Maui News

Suspension of service disconnections for all Hawaiian Electric customers on Maui has been extended through at least July 2, 2024, in accordance with the extension of Gov. Josh Green’s emergency proclamation.

Kaunoa Senior Center is seeking volunteers and ti leaf donations to ensure there are enough lei to honor every veteran at Maui Veterans Cemetery on Memorial Day. There are 4,106 lei needed this year. 

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association celebrated its 45th year of giving back to the community with the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk on Saturday. Nearly 1,600 walkers attended the in-person event at the War Memorial Complex. Walkers finished 2.5 miles of exercise and received complimentary breakfast, treats, giveaway prizes, and local entertainment, including a performance by Tihati Productions. An impressive total of $1,235,482 was raised so far from Maui County. 

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation will be accepting applications use of parks facilities for the Fall 2024 Tri-Annual Permits period. 

A coffee labeling bill to protect local farmers and preserve the authenticity of Hawaiʻi-grown products has passed the 2024 Legislative Session and is expected to become law upon the governor’s signature.

Update: The Hawaiʻi Catholic Community Foundation and Maria Lanakila Church have announced the postponement of their ‘Spiritual and Wellness Health Fair,’ originally scheduled for Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the Royal Lahaina Resort’s Aliʻi Ballroom.

Among the bills signed, House Bills 1598, 1599, and 1600 focus on bolstering Hawaiʻi’s open meetings law. They seek to facilitate greater public input by ensuring timely distribution of written testimony to board members (HB 1598), allowing audio and video participation in remote meetings (HB 1599), and setting clear time standards between board meetings (HB 1600), enabling adequate review and compliance with open meetings law requirements. 

Child & Family Service hosted a lunchtime gathering of more than 30 local nonprofit leaders and partners in Waikīkī earlier this week to share its pilot program results of “Transition To Success,” which took place on Maui and Kauaʻi and showed statistical improvement in positive changes in the lives of its 986 participants. 

Father Luís Proença, a professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, will speak on Madeiran and Azorean roots among Hawaiʻi’s Portuguese descendants on Tuesday, May 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Heritage Hall in Pāʻia.

Hawai‘i interisland freight company Young Brothers blessed its new $1.5 million ShoreTension mooring system on Monday at the Port of Kaumalapau on Lāna‘i. The system keeps the barge steady against the dock during poor weather conditions.

The state Department of Transportation will be conducting road work this week that will result in lane closures at various locations. Lane closure schedules may change at any time without further notice. All projects are weather permitting.

The Kahului Public Library will reopen on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at noon after a brief closure to renovate the facility’s restrooms. Patrons can browse and borrow, pick up holds, return materials, use the library Wi-Fi, public computers, printer, and copier.

This past week, earthquakes and inflation near Kīlauea’s summit prompted temporary closures within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. What is happening beneath the surface at Kīlauea, and what does it mean for potential future eruptive activity? 

Deardorff will present “Microbes as Human Indicators of Human Health Risk after the Lahaina Wildfires” to an audience of biomedical professionals at the 2024 National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) Conference in June.

The House of Representatives officially adjourned sine die, marking the conclusion of the 32nd Legislature on Friday. House Committee on Finance Chair Kyle T. Yamashita (D-12 Upcountry Maui) said, “We approached the crafting of the state budget with careful consideration, reflecting the House’s dedication to fiscal prudence, accountability, and transparency. As we commenced this legislative session, our immediate […]

Gov. Josh Green followed through on his pledge to sign Senate Bill 2919, clarifying the counties’ authority to regulate short-term rentals. Mayor Richard Bissen has already moved ahead with introducing a bill to phase-out thousands of short-term rentals to open up long-term housing for residents.

Officers arrested a houseless man this morning on three charges during the second day of a cleanup operation at Kahului Boat Harbor. Authorities with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources say the man resisted arrest and attempted to flee. An officer used a taser to control the suspect and to take him into custody, according to department reports.

On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature unanimously passed Senate Bill 2305 SD2 HD2 CD1 to establish a Silver Alert Program to help locate and safeguard missing persons who are particularly vulnerable, including community members who are elderly or are cognitively impaired or developmentally disabled.

This action is taken to honor the 89 firefighters who died in 2023 and the 137 firefighters who died in previous years. One of the firefighters died in the line of duty was Tre’ Evans-Dumaran from the County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety. 

The 20th Annual Ian Walsh Menehune Mayhem, a free two day surf contest for Maui’s youth ages 15 years old and younger, is taking place at Hoʻokipa Beach Park all-day Saturday and Sunday.