Councilwoman seeks funds to buoy Molokai-Maui ferry
A Maui County councilwoman has introduced a resolution that urges Mayor Alan Arakawa to help prevent service reductions for the ferry between Molokai and Maui by providing funding.
Councilwoman Stacy Crivello said in a news release that her resolution asks the mayor to seek a $500,000 budget appropriation for the ferry operated by the Lahaina Cruise Co.
Calling the ferry "a lifeline in need of help," Crivello, who represents Molokai, said the ferry provides an important service to Molokai residents who rely on it to get to work, school and other functions.
According to the Maui News, Lahaina Cruise Co. President and Senior Captain Dave Jung said ridership has plummeted in the last six months, which he blames in part on competition from airlines that offer cheaper and faster interisland trips.
The company plans to ask the state Public Utilities Commission to allow changing the ferry schedule from two daily round trips to one per day, the Maui News said.
Raw sewage spills on grass at Maui facility
About 11,500 gallons of raw sewage spilled Tuesday at the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility because of a mechanical failure.
The overflow started at 8 a.m. and was stopped by 8:20 a.m., Maui County officials said.
Wastewater flowed from a building to an adjacent grassy area at the facility, officials said. The spill was contained within the facility.
A county wastewater crew cleaned and disinfected the affected area at 3300 Lower Honoapiilani Road in Lahaina.
The county notified the state Department of Health of the spill.
Ant control to close cabin at Haleakala
The Holua campground and cabin at Haleakala National Park on Maui will be closed April 9-10 for ant control treatment.
National Park Service biologists will conduct work to reduce the spread of invasive Argentine ants, part of a long-term management plan, according to a NPS statement. An over-the-counter product with the active ingredient hydramethylnon is used to treat affected areas at Haleakala two to four times a year.
Control measures are necessary because the insects pose a threat to native pollinators and predatory insects, park Superintendent Natalie Gates said in a statement. Pollinators of the Haleakala silversword — the noctuid moth and the Hawaiian yellow-faced bee — are affected.
Native predatory insects that are also affected include the wolf spider (Lycosa) and the carabid beetle (Blackburnia frigida), which are found on the upper slopes of Haleakala.
