After overcoming adversity following wildfires that devastated its previous location, Segway Maui is making its return to the island, and it’s doing it under a new name.

When Maui was hit by a devastating fire last August, the nation collectively grieved. For singer and songwriter Lily Meola, who was born and raised on Maui, the heartbreak ran deep. So, she did what she does best—poured her pain and feelings into song. Initially revealed in a rare live performance on her Instagram account, “Hope in the Ashes,” is now available everywhere you get your music with all proceeds from the song being donated to the Maui Food Bank.

Maui County Council members looked for ways Thursday for developers to move forward with construction of two Lahaina affordable housing projects that residents have pinned hopes on as being “shovel-ready,” but nevertheless face significant obstacles.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) reviewed test results from multiple monitoring activities conducted by state agencies and community partners to confirm that the coastal waters around Lahaina are safe for ocean recreation. It is important to note that access is still restricted to certain coastal zones within the impacted area of Lahaina and these are not an option for ocean recreation at this time.

Lahaina homeowners impacted by the 2023 August wildfire are encouraged to attend the County of Maui Office of Recovery Homeowners Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at Lahaina Civic Center.

ACE Scholarships, a nonprofit that works to expand access to K-12 education opportunities, is providing a $105,000 grant to help Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina to offset tuition costs for displaced families while they rebuild in the wake of the devastating Maui wildfires. 

The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation fuel system vendor for Lahaina Small Boat Harbor, is in the process of rebuilding the fire-damaged, above-ground portion of the fueling system at no cost to the state. It will probably three years before everything is finished. Until the harbor is out of the restricted zone, no one can reach it by land.

The 150-year-old Lahaina banyan tree continues to show signs of recovery, eight months after the Maui fires. In video provided by the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Duane Sparkman of the Lahaina Treecovery project provides an update, describes some of the challenges the iconic tree still faces, and talks about what lies ahead.  

The Internal Revenue Service reminds the public that it has postponed until Aug. 7, 2024, various tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for individuals and businesses affected by the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires. Previously, the deadline was Feb. 15, 2024.

With its latest donation of $25,000, received late last month, the total donated to “Feeding Maui” by Lions Clubs Maui Region VI Zone 1 (the name of the international fund) is more than $66,000.

Commercial operators, with permits, will again be able to use Māla Wharf seven days a week beginning Saturday April 13.

Maui United Way announced on Wednesday a new ʻOhana Mental Health Grant opportunity, offering 5 to 10 mental health grants of $50,000 to $100,000 each, for eligible nonprofits. The grants are aimed at supporting local nonprofits working to meet the ongoing mental health needs in the aftermath of the wildfires.

Eight months to the day after a wildfire swept through Lahaina town, Maui County Council members heard the anguish of residents struggling to recover from the disaster that claimed at least 101 lives and leveled their beloved historic town.

A newly opened bicycle shop in Lahaina is giving away over 100 bicycles on a first-come, first-served basis to Maui residents who have been displaced by wildfires. Two events will be held to distribute the bicycles, on Saturday, April 20 and Saturday, April 27 at Krank Cycles’ Lahaina location.

“For Lahaina to recover, thousands of homes will need to be rebuilt. Critical infrastructure will need to be restored. Businesses will need to get up and running again. And so Congress needs to step up and help,” said Sen. Schatz.

In a significant boost to aid Lahaina homeowners affected by last year’s wildfires, American Savings Bank (ASB) and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) have announced an allocation of $400,000 to Hawaiʻi Community Lending through the FHLB Member Impact Fund.

Today, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) announced the award of $104,491 to three nonprofit partners focused on providing assistance to Maui families with children who have been affected by the Maui fires in August 2023: the Alexander Academy Performing Company, Maui Junior Golf Association, and Unda Kava 808. In total, the Maui Strong Fund has now distributed $2.4 million in grants in the “Children and Family” sector.

The community is invited to attend the County of Maui’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at the Lahaina Civic Center to hear a status report on air quality and leachate monitoring at the Temporary Debris Storage site at Olowalu.

Foodland Super Market, Ltd. announced that Foodland Farms Lahaina will reopen at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10. Located at Lahaina Gateway, Foodland Farms Lahaina has been closed since the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires.

Komar is offering a quarter of the 20-acre site that was outlined in the eminent domain proposal, saying it will accommodate 100% of the 400,000 cubic yards of debris from Lahaina and Olowalu.  As a condition of the donation, Komar says it wants the donated land to be used exclusively for Lahaina debris; and that the county extend equal rights to the remaining 15 acres for use by Komar.