In Case You Missed It
‘She’s up with the saints’: Meli Watanuki, one of Kalaupapa’s last living patients, dies at 91
Loved ones remember her “thousand-watt smile” and “spark plug” personality. Her death puts public access to Kalaupapa in question, as she owned and sponsored the only permitted tour to the area.
Hoʻonani Village project recommended for first reading passage by full Council; calls for deferral set aside
A Maui County Council committee voted 5-1 Wednesday to recommend passage of two land use bills that would clear the way for the proposed Hoʻonani Village mixed-use development on former sugarcane fields near Kahului Airport, overriding deferral recommendations from three county departments with concerns about infrastructure shortfalls.
Maui football standout Kaholi Krau commits to Utah State University
Baldwin High School senior Kaholi Krau has officially committed to continue his academic and athletic career at Utah State University, where he will play football for the Aggies in the Pac-12 Conference.
HECO installing sturdier replacement poles in Lahaina, with plans for limited underground lines
Hawaiian Electric started work this week to replace wooden poles with steel and composite fiberglass on a key stretch of Honoapi’ilani Highway that it calls the “first targeted area of critical pole hardening.”
6.0 earthquake off Hōnaunau-Nāpōʻopoʻo, no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi
There is no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi following a 6.0 (preliminary magnitude 5.9) earthquake that occurred at 9:46 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2026, 12 km S of Hōnaunau-Nāpōʻopoʻo, on Hawaiʻi Island. The location is on the western flank of Maunaloa.
Tulsi Gabbard resigns as Director of National Intelligence
US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard has resigned from her post according to an update posted on her X account this morning.
2026 Central Pacific Hurricane Outlook calls for above-normal season with 5-13 tropical cyclones
Forecasters are predicting an above-normal hurricane season for the central Pacific basin this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2026 hurricane season, which runs June 1 to Nov. 30, predicts a 70% chance of an above-normal season, with at total of 5-13 tropical cyclones across the central Pacific in the forecast.
Maui Council committee advances Kaʻehu Bay purchase over Native Hawaiian family’s objections
The Maui County Council’s Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee voted 6-3 Tuesday to recommend full Council approval of the county’s proposed purchase of a contested Kaʻehu Bay shoreline parcel in Waiehu, setting aside calls from a Native Hawaiian family for deferral pending further consultation.
Maui Council panel OKs $240K in additional legal fees for wildfire litigation
The Maui County Council’s Government Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize an additional $240,000 in legal fees for Los Angeles-based special counsel Meyers Nave, bringing the firm’s total authorized compensation to $740,000 for work tied to litigation arising from the August 2023 Lahaina wildfires.
Maui Council committee advances $4M budget amendment for Hālau of ʻŌiwi Arts
A Maui County Council committee recommended first reading approval Tuesday of a $4 million bond funding request for the Hālau of ʻŌiwi Arts project in Wailuku, even as council members raised pointed questions about why items originally represented as part of the project had been dropped before construction began.
Maui County committee defers overnight parking ban, discusses water fee overhaul
The Maui County Council’s Water and Infrastructure Committee deferred action Monday on a proposed overnight parking ban on three industrial area streets in Kahului after hearing community concerns about its impact on homeless people living out of their cars and the need for safer alternatives.
‘Historic opportunity’: County plans to acquire Maui Land & Pineapple’s water system in West Maui
The two sides have reached a tentative agreement, but a price still needs to be negotiated and the council must approve it, with the chair saying it’s “not a done deal.”
African Penguin chick hatches at Hyatt Regency Maui
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, renowned for its deep commitment to wildlife conservation and immersive guest experiences, announces the hatching of its first African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) chick born on property in nearly 17 years.
Expansion plans of Lāna‘i luxury resort are economic win to some residents, cultural loss to others
Pūlama Lāna’i, the management company owned by billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, wants to rezone about 170 acres to urban land and build nine villas and five more spa units for Sensei Lāna’i.
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 fire survivors urged to apply for housing rebuild programs as August deadline approaches
Property owners whose homes were destroyed by the Lahaina fire in 2023 have until Aug. 31 to apply for reconstruction and reimbursement programs.
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.
