Maui News

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center scientists are spending a month at sea (April 23–May 22) aboard the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette on the Survey for Continued Observation of Pseudorca Extent (SCOPE). They’re searching for pelagic false killer whales in an area they have not surveyed before and using specialized methods to collect biological data from as many false killer whales as possible.

The next Maui TechOhana networking event, organized by Maui Economic Development Board, and supported by the County of Maui, will be held Thursday, May 9 from 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The public gathering will feature guest speakers from the Maui Food Innovation Center, a value added food manufacturing incubator and accelerator in Hawaiʻi.

The state of Hawaiʻi is considering acquisition of nearly 257 acres at Pōhākea, also known as Māʻalaea Mauka, for $8.22 million, as a forest reserve to protect the watershed and prevent massive erosion from damaging Māʻalaea Bay.

A 53-year-old Wailuku man suffered critical life-threatening injuries in a motorcycle crash reported Monday night in Wailuku.

Crews with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources finished clearing the public parking areas of Kahului Boat Harbor by removing more than five dozen vehicles, many of them abandoned. Last week, efforts to cleanup the harbor got underway with the removal of debris.

Governor Josh Green, M.D., will name four judges to fill vacancies on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (O‘ahu), from a list of seven nominees he received from the Judicial Selection Commission.

Update: Maui fire officials say crews responded to a small brush fire down in the gulch vicinity of Waiehu Beach Road and Kaʻae Rd.  Maui Fire Department Public Information Officer Chris Stankis tells Maui Now that the fire was contained by initial arriving units. Witnesses reported heavy smoke in the area at around 2:20 p.m.

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center is bringing back its summer visual arts education program, Young Artmakers, at Schaefer International Gallery.

Power has been restored to all remaining customers in Kīhei as of 2:50 p.m. There was an outage earlier that knocked out power to an estimated 600 customers.

Kahului based Gilbert & Associates (G & A) was once again awarded top honors for excellence in advertising design at the 45th annual Pele Awards ceremony held May 4 on Oʻahu. In addition, G & A became the first neighbor island firm chosen as Lead Designer for all collateral associated with the awards program.

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, West Maui Construction, Inc. will be performing work on the County’s water system. A portion of homes in the Pukalani area will have their water shut off from approximately 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., according to a notice issued earlier this week.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., signed a proclamation in April recognizing National Correctional Officers and Employees Week, May 5-11, 2024. The proclamation is to honor the hundreds of dedicated correctional officers and non-uniformed staff at jail and prison facilities in Hawai‘i.

An investigation is underway following reports of two cruise ships that residents say are getting too close to the protected Na Pali Coast on Kauaʻi’s north shore.

Kaiser Permanente Hawai’i has added four new maternity care providers at the Wailuku Medical Office to ensure expectant families can continue to receive high quality care on-island. The new team members include obstetricians-gynecologists Jennifer Leeper, DO, and James Morong, MD, along with certified nurse-midwives Brooke Raidmae, CNM, and Carolyn Wetzel, CNM. 

Jennifer Karaca, the founding executive director of Maui nonprofit Common Ground Collective, has been honored with the District 50 Hawai’i Lions’ Humanitarian of the Year.

Nalu’s South Shore Grill owner, Ron Panzo was honored as the winner of the US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 2024 Hawaiʻi State Small Business Person of the Year award. This award acknowledges outstanding achievements and contributions of small businesses across Hawaiʻi and the nation.

Maui County will participate in the 39th Annual Troy Barboza Law Enforcement Torch Run.

MTS-Nakamura Wrestling of Wailuku took first overall at this past weekend’s 2024 Hawaiʻi State Wrestling Championship, held annually at the Lahaina Civic Center. The event drew 19 wrestling clubs statewide and nearly 500 wrestlers.

The meeting will feature an update from County Department of Parks and Recreation Director Pat McCall on the status of the Lahaina Aquatic Center. The US Army Corps of Engineers will provide an update on debris clearing.

Attorney General Anne Lopez announced today criminal charges against a woman for the alleged embezzlement of approximately $44,367 in union dues from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 1186.