A tangle of mourning, recovery and tourism has many wondering if it’s possible or respectful to spend a vacation on Maui now. The answer is yes.
Five hundred feet outside the Lahaina burn zone, the tourists receive their leis. As the torches of the Old Lahaina Luau flicker, bartenders mix mai tais and hula dancers get ready. After dinner, dancer and emcee Niki Rickard gathers the performers in a circle and asks the audience for 'a moment of silence ... to acknowledge all we have lost.' A year after the deadliest U.S.
footing many bills. Since then, amid ferocious debate about the island housing shortage and how to rebuild, most fire survivors have moved to longer-term housing or left the island. Many are back at work now, tending to tourists. This tangle of mourning, recovery and tourism has many travelers wondering if it's possible or respectful to spend a vacation on Maui now. The answer is yes, according to every resident, worker and visitor I asked in three days on the island.
reports that by July 31, cleanup crews had cleared 319,000 tons of fire debris, nearly 34 tons of asbestos and 3,000 fire-damaged cars, with 47 rebuilding permits issued by Maui County. On Saturday, utility company Hawaiian Electric, the state of Hawaii and five other defendants announced a $4-billion settlement agreement with fire victims, pending court approval. Total damages have been estimated at $5.5 billion or more.
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