Maui News

Maui Mayor Richard T. Bissen, Jr. signed a proclamation to recognize 2024 as Ka Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele, Year of The Forest Birds, on Wednesday. This action follows Gov. Josh Green, M.D.’s proclamation in January and county proclamations on Hawaiʻi Island on Feb. 1, and on Kaua‘i on March 11.

Maui County Council members voted unanimously this morning to approve land use measures on first reading for expansion of the University of Hawaiʻi, Maui College’s plans for a new 3,300-square-foot classroom building at the Molokaʻi Education Center in Kaunakakai.

The Maui Youth Philharmonic Orchestra will open their Spring Concert 2024 with members of the newly formed Kahului School String Orchestra Beginning Strings Class (fourth graders) joining the MYPO Beginning Strings Class performing Dance of the Strings and Jazz of the Open Strings, both composed by JiYoung Um, as well as the traditional French Folk Song.

Internet reliability and worldwide connectivity are expected to be enhanced with a $1 billion project to create a new fiber-optic undersea cable network, according to an announcement from Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, leader of Connect Kākou, Hawaiʻi’s high-speed internet initiative, and Benji Robinson, director of Asia Pacific Network Planning and Acquisition for Google.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D. announced the inauguration of the Climate Advisory Team (CAT). This newly formed committee, comprising experts and stakeholders, is dedicated to tackling the challenges of climate disasters and providing a comprehensive roadmap for the state’s strategy to mitigate the financial impact of climate change.

A fire at a commercial structure in Wailuku on Thursday afternoon was confined to a second floor unit. The fire was reported at 1:51 p.m. on May 2, at a building on Hoʻokahi Street.

Visiting downtown Las Vegas from Hawaiʻi, Jade stopped by Fremont Hotel and Casino and scored a life-changing jackpot on AGS’ Bonus Spin Blackjack Progressive.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued an information statement on Thursday night saying the summit region of Kīlauea is currently experiencing heightened unrest, but no eruptive activity.

More than 1,300 kupuna 60 years and older who met the income requirement have or will be receiving 10 $5 coupons, totaling $50, to exchange for unprocessed locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey from an authorized farmer or farmers market.

The County of Maui Department of Finance will hold a real property tax sale on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, to auction off properties that have been delinquent for three or more years and have received a final notice of tax sale. The sale will continue on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, if necessary. 

After 175 days, the Lahaina Strong group announced its end to the occupation of Kāʻanapali Beach as part of its Fishing for Dignified Housing initiative.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D. signed Senate Bill 582 into law on Thursday, allocating $385.4 million in emergency appropriations to support relief efforts on Maui, following the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires. This funding package includes provisions to assist efforts by the state and the County of Maui to support families and individuals impacted by the August 2023 wildfires, as well as bolstering the state’s One ʻOhana Fund. 

Thousands of short-term vacation rental apartments could begin switching to long-term housing for residents as early as July 1, 2025, for West Maui, and Jan. 1, 2026, for the rest of Maui County in a proposed measure announced today by Mayor Richard Bissen.

A coalition of conservation groups today filed a second lawsuit to protect endangered Hawaiian petrels (ʻuaʻu) from lights at the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui. Today’s lawsuit was filed by Earthjustice on behalf of Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Hawaiʻi Community Lending announces a new Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program. This three-year program will assist up to 500 owner-occupant Lahaina homeowners prevent foreclosure and qualify for financing to rebuild their homes.

The Kahului Fire Station and Kalana O Maui County Building will be lit red this week in remembrance of fallen firefighters, including County of Maui Firefighter Tre’ Evans-Dumaran.

HB2144 requires the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health to amend the definition of “homemade food products” in its Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules, and to adopt certain rules regarding the sale and delivery of homemade food products, which pragmatically expands opportunities for cottage food producers and consumers without compromising food safety.

The state’s largest public charter school system, Hawai‘i Technology Academy, is bringing a different way of learning to students at its two Maui campuses. 

Maui County’s firearm registrations, applications and imports were all up in double digits in 2023 compared with 2022, according to the Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General’s annual report detailing statewide and county firearm registration statistics.

The County of Maui filed a third-party complaint on Wednesday in the Circuit Court of the Second Circuit, State of Hawaiʻi, against Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile US, Spectrum Mobile, and AT&T related to the August 2023 Maui wildfires.