County bus provides free Wi-Fi in Hana

A Maui Bus fitted with free public Wi-Fi will be parked at Hana Bay for a two-week trial that started Wednesday. The bus is fitted with antennas that can reach signals of up to 500 feet, according to the county Department of Transportation.

Instructions on how to connect and use the Wi-Fi service are posted on the side of the bus, which will be parked at the bay from 8 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. weekdays.

With Internet access spotty in the rural Hana area, county officials said they wanted to provide reliable and safe service so students can engage in online learning opportunities while school is out and so residents can find financial and unemployment resources.

Officials might consider extending the service beyond the trial period. For more information, call 270-7511.

Virtual open house planned for Kihei solar project

Learn more about the 40-megawatt Kamaole Solar Project during a virtual open house from 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 14.

SB Energy Corp., a Japanese wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp., and SB Energy’s wholly owned subsidiary, Pacific Green Ikehu LLC, were selected through Maui Electric Co.’s competitive process to build the solar facility with 160 megawatt-hours of battery energy storage on Haleakala Ranch land in Kihei.

Kamaole Solar officials will provide details of the project, site maps, planned studies and a project timeline and discuss how it could benefit the community.

To register and for more information, go online to 808ne.ws/kamaolesolar or request a registration link by email at kamaole_support@sbenergy.co.jp.

Roi rage: What to do about invasive threat

“Invasive roi in Hawaii: What should be done?” is the topic of a free Zoom webinar at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday featuring state Division of Aquatic Resources Maui aquatic biologist Russell Sparks and scientist Alan Friedlander of Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society and director of the Fisheries Ecology Research Lab at the University of Hawaii.

The online presentation, part of the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s Know Your Ocean Speaker Series, will look at roi and recent scientific studies about the impact of the invasive fish, commonly known as peacock grouper, on native reef fish. Concerns include the roi’s voracious appetite for smaller native fish and that the ciguatoxin carried in the fish can move up the food chain and spread to other species.

To make a free reservation, visit bit.ly/RoiMaui.

Ian Walsh foundation doubles scholarships

The Ian Walsh Menehune Mayhem Foundation Scholarships has awarded eight students $2,500 each for college expenses, doubling the number of awards given last year when the program started. The recipients are:

>> Hailey Bogar, Lahainaluna, who will attend Northern Arizona University to study hotel/restaurant management and marketing.

>> Cecilia Buckingham, King Kekaulike, Chapman University, Argyros School of Business.

>> Keilana Calder, King Kekaulike, Colorado College, microbiology and dance.

>> Lilia Davis, Kamehameha Schools Maui, University of Denver, environmental science.

>> Alayna Evans, Kamehameha Schools Maui, Azusa Pacific University, nursing and Hawaiian herbal medicine.

>> Sasha Kovacic, King Kekaulike, Davidson College, premed track to study neuroscience.

>> Ashley Taoka, Maui High School, University of California, San Marcos, business administration.

>> Ameera Waterford, Seabury Hall, Stanford University, biomechanical engineering.

Walsh, a professional surfer, started the foundation to support activities that encourage Maui youths to maximize their potential in surfing, fitness and healthy living; cultivate their talents in communication through the arts and academics; and champion the natural environment. Scholarship support also was provided by the Harbaugh Foundation and Scott and Audrey Blum.

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STAY INFORMED

Due to COVID-19 precautions, Maui County meetings are being held only online via Blue Jeans.com. To watch or provide video testimony, enter meeting ID; to listen or provide phone testimony, dial the number provided and enter meeting ID. Council meetings also can be seen live on Akaku Channel 53 and mauicounty.us/agendas.

>> Governance, Ethics and Transparency Committee meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday to consider proposed charter amendments to allow the Council to remove corporation counsel and to limit the number of terms a person may serve as mayor to two full terms. The committee reconvenes June 30 meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday to consider proposed charter amendments to change the Department of Housing and Human Concerns to the Department of Housing and establishing a Department of Human Concerns; require the Council to meet at least 21 times each year rather than at least twice each month; limit the number of terms a person may serve on the Council to five full terms; establish a Department of Agriculture to develop a sustainable regional agricultural system for Maui County; establish shorter lifetime term limits for Council members from five two-year terms to two four-year terms; and other proposals. (Meeting ID: 551 273 481; phone testimony: 408-915-6290)

>> Cultural Resources Commission convenes 11 a.m. Thursday to review and comment on archaeological report and cultural impact assessment in Hawaiian Cement’s draft environmental assessment prepared in support of a special management area use permit and shoreline setback variance for Kahului Harbor Hawaiian Cement; and to review Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ annual update on Palauea Cultural Preserve. (Meeting ID: 570 014 631; phone 888-240-2560 or 408-740-7256; passcode 1909#)

>> Maui County Council holds its regular meeting at 9 a.m. Friday. For agenda visit mauicounty.us/agendas.

Send meeting notices, announcements and other news to maui@staradvertiser.com.