Maui News

KWC Management, LLC, the hospitality investment management company of Kemmons Wilson Companies, today announced its acquisition of Montage Kapalua Bay.

UHA Health Insurance has donated $25,000 to fund a temporary obstetrics position at nonprofit Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center, which is facing unprecedented demand with the recent closure of the island’s only private obstetrics practice.

Central Pacific Bank announced a new initiative called Meals 4 Maui, which partners with Chef Hui to provide locally sourced nutritious meals to residents impacted by the Maui wildfires, while supporting local small businesses and farmers.

Ke Ao Hāliʻi, a Hāna-based nonprofit community organization, in partnership with the County of Maui, State of Hawaiʻi, and Hawai‘i Land Trust, has completed the purchase of 8.6 acres of Hāmoa lands for permanent cultural preservation and stewardship. The County of Maui contributed $800,000 and the State of Hawaiʻi Legacy Land Conservation Program contributed $247,500 toward the purchase.

The wildfires and their destructive aftermath created a prominent backdrop in the discussions about Lahaina. Three Lahaina residents reflected on nostalgic moments as they shared their earliest memories of Lahaina. This is Part 1 in a 3 part series.

Today marks Day 3 of the 22nd Annual Native Hawaiian Convention, taking place at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.  The four-day event was moved to Maui this year to uplift its voices and people following the Aug. 8 wildfires.  

Organizers of the Kōkua for Maui program announced the upcoming shopping and craft fair events, inviting the public to extend their aloha to Maui businesses impacted by the devastating August wildfires. 

The County of Maui’s Department of Finance Accounts Division was awarded for “excellence in financial reporting” by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada on Nov. 1, 2023.

The Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation has selected EAH Housing to develop the Kahului Civic Center Mixed-Use Complex. The project is expected to break ground in 2027, with the first phase anticipated to be completed by 2029. The project includes a transit hub, civic center component, and 303 affordable housing units.

After two well pumps were repaired, the mandatory need to conserve water in South Maui has been lifted today, according to a County of Maui Department of Water Supply announcement. The department continues to encourage water conservation during drought.

Today is Utility Scam Awareness Day and Hawaiian Electric wants to remind customers that it doesn’t accept payment via cryptocurrency, prepaid debit cards, gift cards or money transfer.

The Fifth Annual Hannah Brown Memorial Impaired Driving Awareness Checkpoint and holiday sign-waving event takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement invites Lahaina residents to participate in a discussion on a Debris Removal Program, happening Thursday, Nov. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the McCoy Studio Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

The first meeting takes place on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at the Kula Elementary School cafeteria. The meetings continue at 6 p.m. every Thursday in November and December as debris cleanup progresses, with the exception of holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, 2023. 

Recent studies led by University of Hawai’i at Mānoa scientists have revealed the mechanisms behind strike-slip faults on Titan and Ganymede, providing insights for future space exploration.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is nearing the end of processing hundreds of thousands of lithium-ion batteries from burned electric/hybrid vehicles and solar battery energy storage systems from the Maui wildfires and shipping them to Nevada for recycling.

Today marks Day Two of the 22nd Annual Native Hawaiian Convention, taking place at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.  The four-day event was moved to Maui this year to uplift its voices and people following the Aug. 8 wildfires. 

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education is reaching out to potential vendors, including farmers and distributors, to gather product information and feedback as part of an effort to increase locally sourced food in public schools.

For entertainment this week on Maui, there are performances by the Great American Jazz Piano Competition finalist Jeff Hellmer & Friends, three-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano winner Kevin Brown and Maui Prep actors in Beauty and the Beast, as well as a Winter Craft Fair and the 50th Maui County Senior Fair.

Maui Managing Director, Kekuhaupio “Keku” Akana, will retire from the County of Maui effective Dec. 31. He was Mayor Richard Bissen’s first cabinet appointment following the 2022 elections. In deciding to retire, Akana pointed to wanting to spend more time with his ʻohana including seven grandchildren.