High court clears path for $4 billion wildfire settlement payments

Aloha United Way’s 211 Statewide Helpline handled 99,576 contacts, including calls, texts, and online requests, marking the highest volume since 2021, when communities were still facing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kaiser Permanente reports these initiatives represent an investment in the community, offering students from intermediate school to college the chance to gain real-world experience, earn college credit, and explore their passions right here on Maui.

Council Member Kauanoe Batangan, who took office Jan. 5, announced today that he plans to host his first town hall Feb. 27 from 5-7 p.m. at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.

US Reps. Jill Tokuda, a Democrat from Hawaiʻi, and Neal Dunn, a Republican from Florida—members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party—introduced the Rare Earth Magnet Market Revitalization Act. The bill is aimed at strengthen America’s supply chains, protect national security, and rebuild domestic manufacturing capacity for rare earth magnets — critical components used in everything from missiles to cars to cell phones.

Maui County will host a candlelight vigil at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 for residents to join in shared commitment to aloha, unity, peace and compassion. The event will be held on the Kalana O Maui front lawn at 200 S. High St. in Wailuku. #vigil #aloha

US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaiʻi joined Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and eight colleagues in writing a letter urging the Trump Administration to halt enforcement actions against minors and develop policies aimed at protecting them.

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that insurance companies cannot intervene in the $4 billion Maui wildfire settlement, removing a legal hurdle for thousands of survivors awaiting compensation.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists use tiny features within crystals in erupted lava to answer big questions about the underlying plumbing system at Kīlauea.

Hawai‘i Community Foundation announced a combined award of $6.34 million to Hawaiian Community Assets to expand the Ua Hale A‘ela program, a transformative initiative providing safe, affordable housing and clear pathways to homeownership for families affected by the devastating Maui wildfires.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa will debut Lele Wale, a new hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre work) that takes audiences on a journey of community rebuilding in the wake of the Lahaina wildfires. The production honors those who were lost, those who survived, and those who still carry the weight of rebuilding on Maui. Performances run March 4–8 in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre at Kennedy Theatre.

The cold, wet and rainy day in Volcano didn’t stop any of those who participated in the nonprofit’s Aloka the Peace Dog Walk for Peace this past weekend from showing their support for compassion, love and peace.

In 2025, the University of Hawaiʻi System has achieved 20.49% of its goal to become net-zero, according to a recent report submitted to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature. The target is for all 10 UH campuses to produce as much renewable energy as they consume by Jan. 1, 2035.