Maui News

Robert Francis Dumaran, age 47, of Kahului, Maui, made his initial appearance in United States District Court today. The complaint and affidavit allege that on July 23, 2024, Maui Police Department officers encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) near Lono Ave. in Kahului. The complaint alleges that Dumaran’s fingerprints were recovered from packing tape used to build the IED.

In response to Hawaiʻi’s ongoing health care worker shortage, a Kaiser Permanente radiologist and a group of talented students from Maui High School worked together to raise awareness and provide learning opportunities for youth interested in the health care field. This initiative, which has been five years in the making, introduces students to careers in health care through a website built entirely by the Maui students. 

Hale Mahaolu, a nonprofit affordable housing provider, today announced that Anders Lyons has been appointed executive director of the organization. Lyons previously served as the nonprofit’s board president. Hale Mahaolu, which has a portfolio of 13 properties with more than 1,000 units of affordable housing, also announced that its executive director, Grant Chun, will retire and that Trevor Tokishi has been named board president.

The Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole on Hawaiʻi Island is the recipient of $49.6 million in grant funding from the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration. The funds will be used to rehabilitate Runway 17/35 to enhance safety at the facility.

To ensure reliable service, maintenance utility pole work that will impact area traffic along Dairy Road fronting the Maui Marketplace in Kahului will take place today, Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No service interruptions are planned for this work. The work was originally scheduled for Aug. 5 and 6.

A Super Reefs Open House will be held from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. today at Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. The event will feature short talks, demonstrations, touch tanks and refreshments.

First-term Maui County Council Member Tom Cook finished 145 votes ahead of former Council Member Kelly Takaya King in Saturday’s primary election by winning all Central Maui precincts and splitting votes with his rival Upcountry and in West Maui. In her bid to retake her former South Maui residency seat, King prevailed in all precincts from North Kīhei to Mākena and posted strong showings in East Maui.

Maui police issued an update today saying their investigation into the improvised explosive device (IED) incident that occurred in Pukalani on Aug. 8, 2024 remains active. Police said that they are unable to share investigative details at this time because they do not want to compromise the investigation; however, authorities anticipate being able to release information in the near future.

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation will accept registration forms through Wednesday, Aug.14, for its upcoming department-sponsored Menehune Basketball League.  All boys and girls in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades who are interested in playing basketball mayregister. There is no cost to participate, and all players who register will be placed […]

Day of Hope and Prayer was highlighted by a heartfelt musical and artistic performance by ʻUlalena, a beloved Lahaina-based group that headlined Lahaina’s Maui Theater for two decades. With many original cast and crew members, the ʻUlalena throwback performance Sunday brought hopeful tears, and standing ovations.

The University of Hawaiʻi set another extramural funding record with $615.7 million in fiscal year 2024. This marks the third consecutive year that UH has topped half a billion dollars in funding with a record-setting total that is a $99.8 million or a 19.3% increase over UH’s previous record of $515.9 million set in FY 2023. Extramural funding is external investments from […]

In honor of the Maui wildfire remembrance of Aug. 8, The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas installed a Kapa Kuiki Quilt, in their hotel lobby. The 16 panels that make up the quilt, tell stories of the history of Lahaina in a design by artists of ʻohana o Pūnana Leo o Maui. The Westin Nanea obtained the Lahaina tribute quilt in an auction at the most recent Ho‘omau event and installed the piece of symbolism for public display on the one-year anniversary of the Maui wildfires.

A pilot program is now in place, providing water-from-air generators, water bottles, and UV lights and replacement filters to the Hawai’i Technology Academy. It’s part of a larger program to bring clean drinking water to schools all over the Island. The announcement was made by the nonprofit Eye of the Needle Holistic Living organization.

Beginning this month, Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education (Hawaiʻi P-20) and GEAR UP Hawaiʻi will launch the first in a series of its free workshops, held virtually and in-person, statewide to assist with high school students’ postsecondary education planning. All events are free of charge. Online Financial Aid Workshops will begin August 21 and will be held on Wednesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. through Oct. 2.

Maui Police Department Sgt. Kaena Brown was recognized as the “Hawaiʻi Instructor of the Year,” an award issued by L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence), a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence.

Following a comprehensive search, Maui Food Bank has named Lisa Paulson as chief executive officer, effective Aug. 19, 2024. The appointment comes at a critical time as the organization addresses a 65% surge in food insecurity needs due to the recent Maui wildfires.

After marking one year since devastating wildfires swept through West Maui and Upcountry, state, county and federal leaders gathered to recap response and ongoing recovery. The fires destroying the town of Lahaina, claiming the lives of 102 people and leaving thousands displaced. The process toward recovery is ongoing with housing of wildfire survivors remaining a key focal point.

Step into the Roaring ‘20s at Maui Ocean Center’s next “Sharks After Dark” event from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17. The 21-and-older night will feature live swing music, a 360-degree photo booth and showings of the immersive “Humpbacks of Hawai’i” 3D experience. Themed attire is encouraged.

Prizes are on the line for a statewide kūpuna spelling bee coming to Oʻahu this October.

The road has since reopened. Maui Now reached out to police on Sunday regarding details surrounding this incident. Information is forthcoming.