Maui News

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is notifying the public of single lane closures on and along Puʻunēnē Avenue next week for installation of traffic signal detectors.  All work will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All the different components of Maui agriculture will come together on Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at War Memorial Special Events Field in Wailuku, as Maui County Farm Bureau (MCFB) and Maui 4-H Livestock Association hosts its 17th Maui AgFest & 4-H Livestock Fair.

GAME-ON Maui is an islandwide Mario Kart tournament that brings youth, families, and communities together through competitive gaming, creative technology, and live entertainment. Beginning May 9 in Lahaina, the event will travel to Wailuku, Hāna, Kīhei, Makawao, and Pāʻia throughout the summer, building up to a final championship event.

McMahon agreed to keep the program fully funded for current grant recipients for at least another year, which guarantees $46 million in federal funding secured by Schatz in Congress will continue to flow to the more than 60 early childhood education sites across Hawai‘i and sustain other critical education programs, including home visiting for children under 5, workforce development for parents, and Hawaiian language immersion programs. The federally funded programs serve more than 3,000 Hawai‘i families.

March visitor statistics released Thursday by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism showed statewide visitor arrivals declined 1.7% in March 2026 compared to March 2025, while visitor spending declined 1.6% to $1.96 billion.

The Lahaina Energy Partnership (LEP) invites Lahaina community members to participate in the next Community Co-Design Workshop on Monday, May 18, 2026, at the Lahainaluna Cafeteria. Doors open at 5 p.m., with the program beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The County of Maui Department of Finance will be holding a real property tax sale on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, and will continue the sale on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, if necessary. The sale will auction off properties that have been delinquent for three or more years and have received their final notice of tax sale.

Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee said Wednesday evening that she will not seek re-election this year. Instead, the veteran council member is throwing her support behind Marvin Moniz, a longtime state Department of Transportation airports manager, to succeed her in the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū residency seat.

Maui United Way awarded $1,175,479 to four nonprofit organizations: Family Life Center; Kaibigan ng Lahaina;  Jewish Community Services of Hawaiʻi; and Roots Reborn. Maui United Way also provided a total of $122,587 in support to Maui and Molokaʻi through targeted relief efforts following the March 2026 Kona Low floods, including $103,500 awarded to 10 nonprofit organizations.

As parts of Maui County continue experiencing drought conditions and with warmer temperatures expected to increase water use this spring and summer, Hawaiʻi Water Service (Hawaiʻi Water) encourages its Maui customers to take advantage of conservation resources to help them save water—and money.

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature has finalized passage of a broad package of health-related measures, with bills from the House Committee on Health and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services approved on final reading in both chambers today. The legislation spans public health protections, expanded care for kūpuna, mental health access, cancer screening, and long-term care planning.

Beginning Monday, May 11, 2026, the Maui Police Department Traffic Division will participate in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign. Motorists will see heightened traffic enforcement and patrols, which will continue through Sunday, May 31, 2026, and include the use of unmarked patrol vehicles to enforce seat belt and child passenger restraint laws.

“EA (SOVEREIGN),” the feature-length documentary exploring the enduring relationship between people, land, and memory, will have its international premiere at the prestigious 2026 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto, Canada.

The Pacific Whale Watch Association announced today that iconic humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” has safely returned to local waters after her winter migration in Hawaiʻi. The beloved whale swam roughly 3,000 miles from Hawaiʻi to Boundary Pass where she was seen between BC’s Moresby Island and Washington’s Stuart Island by PWWA member company Maya’s Legacy on Monday, May 4.

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to Senate Bill 3001, CD1, the Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act, landmark legislation establishing some of the nation’s first consumer protections and transparency requirements for conversational artificial intelligence services, particularly for minors and individuals seeking mental health or crisis support.

While researching Mauna Loa’s eruption patterns and lava flows through more satellite data, Ian Flynn is learning what information is needed to understand other volcanoes.

Thousands of Maui County residents from low income families can thank Maui Economic Opportunity Director of Early Childhood Services Debbi Amaral ‒ who will be retiring later this month ‒ for getting a “head start” with subsidized preschool.

Maui Food Bank today announced the launch of a search for its next Chief Executive Officer. Steve Ulene, who will serve as Maui Food Bank’s incoming Board Chair beginning July 1, 2026, will lead the effort as chair of the organization’s CEO Search Committee. Ulene previously served on the board as Vice Chair and is a longtime community volunteer.

Maui County has partnered with technology vendor CivicPlus to launch a redesigned version of its primary website, www.mauicounty.gov, featuring a new layout, an artificial intelligence-based chatbot and improved self-service tools.

Former Maui County Council Member Kelly King has officially announced her candidacy for the South Maui residency seat on the Maui County Council, setting up a rematch against incumbent Tom Cook less than a year after losing to him by 97 votes.