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New US Rep. Jill Tokuda of Hawaiʻi finds “heightened urgency” surrounding issues of affordability, housing and sustainability. She says her work at the national level involves “a whole new toolbox” that provides for expanded reach. Maui Nowʻs Wendy Osher talks one-on-one with Rep. Tokuda during her visit to the Valley Isle.

The Hawai‘i State Board of Education today approved the Department’s recommendation to appoint four complex area superintendents, including Desiree Sides who has been serving her respective role in an interim capacity at the Baldwin-Kekaulike-Kūlanihāko‘i-Maui complex.

A total of 18 individuals were arrested in Maui County during a warrant sweep conducted in partnership with the US Marshals Service. The interagency crackdown was conducted between Jan. 9-11, 2023, and was done in partnership with the Maui Police Department’s Crime Reduction Unit, Special Response Team, and the US Marshals Service.

Queen Kaʻahumanu Center kicks off the new year with two upcoming events. Enjoy Kama‘āina Nights on Friday, Jan. 20 from 6-8 p.m. at Center Court with performances by Kalama Intermediate ʻukulele students and headliner, Dillon Pakele. A celebration for the Year of the Rabbit with AuShaolin Arts will also be held on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 2–3:30 p.m. with a lion dance performance and fireworks.

Hundreds of volunteers from dozens of groups helped remove more than 2,000 bags of trash from state highways in Maui County in 2022, according to the State of Hawaiʻi, Department of Transportation Highways Division – Maui District.

Measures may include corralling of axis deer, culling of deer to sustainable levels, clearing vegetation along fence lines and constructing or reinforcing fence lines to protect roadways, airports and runways from axis deer incursions.

Kama said the Jan. 27 meeting agenda, which will be posted Friday, will include final reading of bills that were introduced and passed on first reading last year: Bill 97, CD1 on residential zoning, Bill 160, CD1 on the Kula Agricultural Park, Bill 206 on conditional permits and Bill 207 on funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Governor Josh Green, M.D. has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the late Ron Menor, a veteran State and City legislator, who died unexpectedly Monday after a medical emergency. The passionate veteran lawmaker was 67 years old.

For nearly three years, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Hawaiʻi State House and Senate to operate solemnly online, but Wednesday the public was back and the mood was festive.

Grammy nominee and multi Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner, Kumu Hula Kamaka Kukona has reached a milestone in his hula career – 20 years of teaching hula. 

The County of Maui Department of Water Supply reports that a portion of customers in the Pukalani area will experience a water service outage from 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, to 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20, while work is underway on the County’s water system.

An electrical malfunction is suspected as the cause of a Tuesday evening house fire on Kikipua Street in Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi.

Two hikers were airlifted to safety Tuesday evening after becoming lost on the Kahakapao Trail in Makawao.

A 38-year-old Lahaina man suffered serious injuries during a fall at Halemau’u Trail in Haleakalā National Park Tuesday afternoon.

In recent weeks, the US Coast Guard has continued to monitor a Russian vessel, believed to be an intelligence gathering ship, off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands. The Coast Guard continues to coordinate with Department of Defense partners, providing updates to foreign vessel movements and activities and to appropriately meet presence with presence to encourage international maritime norms.

An estimated five tons of marine debris was airlifted this morning from Kaho‘olawe to Maui, with most of it destined for recycling as “new life” products, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

St. Anthony School in Wailuku will host an Open House event for families interested in learning more about the campus, which offers classes from preschool through Grade 12.

Maui’s Savannah Gankiewicz and Noelani DeNisi returned to a homecoming celebration at Kahului Airport on Tuesday evening after earning coveted titles of Miss Hawaii USA and Miss Hawaii Teen USA respectively over the weekend.

VEX IQ teams from Kalama Intermediate and Maui Waena now advance to the state tournament after earning the highest scores at the Maui event held over the weened.

In his new role, Nāhoʻopiʻi is responsible for the administrative, fiscal, procurement, and human resources operations of HTA, as well as the management of the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. Nāhoʻopiʻi succeeds Keith Regan who departed HTA in August 2022.