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 […]
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 […]
Lahaina Fishing Shop Reopens Near Cannery After 2023 Fire Destroyed Original Store
West Maui Sports & Fishing Supply has reopened at a new location next to Lahaina Cannery, nearly three years after the 2023 wildfire destroyed its Old Lahaina Center store. Owners Lopaka and Katie Wilson say the reopening signals hope for other Lahaina businesses still working toward recovery. West Maui Sports & Fishing Supply reopened in […]
Maui Jazz & Blues Festival Set for Kapalua Aug. 31–Sept. 6
The Maui Jazz and Blues Festival returns to The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, for a week-long run featuring Grammy-winning and internationally acclaimed artists. The festival also plans ticket giveaways for Lahaina fire victims. The festival runs August 31 through September 6 at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. Performers include trumpet virtuoso Eddie Henderson, saxophonist Javon Jackson, trombonist […]
Maui County Sets July 4th Fireworks Rules, Hours, and Fines for 2026
The Maui Fire Department has outlined legal fireworks use for July 4th, limiting consumer fireworks to 1–9 p.m. and banning aerial fireworks entirely. Violations carry fines up to $2,000, and illegal aerial fireworks use is a Class C Felony. Consumer fireworks (sparklers, fountains, snakes) may be used without a permit from 1 p.m. to 9 […]
Front Street Walkway Blessing Marks Step Toward Lahaina Commercial Revival
Maui County completed a major sidewalk and railing restoration project along Front Street in Lahaina, celebrated with a formal blessing attended by about 150 residents and local officials. The project is part of the broader effort to restore commercial activity to the fire-devastated town. The restored Front Street walkway covers 1,450 feet of repaired sidewalk […]
Rebuilt 89-Unit Lahaina Affordable Complex Fully Occupied After Fire Destroyed It
Multiple outlets reported this week on the reopening of Kaiāulu o Kupuohi, an 89-unit affordable housing community in Lahaina that was destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires and has now been fully rebuilt and occupied. The complex at 258 Kupuohi Street reopened nearly three years after the disaster, marking one of the most tangible milestones […]
Maui Seeks More Ham Radio Operators Before Peak Hurricane Season
Maui Emergency Management Agency is recruiting and training new amateur radio operators ahead of an anticipated active hurricane season. A free all-day event at UH Maui College on Saturday offers licensing information and live demonstrations. A free amateur radio training event runs 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday at UH Maui College in Kahului, open to all […]
Maui Fire Dept. Issues July 4th Fireworks Rules, Sales Locations & Safety Tips
Multiple Maui news outlets reported that the Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety has released official guidance ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, covering where and when fireworks will be sold, legal use hours, and safety reminders. Consumer fireworks sales run June 29 through July 4 at designated tent locations, and residents […]
State Board Weighs Live Plant Import Ban for Maui and Lānaʻi Amid CRB Detections
Multiple reports from Hawaii Public Radio cover the state Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity’s consideration of interim rules to restrict live potted plant imports to Maui and Lānaʻi following recent coconut rhinoceros beetle detections. The board declined to enact emergency rules immediately but said it could vote on interim restrictions at its meeting next month. […]