Featured

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation and the County of Maui Department of ʻŌiwi Resources will host a free Kalo Workshop on Aug. 22, inviting community members to help replant three kalo patches at the Apuakehau kalo patch on Front Street in Lahaina.

Due to Tropical Storm Lala, both districts of Haleakalā National Park will close this evening— Kīpahulu District at 5 p.m. and Summit District at 6:30 p.m. Sunrise reservations for Saturday, Aug. 15 have been cancelled. Front country and backcountry camping are cancelled for today, Friday, Aug. 14. The park will reopen when it is safe to do so.

Due to Tropical Storm Lala, Bank of Hawai‘i will temporarily close all branch operations on Hawai‘i Island and Maui County tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 15. Bank of Hawai‘i will continue to assess the status of its branch network, and will update the public on branch closures and reopenings as the storm continues on its path.

Hawaiian Electric has activated its emergency response plan and is ready to respond to potential impacts from Tropical Storm Lala, with more than 500 employees, contractors and support workers positioned across the state available to assist with damage assessment and power restoration efforts following the storm. 

Beginning 5:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, all HIDOE campuses and offices on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi will close. 

The County of Maui invites residents to attend a community meeting on speed tables in Haʻikū on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Haʻikū Community Center, 137 Hāna Highway.

With the first of two approaching Pacific weather systems possibly causing heavy rain and flooding over the weekend, the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Insurance Division is encouraging residents to take steps now to make filing insurance claims easier after damage has occurred.

Mokulele Airlines added three new Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft to its inter-island fleet Thursday. Airline staff hosted blessing ceremonies on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi, and in Honolulu to launch the expansion.

Several county facilities and services will also be closed or suspended during the weekend because of the storm; University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Hawai’i Community College facilities and activities also impacted by approaching tropical cyclone.

With Tropical Storm Lala on approach and a hurricane watch in effect for Hawaiʻi Island and surrounding waters, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is working to prepare communities across the state for severe weather.

The US Coast Guard Captain of the Port Honolulu is scheduled to increase port heavy weather conditions for all commercial ports of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Honolulu, and Kauaʻi counties at 8 a.m. Aug. 14., due to Tropical Storm Lala. 

Regularly scheduled Lala updates for Friday, Aug. 14, 2026 are posted here. Steady strengthening is forecast, and Lala is expected to become a hurricane as it approaches the Big Island.

A 21-year-old Maui woman was rescued from ʻĪao Valley on Maui after falling while hiking along the river Thursday morning. The incident was reported at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026.

Johnstone was located and found to be in good health. The Maui Police Department thanked the public for their assistance.

Due to weather forecasts, the Ekolulāule‘a concert originally scheduled for Aug. 15 has been rescheduled to Sunday, Aug. 30 at Kīhei Charter School.

The County of Maui Department of Agriculture encourages all ranchers, farmers and producers to finalize preparations ahead of Tropical Storm Lala, which is anticipated to strengthen into a hurricane before impacting Hawaiʻi Island as early as Saturday.

Due to Tropical Storm Lala, County of Maui East Maui Water Authority is postponing its ‘Aha Wai O Maui Hikina Board meeting, which included a community discussion. The meeting was slated for Aug. 17, 2026, in Kula. A rescheduled date will be announced soon.

Based on current weather conditions and forecasts, all HIDOE public schools on Hawaiʻi Island will maintain normal school-day operations on Friday, Aug. 14. In-person instruction will continue as scheduled. School principals may cancel select after school activities on Friday afternoon.

As Hawaiʻi enters the peak months of hurricane season, the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation is ramping up support for its Stronger Hawaiʻi Fund to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters.

The County of Maui continues to prepare for possible impacts from Tropical Storm Lala, as emergency management officials echo that community members should be ready for potentially hazardous conditions across Maui County this weekend.