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Jackie Freitas, a natural resources teacher at Leilehua High School in Wahiawa, Oʻahu, received the state’s top teaching award from Gov. Josh Green and Superintendent Keith Hayashi during an awards ceremony on Oct. 3.

Like many of those in Hawaiʻi who watched with heavy hearts the devastation that the wildfires left on Maui, the members of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Wind Ensemble felt a desire to honor those who were lost, those who survived, and those who are working to help the community.

Hōkūleʻa departed San Francisco for Half Moon Bay, where it received a traditional welcome from the Ramaytush tribe and conducted community activities before continuing its voyage.

Nearly two months since the Maui wildfires, Attorney General Anne Lopez is urging Hawaiʻi residents to remain watchful for suspicious fundraisers.

Jerry Morgan, 63, of Kula was reported missing on Wednesday night Oct. 4, 2023 by his family, after failing to return home from kayaking earlier in the day.

Three in-person meetings of the Maui Strong Support Group will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 17 in Nāpili. The meetings are hosted by Mental Health America of Hawaiʻi and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawaiʻi.

In a significant decision aimed at amplifying the voices of the people of Maui, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has chosen to relocate its highly anticipated 22nd Annual Native Hawaiian Convention from Oʻahu to Maui. This year’s convention is scheduled to take place from Nov. 14-17, 2023, at the Maui Arts and Culture Center in Kahului, Maui.

Disaster area restrictions will be lifted on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 9 and 10, for owners and residents of Zones 3A, 3B and 3C. This includes parts of Wahikuli, ʻĀinakea and Fleming roads

The Maui Police Department identified one more victim of the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire on Thursday: Michael Mahnensmith, 80, of Lahaina. Mahnensmith’s name was moved from the latest “verified list” of unaccounted for individuals released last week Friday. Maui police update the list weekly.

Now, in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires, realtor Debbie Arakaki is amping up her efforts to help thousands of families who lost their homes. Arakaki and a group of other long-time Maui residents collaborated to create the Maui Pono Foundation to provide immediate funds to neighbors in need.

Micah Smith, an assistant U.S. attorney, and Judge Shanlyn Park, State of Hawaiʻi court judge, were introduced on Thursday to the US Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing to consider their nominations to the US District Court for the District of Hawai‘i.

The Unified Command operation has begun to remove burned and sunken vessels, and marine debris, from Lahaina Harbor and the surrounding waterways.

More than 450 people attended a virtual community meeting on Tuesday to get updates on the status of West Maui’s commercial and recreational vessel activities.

In a gesture of community support, True Value has announced a significant donation to the Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina, Maui, that was affected by recent wildfires. The contribution consists of products valued at a total of $200,000, spanning essential categories aimed at helping the school rebuild and recuperate.

Homeowners and renters who were affected by the Aug. 8 wildfires on Maui now have until Thursday, Nov. 9, to apply for federal disaster assistance from FEMA and submit an application for a disaster loan from the US Small Business Administration. 

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents a return to Maui of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF) with six feature films, a program of six short films, and a showcase of four documentaries. All screenings will take place in the MACC’s McCoy Studio Theater starting Friday, Oct. 27 and concluding Sunday, Oct. 29.

The Maui County Council will discuss a resolution on Friday, Oct. 6, urging the governor to reinstate Marvin Kaleo Manuel as the first deputy of the Commission on Water Resource Management.

Sarah has been in healthcare for over 11 years and was Maui Memorial Medical Center’s first-ever DAISY Award honoree, an international award recognizing extraordinary nurses. She lost her home and all of her belongings in the Lahaina fire.

The new interim rule follows the first detection of CRB on Maui three weeks ago, when a dead adult CRB was found in a bag of compost shipped from O‘ahu at a Maui retailer. No other CRB has been detected on Maui. However, the efforts to restore the land and soil on Maui and Hawai‘i Island due to the wildfire damage have increased shipments of compost and organic landscaping material from O‘ahu, increasing the risk of the transport of CRB to non-infested areas.

The brands LâMO Footwear and Oomphies contributed the shoes with a retail value of more than $215,000 to Maui wildfire survivors.