Civil Beat caught up with the mayor at a recent event in Washington, D.C., to discuss climate change, his hope to turn Maui into Hawaii’s food basket and the U.S. Supreme Court.

The lawsuit has drawn attention from environmental groups, fossil fuel interests and the Trump administration, which is backing Maui County.

The latest legal action asks a state court judge to allow the Maui County Council to settle the case before it has the potential to carve a giant loophole into the Clean Water Act.

The mayor won’t settle a case with national implications despite the council’s instruction to do so, spurring a new lawsuit to sort out the separation of powers.

The remaining six stranded melon-headed whales were floated back to sea, though authorities said two of those were likely to be euthanized.

A pilot teledentistry program on Maui and the Big Island is extending access to care in a state where one in four children have untreated tooth decay.

People are urged to be on the lookout for the newcomer to Hawaii, which adds to the problems already hindering the rarely seen Kamehameha butterfly and host plants.

Allowing restaurants to sell take-out booze is the latest in a series of controversial proposals. “We don’t want Maui to turn into Las Vegas,” says one critic.

The result has been bittersweet. Stream water was restored to his East Maui land three years ago, but so many others gave up traditional taro farming during the long battle.

The Dallas-based airline plans to fly to four islands from the mainland, with the option  of adding inter-island flights later.

We’re better off if some environmental battles were resolved with innovation and negotiation rather than in a courtroom.

Buy local, give local. The holidays is a time to show thanks for all the aloha and acceptance our columnist and her husband have received living in Hana.