Maui News

This week, the beloved Hawaiian Music Series returns to Lahaina for 2026 at a new location on the lawn of Waiola Church, 535 Waineʻe Street. The first free, family-friendly concert takes place this Thursday, Jan. 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., featuring acclaimed Maui musician Joshua Kahula. Free parking is available on site.

More than a century after her death, the story of a saint who served those with Hansen’s disease and died on Moloka’i is being told anew—through science. Chaminade University’s Forensic Sciences Unit is helping evaluate her remains, uniting Marianist mission and modern forensic expertise to bring history to life in service to the community.

Gov. Josh Green pledged to extend rent support for Maui wildfire survivors through February 2027 and proposed halting future state tax cuts to preserve social services during his State of the State address, Monday in the House Chambers at the State Capitol.

Applications are being accepted for Maui Police Department’s CSI Camp 2026 – A Crime Scene Investigation Experience created for high school juniors and seniors.

On Maui, the unemployment rate was 2.4% in December, down from the 2.5% rate the previous month and the 3.5% rate reported at the same time last year.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers are part of a team that was recently awarded a three-year, $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to address the environmental and public health impacts of outdated wastewater infrastructure in island communities.

The University of Hawaiʻi Community College system is a national leader in economic mobility and student support according to the 2025 State Opportunity Index (SOI). The newly released findings reveal that UH’s two-year institutions are currently leading in affordability, providing students with one of the most accessible paths to a degree in the US. 

Three members of the Aloha Amplified, Inc. board were selected as featured speakers at the upcoming, Feb. 3, 2026 meeting of the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset. Speakers will share highlights and plans for the upcoming Lights for Lahaina 2026 event, which is expanding into a two-day gathering. Board of Directors presenters include Wilmont “Kamaunu” Kahaiali‘i, Linn Nishikawa and Lori Nishikawa.

Home design renderings and floor plans for the Hoʻokumu Hou Single-Family Homeowner Reconstruction Program are now available to view on the Hoʻokumu Hou website, and the application deadline has been extended through August 2026, the County of Maui Office of Recovery has announced.

NOAA is asking Maui’s on-water community to be on the look out for a recently-entangled 40-foot female humpback whale off Lahaina, Maui. Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s monitoring team encountered the whale, referred to as Palette, on Thursday, Jan. 22. She was found to be in poor to moderate condition, showing moderate to strong emaciation and widespread carpets of red-colored cyamid amphipods (whale lice) across her otherwise light-colored body. If she is spotted, please call 888-256-9840 to report her location and share photos or videos if possible, but do not approach closer than 100 yards.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources has unanimously approved a new, 25-year lease for Kaheawa Wind Power I, allowing the continued operation of the existing wind energy facility in West Maui.

31,000 frontline registered nurses and health care professionals will begin an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike at Kaiser Permanente facilities across California and Hawaiʻi today. The  strike will affect more than two dozen hospitals and hundreds of clinics, including the Moanalua Medical Center on Oʻahu.

On Maui, the Honolua Hands-On Conservation — Aloha Pūʻu Kukui program is among those receiving support. Through the program, community volunteers work in the upper slopes of Honolua Valley, learning to identify native and invasive plants, plant seedlings and understand the watershed’s role in feeding the reefs of Lahaina and Kāʻanapali.

Maui OnStage will present its inaugural Ghost Light Awards next month to recognize the artists, volunteers and productions that brought theatrical magic to 2025 stage season.

Queen Kaʻahumanu Center welcomes the community to a full year of free events, offering regular opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy entertainment, cultural programming, and family activities at the center.

Pacific Resource Partnership announced the release of the 2026 edition of the Hawaiʻi Directory of Public Officials, a free comprehensive guide to help residents connect with their elected leaders and stay engaged in the legislative process. 

The Hawaiian Council announced Thursday the launch of a new lending initiative aimed at helping residents establish credit and improve financial stability. The Koa Credit Builder Loan Program offers approved participants a $2,500 loan with a repayment term of up to 30 months. According to the organization, the program charges an interest rate of 8% […]

Students, faculty, staff and community members gathered at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa on ʻIanuali (January) 20–22 for the fourth annual Hawaiʻi Kuʻu Home Aloha Summit. The event was a gathering centered on culture, place and shared kuleana (responsibility) to Hawaiʻi and its future.

Whale Tales 2026, a Maui-based ocean conservation event, celebrates its 20th anniversary this February at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua featuring Nainoa Thompson, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Jean-Michel Cousteau, and more.

Mayor Richard Bissen will join the state’s other three mayors in making presentations Monday afternoon before members of the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance committees at the State Capitol. Aside from Bissen, the other mayors scheduled to appear are Honolulu City and County Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda and Kaua‘i […]