Maui wildfires affect us all By Tasha Kama Aug. 8, 2023, was a tragic loss of lives and homes in Lāhainā and loss of homes in Kula. We will always feel these losses as individuals, families and a community whose connection with the ‘āina runs generations deep. To us, our home is so much more […]
Moving forward with aloha By Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins It has been one month since our community suffered great loss from the traumatic Maui fires. The saying, “it takes a village,” has never been more relevant than it is today. Community members, private and public enterprises have put their differences aside to help those in need. Unfortunately, […]
Joining together to support disaster-relief efforts By Yuki Lei K. Sugimura My heart goes out to all those who have been impacted by the wildfires in Lāhainā, Upcountry and South Maui. Our community has suffered unthinkable loss, and yet, we have come together like never before. Kōkua continues to be made available for displaced residents […]
Aloha ‘āina efforts and honoring our aliʻi wahine By Shane M. Sinenci Our community has been shaken from the devastating fires over these past few days. My colleagues and I are profoundly saddened to see the loss of life and displacement of our residents, who were forced to flee their homes, businesses, and land. The […]
Launching the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources By Keani Rawlins-Fernandez Last year, the electorate voted to approve the Charter Commission’s proposed amendment to establish the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources by July 1, 2024, and to reaffirm the county as a bilingual government. The Maui County Charter commits the county to being “mindful of our Hawaiian history, […]
Council committee prioritizes public safety By Tamara Paltin A bill to improve public safety by updating the regulation of air guns and replica guns is up for second and final reading by the Maui County Council on Tuesday at 9 a.m. Bill 169, CD 1 (2022) was proposed by the police department and recommended for […]
Planting seeds with the fiscal year 2024 budget By Gabe Johnson As I’ve said before, a government’s budget is a moral document, demonstrating how we take care of each other. My initiatives included in the county’s fiscal year 2024 budget reflect my values and solutions to the problems and concerns that have been raised by […]
‘Ohana Assistance Program holds promise for more affordable housing By Alice L. Lee On June 8, Bill 50 was signed into law to allow grants of up to $50,000 to be issued for the construction of small-sized housing units on properties with existing residences. Under Ordinance 5525, the ‘Ohana Assistance Program can help those with […]
Water, infrastructure and housing work in South Maui By Tom Cook As chair of the Maui County Council’s Water and Infrastructure Committee, I was energized by hosting a community townhall last month. Here are a few updates shared at the townhall that impact South Maui. The completion of the proposed Kīhei North-South Collector Road along […]
Ongoing public investment for affordable housing needed to keep Maui residents on Maui By Tasha Kama Decades ago, when “Dream City” in Kahului was being built, homes were priced within reach for Maui’s working families. However, today’s costs of materials, labor and demand have created a market that’s unattainable. As chair of the council’s Housing […]
