Maui News

As the Vice President of Strategic Communications at Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Sarhangi plays a vital role in advancing the organization’s mission to cultivate a more equitable and vibrant Hawai‘i. She joined HCF in 2020 and has supported the organization in driving progress across its major initiatives and programs, including the foundation’s immediate disaster response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating Maui fires.

RealPage Inc. registered as a business with the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs on Sept. 11, 2024, or 19 days after the US Department of Justice announced an antitrust lawsuit against the property management software company headquartered in Richardson, Texas.

The Maui Chamber of Commerce announced the winners for the 2024 Mayor’s Small Business Awards.

The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF) announces the launch of the Stronger Hawaiʻi initiative, designed to provide critical disaster recovery resources for communities across the state. In response to the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires and other statewide disasters, the initiative offers real-time information, partner-driven resources, and important updates from community organizations. With over $110 million in grants distributed to nearly 200 organizations in the last year, HCF is leveraging its extensive partnerships to help residents navigate essential services, resources and information.

Zantha-Angelica “Mela” Tancayo, who helped set up and develop the Youth Services’ Kāohi prevention program on Moloka‘i, was named Maui Economic Opportunity Employee of the Month.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ State Historical Preservation Division has named Jessica Puff as it’s new lead, succeeding Dr. Alan Downer who retired earlier this year. Since October 2022, Puff has served as the SHPD Architecture Branch Chief.

The Credit Unions of Maui and Lānaʻi recently dispersed $300,000 to the Homeaid Ka Laʻi Ola housing development. Ka La’i Ola is being built for residents impacted by the August 2023 wildfire that destroyed Lahaina town.

The Lahaina Community Land Trust will be on hand at an upcoming community workshop hosted by the Maui Construction Industry Coalition. The workshop takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29 at the Lahainaluna Intermediate School cafeteria.

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation notifies highway users of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are transported from Kahului to the Ka Laʻi Ola housing site in Lahaina, beginning Friday night, Sept. 20 through Tuesday night, Sept. 24. 

H.R. 8219, the Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act, would direct the National Park Service, in consultation with state and local partners, to study the suitability and feasibility of a National Heritage Area designation for Lahaina. These areas are designated by Congress to complement state and local conservation efforts through recognition, federal funding, and technical assistance.

A Maui man will appear in federal court on Monday for an initial hearing after being arrested on Wednesday for his alleged connection to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) found near Kaʻamana St. in Kula on Aug. 7, 2024. Jess Kiesel Lee, age 43, of Kula, was named in a criminal complaint for allegedly possessing explosives as a felon and damaging property by means of explosives, according to the complaint. Lee’s fingerprint was recovered from tape on one of the IEDs, the complaint alleges.

Maui’s economy will only gradually recover from its post-wildfire downturn while visitor industries in other counties across the state will continue to operate at high levels, according to the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization’s (UHERO) third quarter forecast for 2024.

The University of Hawai‘i Maui College Culinary Arts Program and Fairmont Kea Lani present the 24th annual Noble Chef Gala on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. The largest annual fundraiser showcasing and supporting the Maui College Culinary Arts Program at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College, the gala returns to Fairmont Kea Lani for an evening celebrating the college’s past, present and future.

East Maui residents can drop off scrap metal, appliances, propane tanks, tires and auto batteries for recycling on Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, at the Hāna Recycling Center.

A Kula man has been arrested in connection with the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) discovered on Aug. 7, 2024, near Kaʻamana Street in Kula. Maui police say Jess Lee, 43, was arrested as a result of a coordinated effort between the MPD and FBI.

Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park from the new fissure vent that opened just west of Nāpau Crater on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at around 3:15 p.m., according to a daily update from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This is the fourth vent system of this eruption. The first fissures of this eruption occurred on the night of Sept. 15 on the middle East Rift Zone.

Maui motorists are paying about seven cents more, on average, for an unleaded gallon of gas, compared with the “pain at the pump” for drivers statewide, according to AAA Hawaii Weekend Gas Watch. The average price in Kahului was $4.69 as of this morning, and it was $4.62 statewide.

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management’s Wastewater Reclamation Division has amended the Sewer Service Status from “red,” to “green,” for several lots near Mill and Kuhua streets.

In a testament to their unwavering commitment to help residents recover after the 2023 Kula fire, the grassroots nonprofit, Mālama Kula, completed their goal of 30 straight community work days during the month of August as their way of commemorating the one year anniversary of the fire that claimed 20 homes in Kula and scorched 202 acres of land. 

The Kalalau Trail in the Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park will remain closed to visitors beyond today following the recent norovirus outbreak among park visitors, state officials announced. DLNR will be partially opening the trail to Hanakāpīʻai for day use only, beginning on Saturday, Sept. 21, prior to a full opening to be determined later. Any hiking beyond Hanakāpīʻai may result in citations or arrests. The total number of norovirus cases reported to date is approximately 50 and remaining stable.