Maui May See Import Bans on Plants and Mulch to Block Invasive Beetle
A state advisory committee has approved a proposed interim rule that would restrict imports of plants, mulch, soil, and coconuts to Maui and Lānaʻi to prevent the spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle. The full Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity will now review the amended rule. Recent CRB detections near Kahului Airport and in Central […]
Alaska Airlines Adds Widebody 787-9 Capacity on Seattle–Maui Route for Holiday Season
Alaska Airlines will deploy Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the Seattle to Kahului route during the Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year holiday windows for the 2026-2027 season. The switch from narrowbody jets increases passenger capacity per flight without adding additional airport slots. Alaska Airlines is temporarily upgrading the SEA-OGG route to widebody Boeing 787-9 aircraft during […]
Inaugural Wailuku Film Festival Drew 5,300+ Attendees Over Five Days
Multiple sources report that the first-ever Wailuku Film Festival, held June 17–21, 2026, successfully established Maui as a destination for independent and Indigenous cinema. The event, an initiative of the Maui Film Office supported by the County of Maui, drew thousands of visitors and generated significant local economic activity. The festival attracted more than 4,000 […]
Alaska Airlines Upgrades Seattle–Maui Flights to Widebody Dreamliner for Holiday Season
Alaska Airlines will operate the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its Seattle-to-Maui route during two peak holiday windows in late November and mid-December through early January 2026. The larger aircraft increases seat capacity on one of Maui’s key mainland corridors during the highest-demand travel period of the year. Alaska Airlines will deploy the widebody Boeing 787-9 […]
Paia Water Outage on Poni Place Affects 20 Homes for ~2 Hours
Maui County is conducting emergency repairs on a mainline break on Poni Place in Paia on July 19, causing a roughly 2-hour water outage starting at 4 p.m. About 20 residences and 2 standpipes are affected. A mainline break on Poni Place in Paia triggered an emergency water shutoff on July 19 at 4 p.m. […]
Sale Pepe Becomes First Restaurant to Reopen Inside Lahaina Burn Zone
Sale Pepe Pizzeria e Cucina has reopened in Lahaina, becoming the first restaurant destroyed in the 2023 fire zone to fully rebuild and resume operations in Lahainatown. The 2026 reopening follows years of debris removal, permitting, and interim operations at other Maui locations. Sale Pepe is reported to be the first restaurant destroyed within the […]
Kaanapali Dining Scene Highlighted as Hub of Maui Food Culture Recovery
A national food publication spotlights Kaanapali restaurants as cultural anchors three years after the 2023 Lahaina wildfires destroyed much of Front Street’s dining scene. Chefs along the Kaanapali strip are drawing visitors with Hawaiian and Pacific Rim cuisine rooted in local ingredients and tradition. Kaanapali Beach restaurants are receiving positive national media attention, which may […]
Residents Petition Against Bypass Road Through Kā’anapali Cultural Sites
A community petition is urging the Hawaii Department of Transportation to reject a proposed bypass highway connector road near Wahikuli Gulch, Canoe Beach, and Ka’anapali hillside neighborhoods. Opponents want planners to choose already-paved alternative routes instead. The proposed connector road would place an on/off ramp near Hanaka’o’o Beach Park, a heavily used cultural and recreational […]
Lahaina’s Front Street to Reopen to Vehicles August 1 After Fire Repairs
Multiple outlets reported that Lahaina’s Front Street is scheduled to reopen to vehicular traffic on August 1, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the town’s post-wildfire recovery. The Maui County Office of Recovery announced the reopening follows the completion of several improvement projects along the corridor. Mayor Richard Bissen called it ‘a pivotal step’ in […]
HTA Selects Maui Groups for 2026 Sustainable Tourism Collaborative Programs
Multiple sources report that the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has announced the organizations chosen for its 2026 Community Tourism Collaboratives on Maui. The two cohort-based programs, running July through October 2026, aim to strengthen community-led tourism through cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and authentic visitor experiences. Selected nonprofits and businesses will receive workshops, training, and business development […]