Maui News

The Maui County Council celebrated local high school wrestling champions Thursday before grappling with a contentious request for an affordable housing project refund.

The evening budget meetings scheduled for Wednesday in Kīhei and Thursday in Lahaina have been rescheduled to April 14 and 17, respectively, because of the island’s current flood watch, Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei K. Sugimura announced.

The Queen’s Challenge competition, which honors Queen Emma and highlights the skills and pride of kalo (taro) farmers across Maui, will take place once again at the 2026 East Maui Taro Festival on April 18 at the Hāna Ballpark.

Update: Atkinson was located and found to be in good health.  The Maui Police Department thanks the public for their assistance.

The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain and flooding, expected to impact the state late Tuesday into the weekend.

The Maui Bicycling League, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Bicycling League, announced the recipients of the 2026 E-Bike Giveaway for Maui Fire Survivors, a program designed to support mobility, recovery and access to transportation for individuals impacted by the 2023 Maui wildfires.

A Hawaiʻi woman was sentenced to four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, following her guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charge stems from allegations of stealing disaster relief funds, intended for Lahaina and Pacific Palisades fire victims.

Mana Mentors and the West Maui Recreational Committee announce the upcoming West Maui Recreation Expo, taking place Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Kapalua Cart Barn (1000 Kapalua Drive). 

The informational briefing scheduled for Monday afternoon, April 6, comes at a critical time as Hawaiʻi continues to respond to impacts from recent back-to-back kona lows that slammed into the state in March.

Maui Public Art Corps and the County of Maui unveiled the new Lahaina Think Space on April 1, with a traditional blessing led by Uncle Bill Garcia and hosted by Sissy Lake-Farm, Cultural Consultant for Maui Public Art Corps. The gathering marked the opening of a month-long interactive residency at Lahainaluna High School designed to center student voices and community storytelling as part of early conversations surrounding Lahaina’s future memorial spaces.

Scouting America, Aloha Council will honor Matson, Inc. as the 2026 Distinguished Citizen Honoree at the annual Distinguished Citizen Dinner on Oct. 29, 2026, at Sheraton Waikīkī Beach Resort.

“Michael’s leadership is nothing short of visionary,” wrote Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) Commission in a joint statement. “From shaping policy to building community, he has dedicated his life to ensuring that LGBTQ+ people in Hawaiʻi are not only protected but empowered to thrive.”

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation is accepting seasonal employment applications for its PALS Program summer session from June 8 to July 24, 2026.  

This initiative seeks to engage artists to explore the realities of climate change and channel their art to inspire and connect Hawaiʻi residents to climate challenges around the state.

While the invasive algae species, Avrainvillea erecta, has previously been documented elsewhere in Hawaiʻi, its confirmed presence along Kauaʻi’s south coast raises concern about its potential to spread and impact native marine ecosystems. 

Precautionary environmental monitoring confirmed expected pathogens in flood-carried mud, sediment, and nearshore waters impacted by the Kona Low Storms. These results also confirm that recommended precautions greatly reduce possible risk.

The festival’s capstone is three days of competition, featuring 19 hālau (hula groups) performing kahiko (ancient) and ‘auana (modern) hula to the world, and 13 women competing for Miss Aloha Hula.

Free document shredding, a telephone town hall on fraud prevention, and webinars on online safety are being offered during AARP Fraud Prevention Month in April.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health recently launched a new public service announcement campaign to encourage adults to get screened for colorectal cancer starting at age 45. Colorectal cancer, also known as colon cancer, is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in people younger than 50, but is highly treatable if caught in early stages. 

One lane on Waiehu Beach Road (Route 3400) may be closed beginning next week for pavement marking and striping work.