Maui Economic Opportunity Teen Financial Literacy workshop this week.

Habitat for Humanity Maui announced a special Disaster Recovery Fundraiser to be held at the historic Old Lahaina Lūʻau on Aug. 17, 2024. This event aims to raise essential funds to support the rebuilding of Lahaina, which was devastated by the catastrophic wildfires of 2023. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go directly towards recovery and reconstruction efforts. 

Suspension of service disconnections for all Hawaiian Electric customers on Maui has been extended through at least Aug. 31, 2024, in accordance with the extension of Gov. Josh Green’s emergency proclamation. Maui customers who are financially challenged by the devastating wildfires will not have to worry about potential disconnection of their electric service, according to a company announcement.

A new report by the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization identifies potential opportunities to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy by analyzing a variety of industries across counties in the US and the state.