Maui County Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura will hold two talk story sessions Upcountry this week. The first session takes place tonight (Feb. 6) at the Kula Elementary School cafeteria from 6 to 7 p.m. Sugimura will also hold her monthly Talk Story with Yuki Lei outreach program, Feb. 10, at the Upcountry Farmers Market from 7 to 11 a.m.
LYNN DECOITE
Seeks Senate seat
Rep. Lynn DeCoite, Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English’s pick to take his place once he retires, is throwing her hat into the ring for English’s Senate District 7 seat, which covers a broad swath of East and Upcountry Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
DeCoite is the first to publicly announce her intention to vie for the District 7 seat after English on Tuesday revealed plans to retire as he deals with the long-term effects of COVID-19.
“There is no doubt that Senator English leaves very big shoes to fill,” DeCoite said in a statement on Wednesday. “Our district needs someone who will foster the relationships that he has built and continue to ensure that resources are properly allocated to our rural communities.”
mtanji@mauinews.com
Axis deer run within 20 yards of a Wailea house in December 2019. Officials are debating the best response to the overabundance of deer, which have caused damage to farms, ranches and other properties, a situation made worse by ongoing drought conditions. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Community members are considering how hunting on private land could help control the overpopulation of deer that has been damaging crops and causing traffic accidents in Maui County.
Wildlife experts and government officials gathered for a virtual meeting Wednesday evening to discuss the longtime issue that’s recently grown worse with parts of Maui County under drought conditions.