Maui News

New benefits, including funds for a new refrigerator, washer, stove and microwave, and increased assistance limits highlight the beginning of the second year of the Maui Relief TANF Program that supports those impacted by the Maui wildfires.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA), in partnership with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, proudly presents Lahaina Festival —a three-day celebration of music, culture, and community support for Maui’s resilient spirit. This free event, open to the public, will take place from Sunday, Nov. 24 to Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, coinciding with the prestigious Maui Invitational college basketball tournament.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation and its traffic safety partners held a kickoff at Aloha Stadium to declare the week of Nov. 18-24 as Crash Responder Safety Week.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health Food and Drug Branch is alerting residents to a recall issued by Grimmway Farms for multiple brand names of organic whole carrots and organic baby carrots because of potential E. coli O121:H19 contamination. These products were sold throughout the U.S., and include 365 Whole Foods Market, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Good & Gather and O Organics brands that were available for purchase at supermarkets and retailers in Hawai‘i.

Hawaiian Electric crews and contractors will be conducting equipment upgrades and tree trimming on Hāna Highway between Lower Ulumalu Road and Hohani Place (between mile markers 13 and 14) heading towards Central Maui from Tuesday, Nov. 19 to Thursday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. The work is aimed at maintaining reliable service.

The County of Maui has entered into conditional agreements with a subsidiary of Nan, Inc., Hawai‘i’s largest, locally owned construction company, to purchase approximately 49 acres of previously quarried land and 30 acres of land currently being quarried adjacent to the Central Maui Landfill. The 30 acres of land would be available upon completion of quarrying activities. The $4 million agreements, pending approval by the Maui County Council, aim to secure a suitable, long-term disposal site for debris from the August 2023 Lahaina wildfires and address the island’s future landfill needs.

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association will distribute 5-pound bags of rice on Lānaʻi as part of its annual Rice for the Holidays event, Nov. 23. The program began in 2008 when MHLA partnered with Jim Coon of Trilogy Excursions in their annual giveaway of turkeys to island residents. MHLA joined in by adding the rice to go with each turkey.

The last day of Maui Bus operations at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center is today, with the opening of the new Kahului Transit Center taking place tomorrow. The blessing and planned opening comes more than three years after it broke ground in February 2021, and reported delays in project completion. 

The West Maui Temporary School Facility Project has been awarded the prestigious Project of the Year by the Construction Management Association of America. The Project of the Year Awards honor exceptional achievement and showcase the finest in construction and project management across the country.

Catholic Charities Hawai‘i will host “Living Alone with Dementia: Strategies for Support” from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the Queen’s Conference Center at the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu.

The state Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) has hired its first Communications Officer. Diane Ako, most recently of KITV4 (Hawaiʻi ABC affiliate), came on board in November. Ako brings 25 years of newscasting experience and four years of public relations background to this job. State Comptroller Keith Regan (formerly of Maui) leads DAGS.

State unemployment has remained steady at 2.9% for the fifth consecutive month, which is below the national average of 4.1% for October 2024. In Maui County, the unemployment rate was 3.6% in October, down from the 4% rate in September, according to state data.

The talented artists behind King Kamehameha III Elementary School’s temporary campus mural project are set to hold a community meeting at the temporary King Kamehameha III cafeteria on Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Residents are invited to provide feedback on the County of Maui’s proposed acquisition of the approximately 273-acre Von Tempsky property, formerly known as Kula Ridge Mauka in Kula.

Hawaiian Airlines celebrated the return of its seasonal Auckland-Honolulu route on Saturday, welcoming over 200 travelers on a nonstop flight between Hawai‘i and New Zealand. The seasonal service will continue to operate three flights per week on its 278-seat Airbus A330 through April 30, 2025.

A three-year agreement has been reached in the protection of endangered and threatened Hawaiian seabirds in Maui County. The Conservation Council for Hawai‘i and American Bird Conservancy represented by Earthjustice reports it reached the settlement with Hawaiian Electric on Oct. 30, 2024.

Conservation divers have successfully removed and relocated nearly 11 years’ worth of coral growth from a decommissioned offshore fish farm pipe ring that was towed into Honokōhau Small Boat Harbor last week on Hawai‘i Island.

Multiple K9 teams traveled to the Valley Isle last week for a paws-on crimefighter training with the Maui Police Department.

Three Seabury Hall student-athletes national letters of intent to play college sports. They are: Victoria Osborn, Women’s Soccer at Metropolitan State University Denver; Trey Cerizo, Men’s Soccer at Cal Poly Humboldt; and Tyler Loree, Men’s Golf at UCLA. 

Update: (10:11 a.m., Nov. 19, 2024) Kingery was located and found to be in good health.  The Maui Police Department thanked the public for their assistance.