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After voting unanimously last month to restrict public access to Holomua Road because of concerns about the threat of brush fires and public safety in Pāʻia, Maui County Council members heard opposition earlier this week from homeless advocates arguing that closing the road would displace people who have nowhere else to live.

The 2024 Nā Kamehameha Commemorative Pā‘ū Parade and Ho‘olaule‘a will take place on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Due to the recent fires in Lahaina, this year’s commemoration has been relocated to Central Maui. The parade will proceed down Ka‘ahumanu Ave. and conclude at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center. 

The May 2024 Hawaiʻi Rainfall Summary report shows that Maui County once again had a wide range of rainfall conditions during the month of May. Most of the gauges along the windward slopes had near to above average rainfall, and most of the leeward sites had below average rainfall.

County of Maui Department of Water Supply is kicking off water conservation campaign “Don’t Waste a Drop” to help mitigate the impacts of drought on water supply.  

Marcy Martin was sworn in Wednesday as the County of Maui Acting Director of Finance. She has agreed to serve as the acting director while recruitment efforts continue for a permanent Director of Finance. Maria Zielinski, who had been serving as Acting Finance Director, was sworn in Wednesday as Deputy Director of the Department of Finance. Mayor Bissen also announced the appointment of Lesley Milner as Budget Director.

Maui County Council members voted unanimously Wednesday to wrap up their work on the County’s fiscal 2025 budget, sending their spending package to Mayor Richard Bissen for final action.

The overall homelessness count on Maui dropped by 7% from 704 individuals in 2023 to 654 in 2024, according to newly released data from Bridging the Gap. The coalition of agencies working to end homelessness, presented the results of their 2024 Homeless Point in Time Count on Wednesday at the Family Life Center’s ʻOhana Hope Village in Kahului.

The Construction Industry of Maui made a $4,500 gift to Maui Economic Opportunity’s program that supports individuals recently released from incarceration – the fourth annual donation made to the program by the trade council.

A total of 21 students within the Maui Filipino community have been announced as recipients of the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 2024 Scholarship Awards. The scholars will receive at least $1,000 to support their pursuit of higher education.

Sacred Hearts School is accepting applications for enrollment and financial aid for the 2024-2025 school year at its new campus located at 2530 Kekaʻa Drive in Kāʻanapali, Maui. The school will provide classroom education for its Early Learning Center through 8th grade, as well as a High School Virtual program with in-person facilitation. To help families learn more about the school, an Enrollment Open House will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. During this event, interested families can visit the campus, talk to school administrators, and learn about enrollment and tuition assistance.

The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea announces the launch of the Blue ʻĀina guest experience, an addition to the Resort’s Mālama Hawaiʻi program. Launching in tandem with National Oceans Month, this new initiative aims to cultivate a sense of ocean conservation and environmental stewardship among guests, providing a unique and educational adventure that underscores the Resort’s dedication to regenerative travel, tourism and sustainability.

President Joe Biden announced that he has made additional disaster assistance available to the State of Hawai‘i following the Maui fires, increasing the federal cost share for federal assistance to 100% for an additional 90-day period.

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, situated on 23 oceanfront acres at iconic Pu‘u Keka‘a (Black Rock), appointed Chef Charles Andres executive chef for the property. Chef Andres, who was raised in Lahaina on Maui, oversees the overall culinary direction of the resort’s multiple dining establishments, including The Sandbar, Cliff Dive Grill, Mai Tai Bar, Teppan-yaki Dan, Coral Reef, Black Rock Shave Ice, and in-room dining, as well as the property’s catering functions and special events.

A 78-year-old woman was displaced during an accidental house fire in Kula on Tuesday afternoon. The fire was reported at 4:24 p.m. on June 4, at a home on Polipoli Road. The woman suffered minor burns and was treated on scene by Medics, fire officials said.

Scientists with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say the eruption at Kīlauea summit on June 3, 2024, has been paused for 48 hours and is unlikely to restart. Accordingly, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has lowered the Volcano Alert Level for ground-based hazards from Watch to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code from Orange to Yellow.  

The 33rd Annual Kī Hō‘alu Festival returns to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center live and in-person as well as livestreamed on Sunday, June 30.

A former theatrical education director for the Maui Arts & Cultural Center who helped thousands of children on Maui do live performances in schools and attracted hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money, has died. Margherita Therese Pappas passed at her home in Kula on April 23. She was 73.

The Maui Humane Society’s 2025 calendar will pay tribute to the courageous Maui firefighters and rescuers who bravely faced the devastating Lahaina wildfires on Aug. 8, 2023.

Beginning January 2025, the University of Hawaiʻi Cybersecurity Clinics will offer a free online course in introductory cybersecurity topics to 500 UH students over five years. It aims to offer students access to internships and career opportunities in cybersecurity, with UH faculty providing mentorship and guidance.

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational has secured a new sponsor. On Monday, Rip Curl broke the news of a brand new partnership with the competition ahead of the forthcoming event this winter—its 40th year at Waimea Bay, Oʻahu.