Maui News

Blue Hawaiian Activities, a leading provider of concierge services, tours, and activity experiences across Hawaiʻi, today announced a strategic partnership with Manifest, selecting the company as its new third-party resale concierge and activities point-of-sale platform. Manifest will replace Aldesk, which has supported BHA’s growth over the past five years.

Valley Isle Chocolate, an artisanal chocolate maker based in Kahului, has been honored with a Silver and Bronze Award at the world-renowned Academy of Chocolate Awards in London. Out of over 1,400 entries from more than 50 countries, Valley Isle Chocolate stood out for its exceptional flavor profile.

This legislation would help police departments tackle their backlogs of surrendered weapons and curb the proliferation of “zombie guns” – weapons that should have been destroyed but are instead broken down, resold online as untraceable components, and frequently used to build ghost guns or sold as repair kids without background checks.

As part of its transition to using more renewable energy and cutting carbon emissions to power Maui, Hawaiian Electric will begin construction in January of the island’s first large standalone load-shifting battery energy storage system (BESS). The Waena BESS will enable the planned retirement of four generating units at the company’s Kahului Power Plant.

Hale Kipa has been selected as one of 35 organizations nationwide to receive a grant from the Decolonizing Wealth Project’s inaugural Youth Mental Health Fund, which supports culturally grounded mental health services for young people and families.

Watchstanders received a mayday call from the captain of the Holokai, a 42-foot commercial fishing vessel, stating the boat was taking on water 2 miles south of Molokaʻi at 1:50 p.m. Wednesday. The men were located in a life raft and were safely hoisted and brought to shore to the air station in Kapolei.

The civil lawsuit filed in California against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs — later amended to add a list of co-defendants, including Maui Police Chief John Pelletier — was dismissed on Tuesday for failure to prosecute.

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center will present indie folk singer-songwriter John Craigie in concert in the McCoy Studio Theater, on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

The name given to the new fire truck is Kinaiahiikalīlīlehua, drawing from the words “Kinai ahi” or “fire fighter/fire extinguisher,” and “Ka Līlīlehua” which represents the rain in the area around the airport.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health Food and Drug Branch is alerting residents to a recall issued by Danone US for its So Delicious Dairy Free Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert pints. The recall was issued because of the potential presence of foreign materials, such as small stones and other hard objects, within the cashew inclusions.

After undergoing extensive repairs and renovations, Lānaʻi Fifth Street Courts will reopen Thursday, Dec. 18, as a multipurpose courts facility that includes pickleball, tennis, volleyball and basketball, the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation announced.

Hawaiʻi State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi issued a permanent trespass notice banning two individuals from all public school properties following the recent violent attack on Moanalua High School Assistant Athletic Director Natalie Iwamoto.

Maui County’s three-member delegation to the Hawaiʻi State Senate says its assigned leadership and committee roles position them to advocate effectively for wildfire recovery and resources during what is expected to be a financially difficult legislative session.

Kā‘anapali Golf Courses has donated $10,000 to support the University of Hawaiʻi men’s and women’s golf programs, continuing its financial support of UH student-athletes for a third consecutive year.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection, on behalf of the state of Hawaiʻi, along with 34 state attorneys general, reached a settlement with automobile manufacturers Hyundai and Kia over their sales of millions of vehicles nationwide that lacked industry-standard, anti-theft technology. 

A new policy brief from the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice urges leaders on the county level to address food insecurity as federal nutrition programs face significant funding cuts.

With a surge in cases of influenza — otherwise known as the flu — across the state, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health urges residents to take precautions to protect themselves and their families from respiratory viruses during the winter season.

US Sen. Brian Schatz has introduced legislation aimed at expanding Social Security benefits for seniors and families in Hawaiʻi and across the nation. The Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security Act, or SAFE Social Security Act, seeks to increase average monthly benefits by more than $150. The bill also proposes adjusting how cost-of-living adjustments […]

This December, Hawaiʻi public school cafeterias statewide were offered the opportunity to serve local ʻuala (sweet potato) bread for breakfast using locally sourced Okinawan sweet potato. Nearly 1,700 pounds of Okinawan sweet potato were distributed to 127 participating schools.

Alexander & Baldwin — owner, operator and developer of high-quality commercial real estate in Hawaiʻi, recently announced it entered into a definitive merger agreement. A&B’s Maui properties include: Nāpili Plaza, Maui Lani Industrial, Hoʻokele Shopping Center, Kahului Office Building, Harbor Industrial, Kahului Office Center, Kahului Shopping Center, Lono Center, P&L Warehouse, and the Puʻunēnē Shopping Center.