Maui News

Today marks the end of Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald’s service on the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court. He is stepping down in accordance with the State of Hawaiʻi’s constitutional requirement that judges and justices retire at the age of 70.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority invites Maui County residents to participate in community input sessions, which will provide an opportunity for community members to share their insights, experiences and ideas on the future of tourism on their island.

Hawai‘i Island police are investigating a traffic crash involving a County of Hawai‘i Hele-On bus that occurred early Tuesday morning, Sept. 30, 2025, along Māmalahoa Highway, (Highway 19), in Laupāhoehoe that sent 22 people to the hospital. 

For every $200 raised, the Maui Health Foundation will be able to fund a mammogram for a woman in need on Maui and Lāna‘i.

US Sens. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaiʻi) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) have introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Impact Aid Program and designating Sept. 30, 2025, as “Impact Aid Recognition Day.”

The County of Maui Commission on Children & Youth is collaborating with community partners Hoʻoikaika Partnership and Kākou for Keiki to place posters on County buses to increase public awareness in helping parents and caregivers boost children’s early brain and language development.

Maui United Way organized efforts this past Saturday to protect one Lahainaluna High School and the surrounding community. Sitting upwind of Lahaina town, the campus needed a critical buffer against future wildfires, especially during a season of severe drought.

Maui County Council members have given initial approval to Bill 92, which authorizes the mayor to enter into an agreement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for Maui County to participate in a Joint Terrorism Task Force, Honolulu Division. Passed Friday, the measure advances to the full Council for second-and-final reading.

Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center, in partnership with East Maui Watershed Partnership, presents Mālama Wao Akua 2025, a juried art exhibition on view from Sept. 12 to Nov. 7, 2025. This exhibition brings together artists, conservationists, and community members to celebrate and protect the native species of Maui, Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, and Kaho‘olawe.

The document signed by Gov. Josh Green and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll reflects a shared understanding about how Hawaiʻi and the Army will discuss protecting lands used by the military, while also supporting national security.

Pāʻia Elementary School will remain closed to students and staff through Friday, Oct. 3, as post-fire restoration efforts continue. Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 1, the school will pivot to asynchronous (self-paced) distance learning.

To ensure safety and efficiency for 98th Maui County Fair participants and area motorists, the County of Maui has coordinated free shuttle services, free and paid parking areas, rideshare sites and traffic impacts for the event from Oct. 2-5, 2025, at the War Memorial Special Events Complex in Wailuku.

As a volunteer group with Adopt-A-Highway, the airport firefighting team cares for a challenging two-mile stretch of Haleakalā Highway, from mileposts 0 to 2, taking on what program officials describe as one of the dirtiest highway segments on Maui. Their dedication has resulted in the removal of almost 100 bags of trash from the state highway with the help of over 50 volunteers in 2025 alone.

The Maui Job Corps Center is officially open, fully operating, and currently looking to enroll 98 new students ages 16 to 24.

The long-anticipated Lānaʻi Farmers Market – a collaboration among County of Maui and nonprofit partners – will kick off this Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon at Lāna‘i Entry Park (next to the fire station) and continue every first Saturday of the month.

The Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission is holding evidentiary hearings from Sept. 29 through Oct. 3 on Young Brothers’ proposals to reset customer rates and establish a new mechanism for annual rate adjustments based on inflation. The proposal is aimed at achieving financial stability.

Maui Economic Opportunity earned The Founders’ Award from the advisory, audit and accounting firm SAX. The first place finish came with a $20,000 gift, according to the announcement, made on Thursday.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa launched a new educational video emphasizing community collaboration in the fight against the devastating Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) that threatens Hawaiʻi’s native forests.

From plantation fields to the modern fashion runway, the iconic checkerboard pattern known as palaka is more than a fabric; it’s a symbol of Hawaiʻi’s history, resilience and identity. According to a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa fashion expert, the historic textile is experiencing a resurgence, solidifying its place as the “denim of Hawaiʻi.”

Gov. Josh Green today has ordered the flags of the United States and state of Hawai‘i to be flown at half-staff at all state offices and agencies, as well as the Hawai‘i National Guard, in solemn condolences to the victims of gun violence at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan.