Maui News

KAHULUI — The ‘Ahahui Ka’ahumanu Rummage/Plant/Bake Sale will be held from 6 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 18, 2009  in Kahului at 46 E. Papa Ave. Shoppers will find housewares, furnishings, clothing, toys, jewelry and books plus local-style pickled items, such as takuan (daikon). The 85-member Wailuku chapter of ‘Ahahui Ka’ahumanu was started in 1923. […]

The state board of education will consider today the closure of five public libraries including the public library in the remote East Maui community of Hana. The proposed closures were raised by the Hawaii State Public Library System as a way of cutting state costs. Community advocates say Hana’s distance from other resources would put […]

The Realtors Association of Maui is launching a new information program to boost first time homebuyer sales on the island. In making the announcement today, Bob Lightbourn, president of the Realtors Association of Maui said, “Current market conditions includes significantly lower home prices, great mortgage programs for working families, and special incentives like the $8,000 […]

Hawaiian Electric Company is the recipient of $750,000 in federal funds for the development of new wind energy projects in Hawaii. The award, from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), funded primarily by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will support HECO’s Hawaii Utility Integration Initiatives. Currently, HECO operates the Kaheawa Wind Power Farm on […]

A Maui court gave final approval this morning to a settlement involving a canceled Aerosmith concert on Maui nearly two years ago. Circuit Court Judge Joseph Cardoza granted final approval today.  Under the settlement, those who bought tickets to the September 26, 2007 concert and filed a claim as a class action member by yesterday’s […]

A large 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck New Zealand late last night.  It was followed by a smaller 5.8 quake also off the west coast of the south island of New Zealand. A tsunami advisory was issued for Hawaii at 11:43 last night (Tuesday, July 14, 2009), but was cancelled about an hour later. The preliminary […]

Maui police confiscated 1,232 marijuana plants and arrested a Makawao man during a drug bust on Piiholo Road last week.  Authorities arrested 36-year-old Eric Welander during a search warrant at a dwelling on the property on Wednesday, July 8, 2009. In addition to the plants, 187 marijuana cuttings were found, 8.9 pounds of processed pot […]

The Hawaii State Department of Health confirmed a second swine flu death in the state.  The patient was identified as an adult male in his late 40’s with underlying medical conditions.  The O’ahu resident died on July 10th at the Queen’s Medical Center, and becomes the second death linked to the novel H1N1 influenza in […]

President Barack Obama today announced his intent to nominate Florence T. Nakakuni as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii.  Nakakuni becomes the first female to be nominated for the post.  The 57-year-old federal prosecutor has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the past 24 years. She presently serves as Chief of the Drug […]

Pacific Wings airlines resumed partial service this morning (Friday, July 10, 2009) after suspending all flights on Wednesday and Thursday. The company claims an airline employee was assaulted and injured by a Hawaii Department of Transportation Contractor. State Transportation officials dispute the assault claim saying security personnel visited the site on Tuesday to serve citations […]

Contractors will replace a 12 inch waterline and install valves on Kaahumanu Avenue in Kahului on Sunday night, July 12, 2009

Company planes at Pacific Wings Airlines remained grounded this morning following an alleged incident on Tuesday in which airline officials claim an employee was assaulted by a contractor at the Kahului facility. According to a statement released by the company, the airline alleges a 24-year-old female employee was assaulted and injured by a Hawaii Department […]

A rash of morning fires along the Honoapiilani Highway are being investigated as suspicious incidents-that according to Acting Battalion Chief Derrick Arruda with the Maui Fire Department.  Maui police say three fires occurred within a 35 minute period this morning between Olowalu and Puamana. Maui police say the first was reported in Olowalu at 10:38 […]

An updated assessment of tax revenues shows the state lost an additional $57 million in FY09-worse than the 9 percent decline projected by the Council on Revenues.    Governor Linda Lingle said she will have to make “tough, realistic decisions to close the budget shortfall.”  She did not specify how many workers would be laid […]

There are several ongoing roadway projects being conducted by the state this week. HANA HWY ROCKFALL MITIGATION FORCES 4-HOUR WEEKDAY CLOSURES: In east Maui, Rockfall mitigation continues on the Hana Highway through Friday, July 17th.  Work between mile markers 19 and 21 will result in the complete closure of the Hana Highway on weekdays between […]

More than $1.8 million dollars was secured for continued funding of the Upcountry Maui Watershed project.  The funds are part of a larger $16.2 million appropriation included in an agriculture bill that passed out of the U.S. House today.  The Upcountry watershed supplies irrigation to farmers and ranchers in Upper Kula through a dedicated distribution […]

The final three contestants on the ABC series “The Bachelorette” head to Maui for a Romantic Getaway.  Jillian Harris, the Bachelorette for Season 5 arrives on Maui for a two-hour episode on July 13 (8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST). The show follows Harris and the remaining three bachelors – Ed, Kiptyn, and Reid -in their […]

A 257 acre subdivision is proposed for construction in the Maalaea area of central Maui. The applicant, MVI, LLC, proposes the construction of 1,100 single-family homes at the Ohana Kai Village complex.  Plans call for 60 percent of the dwellings, or 660 units to be affordable homes. The proposed project site is bordered on the […]

OLOWALU TRAFFIC UPDATE (4:37 p.m.) Firefighters are wrapping up mop up operations of a small brush fire in Olowalu and have removed their equipment from the Highway. Both lanes of the Honoapiilani Highway are being used at this time, but traffic is slower than usual. Earlier this afternoon, Maui Police had used the cane haul […]

McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii proposes the demolition and reconstruction of its Lahaina eatery. An Environmental Assessment is required because the property is located within the Lahaina National Historic Landmark District at the corner of Papalaua and Wainee Streets. Lahaina Town was designated as a registered National Historic Landmark in 1962, under the provisions of the […]