Maui News
Maui’s ‘Lei of Aloha’ Honors Parkland’s School Shooting Victim on 21st Birthday
Olympic swimming hopeful Nicholas Dworet should have been celebrating his 21st birthday Wednesday, but instead family, friends and strangers honored the memory of the Parkland school shooting victim Hawaiian style at Lanikai Beach on Oʻahu. The ceremony featured hula dancing, a young Maui musician’s original song, a ¼-mile-long lei from Maui and a blessing from Hawaiʻi spiritual leader Kimokeo Kapahulehua.
March 25, 2021 COVID-19 Update: 122 Cases (84 O‘ahu, 20 Maui, 12 Hawai‘i Island, 6 Out-of-State); 1 Deaths
The state Department of Health reports that there were 122 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Thursday, including 84 on O‘ahu, 20 on Maui, 12 on Hawai‘i Island, and six in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state. There were a total of 957 cases logged over the past two weeks, 304 of them in Maui County.
Maui Visitors Down 52% Through February to 29,060 Per Day
For the first two months of 2021, visitors to Maui were down 58 percent to 29,060 visitors per day, compared to 69,281 visitors per day at the same time in 2020.
Victims Allege Sex Assault by Man Arrested in Operation Keiki Shield
A Kīhei man arrested during this month’s Operation Keiki Shield 7 law enforcement operation, is now accused of sex assault by individuals who have since come forward, police said.
PPP Extension Advances, Includes Federal Relief for Hawai‘i Small Businesses
US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today voted to pass an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program. Under the measure, the deadline to apply for a PPP loan would be moved from March 31 to May 31.
Input Sought On Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan
The 2021 update of the SCORP offers a timely opportunity to re-evaluate Hawaiʻi’s recreational needs and trends of statewide importance. Virtual meetings held in April and May will provide an opportunity for members of the community to identify and discuss recreation needs, trends, and priorities for the acquisition and development of outdoor recreation facilities.
Maui Mayor Dispels Rumors Relating to High School Graduation
He said rumors circulating on social media and elsewhere about high school graduation ceremonies that prohibit parents from attending at War Memorial Stadium, are inaccurate.
Resolution Condemning Anti-Asian Hatred Introduced by Hirono and Duckworth
US Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaiʻi) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) along with 35 of their Senate colleagues introduced a resolution to condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment, racism, and discrimination.
$18M Ferry Pier Improvement at Lahaina Small Boat Harbor to Start April 5
Construction is set to start April 5 on a new concrete ferry pier at the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation’s Lahaina Small Boat Harbor.
March 24, 2021 COVID-19 Update: 58 Cases (24 O‘ahu, 22 Maui, 7 Hawai‘i Island, 1 Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, 3 Out-of-State); 3 Deaths
The state Department of Health reports that there were 58 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Wednesday, including 24 on O‘ahu, 22 on Maui, seven on Hawai‘i Island, one on Moloka‘i, one on Kaua‘i, and three in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state. There were a total of 897 cases logged over the past two weeks, 302 of them in Maui County.
Sen. Hirono Endorses Admiral Aquilino at Confirmation Hearing for Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command
Sen. Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaiʻi introduced and endorsed the nomination of Admiral John C. Aquilino to serve as the next commander of US Indo-Pacific Command during his hearing Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Hawaiʻi Tax Filing Deadline Remains April 20, 2021
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Taxation has decided not to extend the Tax Year 2020 filing deadline. Taxpayers must file their returns by April 20, 2021.
Today is World Tuberculosis Day: Hawai‘i Residents Urged to Review their Risk
In 2020, Hawai‘i had a total of only 94 cases of active TB; a significant drop from previous years. However, Hawai‘i has one of the highest number of cases in the US for its population size.
Maui’s Vacation Rental Occupancy Climbed to 52.4% in February; Highest during Pandemic
In February 2021, Maui County’s vacation rental occupancy climbed to 52.5 percent, which is down 35.1 percentage points from a year ago but the highest rate since the start of the pandemic last March.
Power Restored on Molokaʻi After Gusty Winds Cause Outages
Crews replaced a downed pole in the Maunaloa area and repaired power lines that came down after a large ironwood tree fell in the Kalae Highway area.
More Rental and Mortgage Assistance Available on Maui
This program offers mortgage assistance of up to $1,500 per month and rental assistance up to $1,000 per month over a three-month period.
Maui Firearm Permit Applications Soar to Near Record Levels in 2020
Over the 20 year period between 2000 and 2020, the annual number of permits processed in Maui County increased 261.4 percent, the number of firearms annually registered soared 409.1 percent, and the tally of firearms annually imported was up 466 percent. Record high tallies of firearms registered and imported were reported for 2020.
Board of Agriculture Expands Coffee Quarantine to Oʻahu and Lānaʻi
The Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture approved the expansion of coffee quarantine areas to include the islands of Oʻahu and Lānaʻi due to the coffee leaf rust, a fungus that threatens Hawaiʻi’s important coffee industry.
Maui County Civil Air Patrol Hosts Virtual Open House, March 27
The Maui County Composite Squadron, local unit of Civil Air Patrol, hosts a virtual open house at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2021 via Zoom. Organizers say the entire Maui community is welcome to attend and learn more about Civil Air Patrol and its programs.
Pōwehi: Astronomers Image Magnetic Fields at the Edge of M87’s Black Hole
Two Hawai`i-based telescopes, the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, operated by the East Asian Observatory, and the Submillimeter Array, operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Academia Sinica Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, have once again combined efforts with the global network of telescopes known as the Event Horizon Telescope.
