Maui News

Whatʻs on the minds of Maui residents? This version of Maui Nowʻs letters to the editor includes opposing views about the vaccine, COVID-19 government mandates, support for Dr. Lorrin Pang, disappointment with adminstration At Kekaulike High School and plea for people not to dehumanize homeless people.

After much speculation, the Sears Maui store is officially scheduled to close on Nov. 14, 2021, company officials tell Maui Now.

County officials say the temporary closure is needed to safeguard public safety during the area’s planned clean-up that will require heavy equipment to remove derelict vehicles and solid waste from the area.  

Over the next several months the Maui County Charter Commission will discuss 130 charter amendment proposals that will be considered for placement on the November 2022 ballot.  At its meeting on Thursday, the Commission chose not to adopt seven of the proposals placed before it, deferred action on another, and transferred two to the County Council.  

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers restaurant is planning to open its first Maui location in early 2022 in Kahului.

Rosanna Pansino, host of HBO’s “Baketopia” and a “Nerdy Nummies” YouTube star, will lead an online cupcake decorating tutorial event for children on Halloween, Oct. 31, from 1 to 2 pm.

There were 581 additional COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i on Friday, including 69 on Maui and one on Molokaʻi. There were also 15 new deaths reported today.

There were 101,199 successful uploads to the Hawai‘i SMART Health Card application, since it launched last week Friday.

Hospital administrators said test positivity is “moving in the right direction,” but urged vigilance saying the surge is not over.

More than 2,000 pounds of food was distributed on Molokaʻi on Thursday, Sept. 16, outside Maui Economic Opportunity offices in Kaunakakai.

The program will assist homesteaders struggling to pay their mortgage, utilities, property taxes, insurance, or association fees as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The girl’s biological aunty who lives on Maui just returned to the Valley Isle after four days of searching on Oʻahu. “Ariel, we love you. Come out wherever you are. We want to bring you home and just hope and pray you’re safe. We’re not going to stop looking for you.”

he County of Maui is seeking applicants to fill multiple vacancies on county boards, commissions, councils and committees. The application deadline is Nov. 15, 2021.

The community input will guide the land use plan, policies and actions in the draft South Maui Community Plan update.

Fifteen “sub-actions” are underway to fulfill the Lāna‘i Destination Management Action Plan approved in January 2021 to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism over a three-year period.

Conservation groups in Hawai‘i represented by Earthjustice sent a notice of intent to sue the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui for alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act if the hotel does not fix lights that the groups says are impacting native seabirds.

There were 588 additional COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i on Thursday, including 53 on Maui and four on Molokaʻi.

Da Shrimp Hale at the Maui Mall and Da Shrimp Hale West at Lahaina Gateway, are offering takeout only for the interim. A note to patrons stated, “This was a hard decision for us to make. This new mandate will be a negative impact to us entirely. Not just as a locally owned family business, but to our staff and our community. We refuse to DENY anyone because of vaccination eligibility.”

The Maui Humane Society hosts its first public adoption event in over a year and a half on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Organization leaders say the event is organized to address the overwhelming number of pets (almost 500) that are currently at the shelter and in foster care.

The County of Maui Department of Fire & Public Safety announced today the selection of Fire Chief Brad Ventura. Selection was conducted by the Maui Fire and Public Safety Commission and will take effect on Oct. 1, 2021.