Maui Now ‘Ohana

This week on Maui, the band Kanekoa is performing at a benefit concert for Maui wildfire victims, the free annual Jimi Hendrix tribute takes place in Pāʻia and for the observance of World AIDS Day there is “Music For Hope” at the ʻĪao Theatre. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

For entertainment this week on Maui, there’s multiple Grammy winner Kalani Pe’a, Amy Hānaiali’i’s annual Christmas concert, a Jazz & Blues Festival, a Jazz Maui event with Louise Lambert Quartet, and a bit of Shakespeare with Jason Feddy. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

For entertainment this week on Maui, there are performances by the Great American Jazz Piano Competition finalist Jeff Hellmer & Friends, three-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano winner Kevin Brown and Maui Prep actors in Beauty and the Beast, as well as a Winter Craft Fair and the 50th Maui County Senior Fair.

The ‘ukulele-powered band Kanekoa, the Vince Esquire Band and Grammy-nominated Natalie Ai Kamauu perform at benefits for Maui wildfire victims this weekend. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing a new $7.3 million grant to aid with the state’s and county’s ongoing recovery effort from the Maui fires.

Hundreds gathered in waters off of Ukumehame on Friday to reflect and unite during a Paddle Out for Lahaina event, held one month after wildfires swept through Maui.

This week on Maui, there will be several free concerts, a variety of fundraisers for wildfire victims with music from jazz to Hawaiian, and Lahaina Grown band founder performs in Kula. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

Captain Peter Gand and Firefighter III Cody Cordeiro knew Aug. 8 would be a busy day from the moment they woke up and drove over the ‘Pali’ section of the Honoapiʻilani Highway to work in Lahaina. “Half of my crew lost their houses in this fire. They knew that their houses were gone, and they just didn’t stop. They kept on going, pushing through and they didn’t hesitate throughout the night,” said Capt. Gand.

In response to the devastating wildfires and immediate needs in the community, media moguls Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson announced the establishment of “People’s Fund of Maui” to distribute cash directly to those who were displaced and affected by the fire. The fund is launching with an initial $10 million donated by Winfrey and Johnson and a call to action for others to contribute to this meaningful and ongoing relief effort. 

Upcountry wildfire survivors discussed the loss of their homes and the unwavering support of community volunteers who came to their aid in the days following disastrous wildfires on Maui. “It only takes a spark to start a fire. Sometimes you just need that one little spark to get a response going, and the community has been the fuel for that,” said volunteer, Kyle Ellison.

“We can rebuild, and we’re going to rebuild. We’re going to be back. But we cannot bring people back, and that’s the tough part… Trying to cope with that part of life now. This is the normal, and this is hard to get used to. We’re trying to as people, but we just need all the support we can get at this point,” said Lahaina resident, Connor Mowat.

Scores of artists rally to create three fundraising jazz, blues and Hawaiian concerts for Maui wildfire victims. Also this week on Maui, critically acclaimed guitarist-singer Makana performs a free concert, and David Grace Jr. sings his classic soul and country songs — one of them with more than 690,000 views. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

“Words cannot describe our absolute heartfelt aloha for the donations that were made to our suffering community in their time of need. The efforts at the Capitol have resulted in thousands of boxes and bags that have been prepared and are either on the way or are ready to be delivered to Maui. Already, over 10,000 pounds of food and other high need items, including diapers and baby formula, have been sent to Maui.” – Hawaii Senate Delegation from Maui

After 57 years, Barbara Silva, known affectionately by customers as “Aunty Barbara” is retiring from Pukalani Superette later this month. Silva started working at the mom and pop market in 1965, and has been a welcome face to so many customers and employees over the years.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi Center for Health Research is seeking pregnant women in their first trimester and without diabetes to participate in the new nationwide GO MOMs study to improve gestational diabetes screening and diagnosis by better understanding blood glucose levels throughout pregnancy. The study is supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Five-year-old Tekauri Kanata, a kindergartener at Waiheʻe Elementary School on Maui, underwent an emergency 8-hour surgery at Kapiolani Hospital on Oʻahu to remove a large and fast-growing tumor at the base of his brain. Now he faces radiation and chemotherapy on the long road to recovery.

Aina Townsend, 22, of Wailuku, drove off in his very first fully-paid-for vehicle on New Year’s Eve. The man who works as a security guard at a local grocery store didn’t know that doing what he felt was right would land him in such a lucky position.

Wendy Osher, News Director for MauiNow interviewed Jacilyn “Noelani” Lum Lung, a Maui resident who has been affected in a unique way by the ongoing pandemic. She’s 37 weeks pregnant and is hoping her insurance will contribute to her home birth given the COVID-19 cluster at the hospital and tight finances her family faces.

Seabury Hall announces its inaugural Seabury Hall-iday: Holiday Lights for Charity event on Friday, December 6th on the school’s Olinda campus. The …

MACC’s FREE gift to the community! The evening will include two presentations of “The Spheres” by the performing arts company, Australia’s Strange Fruit(produced by Strut & Fret Production House), whose spectacular work fuses theatre, dance, and circus.