🎄Letʻs Start with Mahalo …
Mahalo to Jeff K and Beth for your sweet encouragement. I am very glad to hear that you found the first issue of Maui Insider helpful.
Mahalo to all of you. As you know, I am building this Inside Maui Local Newsletter biz in public - you see all my mistakes, my failures, and also my wins and improvements. My desire is to build a vital and vibrant community here.
🎄Local News Highlight :
Here’s a quick, easy-to-digest update on Bill 9, which the Maui County Council passed on first reading last week.
After hours of heartfelt testimony from our community, the Council voted 5–3 to move Bill 9 forward. This bill would begin phasing out short-term vacation rentals in apartment-zoned areas — the units many of us know from the Minatoya list. Supporters say it’s an important step toward opening more long-term housing for local families, while others worry about the economic impacts on owners, workers, and small businesses connected to visitor rentals.
Because this was only the first reading, nothing is final yet. The bill returns to the Council for a second and final vote on December 15, so there’s still more discussion ahead.
If you want a recap, Jesse Wald did an excellent job breaking everything down. You can watch his coverage here.
Stay informed, stay engaged, and let’s continue supporting each other through these big changes.
🎄Whatʻs Happening 😀
📅 December 10 (Wednesday), 7–8pm
Waiting for This Moment to Arise 🎟️
📍 ProArts Maui
🌐 proartsmaui.org
📌 Family-friendly; Beatles-inspired student production
Description: A heartfelt show created by Roots School students—full of adventure, imagination, and creativity.
📅 December 11 (Thursday), 4:30–8pm
UH Maui College Holiday Bash, Electric Light Parade & Night Market 🎄✨
📍 UHMC Kahului Campus Great Lawn
🌐 maui.hawaii.edu/events
📌 Free; keiki zone; food booths; night market; parade finale
Description: Live music, shopping, food, car show, keiki activities, and the beloved Electric Light Parade.
📅 December 13 (Saturday), 8am–12pm
Waikapū Street Fair 🎄🛍️
📍 Ulu Kanu St in Waikapu Gardens
📌 Free; family-friendly; local vendors; food trucks
Description: A cozy, community-driven holiday market featuring Maui artisans, food trucks, handmade gifts, and cheerful photo spots—perfect for supporting small local businesses.
📅 December 13 (Saturday), 3–9pm
Mix & Mingle Holiday Marketplace 🎁✨
📍 The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
🌐 ritzcarlton.com/maui (events)
📌 Free; artisan gifts; photos with Santa; live hula and jazz performances
Description: A festive artisan holiday market set in the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Kapalua resort.
Next issue we will do 2 weeks again :). We will also have more events listed.
Did You Know? The first computer bug was literally a bug—in 1947, Grace Hopper found a moth trapped in a Harvard Mark II computer, coining the term "debugging" in the process.
Till next time :)
A Hui Hou,
Liza