Lahaina Bypass North Extension Gets $100M Funding, Construction Set for 2028
Hawaii’s Department of Transportation is moving forward with a 4.5-mile northern extension of the Lahaina Bypass from Lahaina to Kāʻanapali, funded by $100 million from Maui County’s federal disaster recovery grant. Construction is expected to begin in mid-to-late 2028 and be completed by December 2030. The 4.5-mile northern bypass extension will create a critical additional […]
NPS Launches Kalaupapa Hike Tours Amid Molokai Community Pushback
The National Park Service has begun ranger-led public hiking tours at Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Molokai, drawing criticism from residents and a Maui County Council member who say they were not consulted beforehand. Tours run Thursdays and Saturdays, cost $20, and visitation remains capped at 100 people per day. NPS launched ranger-led tours at […]
Free 3-Day Lahaina Homecoming Event Set for July 17–19 at Multiple Sites
The Maui Economic Recovery Commission is hosting a free public event July 17–19 to welcome back 103 displaced Lahaina residents and celebrate community healing. Events at Lahaina Cannery Mall, Campbell Park, and Lahaina United Methodist Church include live entertainment, cultural programs, and a career fair. The inaugural Lahaina Homecoming runs July 17–19 at three public […]
Maui Council Committee Moves to Rezone Dozens of STR Properties as Hotels
A Maui County Council committee voted 6-2 to advance two resolutions that would rezone select apartment-zoned vacation rental properties in Kīhei and West Maui into newly created hotel districts. The move is part of the county’s phased effort to resolve the legal status of roughly 4,500 grandfathered vacation rentals on the Minatoya List. The Housing […]
Kīhei Beach Parking Goes Paid for Visitors Starting July 15
Maui County launches its Park Maui paid parking program at Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III on July 15, 2026. Non-resident visitors will pay $10/day while Hawaii residents park free using a valid Hawaii driver’s license. Non-resident parking fees are $10/day, $50/week, or $150/month, payable via the Park Maui app or on-site pay stations. Hawaii […]
Maui and Lānaʻi Push State for Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Protections
Maui County Council and the Lahaina Community Land Trust are urging the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to adopt interim rules restricting the transport of plant materials that could spread coconut rhinoceros beetles to Maui and Lānaʻi. The state has not declared an emergency despite detecting a half-dozen beetles on the islands since April, […]
Maui County Buys West Maui Condo to House Fire-Displaced Seniors
The Maui County Council unanimously approved spending up to $278,000 in federal CDBG funds to purchase a Honokōwai condo unit for its Nā Hale Kūpuna program, which provides permanent housing for seniors displaced by the 2023 Lahaina wildfires. The program currently houses 10 people across eight units and has roughly 60 households on its waiting […]
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 […]
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 […]