Privacy Policy | About Our Ads This article brought to you in partnership with the Hawai‘i Journalism Initiative — a Maui-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Mike Conners received a text from a frantic friend in a nearby unit of the Kīhei Kai Oceanfront Condominiums that she’d just heard a big crack as rain and floodwaters raged around them a portion of the 16-unit building sank about 5 feet They were forced to cut out a screen window and climb to safety with the help of a condo employee president of the owners’ association Get more stories like these delivered straight to your inbox Sign up for the Hawai‘i Journalism Initiative's weekly newsletter: but the residents of Kīhei Kai were left with a badly damaged building and a costly cleanup Flooding is an annual problem in low-lying South Maui caused by rainwater rushing down the mountainside Maui County says while it is following a master drainage plan South Maui’s wetland origins make it inherently vulnerable to flooding But residents and environmental scientists say more concrete action needs to be taken “The amount of damage that we saw last year and this year is really hitting home to people the power of this water,” said Robin Knox lead scientist of the Save the Wetlands Hui “And things that we have done with our land management and built environment have caused the situation to be worse.”  The strong winter storm that passed through the islands on the night of Jan. 30 brought heavy showers to Maui County, where the 10.17 inches of rain that fell in the Upcountry town of Kula over a 24-hour period were the most of any other location in the state It knocked out power for thousands of people and forced the closure of South Kīhei Road as crews cleared mud and debris that made it impassable in places.  The three watersheds include some of the nation’s fastest growing population areas increasing an average of 3.3% per year Upcountry and 10% per year in the coastal areas at the time of the study This has led to more development and hard surfaces that don’t allow water to soak into the ground as well as the loss of the natural environment South Maui’s freshwater and brackish wetlands would have slowed and filtered the floodwaters allowing it to recharge the aquifer and protect coastal reefs from sediment floodwaters barreling downslope have fewer places to spread out and absorb back into the earth who was also involved in watershed plans for the area more than a decade ago “The erosion of a mountain and carrying of sediment to the sea “But all of the deforestation and the invasive species and building impervious surfaces and all of those things have contributed to making it a more dangerous situation.” That’s why Knox thinks restoring vegetation on the mountainside is one of the most critical solutions Vegetation isn’t just needed upslope but also along the banks of rivers and gulches to help slow and absorb water Pouring a concrete culvert in a gulch may seem like a better short-term solution but restoring the natural environment is the ultimate goal While Knox is more supportive of natural solutions she says it’s going to take a combination of conventional and ecological fixes to mitigate flooding including detention basins to capture overflow from streams and direct it back when flooding subsides a professional engineer and CEO of EcoSolutions which has offices on Maui and Hawai‘i island also supports ecological restoration on the mauka side of Pi‘ilani Highway as well as ensuring the county has “properly sized drainage channels culverts and bridges that donʻt clog or impede flow.” whose firm proposed environmentally friendly alternatives to the county’s drainage plan while it was in development said that the key is in dispersing stormwater rather than concentrating it.  “There needs to be more and greater opportunity for stormwater collection storage and infiltration,” Whitney said via email “It is the regeneration of the hydrologic cycle We need to revisit the past and understand the ahupuaʻa system and embrace the idea of living mauka to makai Currently there is a gap between mauka and makai it is my opinion that we will be (on) a better path moving forward.” The watershed plan outlines goals that include promoting aquifer recharge by capturing stormwater in detention basins and improving natural buffers along gulches to help slow sediment It also calls for better management of rural and agricultural lands by controlling wild animals and planting vegetation as well as management of urban areas by protecting existing wetlands and promoting programs that would keep stormwater runoff on development sites instead of directing them toward drains that lead to coastal waters Maui County’s Kīhei Drainage Master Plan Acknowledging that “the existing storm drainage system on South Kīhei Road is not meant to convey large runoff,” the plan outlines specific needs for detention basins culvert replacements and other improvements in each district of South Maui The changes are proposed over three phases with the first phase expected to take 5 to 10 years and the third phase anticipated for 20 or more years The county departments of Public Works and Planning did not respond to a request for comment last week about the work the county has done to mitigate flooding in South Maui.  But Mayor Richard Bissen said the county is following the guidance of the drainage plan by “conducting ongoing engineering studies and implementing mitigation efforts including exploring potential drainage basins mauka side sediment removal at Kūlanihāko‘i and Waiakoa Gulches and other strategies to reduce flood risks.” the area will always remain vulnerable to flooding,” Bissen said in a statement to the Hawai’i Journalism Initiative some feel like the county hasn’t followed through “They can’t tell you they don’t know what to do because they’ve been told what to do with multiple studies,” Conners said He is used to the flooding but says the property damage was worse this year Nearby condos hardened their entrances with floodgates sending the stormwaters into the Kīhei Kai Oceanfront Condominiums an aging wooden 24-unit complex on the beachfront.  The floodwaters undermined the foundation of one of the buildings and took out the beachfront and about 60 feet of sidewalk fronting the condos Others in the small complex offered couches and lanai space to the displaced a Minnesotan who spends winters here in the condo his family has owned since 1984 they’ve already spent thousands of dollars removing debris from the property and will likely have to go through a months-long process of getting the damaged facilities reviewed by an engineer Conners said they’re already reaching out to attorneys and contractors in preparation to repair the building.  Conners is worried about the bridge just before the Kīhei Canoe Club where debris and mud pile up and push floodwaters onto the road.  “There has to be solutions to … storing and slowing down the flow of that water down the mountain,” he said the cluster of businesses that include Sugar Beach Bake Shop and Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice was forced to close for six days while employees worked to clean out thick layers of mud in the buildings and parking lot who co-founded the businesses with his wife Ululani and business partner Brad Edgerton said the loss in revenue — an estimated $8,000 to $11,000 per day for the bakery shave ice place and merchandise shop combined — was a hard blow especially after losing two Ululani’s locations in the August 2023 wildfires and closing another Kā‘anapali location shortly before the blaze The three West Maui shops used to bring in more than $2 million a year.  Yamashiro lives in Kula and knew it would be bad for his businesses when the rain started to pour on the night of Jan Yamashiro said his South Maui businesses have been in the same location for 13 years but only started to get walloped by flooding within the last four years — once so badly that they were forced to close for nearly three weeks He thinks part of that has to do with bridges in the area getting clogged with debris and the removal of vegetation on property mauka of his shops he says both the county and local businesses have gotten quicker at the post-storm cleanup.  “The optimum situation would be for it to be eliminated from happening and I don’t know whether full elimination is possible who’s lived in Kīhei for 16 years and holds the South Maui seat on the council pointed to the $1 million included in the county’s budget for a flood study in North Kīhei that could attract state or federal funding to help with flood control He agrees that the solution “isn’t like just concrete channels — it’s managing the floodwaters so that it is beneficial and not destructive.” He believes in the need for more detention basins and diverting floodwaters to pasturelands but says the problem isn’t going to get better right away this can be addressed in such a manner that the water and the soil is utilized … and that when it floods it’s seldom or less often and less detrimental,” Cook said “It’s unrealistic to expect that you’re going to be able to stop all the water getting to Kīhei.” “Moon Setting from Kihei,” comes to us from Mark PJ Shaw Send your best photos from Maui County to mauiphotos@mauinews.com for a chance to see them featured on our website and in our weekly print edition All Maui County pools on the Valley Isle will close May 14 for staff training Maui County will host a job fair with 20 different departments from police .. Copyright © 2025 Maui News Publishing Company LTD | https://www.mauinews.com | 100 Mahalani Street Akina finished 4-under with his rounds of 2-under 69 to miss the cut by one shot Akina is an 18-year-old from Hawaii who has committed to play collegiate golf at Brigham Young University Akina honed his skills on the diverse golf courses of the islands quickly establishing himself as a formidable talent in junior golf circuits Akina is a member of a large family that includes six siblings; his older brother Keanu recently graduated from BYU and excelled on the Cougars golf team Earlier in the week, the PGA Tour went through Akina's bag to show what he was playing this week. He is ranked No. 244 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com U.S. Rankings. Akina is a senior at Lone Peak High School in Alpine His rise in the junior and amateur ranks has been impressive Entry into the PGA Tour Black Desert ChampionshipAkina earned his spot in the PGA Tour Black Desert Championship through his exceptional performances in junior and amateur tournaments which caught the eye of tournament director Patrick Manning placing him at 4-under-par—just one shot off the projected cut line of 5-under While this is Akina's first PGA Tour event he was also in the field at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship this summer finishing T49 with a 13-under par finish that included a round of 66 at Oakridge Country Club Junior and Amateur AchievementsKihei Akina has a remarkable record of accomplishments in junior and amateur golf Below are some of his most notable performances: 2024 Wins* Nike Junior Invitational: Akina secured first place demonstrating his ability to triumph in highly competitive fields.* Mountainland Invitational: He claimed victory further establishing his reputation as a top junior golfer.2024 Top Finishes* Terra Cotta Invitational: Finished 3rd in this prestigious all-ages amateur event.* Junior Invitational at Sage Valley: Achieved a 5th place finish showcasing his consistency at elite junior levels.* Hawaii State Match Play - Manoa Cup: Placed 3rd in this all-ages tournament held in his home state.2023 Notable Performances* Rolex Tournament of Champions: Finished 3rd competing against the nation's top junior golfers.* Boy's Junior PGA Championship: Secured 4th place highlighting his skill on a national stage.* The Dye Junior Invitational: Achieved a 5th place finish.* Hawaii State Match Play - Manoa Cup: Finished 2nd indicating strong performances in consecutive years at this event.* UJGA Opener: Placed 3rd starting the year with a strong showing.U.S Junior Amateur Championship:2024: Finished 17th demonstrating his ability to compete at the highest levels of junior golf.2023: Finished 33rd gaining valuable experience in national competition.We will be following Kihei Akina as he makes the journey to collegiate and high-level amateur golf Having the knowledge that he can compete alongside some of the best players in the world is sure to give him confidence Elsewhere in the field, 17-year-old Arizona State commit Bowen Mauss (view profile) and BYU senior Zac Jones (view profile) were also in the field with both shooting 4-over and missing the cut a high school team that likely doesn't lose often.  Mauss made the final 16 in the 2023 U.S. Amateur and Jones won the 2023 Arizona Intercollegiate and finished in solo fourth place at the 2024 Sunnehanna Amateur and T3 at the 2024 Northeast Amateur Home  |  Tournaments  |  Courses  |  Equipment  |  Players  |  Rankings  |  About Us  |  Contact .css-s4id4f{font-family:Suisse Intl,"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:1.9rem;line-height:2.2rem;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:-0.01em;}Official Money Inside 18-year-old Kihei Akina's bag for PGA TOUR debut at Black Desert Kihei Akina – a senior at Lone Peak High School in Highland Utah – makes his PGA TOUR debut at the 2024 Black Desert Championship playing on a sponsor exemption Akina is a standout junior golfer currently ranked No 12 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and has verbally committed to Brigham Young University (BYU) He’s already played in a Korn Ferry Tour event finishing T49 (13-under par) at the Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank and Intermountain Health and now he’s taking his talents to the PGA TOUR What does an 18-year-old high schooler have in the bag when he plays a PGA TOUR event On Wednesday ahead of the Black Desert Championship A look at Kihei Akina’s Ping G430 LST driver equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X shaft “This is the big dog,” Akina told PGATOUR.COM. “For me, just putting it on the draw setting helps me straighten it out a little bit more – I kind of have a fade bias right now.” From a fitting standpoint, it’s important to know your swing tendencies and adjust the club for optimal performance. The 18-year-old has this figured out like a pro. Getting a taste of the professional lifestyle when it comes to equipment, Akina is putting in a fresh Ping G430 Max 3-wood this week, which is also equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Blue shaft. The club is so new, Akina hadn’t even hit it yet and was preparing to do some testing before his afternoon tee time on Thursday at the Black Desert Resort. Welcome to the big leagues, where new equipment is always at the ready. A look at Kihei Akina’s Ping i230 3-iron. (GolfWRX) A look at Kihei Akina’s Ping Blueprint S cavity-back irons (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue 120 X100 shafts. (GolfWRX) Looking at the irons in the bag, Akina plays a Ping i230 3-iron which he calls his “fairway finder” and says he can hit it low and high on command. As for the rest of his iron set (4-PW), Akina relies on the Ping Blueprint S cavity-back models and says they’re forgiving to help out with any mishits. Interestingly, Akina utilizes the True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue 120 X100 shafts, which are slightly lighter than the standard X100 Tour Issue models that weigh in at about 130 grams. A look at Kihei Akina’s Ping Si59 wedges stamped with his initials. (GolfWRX) Another perk of playing on the PGA TOUR, Akina was also able to switch into fresh Ping Si59 wedges this week, stamped with his initials. New wedges with sharp grooves help to add friction on the golf ball at impact, providing greater stopping power and control around the greens. A look at Kihei Akina’s Ping PLD putter stamped with “808” – his hometown Hawaii area code – on the front of the hosel. (GolfWRX) A look at Kihei Akina’s Ping PLD putter stamped with “KA” his initials on the back of the hosel. (GolfWRX) For the flat stick, Akina uses a custom Ping PLD putter, stamped with “808” – his hometown Hawaii area code – on the front of the hosel, and his initials on the back of the hosel. He calls the putter the most important club in his bag. “Most important club, the putter,” Akina said. “We got a Ping PLD with a little bit of lead tape on the bottom. We got a little bit of an engraving here, 808, that’s the Hawaii area code, and then my initials right there. This thing is sweet, I love the color. Hopefully can make some putts this week.” Hear from Akina himself in the video at the top of the page. Copyright © 2025 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. and the Swinging Golfer design are registered trademarks The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission Lahaina wildfire survivor Patricia Bradley says Kihei needs to have access routes for an evacuation if there is an emergency “Access to escape where there is a fire is terrible,” Bradley told Maui Council members Monday night several South Maui residents told a Maui County Council budget committee the county needs to complete the two-lane north-south collector road as soon as possible providing an evacuation route in addition to Piilani Highway and Kihei Road “I’d like to get out of Kihei safely,” said Patricia Hoskin a retired teacher who supports a north-south collector road Kihei resident Audrey Lester said there have been at least a couple of environmental studies and the project should be expedited “How can we get it going faster?” Lester said Funding for the north-south collector road was not included in Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year but money was included in the six-year capital improvement plan with anticipated expenditures in future years The Bissen administration said it anticipates that the majority funding will come from federal monies The county said a special management area permit is required for the project as well as authorization of easements and land acquisition from abutting property owners The Bissen administration said the building of the north-south collector road might be accelerated if there is support from abutting landowners and additional state funding Part of the plan for the road is to extend Lipoa Drive and its integrated shared-use path from Waipu’ilani Road to the vicinity of Ka’ono’ulu Street The north-south collector road would also provide alternate crossings over Waipu’ilani and Kulanihakoi gulches during storm events Residents testified in support of a connector road across Kihei as an alternative route to relieve traffic and help in emergency evacuation Set along the southwestern slope of Haleakala with several miles of nearly unbroken sandy beaches Kihei has seen higher population growth than the national average experiencing more than a 24% increase from 2000 to 2010 The population is more than 24,000 residents in addition to the thousands of visitors frequenting resorts and vacation condominiums in South Maui Kihei Community Association President John Laney said in the next 10 years there are 7,000 new homes in the pipeline for South Maui but no new roads planned Laney said completion of a collector road would take some of the pressure off Piilani Highway and South Kihei Road “We need the state and county to pay for it,” Laney said “We cannot have 7,000 new homes without new roads.” there’s a chokepoint with traffic lights on Piilani Highway and Lipoa Street and Piikea Avenue “Getting through there at rush hour is an L.A The Bissen administration said a north-south collector road would provide an additional access in the event of a wildfire The administration recently announced the Maui Emergency Management Administration has developed a new evacuation planning and notification platform Maui County users can view predetermined evacuation zones and receive notifications through the platform All residents are also encouraged to sign up for MEMA Alerts emergency notifications at MauiCounty.gov/MEMA users may select how and where they wish to receive alerts The Maui County Department of Public Works completed repairs to South Kihei Road ahead of schedule and reopened the route on Friday 30-31 caused flooding that closed the road The Maui County Department of Public Works reopened the northern section of South Kīhei Road on Feb 21 after finishing a major clean up effort and repairing the road county officials had originally projected reopening the route at the end of February the Department of Public Works completed the work ahead of schedule to reestablish travel in both directions of South Kihei Road from Wailana Place to Kulanihakoʻi Street the Kihei Drainage Master Plan directs the County to assess mitigation measures mauka of the highway because of limited capacity for changes below the highway DPW and other county officials are taking several steps to mitigate flooding and roadway impacts in South Maui. For more details, go to MauiCounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=16200 Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Maui’s Department of Parks and Recreation invites the community to provide feedback on proposed improvements for three parks — South Maui’s Hale Piilani Park Upcountry’s Eddie Tam Memorial Center and Central Maui’s Kahului Park Hale Piilani Park is located at Kaihoi and Kaiolohia streets in Kihei; Eddie Tam Memorial Center is at 931 Makawao Avenue in Makawao; and Kahului Park is on Hina Avenue in Kahului Proposed improvements include a new playground structure with shade People can review the plans, ask questions and offer suggestions through April 21 via the online project website that allows community members to review proposed playground designs and features through an interactive module All feedback will help inform the final design before construction begins The purpose for the upgrades is to improve safety accessibility and recreation while ensuring the playgrounds meet modern safety standards contact the DPR Department of Planning and Development Division at 808-270-7931 The Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization is seeking volunteers for a community street painting project at the intersection of Kenolio Road and Alulike Street in Kihei inspired by feedback from more than 100 community members Those interested in volunteering can sign up at MauiMPO.org. Anyone interested in learning more about “Painting Day” and the project artist’s creative vision, as well as information about this project, can join an online informative session from 4-6 p.m. April 16. Join the Zoom meeting using bit.ly/mpo041625 or find the link on MauiMPO.org Kīhei Charter’s open house informational sessions will be held at its campus on March 4 March 13 and March 25 meetings will be held at 5 p.m. and the March 8 meeting will be held at 3 p.m Meetings are open to the public and consist of a tour of the three-story campus and an explanation of the school’s unique programs Registration will be for the 2025-2026 School year The school is a free public school and does not charge tuition Children must be 5 years old on or before July 31 of the school year to enter kindergarten Applications to apply for enrollment in the Kīhei Charter School will be available beginning Monday, March 3 at the school’s 650 Līpoa Parkway address in the Maui Research and Technology Park, at any of the March information sessions or by going online to the Kiheicharter.org website Information sessions will be for all levels Middle School grades 6-8 and High School grades 9-12 Completed applications must be turned into the Līpoa Parkway office or be mailed to the Kīhei Charter School at P.O HI 96753 with a postmark no later than March 31 to be eligible for the first lottery Applications that are completed will be entered into the school registration lottery The lottery method for selecting new students is required for all Hawaiʻi charter schools to ensure fairness for all applicants the demand for entrance usually exceeds the school’s capacity The first lottery selection will be held on April 8 at 5:30 p.m. Applications must be dropped off at the campus Līpoa Parkway office or postmarked no later than April 30 and mailed to the P.O Box address noted above to be eligible for the second lottery Both lotteries will be conducted at 5:30 p.m in the school cafeteria in the school at Līpoa Parkway The Kīhei Charter School Student Records office will send parent enrollment or waitlist information as soon as it becomes available It will be sent to the addressee’s mailing address.  Call the school’s main office at 808-875-0700 for more information or go to kiheicharter.org. The office is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The school does not provide bus transportation for students. The campus is located at 650 Līpoa Parkway, Kīhei, 96753, in the Maui Research and Technology Park above Piʻilani Highway.  FacebookEmailJaren Wilkey/BYUPROVO, Utah – Men’s golf head coach Bruce Brockbank announced the signing of No 4 Junior Golf Scoreboard ranked Kihei Akina Akina will graduate from Lone Peak High School in May before coming to join the Cougars for the 2025-26 season “I’ve had so much fun watching Kihei compete the last few years in junior golf,” Brockbank said I look forward to his competitiveness and leadership Kihei will have a tremendous influence on our golf team at BYU.” Akina made his PGA Tour debut in October on a sponsor exemption He was the youngest player to receive an exemption to compete in the tournament he competed at the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship in August “I just told myself I belong out here.”Currently on the projected cutline of -4, only time will tell if 18-year-old amateur Kihei Akina will make his first cut on TOUR @BDChampionship.#CutCam pic.twitter.com/XC2HZyJn43 Akina has claimed three individual state titles in the 6A division while helping to lead his teammates to a team title in both 2021 and 2022 He was recently recognized as a 2024-25 First Team medalist in the 6A Boys division in Utah PGA.  the Alpine native was named the 2023 USA Today Boys Golfer of the Year Golf Channel ranked Akina No. 4 in the country for the 2025 signing players and listed BYU as No. 8 in the top signing institutions along with future teammate Jackson Shelley. Opens in a new window ©2025 BYU ATHLETICS The Maui News / RYAN MITCHEL COLLINS photo Visitors look at the beached ketch “Un Mundo” in Kihei Friday that washed ashore on Tuesday around 3 p.m. The Coast Guard was involved in removal of any potential contaminants which they reported as 36 gallons of petroleum products None of the potential contaminants were reported to have spilled into the ocean The Coast Guard’s involvement ended on Wednesday after those potential contaminants were removed from the vessel The owner has led the removal efforts personally and has “been proactive” in doing so The Kīhei 4th Friday December event takes place from 6 to 9 p.m Featured entertainment includes performances by Nevah Too Late and Missy Aguilar in the food court Classic and collector’s cars will be on display This month also features a keiki zone with rope bubbles Kihei 4th Friday is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in giving back to the community and participating in this monthly event, contact organizers via Facebook. For more information, go to www.kiheifridays.com. or www.facebook.com/kiheifridays Maui Friday Town Parties is an initiative developed by the Maui County Office of Economic Development to showcase our island’s historic towns and celebrate the unique nature of their business’s communities. For questions, contact the Maui County Office of Economic Development at economic.development@mauicounty.gov or 808-270-7710 The first Kīhei 4th Friday of 2025 takes place from 6 to 9 p.m Featured entertainment includes performances by Harold and Arlie Asiu the Danyel Alana Band and Missy Aguilar in the food court 4 Kids Quick Science and a racing car track  K4F main stage entertainment lineup:   Kihei 4th Friday is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in giving back to the community and participating in this monthly event, contact organizers via Facebook. For more information, go to www.kiheifridays.com. or www.facebook.com/kiheifridays Maui police have arrested a man for an alleged hit-and-run that resulted in the death of a pedestrian in Kihei earlier this week Police said an investigation determined that the unknown vehicle involved was a white 2013 Toyota Tundra operated by a 47-year-old Kihei man Police arrested the man Wednesday morning on suspicion of first-degree negligent homicide and collisions involving death He was booked and processed at the Wailuku Police Station and remains in custody On Tuesday night, a 48-year-old man walking along South Kihei Road was struck by an unknown vehicle heading in the same direction The driver of the vehicle allegedly fled the scene without stopping to render aid The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene becoming Maui County’s third traffic fatality so far this year or drugs has yet to be determined as the investigation remains ongoing Maui police have identified the pedestrian as Brian Sponberg Fire crews battle a 30-acre fire in Kihei Wednesday afternoon WAILUKU– Multiple fire trucks and firefighters arrived just south of Ohukai Rd in Kihei towards Piilani Highway and Kulanihakoi Road to combat a reported brush fire late Wednesday The fire outbreak was assisted by 20 mph trade winds and it neared the gulch north of Kulanihakoi Road The crew was able to stop the 35-acre fire with numerous water drops and the use of heavy equipment supplied by Goodfellow Bros These commercial tankers and dozers provide essential containment lanes on the flanks of the fire No injuries were reported and Pilani Hwy Northbound was closed briefly Crews worked throughout the night to reinforce containment lines and extinguish hot spots Thursday morning the fire was 80% contained No smoke was visible along the perimeter and no additional acreage succumbed to the fire By Thursday evening the fire was 100% contained The cause of the fire remains under investigation “The Maui Fire Department’s Fire Investigators have multiple fires under investigation,” the County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety told the Maui News regarding the myriad of recent fires.”If we formally suspect them to be arson an investigation by the Maui Police Department would be initiated If any further assistance is needed it would be requested once that determination is made.A s of now but the Fire Investigators are in contact with one another and share information.” The victim has since been identified as Brian Sponberg the Maui Police Department extended condolences to Sponberg’s family and friends it was determined the unknown vehicle involved in Tuesday night’s collision on South Kīhei Road the driver was placed under arrest for the alleged offenses of first degree negligent homicide and collisions involving death  He was booked and processed at the Wailuku Police Station where he remains in police custody or drugs has yet to be determined as the investigation is ongoing A 48-year-old Kīhei man sustained fatal injuries in a hit-and-run crash on South Kīhei Road Police say the man was walking north within the northbound lane of travel on South Kīhei Road when he was struck by a possibly a silver or grey Toyota pick-up truck that was also traveling in the same direction Police say the unknown vehicle fled the scene northbound on South Kīhei Road to an unknown location without stopping to render aid.  The pedestrian died at the scene and his identity is currently being withheld pending next of kin notification Investigators with the Maui Police Department Vehicular Homicide Unit are working to identify the vehicle and operator that fled the scene Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Cody Tetzloff at 808-244-6363 or 808-463-5800 This was Maui County’s third traffic fatality of 2025 compared to one at the same time last year As Lone Peak senior Kihei Akina walked up the 18th fairway at the conclusion of the final round of the 6A state tournament on Tuesday the shrill cry of the resident hawk at Riverbend golf course in Riverton pierced the quiet scene In some ways that raptor could be viewed as a suitable symbol of how Akina’s round had gone he and Corner Canyon senior Bowen Mauss had circled each other with neither one gaining much of an advantage Mauss went up by one stroke when he birdied No “It was obviously really close,” Akina said I try to play like I was down but he was playing really well I was a little bit behind coming into the last five holes so I just told myself that I needed to dig deep and make some putts.” “I made three really good putts,” Akina said “I told myself that I was sick and tired of coming up short He explained that instead of the pressure making him tighten up “It’s about using it to focus,” Akina said “I think I do that pretty well but I’m always trying to get better at that so I’m ready when there is a lot on the line.” Mauss played solid golf down the stretch but Akina wasn’t going to be stopped this year putting the icing on the cake with one final birdie on No “I feel for Bowen but I was glad to get it done this year.” Akina finished with a two-day total of 127 (17-under-par) to defeat Mauss by three strokes in a battle of two incredibly talented young golfers “I can’t think of two young men who have accomplished what they have accomplished,” Lone Peak head coach Derek Farr said “With the type of young men and players they are Those guys are definitely going to go on to bigger and better things.” While Akina got the advantage in the individual dual Mauss ended up being able to celebrate with his team Corner Canyon erased a three-stroke deficit by shooting 22-under-par in the final round to beat the Knights by seven strokes “It was one of those days that there was much more good than bad,” Farr said “It’s just disappointing when you’re right there and have opportunities to do things and we didn’t so hopefully we can just get better from this experience and move on and we just didn’t have enough help for that today.” Akina admitted that not getting the team title stung quite a bit “I’m obviously a little bit disappointed,” Akina said “I’d rather have the team title over the individual title I think Lone Peak is in good hands in the future.” fifth overall) and Blake Brown (6-under-par tied for sixth) both played a key role in getting Lone Peak to runner-up position Farr hopes the young players will use their experiences this season to be prepared for next year “You talk to some of these guys who play in these big events and they get super nervous for these high school tournaments,” Farr said “It’s a different playing for a team and there is a lot of pressure We are young and we’ve got some good guys coming up.” American Fork came in fourth with senior Gavin Van Woerkom tying for 10th at 4-under-par This is the end of Akina’s high school career and he said that team aspect is what he will value most “The best part was just being around the boys,” Akina said “We’d go out to eat after almost every tournament Salem Hills freshman Carson Peterson turned in an impressive two-day performance in the 5A state tournament which took place at Glen Eagle golf course in Syracuse on Monday and Tuesday firing a 67 (5-under-par) on the first day and following that up with a 68 on Day 2 His total score of 135 (9-under-par) wasn’t quite enough to catch Skyline senior Jackson Shelley who finished first at 131 (13-under-par) but it was enough for the Skyhawk to end up in second place Cedar Valley junior Brayden Hester shot a 138 (6-under-par) to tie for fifth Timpview made a move on the second day to end up in fifth place while Spanish Fork and Cedar Valley tied for ninth Skyline ended up winning the state title by 16 strokes over second-place Woods Cross LLC | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd fired a pair of 69s to be on his way to making the cut in the first-ever Black Desert Championship before a late barrage of low scores in the final hour of Friday’s round bumped him out as low amateur playing his first PGA Tour event But Akina still has hope after the second round Friday was suspended due to darkness If a handful of players make Saturday morning bogeys which was 3-under when he walked off the course in the early afternoon That cut then moved to 4-under and he appeared safe before it dropped to 5-under two hours later Blair will be the only player left of nine locals in the field if Akina is cut Saturday morning “I thought I had to make a birdie to make the cut,” said Akina of his last hole He reached a greenside bunker in two then splashed out to 10 feet and stared down a tricky breaking putt that was difficult to read by line and speed He missed his birdie and tapped in for a par I was struggling pretty good from probably hole 6 to 11 3 I told myself if I just play the best golf I’ve ever played then I’d be fine I just kept telling myself I belong out there and tried to feel as comfortable as I could out there,” he said Hopefully I have a couple of more rounds out here.” Blair trails leader Stephen Jaeger by nine shots Jaeger fired an 8-under par on Friday to elevate him to sole possession of first place at 14-under par He has a one-stroke lead over first round leader Adam Svensson and Ben Kohles Bowen Mauss and Zac Jones failed to advance George hero making his 500th professional start Akina is a senior at Lone Peak High School in Alpine and is ranked the No Akina finished T49 in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship this summer with a 13-under par finish that included a round of 66 at Oakridge Country Club firmly established him as one of the Top 70 players in the field after 36 holes Playing with a sponsor’s exemption in his first PGA Tour event at Black Desert, Akina made the most of that gift and made a prophet out of Black Desert creator Patrick Manning who took a gamble in offering the teenager an exemption into the first PGA Tour event in Utah since 1963 Blair became the low local player when he fired a two-under par second round 69 Friday He when he walked off his 18th hole at 5-under for the week “Hopefully I can have a couple of good days and get closer to the top of the leaderboard,” he said which is kind of the most important thing on this course I missed a few shorter ones I wish I’d made.” Blair said the local support with Fishburn “was cool” and said the course was tricky on Friday with tougher pins “The course was playing soft in the mornings and wasn’t going as far and you have to adjust from the morning to the afternoon,” he said “We had it pretty perfect this morning and I should have taken more advantage of it Blair said Black Desert presents a big challenge for Tour players in that there is unplayable golf left and right off the tee because of the lava fields A missed shot either way easily brings double-bogey to the card you’re probably ready to get out of here,” he said but this week marked his first time playing Black Desert The former Cougar and son of BYU All-American Jimmy Blair told media he’d been feeling some uneasiness in his shoulder the past few weeks He’d previously had shoulder surgery and sat out more than a year “Actually last week was kind of the first time that it was really not great,” said Blair “I had to go get an MRI this week on Tuesday It was really the first time last week in Jackson where it was like I went in to see if it was a torn labrum because it kind of felt like that’s what it was “There were some other things they said that maybe I’ll go get it checked out after Vegas next week “It was kind of one of those things where it was hurting for a few days so I went and got that done and found out it wasn’t a torn labrum It was a little sore out there the last few days.” Fishburn played with his high school teammate Blair and birdied the tough par 4s on the front before running into trouble He missed the cut with a two-under (68-74) I thought I hit a good shot but hit it a little too far and rolled into a tough spot to get up and down,” he said “On 14 I landed on the green and trickled on the edge and rolled down and couldn’t get it up and down Fishburn is comfortably ranked in FedEx Cup Standings to ensure his card next season “I just had too much spin and didn’t adjust,” said Fishburn who made pars both days on the Par-5 18th when others made birdies He plans on playing in four more tournaments this year Fresh off his captaincy for the Internationals in the President’s Cup former Masters champ Weir came within a few feet on some holes of either shooting 5-under or 3-over 74 on Friday “I had a 10 footer straight up the hill on 10 and left it a half a roll short,” he said “On 11 I had a beautiful shot in there and it released to the back of the green 18 feet from the hole I could have easily been 2-under after two and was 1-over I took a chance on 14 and my drive literally didn’t clear it by a foot and I made a 6 I could have been 5-under with momentum and it didn’t happen for me today.” saying guys on Tour look for places their kids can have a good time and to have everything right at the course where they’re playing Fun things to do makes it a place they’ll consider when making out their calendar “The course is holding up very well,” he said Black Desert is the first PGA Tour course to deploy fully robotic self-guided electric mowers to maintain 51 acres of fairways and rough Golf Digest featured the technology in this piece. Writes John Clark “The machines—developed by the Salt Lake City-based group FireFly turf and sod sector—will be deployed daily at 2 a.m 71-par course nestled in a lava field in the southern Utah town of Ivins After setting the perimeter by GPS and selecting a cut pattern four mowers will make the cut over four hours and 30 minutes or any of the other endless details involved in maintaining a golf course.” United We Pledge received a $200,000 check from Balance of Nature and Black Desert Resort on Friday Spencer Cox; president of United We Pledge Dennis Leavitt; Balance of Nature CEO Lex Howard and Balance of Nature founder Douglas Howard for the donation ceremony on the course South Kihei Road is expected to be fixed as a shoreline thoroughfare through South Maui by the end of this month Maui County Council member Tom Cook told more than 110 people at the Malcolm Center Wednesday night But Cook said other building projects to reduce repeated flooding near the ABC Store near the North Kihei Road junction and Kulanihakoi Gulch near Wailana Place will take years “It’s not going to happen overnight,” he said a number of residents criticized the lack of drainage at bridge areas which they said led to flooding in their neighborhoods Mike Phillips said residents living in his neighborhood at Ewa Place for 70 years have never encountered this kind of flooding and many of the elderly were forced to clean the mud in their homes themselves he’s spent $11,000 on the cleanup effort “This is ridiculous,” Phillips said The problem stems from some areas of lower Kihei being built on wetlands where water percolates as well as the denuded mauka ranch lands from the overpopulation of deer and more frequent and higher rainfall totals on Maui recently He said the state has developed a program to control the deer population that includes building fences to prevent them from roaming Cook explained that the pastures have been so severely denuded that some lands will require reseeding of grasses to allow them to return to their former state a friend of his who lives mauka recorded about 10 inches of precipitation in three days Maui County Councilman Tom Cook discusses short and long-term projects to reduce flooding in South Maui neighborhoods Cook asked residents to continue to support projects to mitigate the flooding including the development of sediment basins along the mountainside to capture mud and water flowing into Kihei as well as improving drainage in certain areas County environmental specialist Vernon Kalanikau said a bridge at Kulanihakoi is old and needs to be replaced He said the water at Kulanihakoi is not flowing in its natural path Kalanikau said areas of Kihei are also facing flooding from the ocean from rising sea levels without the rains “It doesn’t have to rain to be impacted,” he said Cook said a major watershed management plan for Kihei completed in recent years outlines the overall challenges facing South Maui and residents should address their questions regarding timetables for developing sediment basins and bridges to the county administration when residents meet with them in the coming months Virginia announces entry into TBT with team “Embrace The Pace” Charlotesville, the land of milk and honey, and home of the Virginia Cavaliers will be one of the regional locations of The Basketball Tournament this upcoming summer and a squad filled with Virginia basketball alumni sporting the name of “Embrace The Pace” will grace the court and all of those who opted in to viewing this event ' ! ️ https://t.co/IidIDXUvMK#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/E10Ja4Tfvm If you are unfamiliar with TBT, it is a $1 million winner-take-all basketball event filled with alumni from college basketball teams nationwide. Last year, we saw alumni from Wichita State, Butler, West Virginia, Ohio State “Carmen’s Crew,” a team named after Ohio State’s school song “Carmen Ohio,” took it home with former Buckeye star Jared Sullinger taking him the MVP Award team “Embrace The Pace” has confirmed national champion Kyle Guy as a player and will also be co-general manager alongside former Virginia men’s basketball assistant coach and current Memphis Grizzles staff member Johnny Carpenter The only other player confirmed to be on Embrace The Pace is Kihei Clark and father of the ACC from the years 2018 to 2023 Expect more commitments from former Wahoos shortly as the attempt to get part of the band back together will begin as soon as today The only teaser we have received as to who else will be on the team is TBT CEO Jon Mugar saying that some of the “magic behind the 2019 championship run” will be recaptured Tickets for this must-see event will go on sale to the public on May 6th, but fans can sign up for more ticket and team notifications here at tbthoops.com/tickets/notifications The photo of the day “Maui Sunset Kihei” comes to us via Kerry E Terrel Send your best photos from Maui County to mmoseley@mauinews.com for a chance to have your photo featured on the front page of our daily e-edition and inside our weekly print edition Maui Lobster King is one of Maui’s newest restaurants in Kihei where owner Jeffy Lin offers locals and visitors cajun-style seafood When 34-year-old Jeffy Lin decided to open the Maui Lobster King in Kihei he said he had one goal in mind — to provide locals and visitors with an authentic seafood experience “My dream is for Maui Lobster King to become a go-to spot for seafood lovers on Maui offering not just delicious food but also a memorable dining experience,” he said who also owns Wei Wei BBQ in Maui’s Upcountry Pukalani area said he has always had a love for cooking and food that began in childhood when his mother would make his favorite Ginger Onion Shrimp “It’s a dish that brings back so many fond memories of home,” he recalled Now he’s able to share that love with others with his latest endeavor – Maui Lobster King seafood was always a staple on his family’s dining room table and he wanted to share that experience with others on the island there’s something incredibly special about creating a dish that makes people pause and savor the moment,” he said launching a soft opening prior to the business’s grand opening that’s slated for Jan The restaurant is located in the Azeka Shopping Center next to Maui’s ProArts Playhouse and Maui Pie On the menu is a cajun-style seafood boil for $55.95 Perhaps the most appealing item on the menu is the seafood boiling combo potatoes and sausage in a sauce that Lin said he created specifically to appeal to the local palate Maui Lobster King is located in the Azeka Shopping Center in Kihei and will be hosting their grand opening on January 15 The dish is served in authentic seafood boil style — where guests can eat right off the table and are equipped with all the utensils needed to fully immerse themselves in the experience Another fan-favorite worth trying is the Salt & Pepper Lobster option for $39.95 complete with a lightly fried crispy lobster in mouthwatering seasoning he recommends trying classic local dishes like Loco Moco He offers both a mini option for $14.95 or regular option for $16.95 and reflects Hawaii’s unique culinary culture,” he said As for the BBQ mixed plate that starts at $18.95 Lin describes it as another local favorite that offers a combination of flavors influenced by Hawaii’s multicultural roots “It’s a dish that truly brings together the diverse culinary traditions of the islands,” he said Maui Lobster King also provides some affordable lunch options as well a side of mac salad for $2.50 and a two-piece spam musubi or fried fish musubi for $5.99 Daily lunch specials are available from 10:30 a.m While Lin still owns his upcountry restaurant he said he’s enjoying spending time in South Maui “Kihei is such a vibrant coastal town with a warm welcoming community and a steady flow of visitors who have a genuine appreciation for great food and memorable dining experiences,” he said For more information about Maui Lobster King Residents can expect an influx of emergency response vehicles and Maui police officers on the Kihei Elementary School campus as part of a joint agency preparedness exercise from 7:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Friday. The Maui Police Department announced it will conduct a one-day Joint Agency Emergency Preparedness Exercise in conjunction with the Department of Education. Only DOE staff will be on campus during the exercise. HPD says loud noises may occur and asks the public to avoid the training site as a safety precaution.  Maui police said a 48-year-old man died Tuesday night after being struck by an unknown car while walking along South Kihei Road in a hit-and-run incident police said the man was walking north within the northbound lane of the road at about 8:36 p.m Tuesday when an unknown vehicle traveling in the same direction struck him Police said the unknown vehicle — possibly a silver or grey Toyota pickup truck — fled the scene without stopping to render aid The man suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene or drugs has yet to be determined as the investigation remains ongoing,” said the Maui Police Department in a news release Maui Police Department Vehicular Homicide Unit investigators are working diligently to identify the vehicle and operator that fled the scene.” Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Cody Tetzloff at 808-244-6363 or 808-463-5800 Police said this was Maui County’s third traffic fatality of the year HIGHLAND — Kihei Akina is 18 years old and is a top-10 ranked junior golfer in the country "Kihei Akina is an amazing athlete," said Patrick Manning "He's a fantastic golfer — one of the best I've seen at his age The senior from Lone Peak High will soon get the chance to golf in his first PGA Tour event as one of the participants in the upcoming Black Desert Championship in Ivins "My ultimate goal with golf is to be on the PGA Tour," Akina said "It's what I've been working for pretty much my whole life It's honestly just unbelievable that I'm — just to realize that I'll be playing the PGA Tour event That's kind of why I practice every day; it's what I've been working for "To come here at such a young age is special but his very first one will be the one he gets to participate in as a golfer "I really believe that Kihei has ultimated potential," said Manning who gave Akina an exemption to play in the event "I think he could be one of the great golfers I don't want to put too much pressure on him but I think the sky's the limit for Kihei." Hear Akina tell his story about how he got started and what it's like to be a top junior golfer in the country in his story above Check out more Beyond The Game videos including one about how the Savannah Bananas took baseball by storm The fire started on vacant land south of Ohukai Road and mauka of Piilani Highway Firefighters continue to battle a Kihei brush fire that is 80% contained this morning according to the Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety worked through the night to reinforce containment lines and extinguish hot spots They continue their efforts this morning working to improve containment and address hot spots The cause of the fire appears to be accidental but remains under investigation Maui County firefighters were battling a brush fire reported at 4 p.m started on vacant land south of Ohukai Road and mauka of Piilani Highway Containment was estimated at 50 percent as of 8 p.m Crews are cutting containment lines mauka of the fire and conducting mop-up operations along the perimeter No injuries or structural damages have been reported but residents in the area makai of Piilani Highway Kulanihakoi High School was evacuated as a precaution The Maui Emergency Management Agency advises community members with respiratory concerns to stay indoors with windows closed MEMA also advises avoiding the area if possible TV and mobile devices for official information MEMA’s Emergency Operations Center was partially activated at 4:22 p.m an Air 1 helicopter and two private dozers are battling the fire The cause of the fire is under investigation KIHEI — The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation announced the closure of the parking lot at Cove Park in Kihei to improve the area.  The closure will take place from Monday to Aug In order to address safety concerns and beautify the area work crews will resurface and paint parking stalls.  with access to the beach and shower facilities Cleanup continues in the wake of a winter storm that brought heavy rains high winds and flooding to parts of Maui County Jan The Maui Emergency Management Agency is working with local and state partners to continue assessing damage from the storm. Residents and businesses impacted by the storm can submit damage reports to MEMA online at https://www.mauicounty.gov/mema The reports are used for ensuring safety and guiding emergency response efforts; allocating resources and setting priorities; supporting emergency declarations and funding requests; restoring infrastructure and utilities efficiently; planning long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts; and providing community support and public information Mayor Richard Bissen signed an emergency proclamation early Thursday ahead of the storm which gives the County the legal authority to mobilize resources activate emergency plans and streamline processes to respond quickly and effectively The public is encouraged to stay informed through credible sources such as the National Weather Service, the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency and MEMA. For more information on emergency preparedness and to sign up for alerts from MEMA, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/MEMA Led by Jocelyn Michelle on the Hammond B3 organ the Jocelyn Michelle Jazz Organ Quintet will perform Nov The Jocelyn Michelle Jazz Organ Quintet will perform in concert Nov The group features Jocelyn Michelle on the Hammond B3 organ along with guitarist John Rack saxophonist John Zangrando and trumpeter Paul January Doors will open for the open-air rooftop venue at 650 Lipoa Parkway at 5:30 p.m. and the show is scheduled to begin 30 minutes later the Hammond tonewheel organ was produced from 1935 to 1975 as one of the first mass-produced musical instruments that combined the electrical It is a keyboard instrument that could produce new sounds and it could imitate other acoustic instruments Although Michelle also plays the piano and guitar she has found her voice on the Hammond B3 organ and she has been performing different musical genres for many years often reimagining well-known songs in her own unique style She went on to attend the University Of Miami School Of Music and then played organ and keyboards all over south Florida and the two went on to become musical and life partners They moved to Hawaii island in 2013 and continue to perform Rack has played guitar in jazz and blues bands with his wife for the past several decades they’ve performed at Jazz Minds in Honolulu Gertrude’s Jazz Bar in Kona and the Blue Dragon in Kawaihae and returned there in spring 2024 for more shows They will be joined by Grammy nominee Sammy K Sammy K also does distance clinics and teaches with high school and college students around the world Sammy has appeared on the Emmy-winning “Wayne Brady Show,” “Ally McBeal” (with KC & The Sunshine Band) with Josh Grogan ,and in the movie “The Fast and The Furious.” He has recorded and performed with a long list of well-known artists including Bob Hope John Zangrando — or “Johnny Z.” — came to Maui in 1980 from New York and has been one of the busiest sax players on the island since He has played or recorded with George Benson Danny Gottlieb and Mark Egan of Elements and was musical director for singer Jon Hendricks for his Hawai’i tour bass clarinet and the electronic wind instrument Trumpet player Paul January got his first paying gig when he was 11 years old playing piano for a children’s fashion show in Denver He spent the next 46 years playing in various spots around Reno and Tahoe or with groups as large as 17 playing everything from funk to big band jazz He has had the privilege of working with some of the biggest names ever to grace the stages of Reno and Las Vegas For tickets, go tickettailor.com/events/konabluemusicllv/1436337. For more about the group, go to JocelynMichelleJazzBand.com As the United States prepares to roll out the largest wireless communications technology for automotive safety many vehicles on the road still lack this advanced technology Kihei’s team is exploring how C-V2X can be utilized to detect vehicles not equipped with the technology using an approach known as integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) “The concept is to use the signal from C-V2X to passively sense the environment around the vehicle,” Kihei said “This enables the vehicle to detect potential collisions even if it is the only one transmitting.” the project advances to practical implementation This phase involves setting up experiments and simulations with real-world data students and undergraduate researchers from the engineering college builds and tests prototypes of the sensing system The research findings will guide further refinements and expand the system’s potential applications to next-generation cellular networks and next-generation Wi-Fi “We are initially focused on preventing rear-end collisions Our iterative approach ensures that the technology is refined and optimized to meet diverse needs and perform effectively in various other driving situations.” Kihei said Kihei’s work seeks to overcome significant integration challenges and advance the field of joint wireless communication and sensing technologies “This research addresses current challenges and sets the stage for the future of automotive safety and technology,” Kihei said “By integrating new systems with existing infrastructure we are paving the way for advancements that will enhance road safety and technology efficiency in the years ahead.” “Being part of this project has been an amazing experience,” Stanca said.  “This work will significantly enhance vehicle safety by providing crucial information for obstacle detection and future vehicle autonomy.” Master's in robotics systems fulfills Kennesaw State online student's goal Kennesaw State's Healthcare Management and Informatics program celebrates 10 years preparing workforce leaders Passions spark innovation at Kennesaw State Symposium of Student Scholars engineering students reimagine Asheville's devastated River Arts District Marietta Campus1100 South Marietta PkwyMarietta Campus Maps kennesaw.edu/info Media Resources This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Josh Green announced Monday that the first Maui wildfire survivors moved into newly completed housing units in Kihei as the one-year anniversary of the Aug The Hale ʻO Lāʻie interim housing project (formerly the Haggai Institute) will include 150 hotel-style studios and studio suites with compact-size refrigerators and microwaves As part of the Hawaii Interim Housing Program the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation purchased the properties in coordination with the Hawaii Office of Recovery and Resiliency and the State Department of Human Services eight households are moving into the complex The state is offering the units at no cost to survivors for at least a year More than 500 households have started the application process for the units.  “The objective of HIHP is to provide as many housing options as possible for Maui wildfire survivors because we recognize that each household has unique circumstances and needs,” Green said in a statement “The opening of Hale ʻO Lāʻie goes a long way toward meeting that objective and building upon our focus of providing housing solutions on Maui.” The Hawaii Interim Housing Program also includes Ka Laʻi Ola which is being built in West Maui and will be the largest interim housing development for Maui wildfire survivors This project will provide up to 450 modular homes for FEMA-ineligible wildfire survivors The program will match households with units based on their needs and availability of housing.  “We are grateful for the funding provided by the Legislature and the hard work put into this effort by Maui County our sister state agencies and our management agent which expeditiously managed an extensive maintenance program to bring the units online,” said HHFDC Executive Director Dean Minakami in a statement.  To apply, visit this website or call 1-808-727-1550.  The public can vote and comment on two design themes included in the second community survey for the South Maui Quick Build: Street Art Project which aims to create a community-driven art design at the intersection of Kenolio Road and Alulike Street The survey is available at surveymonkey.com/r/6XTBSYR According to the Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization an online survey and in-person community meeting were held last month to gather feedback for the project where artist Matthew Agcolicol based his drafts and was inspired by the Kalepolepo Fishpond The first design is inspired by the project location’s proximity to the ocean and the surrounding area’s history The “Loko Iʻa” design features a color palette of turquoise to navy blue symbolizing the blend of fresh and salt water from the Kalepolepo Fishpond The design also incorporates graphics of fish species such as the ama’ama (mullet) and awa (milkfish) both of which were historically farmed in the fishpond which served as a vital resource for the people of the Moku of Kula from AD 1500 to 1880 The second design draws inspiration from the sand dunes near the Kalepolepo Fishpond The name “Kalepolepo,” meaning “the dirt,” originated during the repair of the fishponds when workers moving stones created large clouds of dust in the air This design features a gold to brown color palette symbolizing the transition from dry to wet sand The “Ke One” design emphasizes native wildlife and plants such as the honu (Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle) which is known to visit the shores of the fishpond a coastal vine characterized by its large purple and pink flowers helping prevent erosion People can select their preferred design theme and leave comments in Survey #2 on mauimpo.org Maui Police Department vehicles are seen at the station in 2022 WAILUKU–The 11th traffic related fatality in Maui County this year occurred on Thursday according to the Maui Police Department (MPD) their preliminary investigation has revealed that Irene Kauffold (64) of Kihei when an unknown vehicle executed a short radius right turn out of the parking lot located at 1881 South Kihei Road The vehicle proceeded to drive over the curb and onto the sidewalk when it collided into and drove over Kauffold The operator of the unknown vehicle did not stop or render aid to the pedestrian and fled the scene northbound on South Kihei Road “Further investigation revealed the unknown vehicle involved in the collision to be a grey 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee,” the MPD press release on the hit and run reads was arrested for Negligent Homicide in the First Degree and Operating a Motor Vehicle After License Suspended/ Revoked for OVUII he was placed under arrest for four unrelated outstanding warrants.” Kauffold sustained critical life-threatening injuries and was transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center Emergency Room for treatment where she later succumbed to her injuries and died Representing the Southside Boxing Club of Maui 12-year-old Micah Diaz won four matches in the male intermediate 80-pound category to capture the gold medal at the 2024 USA Boxing National Champions in Richmond Twelve-year-old Micah Diaz won a gold medal in his amateur boxing division of the 2024 USA Boxing National Champions on Thursday in Richmond The competition is in one of the biggest amateur boxing tournaments in the country a student at Lokelani Intermediate School and a member of the Southside Boxing Club of Maui outpointed his competitors in four matches in the male intermediate He was a 2024 Junior Olympic silver medalist in a national competition in Kansas in June Other club members representing Southside Boxing were Anthony Farias-Vazquez Group photoSouthside Boxing Club of Maui participated in a national boxing competition in Virginia with Micah Diaz (second to the right) winning in his division Other club members in the competition included (from left) Etienne Hardy Southside Boxing Club of Maui participated in a national boxing competition in Virginia