Maui News

Bacteria living symbiotically within the Hawaiian bobtail squid can direct the host squid to change its normal gene-expression program to make a more inviting home, according to a study published in PLoS Biology by researchers at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.

The world’s top female surfers will gather next week on the Valley Isle for the start of the 2021 World Surf League Championship Tour as the 12-day waiting period for the Maui Pro presented by ROXY at Honolua Bay begins on Friday, Dec. 4.

The state Department of Health, Clean Water Branch reports that heavy rain has resulted in stormwater runoff entering into coastal waters.

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill five primary and 11 alternate seats on its advisory council. Applications are due by the end of Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021.

Governor David Ige signed a 16th COVID-19 emergency proclamation requiring all transpacific travelers to have a negative test result from a trusted travel partner before their departure for the State of Hawai‘i, in order to bypass the 14-day quarantine. The new policy takes effect today, Tuesday, Nov. 24, as COVID cases surge on the mainland.

The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea is giving thanks to its more than 800 employees, by gifting each member of the team with a whole turkey and 15-pound bag of rice for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Hansen Road is now open as of 8:56 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020.

There were 114 new COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i today, including 80 on O‘ahu, 11 on Maui, 10 on Hawai‘i Island, three on Kaua‘i, and 10 in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state. Maui cases included four cases in Lahaina, three in Kīhei, two in Makawao and one each in Kahului and Wailuku. Kīhei and Wailuku are both in the medium range for infections over the past two weeks with Kīhei having 27 cases in the last 14 days and Wailuku with 12 cases over the same period.

Recent and persistent rainfall, especially over the east end of the island chain, has caused soils to become saturated and streams to be elevated along windward areas of Maui and the Big Island. An upper trough moving into the area along with abundant low level moisture, creates the potential for flash flooding.

Film crews wrapped production on Temptation Island. Maui is also the backdrop of the new HBO mini-series entitled The White Lotus which is half way through filming on an eight-week schedule at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority released its Hawaiʻi Vacation Rental Performance Report for October with Maui County showing a 21 percent occupancy rate for vacation rentals and 14.2 percent for hotels.

Tom’s Backhoe & Excavation and the Maui Department of Water Supply will be performing work on the County’s water system that will result in a water shutdown for part of Kahului from Tuesday night, Nov. 24 to Wednesday morning, Nov. 25, 2020. 

The IRS has approved the online marketplace MauiHub.org as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Effective June 29, 2020, all donations made to Maui Hub after that date are tax-deductible.

Hawaiian Airlines today announced it is offering drive-through and walk-up COVID-19 pre-flight tests for its guests traveling to the islands from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle.

A team of eight officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement conducted a law enforcement operation on Sunday night at Little Beach in Mākena State Park on Maui.

Alaska Airlines pledged to plant nearly 900 trees as part of its commitment to supporting Hawai’i Tourism Authority’s “Mālama Hawai‘i” initiative. In partnership with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Alaska Airlines will also plant one tree for every flight it will fly to the Hawaiian Islands until the end of the year. 

There were 123 new COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i today, including 97 on O‘ahu, 14 on Hawai‘i Island, six on Kaua‘i, four on Maui, and two in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state. Maui cases were included one in Kahului and three Kīhei.

Kamehameha Schools Maui is partnering with local farmers to provide meals to its students and families through E Pū Paʻakai Kākou. In the last two months, through its ‘ohana meal program, the school has provided more than 1,800 meals to KSM families at drive-through distributions at its campus in the ahupuaʻa of ʻAʻapueo.

The Aloha Council hosts its annual Tee-Up for Scouting golf tournament Nov. 2 to Dec. 15.  The event benefits thousands of boys and girls enrolled in Cub Scout Packs, Scout Troops, and Venturing Crews.

The annual Kōkua 4 A Cause fundraiser for breast cancer or K4C concludes this weekend, but there’s still time to help.