Maui News

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

The Maui County Planning Department launched a public engagement workshop on its We Are Maui website which, will remain open through the end of the year.  To participate in the workshop, visit the We Are Maui website and click on the “Get Involved” tab.

Crews from the state Department of Transportation are working on a number of project that will result in lane closures on Maui between Nov. 21-27.  

Maui Obituaries: Week Ending Nov. 20, 2020. May they rest in peace.

There were 163 new COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i today, including 123 on O‘ahu, 15 on Hawai‘i Island, 12 on Maui, four on Kaua‘i and nine in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state. Maui cases were reported in Kahului, Wailuku, Lahaina, Kīhei and Kula. Kīhei darkened to the medium range last week with 21 cases reported there in the last 14 days. Wailuku darkened to the medium range today, with 11 cases reported there in the last 14 days.  

“The new department will be dedicated to making local farming a more economically viable, environmentally friendly industry that will promote residents’ food security and access to healthy food,” said Councilmember Shane Sinenci.

The state is restricting the movement of coffee from Maui and Hawaiʻi Island after infestations of coffee leaf rust were discovered on both islands.  An interim rule, established by the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture, Plant Quarantine Branch went into effect on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020.

Maui lawmakers secured leadership roles including: Justin Woodson who will serve as Chair of the Education Committee; Angus McKelvey and Tina Wildberger as Chair and Vice Chair of the Government Reform Committee respectively; Lynn DeCoite as Vice Chair of the Higher Education and Technology Committee; and Troy Hashimoto as Vice Chair of the Housing Committee.  

There were 95 new COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i today, including 70 on O‘ahu, 13 on Hawai‘i Island, five on Maui, one on Kaua‘i and six in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed outside of the state. Lānaʻi and Moloka‘i had no new cases today.

Based on their findings, the infestation is contained to four acres, but the source of the infestation is not known. Given the spread, it’s likely that ants have been present for several years. 

Voucher holders who have not yet turned them in can still receive a box of frozen turkey and fixings during a final pickup opportunity from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, at the War Memorial Gymnasium parking lot.

Thanksgiving vouchers have been sent to Molokaʻi residents and will be sent to Lānaʻi residents who have received COVID-19-related assistance through the County of Maui Hawaii Emergency Laulima Partnership program.

Instruction at the University of Hawaiʻi 10-campus system will continue to be primarily online for the spring 2021 semester. In fall 2020, approximately 85% of courses taught in the UH System were online, 10% hybrid and 5% entirely in-person.

Child & Family Service is partnering with the General Contractors Association to provide direct resources, services and food to families impacted by COVID-19 on Nov. 21 in Kahului at the “Festival of Hope For Families.”

Marcy Martin, Maui County’s Real Property Tax Administrator, has been elected to the Board of Directors for the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) for Region 1 effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Hāna Highway is now OPEN. It was closed earlier this morning while crews worked to clear a downed tree that was blocking both lanes of travel.

From Nov. 16 through Dec. 12, 2020, individuals can pick-up an Angel Tree Tag from at any Maui County Federal Credit Union branch in Kahului, Lahaina and Wailuku, purchase the requested gifts and then return it to the same branch with the tag.

Hale Makua Health Services has received confirmation that an employee has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Kahului facility. The staff person last worked on Tuesday, Nov. 17, and is currently in isolation at home.

The County of Maui has been notified that a test result has returned positive for a resident of Hāna. The person is asymptomatic and in self-isolation and has no recent travel history. The Department of Health is investigating and conducting contact tracing.

Governor Ige today announced that beginning in mid-December, travelers flying from Canada to Hawaiʻi may bypass the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine if they take a COVID-19 test from labs identified by Air Canada and WestJet.