Maui News
Rental requirement begins March 1 for FEMA direct housing participants
Wildfire survivors currently in FEMA’s Direct Housing Program will be required to begin paying rent on March 1, 2025. The rental requirement will be in effect for the remainder of FEMA’s housing assistance program, which has been extended through Feb. 10, 2026.
Baldwin-Maui High team wins top prize in 2025 ‘Imi Pono Challenge
Baldwin High’s Jada Gomes and Maui High’s Hina Wells teamed up to capture the top prize in the fourth ʻImi Pono Challenge with their community service and media campaign centering on the Challenge’s theme of “Cultivating Care: Caring for Your Islands, Caring for Yourself.”
Hawaiʻi’s alcohol-related traffic fatality rate outpaces national average
A report from the Hawaiʻi Alcohol Policy Alliance showed that at least 40% of traffic fatalities in Hawaiʻi from 2011-2022 involved alcohol.
AI and education expert to keynote for Hawaiʻi STEM Conference in March
Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks program has announced that Brendan Brennan, author, AI and STEM education expert and former UH curriculum designer, will be one of the keynote speakers at the 16th Annual Hawaiʻi STEM Conference, taking place on March 24 and 25 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu.
‘Anything But I’a Poke Recipe Contest’ to launch at Canoe Crop Corner, Feb. 7
The February Canoe Crop Corner, held during Wailuku’s First Friday, will kick off the Anything But I’a Poke Recipe Contest.
Lahaina Community Meeting offers updates on SMA, debris clearing, wastewater, permits
Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Lahaina Community Meeting at 5:30 tonight (Feb. 5, 2025), at the Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria.
Gov. Green travels to Florida to lead discussions on crisis resolution
Gov. Josh Green, M.D., is traveling to lead discussions on Alternative Dispute Resolution at the International Institute for Crisis Prevention and Resolution’s annual meeting in Florida. As part of the panel, Green will share insights and best practices drawn from the state’s response to the August 2023 Maui wildfires, offering a perspective on how Hawaiʻi […]
Update: arrest made in hit-and-run crash on South Kīhei Rd. that claimed the life of 48-year-old Maui man
A 48-year-old Kīhei man sustained fatal injuries in a hit-and-run crash on South Kīhei Road, Tuesday night. Police say the man was walking north within the northbound lane of travel on South Kīhei Road when he was struck by a possibly a silver or grey Toyota pick-up truck that was also traveling in the same direction.
MauiWES to hold final recruitment events, transition to monitoring participants
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) will host its final recruitment events on Feb. 7 and 8, at the Lahaina Comprehensive Health Center.
Ledcor Maui welcomes Clifford Naeʻole as cultural advisor
After more than 30 years as cultural advisor for The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, Clifford Naeʻole joins Ledcor Maui as cultural advisor.
$150K grant supports Maui’s first kauhale for formerly homeless residents
The Nareit Foundation has awarded a $150,000 grant to the nonprofit HomeAid Hawai‘i to support Kīpūola Kauhale in Kahului, the first kauhale community being built for formerly homeless residents in the County of Maui.
Bills envision return of Kalaupapa to Maui County
Companion House and Senate bills make way for the eventual return of Kalaupapa Settlement on Molokaʻi with the rest of Maui County, but after a transparent and extensive public outreach process.
Chinese New Year at Lahaina Cannery, Feb. 7
The Lahaina Cannery Mall welcomes a return of the annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. This year’s celebration marks the Year of the Snake, packed with cultural experiences, food and entertainment.
Maui police release further details on officer-involved shooting in Pukalani
The Maui Police Department provided an update to the community on the progress of the officer-involved shooting that took place on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 in Pukalani. The information was shared during an afternoon press conference at the Maui Police Department’s Wailuku Station.
Maui Public Art Corps presents ‘Hui Moʻolelo: Lahaina’ Film Festival, Feb. 22-23
Maui Public Art Corps in collaboration with the County of Maui, Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House / Maui Historical Society and Lahaina Restoration Foundation will host its fourth Hui Mo‘olelo Film Festival from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22 and 23, 2025, FREE at ProArts Playhouse in Kīhei.
Hawaiʻi Airports System gets upgraded bond rating
The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation announced the state Airports System bond rating was upgraded by Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) to Aa3 from A1 in advance of its upcoming bond issuance.
Bills to curb rent increases referred to committees, but no hearings scheduled yet
Bills have been referred to committees in both chambers of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to limit the amount landlords can raise rents for tenants at a time of desperate housing shortages and renters having few, if any, options if they can’t afford demands for higher monthly rent payments.
Maui Council agenda notifications available for council committees
Automated notification of committee-meeting agendas for the 2025-2027 council term are available via online subscription.
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea unveils Komo, dining destination
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea announced its newest culinary addition, KOMO. The intimate 50-seat restaurant, including its 14-seat interactive sushi bar, transforms a portion of the Resort’s lobby into a dining space featuring Japanese cuisine.
Wildfire protection bill advances in Senate; House defers decision-making until Wednesday
The Senate Committees on Labor & Technology and Public Safety & Military Affairs unanimously passed Senate Bill 1383 on Monday at the State Capitol. The bill would prevent wildfires by adopting an extensive revamping of Hawaiʻi’s fire prevention laws, as proposed by Gov. Josh Green’s administration.
