Maui

Maui County's $1.5 billion proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 focuses on recovery, resilience and investments across the county. For the first time in 100 years, the budget will be delivered in both English and ‘Olelo Hawai’i.

On Maui, a dog adventure program is helping shelter animals escape kennel stress and shine in their natural environments. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports the program has gained national acclaim.

More than half of the 1,355 homes destroyed in the Lahaina wildfires were owner-occupied. Five of those families will get new homes thanks to a multi-organization partnership.

Enter the Hawaiʻi Journalism Initiative — launched by Maui journalist Colleen Uechi. She spoke to The Conversation about what the new project hopes to achieve in Hawaiʻi's journalism landscape.

The Maui Food Bank said that demand for food assistance has surged since the 2023 wildfires. Monthly food distribution increased from 250,000 to more than 700,000 pounds per month.

More than a billion dollars in federal funding is headed to Maui County for fire recovery. As HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports, it will be available later this year to Lahaina’s displaced residents who need it most.

Hye-ryeon Lee, who is the chair of the School of Communication and Information and studies health communication at UH Mānoa, on vaccine hesitancy; East-West Center's new inaugural Presidential Chair, Jean Lee, discusses the latest on the uncertainty around South Korean politics

Former NOAA Chief Scientist Sylvia Earle shares the effects further cuts to the agency could have on public access; A. Kam Napier, editor-in-chief of the new Hawaiʻi publication Aloha State Daily, on what he hopes to add to local news

Federal funding cuts have hit close to home for Maui residents. As HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports, a grant program that supported wildfire recovery efforts has been terminated.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen will give his state of the county address Friday, hoping to make clear his vision for this next stage in recovery following the deadly wildfires a year and a half ago. Bissen spoke with The Conversation about the latest progress being made by federal and local agencies.