In Case You Missed It

“Kala is a film that we hope will speak directly to our community and others like it. It is a story about forgiveness and the healing of deep family bonds. It is also a celebration of our unique lifestyle and our reliance on nature and cultural practice as a source for both our sustenance as well as our well-being,” said co-director and writer Matt Yamashita.

For entertainment this week on Maui, there are the Aloha Festivals in Hāna and Wailea; fundraising concerts for Maui wildfire victims, Halloween costume contests around the island, and a performance in Kula by The Voice’s contestant Jason Arcilla. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

On Aug. 8, 2023, as wildfires raged in Lahaina, Maui, the Big Island was simultaneously fighting seven separate wildfires in Kohala. With a High Wind Warning in effect, county officials said they recognized the imperative need for a unified, vigilant approach to monitoring the unfolding situation across the state.

Makana nō nā keiki, a toy drive and holiday experience for children impacted by the Maui fires, announced today the deadline to register keiki wish lists is Oct. 31, 2023. The website has a section for family or friends to register their keiki (ages 18 and below) with a top three wish list.  

The state Department of Health is canceling both RFPs for ambulance service awarded on Maui and Kauaʻi, and directing the procurements to start over. Department officials say the requirement to maintain the current level of staffing for Advanced Life Support was not clearly included in the RFPs.

Mayors from Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island visited Front Street, Lahaina Harbor and a re-entry zone together for the first time on Monday. The site visit comes 11 weeks after the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire that claimed the lives of at least 99 people.

The purpose of the rent and eviction restrictions in the Emergency Proclamation is to address the unprecedented humanitarian crisis caused by the August wildfires. “If you believe that a landlord on Maui is acting illegally under the Emergency Proclamation, report what you know to the Department of the Attorney General,” department officials said.

Maui police released photos of the six people who remain unaccounted for following the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire.

In partnership with the state Department of Human Services, Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. is administering the Maui Relief TANF Program that will provide help with housing, auto and utility payments and other expenses for income-eligible families with children who were directly impacted by the Aug. 8 wildfires.

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea invites the community and guests to immerse themselves in a weekend-long Festivals of Aloha cultural showcase from Oct. 27 to 29, 2023.

Tickets for the homecoming football game between Lahainaluna High School and Baldwin High School at Sue D. Cooley Stadium on Oct. 21 have sold out. The game will be live streamed on the NFHS network of the National Federation of State High School Associations (subscription fee is required). Visit nfhsnetwork.com for more information.

Crews with the Maui Invasive Species Committee say aerial eradication efforts of a 175-acre little fire ant infestation in Nāhiku has reached a turning point. The infestation was discovered in 2014 during an effort to remove invasive Nicosia plants from the area.

Currently, crews are continuing repairs to restore an approximate 300 remaining customers in Lahaina, including the Wahikuli area. In the last two weeks, with more areas being cleared for re-entry by emergency response officials, crews restored power to about 350 customers in the Kahoma Village, parts of Puamana and Upper Kapunakea area.

Governor Josh Green, M.D., with Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen, state officials, FEMA and the American Red Cross joined in providing an update on the economic recovery and housing response on Maui following the devastating Aug. 8 wildfires.

Lahaina’s two elementary schools reopened to hundreds of students today on a shared campus that faculty and staff from both schools have worked hard to make as inviting and familiar as possible for their communities impacted by the August wildfires.

Aloha Festivals five-days of culture and fun starts Saturday with a parade; Oktoberfest and Kōkua for Lahaina raise funds for Maui wildfire victims; and Haunted Hawaiian Ghost Stories and the musical Rocky Horror Show pave the way for Halloween. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

Lahaina Intermediate School faculty and staff cheered and waved signs as they welcomed approximately 400 students back to their West Maui campus for the first time this academic year.

Maui Gold Pineapple has announced its market expansion to distribute in Canada. Residents of Canada will be able to experience the fruit, grown on the slopes of Maui’s Haleakalā. The fresh water and nutritional volcanic soil nurture Hawaiʻi’s famously sweet pineapple.

The Maui Police Department on Monday identified one more victim of the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire: Michael Misaka, 61, of Lahaina.

Lahainaluna High School faculty and staff welcomed approximately 700 students back to their home campus on Monday for the first time in more than two months since the Maui wildfires.