Maui News

The ACLU acknowledges that “those rights are based not on race, but on the rights of Native Hawaiians as a unique, Indigenous people who have never relinquished their sovereignty or settled their claims with the United States.” 

A brush fire reported in the area of Kahiapo Place in Haʻikū has since been extinguished as of 9:04 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. The fire was first reported at 7:16 a.m.

This Sunday, Pilikahakai Foundation’s Cultures and Coastlines Speaker Series presents a hana hou (encore) event at Maui Ocean Center’s Sphere – Using Coral Genetics to Empower Local Stewardship of Maui Reefs. The community is invited to a free, family friendly event exploring how science and culture can work together to protect Hawai‘i’s reefs.

The Kahului SONIC team has earned a spot among the Top 12 in the nation out of more than 3,100 teams and will compete in the final round of the Dr Pepper SONIC Games competition in Nashville on Oct. 5 — an exciting first-time Mainland experience for many of the team members. 

To maintain safe and reliable service, Hawaiian Electric will be working to upgrade equipment on Haleakalā Highway, between Koloa Street and Dairy Road, on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For the safety of the public and crews, the work requires the partial closure of the makai (ocean-side) lane of Haleakalā Highway in this area.

The winners have been announced for the 18th Annual Kū Mai Ka Hula Competition, held on Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13 in Castle Theater at Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority announced the leadership of its new advisory board committees on Friday. Maui resident Lisa Paulson is chairing a committee focused on destination stewardship, Hawaiian culture and workforce development.

Kiwanis Division 22 Lt. Gov. Kelsey Okuda has announced the finalists for the Kiwanis Kūpuna Spelling Bee Final, following preliminary competitions held across the state.

The J. Walter Cameron Center invites the community to its Open House on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, offering an opportunity to learn about the wide range of services and programs available to Maui residents.

Seabird fallout season is underway and young ʻOu (Bulwer’s Petrels) are already being found on the ground. The season begins with fledging ʻOu leaving their nests, followed later by an increase in downed ʻUaʻu kani (Wedge-tailed Shearwaters), which peak in numbers around mid- to late-November.

Laʻakea Village invites the Maui community to join in the celebration of their Annual Fall Family Festival on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 639 Baldwin Ave., Pāʻia, Maui 96779. This fun-filled community fundraiser promises a day of connection, creativity, and entertainment in support of Laʻakea Village’s programs serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Chef Allan Alquisalas Jr. has joined the restaurant as chef de cuisine, while resort veteran Chef Chance Savell has been promoted to executive sous chef. Together, they join Executive Chef Ritchard Cariaga to shape the next chapter of Ka’ana Kitchen, blending innovation with a deep connection to Maui’s rich culinary traditions. 

Hawaiʻi residents with hypertension (high blood pressure) who struggle to afford healthy food will soon receive a powerful new prescription from their doctors: fresh, local produce. A new program will provide patients with $100 a month in vouchers to buy fruits, vegetables and poi at local farmers’ markets and grocery stores.

The first-ever Ka Pewa Youth Summit brought together nearly 240 students from high schools across Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi yesterday at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. The day-long summit was filled with hope, energy, and optimism as youth gathered to share their voices, engage in conversation with industry leaders, and imagine solutions for their future in Maui Nui.

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation announced the next concert of its popular Hawaiian Music Series, showcasing local Hawaiian falsetto artist Leimana Purdy. This family-friendly and free event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the Ocean Lawn of the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in Kāʻanapali.

Meyer Cummins, a land surveyor in the Land Survey Division at the Department of Accounting and General Services has an interesting genealogy that connects him with major historical figures in Molokaʻi’s land history.

Families and professionals are invited to register for ECHO Autism Hawaiʻi’s free virtual learning sessions, an opportunity to gain practical strategies and expert support to improve support for autistic individuals.

The annual fledging of Newell’s shearwaters (ʻAʻo) and Hawaiian petrels (ʻUaʻu) on Kauaʻi starts Sept. 15 and runs through Dec. 15, marking a critical period for two of Hawaiʻi’s most threatened seabirds.

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents the dynamic African a cappella group, Nobuntu, in a MACC Presents concert in the Castle Theater, on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 pm. Tickets go on sale online only at 10 a.m. to MACC members on Monday, Sept. 15, and to the general public on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

Kīhei residents are invited to attend the Kīhei Community Association meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Pro Arts Playhouse in Azeka Makai. Doors open at 6 p.m.