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The state of Hawai‘i will receive $79,928.66 in a settlement with Wireless Carriers, announced the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Office of Consumer Protection on May 10.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation welcomed a new class of adult corrections officers at a graduation ceremony at the Mission Memorial Auditorium on May 10, 2024. Its 13 graduates from Basic Corrections Recruit Class 24-02 completed training and will begin their careers as corrections officers in facilities across the state.

A collaborative project to protect against erosion, reduce flood risk, mitigate axis deer damage, and improve water quality is being implemented in an 11-acre area mauka of Kīhei. 

History was made on Saturday night as the Seabury Hall Girls Track and Field team earned a come-from-behind state championship title in the inaugural 4×800 meter relay on Oʻahu. 

Akakū Upstairs returns Thursday, May 16, with a free screening and discussion of the short film, “The Green Wave: Maui,” which showcases threats the Hawaiian islands are facing and solutions local communities are implementing, from rainforest conservation to ocean preservation.

Update: The National Weather Service has extended the Flood Advisory for Maui until 7:15 p.m. At 4:03 p.m., radar showed heavy rain over west Maui between Kahakuloa and Honolua Bay, with rain falling at a rate near 2 inches per hour. Additional heavy showers were nearly stationary over windward Haleakalā near Ke’anae. Some locations that will experience flooding include: Haʻikū-Paʻuwela, Huelo, Kēōkea, Paʻuwela, Pāʻia, Kaupō, Hāna, Waiheʻe, Kahakuloa and Honokōhau.

A new study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa shows that chlorine mixed with petroleum in water can potentially produce inadvertent byproducts harmful to human health.

Elizabeth Whitehead and Estrelita Bradford, who both celebrated their 80th birthdays this year, were recognized at the Lahaina Honolua Senior Club’s Older American Luncheon on Monday, May 13, at Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Wendell Hidalgo, a sailor from Maui, Hawaiʻi, serves in Japan aboard a forward-deployed US Navy warship. Hidalgo graduated from Maui High School in 2019.

This action is taken to honor law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty while protecting others. 

Due to unpredictable weather conditions and forecasted adverse weather that may create unsafe road conditions, the Wednesday evening Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting is canceled this week, May 15, 2024. Motorists are advised to exercise caution should hazardous conditions occur.

“Last October, the Administration requested $23.5 billion for disaster recovery,” the senators wrote. “Since then, the need for recovery resources in our communities have grown and evolved. The nation has also witnessed additional crises, including the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland. This funding is essential for our constituents to move forward in rebuilding their homes, lives, businesses, farms and communities.”

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., proclaimed May as Wildfire Mitigation and Risk Reduction Preparedness Month. The proclamation comes nine months after the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfire that destroyed much of historic Lahaina Town and claimed the lives of more than 100 people.

To help increase local menu offerings in school lunches, three dozen public schools on Maui, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i Island and Kaua‘i will be offering fresh local poi as an accompanying lunch menu item to students and staff this month in honor of May Day. 

A total of 24 local entrepreneurs and small business owners attended the May 9 Maui TechOhana and were wowed by the inspiring work and technology of the Maui Food Innovation Center (MFIC). Ian Stewart, Entrepreneurship & Business Development Specialist, Pāʻoihana Program, and Douglas Paul, Chef Instructor gave an engaging presentation of the Center’s work including a video tour of the facility and samples of their success stories.   

Maui County Council members heard testimony from about a half-dozen people Monday morning on proposed real property tax rates, mostly from transient vacation rental operators who said they’re being unfairly squeezed with higher tax rates at a time when their future bookings are dropping dramatically.

Homebuyers on Maui closed on more single-family homes and condominiums in April, according to the latest resale figures from the Realtors Association of Maui. The median sales prices for both categories also saw notable increases:  single-family homes rose by 16.9% to $1.3 million, while condominiums climbed by 8.4% to $962,500, compared to April 2023.

As of May 1, 2024, a new law governing tenant screening fees was put in motion to help protect renters and promote transparency in the rental application process. Enacted as Act 200 (SLH 2023) and codified in Hawai‘i Revised Statutes § 521-46, the law prohibits a landlord from charging an applicant for a residential dwelling unit, a tenant screening fee that is more than the actual cost to obtain information about the applicant.

Construction of a new restroom at Haʻikū Park is underway and is expected to be completed in late 2024, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced. Situated behind the Haʻikū Community Center on Hāna Highway, the restroom will replace a previous comfort station.

Registration is now open for First Tee Hawaiʻi’s Summer Camps programming at The Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course. First Tee Hawaiʻi is a youth development organization that helps kids and teens build their strength of character through golf.