In Case You Missed It
Maui Council advances $1.6 billion budget, splits 5-4 on mayoral spending limits
The Maui County Council unanimously passed a $1.6 billion fiscal year 2027 budget on first reading Friday, approving a contested shoreline stabilization grant after a lengthy discussion and splitting 5-4 on election-year spending limits on the mayor’s office.
Lahaina school rebuild gets nearly $200M, wildfire study misses out on funding
Maui Health also got funding in the budget as the legislative session closed last week, but lawmakers think it won’t be enough for repairs to the storm-damaged Kula Hospital.
Washington man charged with harassment for allegedly hurling large rock at endangered monk seal ‘Lani’
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was charged by criminal complaint on May 12, 2026, for allegedly harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, according to United States Attorney Ken Sorenson. Lytvynchuk’s alleged actions are in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, the US Department of Justice reports.
Maui unsheltered homeless jumps 40% as overall numbers remain flat, new count shows
Unsheltered homelessness on Maui climbed 40% while overall numbers remained essentially flat, according to results from the 2026 Homeless Point in Time Count released Wednesday.
Maui Council to weigh $1.6 billion budget at Friday meeting
The Maui County Council will take up a $1.6 billion budget Friday morning, following a committee recommendation to trim Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposal by reducing capital improvement projects while still increasing funding for day-to-day operations.
State championship to return to Hoʻokipa in 2031; inaugural location called world-class ‘surf stadium’
The County of Maui’s Hoʻokipa Beach Park lived up to its billing as a world-class surfing venue with solid waves both days, being labeled by several spectators and officials as the perfect “surf stadium” for the historic Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association’s inaugural state surfing championships on May 1 and 2, 2026. HHSAA Executive Director Chris Chun said the event will return to Hoʻokipa in 2031 as part of a five-year rotation.
Pā‘ia Mantokuji given another year to find a fix for erosion threatening Buddhist temple, nearby graves
The century-old temple on Maui’s north shore is looking into sand replenishment or an offshore artificial reef to curb the waves before the building and graves are lost to the sea, but neither solution is quick or cheap.
From trucking to technocrat: How did former Maui official Keith Regan land in state’s second-highest post?
The 54-year-old said his passion is public service, but he does not plan to run for the permanent lieutenant governor post in Hawai’i, saying he is more of an operations guy than a politician.
Maui Council shakeup: Chair Lee won’t seek re-election to Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū seat
Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee said Wednesday evening that she will not seek re-election this year. Instead, the veteran council member is throwing her support behind Marvin Moniz, a longtime state Department of Transportation airports manager, to succeed her in the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū residency seat.
Famous humpback whale ‘Big Mama’ returns to Salish Sea after winter migration in Hawaiʻi
The Pacific Whale Watch Association announced today that iconic humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” has safely returned to local waters after her winter migration in Hawaiʻi. The beloved whale swam roughly 3,000 miles from Hawaiʻi to Boundary Pass where she was seen between BC’s Moresby Island and Washington’s Stuart Island by PWWA member company Maya’s Legacy on Monday, May 4.
Makawao Forest Reserve’s first management plan balances needed conservation, popular recreation
The original reason for the creation of the Maui reserve in 1908 was to protect freshwater resources, and that is still a need although how to accomplish it now is different.
Update: Investigation into rock thrown at monk seal and breaches of seal resting areas
The Department of Land and Natural Resources is investigating social media postings on Instagram that appear to show an adult male throwing an object toward a monk seal while it was swimming in the water off the Lahaina shoreline.
Schatz congratulates Maui families awarded with federal funding to buy first home; Visits ʻĪao and Hālau of ʻŌiwi Art
US Sen. Brian Schatz conducted site visits on the Valley Isle on Wednesday, focused on the progress of recovery efforts on Maui, following the 2023 wildfires and recent Kona Low storms in March of this year.
ʻIkenākea Development opens Hale O Piʻikea, delivers 223 affordable rentals to South Maui
ʻIkenākea Development has opened Hale O Piʻikea, a three-phase affordable rental community in Kīhei delivering 223 new homes for Maui families, individuals and kūpuna. Representing $141 million total cost, the project is one of the largest and most significant affordable housing developments completed on Maui in recent years.
Hawaiian Telcom sets goal to make Hawai‘i the first fully fiber‑enabled state by year end
Hawaiian Telcom announced that Maui is now fully fiber‑enabled, becoming the fourth island in Hawai‘i to reach this significant milestone as the company works toward making Hawai‘i the first fully fiber‑enabled state in the nation by the end of this year.
Maui Council Budget Committee slightly trims mayor’s $1.616 billion budget
The Maui County Council’s Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee completed its review of Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget this week, unanimously adopting a revised spending plan of approximately $1.608 billion.
Loss of land in storm complicates recovery for ‘Īao Valley residents
Maui County is considering returning some of the soil runoff from last month’s flooding back to landowners who lost large swaths of property so they can rebuild.
HIDOE opens 47-unit housing project on Maui to support Lahaina educators
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education marked the opening of its Lahaina educator workforce housing development, a $20 million project designed to support teacher retention and strengthen public education on Maui.
As state, Maui Health decide future of damaged Kula Hospital, another long-term care facility nears capacity
Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green said the options for the damaged Upcountry hospital could include a mobile unit designed for disasters or a temporary modular clinic like the one Kaiser built in Lahaina after the 2023 wildfires.
Historic row from Washington State to Maui launches May 1
The four-man crew: Joshua Dukes, Greg Anderson, Johnny Martinez, and Wilton Ngotel; will attempt the 3,100 mile transpacific crossing without sails, engines, or a support vessel, relying entirely on teamwork and physical strength to navigate one of the world’s most demanding environments.
