Maui News

The expansion of community ownership of real estate in West Maui is one of the few solutions that promises to make homeownership more accessible and build local families’ wealth following the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires in Lahaina. That according to findings of a report completed earlier this year by the nonprofit Hawai‘i Land Trust (HILT) and Kahālāwai Consulting LLC. The report studied the threat of accelerated land loss by local families and businesses.

Sherae Dauhn Hanchett is a Maui nurse and a mother of three who aims to be an example for other healthcare professionals in her rural Hāna community.

Kupu, Hawai‘i’s leading conservation and environmental education nonprofit, is seeking applications for the Conservation Leadership Development Program (CLDP). Recent high school graduates, college graduates and young professionals looking to establish a career in conservation are strongly encouraged to apply by June 21.

It’s been a rocky road for Puʻuhonua o Nēnē, a temporary homeless shelter near Kahului Airport that has provided emergency tented shelter for 120 to 130 people nightly since opening last fall within weeks of the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire disaster.

A University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa student group was selected as one of 10 small research satellite developers to launch their satellite into space as early as 2025 through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. This is the second project led by students in the earth and planetary exploration technology (EPET) certificate program to be granted an opportunity to take their satellite project to the deployment phase. The first student-built satellite was selected in April 2023.

KDHO conducted door-to-door surveys June 3-7, 2024, at randomly selected households islandwide. Over the course of five days, survey teams completed a total of 177 interviews, collecting valuable data about Kauaʻi residents’ health and well-being, their preparedness for emergencies, and their concerns about climate change impacts.

A new resource for women who have been affected by the Maui wildfire disaster is coming to Central Maui.

Keōpūolani Regional Park Softball Field 3 is temporarily closed while undergoing fencing repair and maintenance work, announced the County Department of Parks and Recreation on Tuesday. 

The annual Give Kids A Smile, an event organized by Hui No Ke Ola Pono to provide essential dental services to children of all ages, will be held at the J. Walter Cameron Center on Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Maui County property owners, whose homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable by the August 2023 wildfires, have the option to transfer their home exemption to another property they own and are occupying as a principal residence in Maui County, the County of Maui Department of Finance Real Property Assessment Division (RPA) announced Tuesday.

Imua Family Services has announced its 13th annual Paddle Imua, scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 14, 2024. This year’s paddle race event also kicks off the Koa Kai Triple Crown, a three-part FOIL series showcasing three classic downwind courses linking the islands of Maui, Molokaʻi and Oʻahu.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife has begun a campaign to help hikers, campers, and those engaging with natural resources go about outdoor activities the responsible way.

Hawaiian Electric Company will host Emergency Preparedness Open Houses in Upcountry and West Maui to discuss their Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program. A separate event is planned in Central Maui as part of the Maui County Disaster Preparedness Expo.

Hawai‘i communities and organizations are encouraged to apply for Kaulunani forestry grants that promote trees in places where people live, work, learn and play. The DLNR Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program is providing support to entities that promote the protection and enhancement of urban and community forests in their community spaces. 

Tajima Ramen, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in San Diego and Tijuana, announced the grand opening of its first location in Hawaiʻi on the island of Maui. The new restaurant, located in the Kukui Mall opened its doors to the public on June 10. Restaurant owner, Sam Morikizono and his talented staff, have built a reputation for delivering high-quality handmade dishes, with a commitment to the purity of taste and style.

Ed Sniffen, Director of the State Department of Transportation, will provide an update at the meeting. The County Office of Recovery will also provide an update.

The University of Hawaiʻi and State of Hawaiʻi have committed $5 million in the 2024-25 Hawaiʻi Promise Scholarship fund to help prospective and current UH Community College students afford and access higher education.

A bill that would allow counties to levy as much as a five-fold increase of monetary fines for fire safety violations is awaiting action by Gov. Josh Green.

Hawaiʻi on the Hill, a partnership between Sen. Hirono and the Chamber of Commerce (CoC) Hawaiʻi, was a four-day event that provided members of the Hawaiʻi business community with the opportunity to meet directly with Congressional leaders and Administration officials, while also showcasing Hawaiʻi businesses and products to Members of Congress, their staff, and the D.C. community. This year, dozens of individuals from across the islands, representing nearly 60 Hawaiʻi businesses and nonprofits from the state, were in attendance.

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. marked a milestone as it formally recognized the grand opening of Maui Bay Villas, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club, located on 27 acres in South Maui.