In Case You Missed It

The County of Maui Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Working Group, in collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and the multi-agency Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response team, will hold free training sessions Tuesday, Jan. 16, and Wednesday, Jan. 17, to equip attendees with information to identify, report and treat infestations of CRB. 

The Maui Fire Department is encouraging the public not to hesitate to call 911 when they see flames, see or smell smoke. The reminder was issued as numerous hotspots have emerged in the Upcountry area in recent months, that have been smouldering underground since the August wildfires.

A Hollywood director, Maui County Board of Supervisor and state House member, an influential labor and community leader, a couple who support students and their college aspirations, and a longtime athletic director are members of the 2023 Class of the Maui High School Hall of Honor. Congratulations to: Top (L to R): Destin Daniel Cretton: The Award of Excellence; Bruce Uʻu: The Spirit of Maui; and Charles and Mitch Ota. The Saber Spirit Award. Bottom (L to R): Tom Tagawa. The Silversword Heritage Award; and Michael Ban. The Inspiration Award.

The National Park Service and the Federal Aviation Administration have completed an Air Tour Management Plan for Haleakalā National Park, which authorizes up to 2,224 air tours per year, a 54% reduction from the existing average of 4,824 flights per year. It identifies no-fly days as  Sundays and Wednesdays.

The Hawaiʻi Seaglider Initiative launched with a broad coalition committed to delivering a new affordable and accessible transportation option to Hawaiʻi communities. 

Wildfire recovery work in Lahaina continues on state roadways, with progress outlined for the repair of traffic signals and guardrails, assessment of opening closed areas, the installation of an emergency stormwater capture system, and monitoring traffic impacts of emergency drain line replacement work.

Hawaiian Telcom expanded availability of its fast, reliable fiber internet service Fioptics to four of Moloka‘i’s five zip codes, which equates to more than 95% of the island. 

The Coast Guard continues to respond to vessels that ran aground near Lahaina, Maui on Monday and Sugar Beach, Maui on Tuesday.

The County of Maui is holding two informational workshops on the Right-of-Entry (ROE) process to assist residential and commercial owners who lost Lahaina properties in the August wildfires. The ROE process is necessary for participation in the government-sponsored hazardous debris removal program. 

A slow-moving cold front dropped more than 3 inches of rain over parts of Maui over a 24-hour period ending at 7:45 a.m. today. The next front is forecast to deliver another round of gusty showers Thursday into Friday, with yet another round of showers forecast to potentially move through next week Tuesday.

The Coast Guard is responding to an 85-foot vessel “Chaparral” that broke free of its mooring and ran aground near Sugar Beach, Maui, Tuesday.

County of Maui officials are assessing impacts of heavy rains and winds that have impacted Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi since Monday night.

Officials with the County of Maui reported no immediate damages following a Tornado Warning issued for Molokaʻi on Monday night. Molokaʻi residents are advised to call the Molokaʻi non-emergency number for Maui Police Department at 808-553-5355 to report damages. #Molokai #Tornado

A live snake was found in a shipping container on Moloka‘i this morning while it was being unloaded at a hardware store in Kaunankakai, state officials said. Maui County Police on Moloka‘i were called to the hardware store shortly after 8 a.m. and arriving officers shot the snake with a pellet gun. The snake measured about 20-inches long and has been identified as a non-venomous gopher snake.

The program helps youth who are not able to receive care in their own home but can achieve stability and growth in a caring atmosphere where they can receive parental supervision, guidance and support.

A groundbreaking new 30-meter Maui Forest Height Map reveals that trees on the Valley Isle are taller than previously thought. UH researchers say the findings provide critical information needed to accurately evaluate the upstream freshwater yield, a crucial consideration for town planning in watersheds like Lahaina.

The Puʻuhonua Kauluwehi project will collaboratively establish a network of biocultural refuges supporting the cultivation of native plants to accelerate landscape-scale ecological restoration, food security, and community well-being strategies.

A Flood Watch is in effect through Tuesday afternoon as a cold front makes its way down the island chain.

The deadline to apply for federal disaster assistance has passed; however, Hawaiʻi residents and businesses have been granted a 45-day grace period, until Thursday, Jan. 25, to submit their US Small Business Administration disaster loan applications for property damage caused by wildfires. 

UPDATE: Michelle Kwik was located and transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for evaluation, according to Maui police.  The Maui Police Department thanked the public for their assistance in locating Kwik, who was reported missing by her family on Jan. 6, 2024.