Maui News

The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Maui Island was 4.9% in March 2024, compared to 5.9% the previous month, and 3.0% at the same time in 2023. The data was included in a new report released today from the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. 

Maui Mall Village is pleased to once again host The Art of Trash & Trashion Show, which kicks off on Earth Day, April 22, 2024. Mālama Maui Nui presents the annual programs to promote the vital message of upcycling through the imaginative transformation of trash. Kamaʻāina and visitors can attend the free opening night “trashion” show and visit the gallery conveniently located at Maui Mall Village.

The Department of Water Supply reports a water service outage due to a 12″ mainline repair. The affected area is from the Kahului Airport Fire Station to Mama’s Fish House in Pāʻia and is tentatively scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, April 18, 2024.

Following the impact of the Lahaina wildfires in August 2023, Maui Chocolate Tour will reopen its immersive cacao farm experience this month. Guests can once again enjoy a journey through the Maui Kuʻia Estate cacao farm and the largest chocolate factory in Hawaiʻi where tours are available daily.

A 34-year-old Kīhei woman suffered critical, life-threatening injuries when she was struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run collision on South Kihei Road, Wednesday night.

US Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), member of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security overseeing funding responsibility over Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), called on the agency to broaden transitional housing support for the thousands displaced by the Lahaina wildfires last August.

One of the most successful and adored bands to come out of Hawai‘i, The Green, will perform on Maui this Friday.

Attorney General Anne Lopez filed a civil complaint on behalf of the State of Hawaiʻi, against 25 manufacturers of aqueous firefighting foam (AFFF) products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including 3M Company, DuPonte De Nemours Inc., and Tyco Fire Products LP.

Home Maid Bakery will officially shut down wholesale operations and its Lower Main Street location in Wailuku, effective April 29, the Kozuki family has announced on social media.

The Maui Police Department is warning the public of a recurring scam involving spoofed phone calls targeting members of the community. “We urge you to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect yourself from falling victim to these fraudulent activities,” police said.

PFAS have been detected in water samples collected at the Waiʻele Wells 1 and 2 Chlorinator, Maui Business Park water system in Kahului of the island of Maui. This water system is non-transient and non-community, and primarily serves approximately 64 businesses. The water system has notified the affected businesses.

If Kamalei Kawa’a’s performance struck viewers as emotional, it’s because it truly was. Kawa’a told Maui Now that his Monday night performance was one of the hardest performances, if not the hardest performance he’s ever had to do.

More than 1,000 households and 4,000 individuals who were directly impacted by the wildfires have received housing, vehicle, utility, clothing and school supply assistance in the five months since the inception of the Maui fires relief program, according to Maui Economic Opportunity.

An affiliate of Komar Investments today filed a complaint in Federal District Court for declaratory and injunctive relief against Maui County’s impending eminent domain action for acquisition of a 20-acre parcel next to the Central Maui Landfill in Puʻunēnē.

The American Association of Geographers (AAG) has announced Nainoa Thompson as this year’s Honorary Geographer. This annual award recognizes excellence in research, teaching, or writing on geographic topics by non-geographers. Thompson was recognized and gave a presentation at the AAG annual meeting yesterday afternoon. The AAG annual meeting is being held in Honolulu from April 16-20.

The US Chamber of Commerce Foundation and American Express have opened the Maui Small Business Recovery Grant Program, which supports Maui-based small businesses impacted by the devastating wildfires of August 2023.

A comprehensive timeline for the Aug. 8-9 Lahaina wildfire has been released by Hawaiʻi Attorney General Anne Lopez. The Phase 1 report is the first of three to be completed as part of an independent investigation by the Fire Safety Research Institute.

Maui County Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura has introduced a resolution to recognize Upcountry post offices for being among the best in the United States. The proposed ceremonial resolution will be taken up at the Council’s April 19 regular meeting.

The president of solar energy company Independent Energy, Desta Rudolph, has donated $50,000 to Project Empower, a nonprofit that has focused on helping Maui recover from deadly wildfires that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, displacing thousands of residents. The donation will bolster the collective efforts of a number of organizations to build 88 units of emergency housing at the 10-acre ʻOhana Hope Village.

Kīhei Marketplace LLC is seeking a permit from the Maui Planning Commission to demolish existing structures and construct buildings for retail outlets, two restaurants, vacation and long-term rentals and parking at its 1.6-acre property across from Kalama Park.