Maui News

This month’s Hawaiian Music Series will take place on Thursday, Dec. 28 at 6 p.m., at Hale Hoʻikeʻike at the Bailey House Museum in Wailuku. This free event will feature well-known musicians Wilson Kanakaʻole and Jarret Roback.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is providing year-to-date traffic fatality statistics for 2023 as it continues to promote responsible driving habits to keep roads safe. As of Dec. 13, 2023, 92 fatalities caused by motor vehicle collisions were reported statewide. While there has been improvement in overall driving behavior, the number of fatalities by motorcycle collisions has been consistently high for multiple years.

Holidays For Lahaina along with the help of donors, have organized a Christmas For Lahaina celebration. The event will take place on Thursday, Dec, 21, 2023, at 6 p.m., at The Ritz Carlton, Kapalua, West Maui. The event is NOT open to the public.

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for Lānaʻi and portions of Hawaiʻi Island as a cold front continues to push south of the Big Island this morning.

Weekly air sampling conducted by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health in Kula continues to show good air quality.

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency and the County of Maui are using the 3D technology to better visualize the extent of damage in Lahaina as they design a recovery plan.   

The Emergency Prescription Assistance Program program will be available through the end of its current activation period, ending Dec. 16, 2023. Individuals enrolled in the program are urged to fill/renew their prescriptions before the EPAP closes. 

In light of the recent wildfires on Maui and in Mililani Mauka and the continued forecast for drought conditions throughout the state, both state and city leaders hosted a Wildfire Prevention and Disaster Preparedness Workshop.

Organization leaders say the grant will play a pivotal role in fortifying connections within the Native Hawaiian community and aligns with OHA’s commitment to strategic directions that include quality housing, educational pathways, economic stability and health outcomes.

Choice Health Bar makes a comeback to the Westside, reopening their location at Whalers Village in Kāʻanapali this week. The Whalers Village location is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Point Break Pizza & Panini is now open at Maui Harbor Shops in Māʻalaea. Signature menu items include Warm Focaccia with Honey Butter, Rochetta Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette, Spicy Italian & Carbonara Pizzas along with homemade focaccia breads, fennel sausages, dressings and pickles.

Although Battery Bonus is closed on O‘ahu the program will continue to be available to customers on Maui until June 30, 2024, or a cap of 15 MW is reached, whichever comes first.

The program is dedicated to Native Hawaiian families that experienced transportation loss due to the Maui wildfires in August 2023. The program provides vehicle financing with deferred payments for 12 months and a one time grant of up to $5,000 to replace a vehicle lost in the fires.

Space still available for Kaiser Permanente’s Hawaii Health Access Program for Maui residents who aren’t eligible for Medicaid or other health plans. Apply before open enrollment ends Jan. 16, 2024.

CocoNene, a local brand known for its made in Hawaii products, announced the grand opening of their new store in Māʻalaea, Maui at the Maui Harbor Shops. This new location marks a poignant milestone for the brand’s recovery journey after the loss of their Lahaina flagship store.

The Homestead Community Development Corporation nonprofit received a funding award from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Kakoʻo Community Grant Program.  HCDC is the nonprofit arm of several Homestead Beneficiary Associations, including the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations.  

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) met with Housing and Urban Development officials on Tuesday to discuss the agency’s efforts to support federal housing residents impacted by the Maui fires.

Registration for Day of Hope opens Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Lahaina Civic Center.  The event will be emceed by local comedians Da Braddahs and offers a range of resources and activities including free hot meals, groceries, baby supplies, entertainment, photos with Santa and more. 

Reentry into the 83 zones established for the 2,170 acres in the five-mile Lahaina impact area concluded more than a week ahead of schedule. The process started with the first residential zone opening for reentry Sept. 25 and 26 on Kaniau Road.

An elegant and impactful, new, coffee-table book titled MĀLAMA MAUI: Music Photography from Lahaina, has just been released. One hundred percent of the profits from sales of the book will be donated to the Maui United Way Fire Disaster Relief Fund.