Second Kona low storm showed flood risks in Lahaina’s fire-bared landscape

The Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee conducted a preliminary review last week of the Department of Housing in preparation for the Council’s annual budget deliberations.

The Maui Fire Department responded to 15 incidents directly related to the Kona Storm 2 that affected the state over the weekend.

The Maui Fire Department, in consultation with the Maui Police Department, suspended the search for the 71-year-old woman, who reportedly slipped into the Wailuku (ʻĪao) River near the Waiehu bridge on Saturday morning.

Bourbon Neat LLC is seeking permits to build a $2.5 million single-family home on a vacant lot at 1191 Front St. in Lahaina. The project has triggered a formal environmental review due to its location within a historic landmark district. The proposed one-story, 1,830-square-foot residence includes a 600-square-foot, two-car garage and a 321-square-foot lānai. The […]

MEO bus services on Molokaʻi are slowly returning to normal following the recent kona storms, with the exception of the East route.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Education reports that school will reopen on Wednesday on Maui and Molokaʻi; but storm impacted school closures continue at select campuses on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island.

Hawaiian Electric is alerting customers to a string of scams mostly targeting businesses on Oʻahu and Maui that are likely connected, including an incident last week involving a man who approached the front desk of a Waikīkī hotel and warned that power would be shut off within an hour if payment was not made by calling “Hawaiian Electric.”

The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity announced the establishment of the Emergency Farmer Relief Program for farmers and ranchers statewide who were impacted by the recent storm systems – Kona Low 1 and Kona Low 2. Farms, ranches and businesses may apply to receive a one-time grant of $1,500 to address immediate needs resulting from the storm. A total of $500,000 has been authorized for this emergency grant program from DAB restricted funds. 

Convened by the Hawaiʻi Coordination Cell, 150 participants gathered to discuss community concerns on military lease renewals, emphasizing the impacts to the environment and culture.

State lawmakers bluntly rebuked the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office after the agency admitted a $1 billion calculation error in a study promoting liquefied natural gas imports.

The Maui Food Bank is coordinating with local partner agencies and the Maui Emergency Management Agency to support mass feeding efforts on Molokaʻi following recent severe weather impacts.

Gov. Josh Green has submitted a formal request to the President of the United States for a Major Disaster Declaration to support statewide recovery efforts, following two consecutive kona low storm systems that caused widespread damage across Hawaiʻi.