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County of Maui Grants Review Committee approves $74,704 grant for Ka Lima O Maui
The Office of Economic Development, Grants Review Committee and Mayor Richard Bissen, have approved $74,704 in funding for the longtime Maui nonprofit organization, Ka Lima O Maui. This grant, facilitated by the Office of Economic Development, will further enable Ka Lima O Maui’s efforts to provide adults with disabilities meaningful work opportunities, bolstering their mission to “enhance lives through self-reliance.”
Lahaina tragedy prompts return of Hōkūleʻa to Hawaiʻi in December before continuing Pacific circumnavigation
Polynesian Voyaging Society CEO Nainoa Thompson today announced a major change to the Moananuiākea Voyage sail plan. In the wake of the devastating fires on Maui, Hōkūleʻa will return home from San Diego, California in late December, before continuing on the circumnavigation of the Pacific.
FBI’s ongoing role in the Lahaina wildfire disaster response
When a wildfire devastated the island of Maui on Aug. 8, killing at least 97 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes, the FBI offered assistance to law enforcement partners on Maui. Today that assistance continues as teams work to identify remains and confirm individuals who are unaccounted for.
House Interim Schools Working Group hosts West Maui community meeting, Sept. 28
House Interim Schools Working Group Co-Chairs Justin H. Woodson and Jenna Takenouchi and members of the House Interim Schools Working Group in coordination with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education will organize a public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, to discuss the status of education for Maui students impacted by the Lahaina wildfire.
State Senate to hold field briefing in Lahaina on wildfire-related insurance claims, Sept. 28
The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection will hold a field briefing in Lahaina on Thursday, Sept. 28 to address questions and take testimony pertaining to wildfire-related insurance claims.
Update/Postponed: CNHA hosts hula and mele workshop fundraiser to benefit Maui
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement hosts a day long hula and mele workshop fundraiser, Kōkua Nā Hono Aʻo Piʻilani, on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Windward Community College, Hale ʻĀkoakoa. Proceeds from the event will directly benefit ongoing Maui relief efforts.
Mayor Richard Bissen announces a ‘phased approach’ to reopening West Maui to visitors
Mayor Richard Bissen and members of his Lahaina Advisory Team have shaped a phased approach to the reopening of West Maui to visitors following an announcement by Gov. Josh Green that West Maui will reopen on Oct. 8, 2023.
AI detects two more bird species at Palmyra Atoll that hadn’t been seen in decades
The Nature Conservancy, Hawai’i and Palmyra announced that artificial intelligence or AI powered imagery analysis detected two more seabird species at Palmyra Atoll that hadn’t been seen in decades.
ʻUkulele Festival Hawai‘i to donate more than 800 instruments to Maui families affected by fires
More than 800 ‘ukulele will be donated to various organizations, institutions and community groups on Maui to assist with distribution to the affected children and families so that they may find healing and comfort through the sound of music and through the ‘ukulele.
Workshop scheduled for DHHL agricultural lessees of Nāʻiwa Homestead on Molokaʻi
The Nāʻiwa Homesteaders Program will host a two-day workshop for Molokaʻi’s Nā‘iwa Homesteaders Community on Thur., Sept. 28, and Fri., Sept. 29, 2023, starting at 5 p.m. HST. The workshop will take place at Kulana ʻŌiwi, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs / Department of Hawaiian Homelands Conference Room on Molokaʻi.
US House subcommittee holding hearing Thursday to investigate electric infrastructure’s role in Lahaina fire
The US House Committee on Energy & Commerce is holding a subcommittee fact-finding hearing on Thursday in Washington, D.C., to investigate the role of electric infrastructure in the “catastrophic Maui fire” in Lahaina on Aug. 8 that killed at least 97 people.
Voter registration update available at the Westin Kāʻanapali, Sept. 27
West Maui residents can update their voter registration in-person at the Government Relations, Ethics, and Transparency Committee on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, at the Westin Maui’s Honoapiʻilani Ballroom, starting at 8:30 a.m.
Six more Lahaina fire victims identified by police: death toll is 97, unaccounted for is 22
The Maui Police Department identified six more victims of the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire on Tuesday: Felimon Quijano, 61; Luz Bernabe, 64; Joel Villegas, 55; Adela Villegas, 53; Angelica Baclig, 31; and Junmark Quijano, 30. All are from Lahaina.
Hawaiian Electric postpones Shift and Save pilot program
By order of the Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric has postponed the start of the new Shift and Save pilot program for approximately 17,000 residential and business customers who were selected at random to test time-of-use rates on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island and Maui.
US Coast Guard transitions to next phase in Maui wildfire recovery
The Unified Command and the primary contractor, Global Diving & Salvage, have removed, to date, over 2100 gallons of product from vessels in the vicinity of Lahaina Harbor.
Grammy-nominated artist performing at Ke Kani Hone O Wailea Concert on Friday
Natalie Ai Kamauu is a Grammy-nominated artist, four-time “Female Vocalist of the Year” Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awardee, and was named “Miss Aloha Hula” at the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival.
Temporary site for Kamehameha III Elementary below Kapalua Airport is projected for completion in 95 days
FEMA will be fronting the initial $5.36 million in funding for a temporary campus on 10.2 acres in Honokōwai below the Kapalua Airport. The build time for the temporary site will be around 95 days.
Federal grant applications open for wildfire risk reduction, landscape scale restoration in Hawaiʻi
Federal grant opportunities to assist landowners in reducing fire risk in Hawaiʻi include Landscape Scale Restoration grants, Community Wildfire Defense grants, and Wildland-Urban Interface grants.
Island Grocery Depot in Lahaina has reopened
Island Grocery Depot in Lahaina reopened Tuesday with modified business hours. The store will not have ice, fresh meat and select
produce items until water is safe.
Federal emergency watershed program helping with environmental damage from Maui wildfires
Three Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the County of Maui are working with the federal Emergency Watershed Protection Program to quickly address widescale environmental damage caused by the August wildfires.
