Maui County Signs Friendship City Pact with Japanese City Linked by Disaster Recovery
Multiple Maui County sources report that Mayor Richard Bissen formalized a Friendship City agreement with Higashimatsushima City, Japan, during a signing ceremony at the Kalana O Maui County building on July 8. The partnership, rooted in shared disaster recovery experiences, grew from the Kibou for Maui program connecting Lahainaluna High School students with the Japanese […]
Free Lahaina Homecoming Event July 17–19 to Reunite 103 Displaced Residents
A three-day community event called Lahaina Homecoming will take place July 17–19, 2026, bringing 103 former Lahaina residents back to Maui with sponsored airfare while opening cultural programming and resources to the general public. The free event runs July 17–19 at Lahaina Cannery Mall, Lahaina United Methodist Church, and Campbell Park. 103 former residents from […]
Kaiser Permanente to Open New Lahaina Clinic with Maui Health Partnership
Kaiser Permanente and Maui Health announced plans to open a permanent clinic in Lahaina, replacing the facility destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires. The partnership aims to expand healthcare access for West Maui residents and visitors. Kaiser Permanente will partner with Maui Health to establish a new permanent clinic in Lahaina, nearly three years after […]
County Hosts Lahaina Rebuild Open House July 15 with General Contractor
Multiple sources report that Maui County’s Office of Recovery is holding a public open house on July 15, 2026, for wildfire-impacted homeowners to meet the contractor selected for the Hoʻokumu Hou reconstruction program. The event is aimed at helping eligible homeowners understand their rebuilding options and next steps. Applications for up to $1.2 million in […]
Free 3-Day Event to Bring 103 Displaced Lahaina Residents Home in July
The inaugural Lahaina Homecoming event runs July 17–19, 2026, reuniting 103 former residents — representing 20 families — who were displaced by the 2023 wildfire. The free, public event is organized by the Maui Economic Recovery Commission and held at multiple Lahaina venues. Lahaina Homecoming is a free, three-day public event scheduled for July 17–19, […]
Lawsuit Seeks to Block Law Streamlining Lahaina Rebuild Permits
Environmental nonprofit Maui Tomorrow Foundation has sued to invalidate Act 070, a state law that exempts many Lahaina reconstruction projects from Special Management Area permit requirements. The law was specifically crafted to accelerate rebuilding in coastal areas of Maui County after the 2023 wildfire. Maui Tomorrow Foundation filed suit alleging Act 070, signed by Gov. […]
First Front Street Commercial Space Since Fire to Open This Fall in Lahaina
A new interim marketplace called ʻUlu o Lele is set to open on Lahaina’s Front Street in September 2026, becoming the first commercial project to return to the area since the 2023 wildfire. The $8 million, two-year project will host 25–50 local vendors at the former Outlets of Maui site. ʻUlu o Lele (‘Growth of […]
First Commercial Marketplace Set to Reopen on Lahaina’s Front Street This Fall
A temporary retail and community marketplace called ʻUlu o Lele is slated to open in September on the former Outlets of Maui property, becoming the first commercial project to return to Front Street since the 2023 wildfire. The $8 million, two-year project is a partnership between Maui County, Hawaiian Council, and the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. […]
‘Ulu o Lele Marketplace to Bring First Storefronts Back to Lahaina’s Front Street
Multiple outlets reported this week that Maui County and the Hawaiian Council unveiled plans for the ‘Ulu o Lele Marketplace, marking the first major commercial reinvestment on Lahaina’s Front Street since the August 2023 wildfire. The $8 million outdoor marketplace is set to open in September on the former Outlets of Maui site, nearly three […]
GMA’s National Spotlight on Lahaina Rebuild and Maui Culture
ABC’s Good Morning America aired live segments from Maui highlighting Lahaina’s rebuilding progress nearly three years after the 2023 wildfires, as part of a yearlong national series covering all 50 states. Coverage featured a fire-survivor family, Hawaiian language education, and Maui cultural performances. GMA’s ’50 States in 50 Weeks’ series brought national television attention to […]