Maui News

The state Department of Health is reporting a COVID-19 count of 3,178 new cases today, including 225 on Maui, 16 on Molokaʻi, and 14 on Lānaʻi.

The rapid spread of the omicron variant has caused a surge in demand for COVID-19 testing at Kaiser Permanente and other health care organizations.

January was established as the Island of Hawai‘i’s annual Volcano Awareness Month in 2010 as part of an effort to increase understanding of Hawaiian volcanoes among residents and visitors. Important eruption anniversaries in January include the start of Kīlauea’s long-lived Pu‘u‘ō‘ō eruption on the middle East Rift Zone (1983–2018) and the 1960 Kapoho eruption. Until 2018, these were the two most destructive recent eruptions of Kīlauea. 

After a couple years of catering and home deliveries, Crema Maui, a boutique espresso bar, recently opened its first location in Pukalani. Owner Andrea Riggins, along with partner, Asher Boyle, launched the spot in September — and it’s already generating quite the buzz.

The Sentry Tournament of Champions announced its final field of competitors for the upcoming event, with 39 PGA TOUR winners from the 2021 calendar year officially committing to the PGA TOUR’s annual stop on Maui.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Advisory for the island of Maui until 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022.

The state Department of Health is reporting a COVID-19 count of 2,710 new cases today.

After NASA launches the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on a historic mission this month, scientists anticipate their first glimpses of the most distant objects ever seen in the universe using UH-designed sensors.

The driver of a moped who lost control of the vehicle and was ejected onto the roadway in Wailuku died at the scene early this morning, police said. The identity of the 32-year-old male from Wailuku is being withheld pending family notification.

Maui police responded to 7 burglaries, 14 vehicle thefts and 19 vehicle break-ins in Maui County over a seven day period from Dec. 5 to 11, 2021.

The driver of a motorcycle who was speeding on Honoapiilani Highway before losing control of the vehicle, being ejected onto the roadway and getting struck by another vehicle early this morning died at the scene, police said.

US Senators Brian Schatz and Sherrod Brown, and nine other senators called on Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna to increase COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries to help tackle the global disparities in accessing the vaccine.

Maui Economic Opportunity’s Youth Services participants and staff were among those who volunteered at a holiday food distribution event at Waiola Church in Lahaina on Christmas Eve.

The state Department of Transportation is working on several road projects that will result in lane closures through Jan. 7, 2022.

In light of record-breaking COVID-19 numbers, Lee said she appreciated Gov. David Ige issuing an emergency proclamation on Thursday that allows for exclusively online meetings to continue through Feb. 28.

At 1:26 p.m., radar showed heavy rain over both the north and south slopes of Haleakalā that was falling at a rate of 1-2 inches per hour. The pubic can expect rising streams over windward Haleakalā and water flowing in previously dry gulches around and west of Kīpahulu.

Traditional Makahiki customs were passed along to 10 keiki in the Maui Economic Opportunity Youth Services program. The lessons were taught by Kumu Teva Medeiros during a planned outing on Tuesday, Dec. 28, at Ulua Beach in Kīhei, Maui.

57% of Maui Now survey respondents are very concerned about inflation, 36% are somewhat concerned, 5% are not very concerned and 2% are not at all concerned.

As a reminder, consumer fireworks can only be legally ignited from 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m. New Year’s Day.

The US Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded more than $14 million in grants, including $508,000 to the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, for projects that reduce diesel emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of older, dirtier engines and vehicles.