Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting canceled for Wednesday in Lahaina

The County of Maui announced there will be no weekly Lahaina Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting this August 7, to allow for preparations for Remembrance Week gatherings.

At a previous meeting, officials announced that weekly meetings will resume on August 14 at the Lahaina Civic Center.

Information on Remembrance Week gatherings can be found at www.kuhiniamaui.org.

Sugar Museum Seeking Volunteers for Free Community Event

The nonprofit Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum needs volunteers for its free Family Day Event on Saturday, August 24.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1pm. Volunteers are needed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with 2.5 hour shifts involved in set up, break down, assisting with running activity, games and craft stations, operating the popcorn machine, and hand crank shave ice and soft drink booths.

Sign up at www.sugarmuseum.com or call 808-871-8058.

Crater Road reopens to the public

The Maui Fire Department (MFD) announced on August 3 that Crater Road was reopened to through traffic. The road had been closed since July 27 as a safety precaution as crews continued work to contain the 574-acre Crater Road Fire which began on July 10.

The Crater Road Fire was declared 100% contained Saturday evening.

Since the fire is not fully extinguished, the MFD and partner agencies will continue operations in the area. As a result, the MFD asks motorists to remain alert when on the road, as fire apparatus and fire personnel, along with water tankers may still be operating along the road or parked on the narrow shoulders.

Please do not stop within the fire area to sightsee. The burned area is on private property and should not be trespassed onto. Hazards still exist in the burned area, including but not limited to: Ash pits/hot spots-below ground areas of high heat that may not be visible from the surface. Stepping into one can cause serious burns to the legs and torso. Hazard trees-fire weakened trees can fall without warning. Being hit by even a small tree can potentially cause life-threatening injuries or death.

For more information on the status and hours of Haleakala National Park: https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Molokaʻi property tax payment window to be open Mondays and Tuesdays only through August 20

The Molokaʻi Real Property Assessment office at Mitchell Pauole Center will be accepting property tax payments on Mondays and Tuesdays only through Tuesday, August 20, 2024.

For property tax payments and circuit breaker questions, call 1 (800) 272-0117 and ask for Real Property Treasury or call direct at (808) 270-7697. Tax payments also canbe mailed to County of Maui, Department of Finance, Treasury Division, 110 ‘Ala’ihi St., Suite 108, Kahului 96732.

For other property questions, call 1 (800) 272-0117 and ask for Real Property Assessment or call direct at (808) 270-7297. Visit our website at https://www.mauicounty.gov/rpt or email rpa@co.maui.hi.us

The Department of Finance apologizes for the inconvenience.

Kihei swimming pool to be closed temporarily for installation of new chlorination systems

County of Maui swimming pools in Kīhei will be closed temporarily for the installation of new chlorination systems, the County Department of Parks and Recreation announced.

The closures will occur from:

August 1 to 16 at Kīhei Aquatic Center in Kīhei.

For updates on pool hours of operation, call the County of Maui pool hotline at (808) 270-8208.

Council Chamber closed for election season

Maui County Council Chair Alice L. Lee announced on July 22 that committee meetings will be held in alternate locations–including the Kalana Pākuʻi Conference Room–over the next several weeks to accommodate the 2024 election schedule.

Lee said the Council Chamber is closed to the public, with access limited to Office of the County Clerk staff charged with securing primary-election ballots. For more information on the Aug. 10 primary, visit mauicountyvotes.com.

“My colleagues and I are committed to doing our part to protect the security and integrity of the voting process and will continue our legislative work with sensitivity to the election season,” said Lee, who holds the seat for the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū residency area. “The public will be updated on any further changes moving forward.”

Committee meetings will be held Wednesday-Friday in Kalana Pākuʻi at 250 S. High St., Lee said. The next round of committee meetings is planned for the week of Aug. 5, and the next council meetings will be held on Aug. 13 and 23.

To view meeting schedules, locations and agendas, visit mauicounty.us/agendas. For more information, visit mauicounty.us or call the Office of Council Services at (808) 270-7664.

Sewer user fee increases now in effect with start of new fiscal year

The County of Maui Department of Environmental ManagementWastewater Reclamation Division is reminding customers that sewer user fees have increased by an average of 2 percent for Fiscal Year 2025, which started on July 1. The rate increase was approved by the County Council to ensure that the County of Maui’s wastewater system is financially self-supporting.

In accordance with the Maui County Code, sewer user fees are structured so that each customer class pays its equitable share of operations, maintenance and repair of the wastewater infrastructure.

More information on the increase of sewer user rates and copies of budget documents and ordinances are available at: https://www.mauicounty.gov/139/Budget-Office.

Free homeownership event to be held at Queen Kaahumanu Center August 29

This is a free event entitled “Getting on the Homeownership Path” being held on August 29 at the Queen Kaahumanu Center in the former Forever 21 space.

The Event will feature various speakers including Sterling Higa of Housing Hawaii’s Future and President of the AREAA Aloha Chapter Tom Kiyabu. Credit counselors, lenders and more will speak to getting prepared long term for homeownership.

Free food and beverage will be offered. Registration opens at 4 p.m. and the program will begin promptly at 5 p.m. and will go to 7 p.m.. Registration at www.areaa.org/Aloha is required.

IRS reminds Hawaii wildfire victims of the upcoming August 7 tax filing and payment deadline

For those affected by the historic 2023 wildfires in Hawaii facing income tax filing payment deadlines on Wed., August 7, 2024, the Internal Revenue Service reminded them that additional help and information is available on IRS.gov.

Wildfire victims in Maui and Hawaii counties are also advised to update their current address with the IRS by calling the IRS Disaster Hotline at 866-562-5227, or by filing Form 8822, Change of Address. The IRS also recommends that taxpayers notify the Post Office serving the old address, if their address has changed.

The Internal Revenue Service postponed until August 7, 2024, various tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for individuals and businesses in Maui and Hawaii counties affected by the August 8, 2023, wildfires. This deadline was previously February 15, 2024.

In general, this means that affected individuals, businesses and tax-exempt organizations have until August 7, 2024, to file their 2023 returns and pay any taxes due. This is in addition to the expansive relief announced last August, shortly after the wildfires occurred.

The IRS is offering relief to Maui and Hawaii counties, the two areas designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Individuals and households that reside or have a business in these localities qualify for tax relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the Tax relief in disaster situations page on IRS.gov.

Utility work to impact traffic on Dairy Road August 12-13

Work scheduled 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. requires a single lane closure

KAHULUI – To ensure reliable service, maintenance utility pole work that will impact area traffic along Dairy Road fronting the Maui Marketplace in Kahului has been rescheduled to Monday, August 12 and Tuesday, August 13, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No service interruptions are planned for this work. The work was originally scheduled for August 5 and 6.

For the safety of the public and crews, the work requires a closure of the right lane of Dairy Road headed in the north-east direction going towards the Kahului Airport. During this work period, drivers can anticipate seeing crew members and several flatbed trucks and the use of air compressors, which can cause some noise in the immediate area.

Safety signs, arrow boards and traffic cones will mark the work area and guide motorists through the altered lanes. Flagmen will provide onsite traffic control.

Motorists should drive with caution when approaching and passing the work zone as well as plan for anticipated traffic delays in this immediate area.

Parking lot at Cove Park in Kīhei to be temporarily closed for work to address safety concerns

Park is expected to reopen August 31

The parking lot at Cove Park in Kīhei will be closed temporarily from Aug.5 to 30, 2024,for beautification efforts and addressing safety concerns. The work will include resurfacing and painting parking stalls to maintain and improve the parking area,the Department of Parks and Recreation announced.

Cove Park will remain open and there will be access to the beach and shower area.

The Department appreciates the public’s patience and understanding during this closure.

For more information, call the South District Recreation Office at (808) 891-4951.

For general County of Maui parks information, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/parks.