Maui News

A Lahaina restaurateur has been named a semifinalist for one of the culinary world’s most prestigious honors, marking a bright spot for the West Maui dining scene as it recovers from the 2023 wildfires.

Two visitors were airlifted to safety after rapidly rising waters prevented them from crossing a stream safely and cut them off from their hiking party, Wednesday.

The County of Maui East Maui Water Authority has selected five recipients for its inaugural community grant program, which supports local projects focused on water stewardship, cultural practices, environmental restoration and community collaboration in East Maui. Projects funded through the program include: the East Maui Farm, led by Nāpua Hūʻeu; Nā Moku ʻAupuni ‘O Ko‘olau Hui, led by Jessie-Ellen Kekiwi-Aweau; Friends of Twin Falls, represented by Maile Davis; Okada Design, led by Corinne Okada Takara; and Kahu ʻĀina: Earth Guardian Network, led by Liana Murillo.

The National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory for the island of Molokaʻi in Maui County, in effect until 1:15 p.m. At 10:13 a.m., radar showed heavy rain over windward Molokaʻi, with rain falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour with the heaviest rainfall occurring near Kalaupapa.

ʻAha Pūnana Leo is currently accepting priority enrollment applications for its Hawaiian language medium preschools for the upcoming school year. The priority application period runs through March 1.

A community report to the Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee last month led to the collection of a single live ramie moth (Arcte coerula) caterpillar, the first detection of the invasive pest on Kauaʻi. This pest poses a threat to native invertebrates such as the Kamehameha butterfly and native snails by competing for the same plants.

The Maui County Council Water Authority, Social Services and Parks Committee will receive updates on eviction mediation and discuss prevention measures for child abuse and human trafficking. The panel will convene at 9 a.m. Monday in the Council Chambers in Wailuku.

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents Soul/R&B legends The Stylistics with special guests The Manhattans in a MACC Presents concert in the Castle Theater, on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

New University of Hawaiʻi research confirms that “Sharktober” is real, revealing a statistically significant spike in shark bite incidents in Hawaiian waters every October. The study, which analyzed 30 years of data (1995–2024), found that about 20% of all recorded bites occurred in that single month, a frequency far exceeding any other time of the year.

US Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) voted in favor of a minibus package that includes funding for the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Transportation. However, Tokuda voted against a separate funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, which contained funding for U Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Kāʻanapali, announced the promotion of Teresa Higa to Director of Group & Leisure Sales.  In this expanded role, Higa will lead the resort’s group sales efforts, overseeing the team while continuing to drive the strategy and execution of leisure and transient sales initiatives for the 810-room resort.

Services honoring the life and legacy of Nālani Kanakaʻole, a revered hula master and cultural practitioner, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in the storied place that bears her late mother’s name, Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo.

Maui Powerhouse Gym has announced the acquisition of a 2.2-acre property adjacent to Costco in Kahului, paving the way for a new flagship gym and wellness-focused commercial village designed to serve the Maui community for generations.

Walmart hosts The Wellness Event—a free, nationwide health and wellness experience—taking place Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Walmart stores across the country, including all nine locations in Hawaiʻi, including Kahului on Maui. Walk-ins are welcome and no registration is required.

Adam Alexander has been named a managing director at Maui Resort Rentals, the flagship brand of Dream Resorts, a premier vacation rental management company based in Maui and Newport Beach, Calif.

All offices of the County of Maui Department of Finance, including the Kahului Service center and satellite offices on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi, will be closed for staff training Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, according to a department announcement.

This US Department of War contract provides for unique satellite resiliency research and modeling to support Air Force Research Laboratory’s Maui High Performance Computing Center.

State leaders and partners of Hawaiʻi’s high-speed internet initiative, Connect Kākou, announced that the state has received final approval to begin deploying approximately $149 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding, marking one of the most significant digital infrastructure investments in state history.

Roots School in Haʻikū recently received a $5,000 grant from the Bank of Hawaiʻi Foundation. The grant will support the school’s Performing Arts Program.

Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity hosts its final event for the 2nd Annual Statewide Pesticide Disposal Program, taking place on Lānaʻi on March 24, 2026 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Between 2023 and 2024, a total of 39,200 pounds of waste pesticides were collected statewide, including 7,132 pounds from Maui, 12,642 pounds from Lānaʻi, and 833 pounds from Molokaʻi.