Maui News

The Maui Police Department arrested three more teens in connection with the ongoing investigation into the assault and riot that occurred on Friday, July 17, 2026, at the pool area of Kāʻanapali Aliʻi, located at 50 Nohea Kai Drive in Lahaina. This brings to seven the total arrests made to date in connection with the case.

Eight organizations across five islands have been awarded $1.8 million through the 2026 Hawaiʻi Urban Interface, Wildfire Grant Program to reduce hazardous fuels, improve evacuation planning, strengthen preparedness and increase wildfire resilience.

The State of Hawaiʻi Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) and the Hawaiʻi Fire Fighters Association (HFFA Local 1463) have officially endorsed Kauanoe Batangan in his Maui County Council race, securing him the unified backing of Maui County’s police officer and firefighter unions.

The County of Maui recently received 200 free soccer balls for children from FWC2026 US Inc., a representative of the FIFA World Cup. The new balls will be available for the next sessions of PALS during winter break and beyond.

The Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity approved Interim Rule 26-2 on Tuesday, restricting the transportation of coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) host materials from any other area in the state to the islands of Maui and Lānaʻi.

After ongoing meetings with Haʻikū residents and touring key County of Maui roadways in Haʻikū, Mayor Richard Bissen is implementing the second and third phase of County’s speed table review.

Lava fountaining episode 52 in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea began around 7:10 p.m. HST July 28 and ended at 2:36 a.m. HST on July 29, 2026, after 7.4 hours of continuous fountaining from the north vent.

Seven months into operations, Kīpūola Kauhale, Maui’s first kauhale project in Kahului, reached full capacity in June, using what developer HomeAid Hawaiʻi describes as a “deeply affordable” model that relies on value engineering, emergency proclamations and public-private partnerships to cut construction costs. Housing applications started in December.

He will assume responsibility for the care and management of 55 state parks and 14 other places of interest, which encompass 34,000 acres of coastal and wildland recreational areas, scenic waysides and cherished places spanning from Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park on Kauaʻi to ʻAkaka Falls State Park on Hawaiʻi Island.

AARP Hawai‘i is holding a series of workshops on Maui to inform the public about harmful and helpful uses for artificial intelligence – how it is being used in frauds; how to tell the difference between reality and AI; and how to use AI to express creativity.

Leonard “Leo” Gensolin has been named Executive Chef, Sensei Lānaʻi, A Four Seasons Resort, overseeing all culinary operations, including Sensei by Nobu, Koele Garden Bar and in-room dining, as well as leading the resort’s culinary team.

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management is partnering with Aloha Recycling in Kahului to provide temporary recycling drop-off services during a transition period while the County works to establish a new permanent recycling site in Central Maui.

The funding will provide further financial assistance to individuals and families affected by storms, particularly residents living in South Maui (Kīhei and Wailea) and West Maui (Lahaina, Kāʻanapali and Kahana), where the majority of damage occurred. 

The Lahaina Interfaith Council invites the community to an Honor & Remembrance service on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, at 9 a.m. at Lahaina United Methodist Church, 142 Baker St.

Partners UH Maui College and Hawaiian Electric recently graduated its second cohort of local residents in its Maui Power Pathways Training Program, a free, 10‑week workforce training opportunity designed to prepare participants for potential careers with the island’s electric utility. This year, the program was offered on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lāna‘i, expanding access to hands‑on energy sector training.

The Maui Police Department has made additional arrests in connection with the ongoing investigation into the assault and riot that occurred on Friday, July 17, 2026, at the pool area of Kāʻanapali Aliʻi, located at 50 Nohea Kai Drive in Lahaina. As a result of the continuing investigation, detectives arrested three teens on Monday, July 27, 2026.

The session is meant to bring together residents, community groups, cultural practitioners and others invested in Central Maui’s future to build relationships, highlight existing community efforts and identify shared priorities for land stewardship.

The Maui County Council voted 7-1 twice Friday to send the Maui Planning Commission a pair of resolutions that could permanently move roughly 2,056 apartment-district transient vacation rental units into new hotel zoning, over the objection of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Council Member Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, who cast the lone “no” votes.

Two Maui high school graduates have been selected to receive the distinguished Fukunaga Scholarship for the 2026–2027 academic year. Akasia Knight and Jack Leone are among 10 scholars selected statewide.

The 54th Kupuna Aloha Luncheon was held on Saturday at the Grand Wailea, honoring retired special education teacher Karolyn Mossman and US Sen. Brian Schatz as Kupuna Advocates of the Year.