Maui News

The Public Utilities Commission granted Expeditions the right to increase its passenger fares in all rate categories earlier this month. In a filed order, the Commission recognized several impacts to operations in granting Expeditions’ request for the rate increase including: the Maui wildfires, Expeditions’ losses and change in operations to Māʻalaea Harbor, a reduction in tourism, a loss of alternative forms of income, issues with the financial viability of the ferry services, and the lingering impacts of the COVID pandemic. It also noted that Expeditions has not increased its fares in over 16 years, despite dramatically increased costs of operation.

Black hole jets spanning 23 million light-years total length in outer space have been discovered by a Caltech-led team of astronomers using the W. M. Keck Observatory atop Maunakea on Hawaiʻi Island. The jets of hot plasma are the largest ever observed, according to the scientists.

Central Pacific Bank has closed its branch office off of Kaahumanu Avenue and opened an office at a new, nearly 10,000-square-foot building at 145 Ho‘okele St. near Target in Kahului. The bank offers customers consumer, commercial, residential, wealth and investment services.

A Maui man who was on trial for the second degree attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend’s infant, was found guilty instead of a lesser first degree attempted assault charge. The verdict in the trail of Christian Rosete was reached on Monday afternoon (Sept. 23). The jury found Rosete guilty as charged of separate first and second degree assault charges, and a charge of felony abuse against a family or household member. Another second degree assault charge for Count 3 was reduced to a third degree assault conviction.

Cody Pueo Pata will be the featured musician at this month’s free Hawaiian Music Series on Thursday Sept. 26 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Lahaina Civic Center Amphitheater. Pata is the Kumu Hula of Ka Malama Mahilani, a classically trained Haku Mele, and an entertainer and musician of Hawaiian music. He is also a Hawaiian language and culture educator.

Leah Julianni Rodriguez, a UH Maui College culinary graduate and a cook at the Fairmont Kea Lani, said at first it was a little intimidating working side-by-side with executive chefs, at least one of whom had 3-star Michelin restaurant experience. However, she welcomed the opportunity to observe, learn and improve.

Diane Yogi, who has worked for the County of Maui Department of Transportation since its creation in 2003, has been appointed the departmentʻs deputy director. Her start date was Sept. 3.

The County of Maui Office of Economic Development, in collaboration with local partners and nonprofits, has launched the West Maui Business Center and online business portal www.WestMauiBusinessCenter.org to aid local businesses directly and indirectly impacted by the August 2023 wildfires. 

President Biden has announced his intent to appoint two Native Hawaiians to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Kamana‘opono M. Crabbe and Krystal Ka‘ai were selected as commissioners of the advisory commission.

The trial of Christian Rosete nears an end with closing arguments delivered on Friday and jury deliberations now underway on five separate charges including attempted murder, assault and abuse of a household member.

Bingo Blast will be featured at Kaunoa Clubhouse in the Lahaina Civic Center on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. Kaunoa Clubhouse will be open from 9 a.m. to noon.  Participants ages 60 and older are invited to spend the morning at the clubhouse with friends and neighbors.

The middle East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea that began on Sunday, Sept. 15 has ended and is unlikely to restart, according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

The 20th Annual Lahaina Town Cleanup takes place on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is held in conjunction with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup and Mālama Maui Nui’s “Get the Drift and Bag It!” campaign.

Maui’s own Antonio Robles of Wailuku, earned the championship title at the 22nd annual Richard Ho‘opi‘i Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest, held at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on Saturday night, Sept. 21, 2024. He was honored for his performance of Hawaiʻi standard “Waikaloa.” The competition featured six contestants–four from Maui, and two from O’ahu.

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents in his Maui debut, comedian Jeff Arcuri during his upcoming Whole Wide World Tour stops in Hawai‘i. The show will take place in Castle Theater Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale online only at 10 a.m. to MACC members Wednesday, Sept. 25 and to the general public Friday, Sept. 27.

Maui police will increase presence in and around Baldwin High School today following an alleged threat towards the campus.

Multi-Grammy award winning band and Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame inductees Chicago perform with special guest Henry Kapono on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s A&B Amphitheater and Yokouchi Pavilion. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.

Maui OnStage’s Education and Youth Program’s fall production of “Snow Angel” featuring an all-teen cast and crew opens Friday, Sept. 27 and runs through Oct. 6, 2024.

Scouting America, Aloha Council, one of the largest youth-serving organizations in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, announced the launch of its new Scouting Leadership Series. The inaugural event will take place on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi. It will feature two industry-leading executives: Joseph Sprague, CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, and Brad Tilden, former CEO of Alaska Airlines and current National Board Chair of Scouting America.

The County of Maui Department of Human Concerns is soliciting grant proposals for programs providing mental health services or immigrant and migrant services to Maui County residents.