Maui News

Thanksgiving came early for about 600 community members and 200 University of Hawaiʻi Maui College students and staff who enjoyed a traditional holiday meal at college’s Pā‘ina Building on Wednesday.

Lāna‘i motorists are advised of potential traffic delays on Friday, Dec. 6, as crews will be checking the pavement quality on the state’s Kaumālapaʻu Highway (Route 440).

Hauling for the state’s Ka Laʻi Ola housing site in Lahaina will take place nightly on Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30 beginning at 9 p.m. The transport for the FEMA Kilohana project is scheduled nightly, beginning at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 1.

Once complete, the Kilohana modular housing project will become a temporary haven for up to 167 individuals and families – a Lahaina location where wildfire survivors can plan for the future. 

The Global Entry program is a US trusted traveler program available to US citizens and foreign citizens of participating countries that facilitates reduced screening and expedited processing at select major airports in the US, including at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu.

Celebrate the holiday season during Maui Ocean Center’s inaugural “Festival of Lights,” held from 6 to 9 p.m. on two consecutive Saturdays: Dec. 14 and 21, 2024. 

The sixth annual Hannah Brown Memorial Impaired Driving Awareness Rally and Checkpoint take place today ahead of the holiday weekend. The event begins with a youth sign-waving gathering at 4:30 p.m. at the County Building in Wailuku. That will be followed by an impaired driving checkpoint, made possible with participation from members of the Maui Coalition for Drug-Free Youth, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and family and friends of Hannah Brown.

The championship game of the Maui Invitational college basketball tournament takes place today at the Lahaina Civic Center. No. 4 Auburn takes on the University of Memphis at noon HST. The came will be carried on ESPN. Today’s games will also be carried on local radio via ESPN Maui | AM 900 | FM 102.5.

The first home to be rebuilt in Kula after the August 2023 wildfires was commemorated on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, with a blessing, representing another step forward in recovery after the fires.  After all final inspections were completed last week, homeowner Thomas Liu, 83, said he will be moving out of a rental and into the completed two-bedroom, 860-square-foot cottage this month while work continues to rebuild the main house on his Kulalani Drive property. 

Moana 2 has arrived in Maui movie theaters with early community screenings drawing a swell of fans ahead of the Nov. 27 official opening in theaters. It’s been eight years since the original release, and movie goers were eager to see what new adventures abound beyond the reef for the wayfinder and her voyaging friends.

Imua Family Services has announced its sixth annual Pedal Imua — a 60-mile Gran Fondo cycling event around the West Maui Mountains — will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Hisako Film Lab, founded by Maui-raised filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, is partnering with Maui Huliau Foundation to offer an after-school filmmaking program available to youth in grades 9-12 from all schools.

Maui Preparatory Academy is proud to announce Christopher Salem has signed a Division I National Letter of Intent with the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa under the leadership of Head Golf Coach Scott Simpson.  

As seabird fallout season continues, rescuers of downed seabirds are being urged to take extra precautions against avian flu. The disease has not been detected in native seabirds, but avian influenza strain H5N1 was detected in backyard birds on Oʻahu on Nov. 15, 2024, and a second confirmed incidence of avian influenza was confirmed in a wild duck on Oʻahu’s North Shore this week.

The spirit of the season is in full swing as Wailuku First Friday brings the holiday cheer with “Winter in Wailuku,” happening on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, from 6 to 9 p.m. The Main Stage will light up the evening with performances by the Kamehameha Schools Maui Hawaiian Ensemble and Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua.

The proposed resolution comes after the recent three-day strike by members of the United Nurses and Health Care Employees of Hawaiʻi held Nov. 4-6. The union maintains that the primary issues remain safe staffing and wages.

A second bus has been added to the Maui Economic Opportunity Hāna Shopping Shuttle to Central Maui on Wednesday due to high demand and the Thanksgiving holiday.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a wild duck on Oʻahu’s North Shore. USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services reports that the bird, a hybrid duck (part mallard), was among 10 wild bird samples collected from the North Shore. This is the second confirmed incidence of avian influenza in Hawai‘i after the virus was confirmed at bird sanctuary in Wahiawā on Nov. 15, 2024.

Former Maui County Council Chair Kelly T. King and 30 Maui County voters have filed an election contest with the Hawai’i Supreme Court seeking to void the results of the South Maui County Council race and to order the holding of a new election.

The 40th Maui Invitational tipped off at the Lahaina Civic Center on Monday, marking its return to the Valley Isle following the August 2023 wildfires. The three-day tournament features eight NCAA men’s basketball teams. In a nail-biting opener, the Memphis Tigers upset No. 2 UConn Huskies 99-97 in overtime. PC: County of Maui / Mia A’i