#Kula

Imagine an outdoor classroom on the green grassy slope of a volcano, where the teacher is on horseback, and the students are learning about the soil, water and plants around them. This imaginary classroom is real—it comes to life once a year during the “Agriculture in the Classroom” Field Trip, an annual educational event put on by Maui County Farm Bureau.

Habitat for Humanity Maui celebrated the dedication of two newly constructed homes to Native Hawaiian families in Kula earlier this year. These homes mark another milestone in Habitat Maui’s ongoing commitment to building strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.

Removing black wattle is important to fire mitigation in Kula because the invasive species burns fast and it chokes out more fire-resistant native species.

Hawaiian Electric will continue to use unmanned aircraft, or drones, for aerial inspections of its infrastructure in Nāpili and Pu‘ukoli‘i on Thursday, May 8, as well as in Kula on Friday, May 9, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days, weather permitting. 

New Kula Ball Fields’ parking lots will close for asphalt maintenance and repairs on Thursday, May 1, through Friday, May 2, 2025, and again on Friday, May 9, 2025, according to the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation. 

Hawaiian Electric will continue to use unmanned aircraft, or drones, for aerial inspections of its infrastructure in various areas of Upcountry Maui on weekdays throughout the month of April, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., weather permitting. The inspections will take place in parts of Olinda, Piʻiholo, Kula, Kēōkea and ʻUlupalakua.

Upcountry residents have relied for years on cesspools, which are required under state law to be eliminated by 2050.

A Kula man has been arrested in connection with the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) discovered on Aug. 7, 2024, near Kaʻamana Street in Kula. Maui police say Jess Lee, 43, was arrested as a result of a coordinated effort between the MPD and FBI.

“There’s very, very traditional ways to fight fire. And with the weather that we’re facing now, we have to sometimes think outside the box, how it’s going to impact communities faster,” Maui Fire Chief Brad Ventura said.

“It’s distressing to all of us, even if it’s not coming right in our nearest vicinity, it’s still triggering, as it would be for anybody, either in Lahaina or Kula, that went through what we went through last year,” said Melissa James of The Ohana Animal Inn in Kula.

After decades of leasing Kula land from the Von Tempsky family for County of Maui facilities, such as the community center, the County of Maui has negotiated terms to acquire the land beneath the community center and adjacent facilities for public use in perpetuity, according to an announcement today by Mayor Richard Bissen. Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura will propose funding for the acquisition at the first reading of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

The state Department of Transportation will be conducting road work this week that will result in lane closures at various locations. Lane closure schedules may change at any time without further notice. All projects are weather permitting.

Maui activities for HMSA members include opportunities for free admission to Maui Ocean Center and Kula Country Farms.

At Haleakalā National Park yesterday, the Director of Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and conservationists involved in Birds, Not Mosquitoes, shed light on the ongoing project to save native birds on East Maui. 

Six months after the devastating Maui wildfires, US Rep. Ed Case (HI-01) released a comprehensive guide to federal resources to assist Hawai‘i in preventing, mitigating and responding to continuing wildfire risks across the state.

Air sampling and testing will continue throughout fire debris removal to ensure the work does not significantly impact the air quality of Lahaina or Kula.

On Tuesday, contractors removed debris from a private property in Kula, marking the start of Phase 2 of the US Army Corps of Engineers’ debris removal program for Upcountry residents affected by the Aug. 8, wildfires.

Free animated films featuring trolls and a singing crocodile provide family fun and are among the top 20 things to do this week on Maui. Find our comprehensive listing HERE.

The Maui Fire Department said the total estimated amount of acres for the Lahaina fire is around 2,170.

Starting at 9 a.m. tomorrow, a shower trailer with one shower stall and one washer and dryer will be available for public use in the parking lot of Anytime Fitness at 24 Kiopaa St. in Makawao.