UNITED STATES NEWS

Aerosmith singer and Maui homeowner Steven Tyler urges tourists to return to the island

Sep 3, 2023, 9:17 AM

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith performs during night one of their "Peace Out: The Farewell Tour" on Satu...

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith performs during night one of their "Peace Out: The Farewell Tour" on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Credit: Amy Harris/Invision/AP

(Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — He’s most often associated with Boston, the hometown of his legendary rock band, but Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler has a soft spot in his heart for the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The singer, who has a home on the island, wants vacationers to return to Maui to help the island’s economy — devastated by wildfires last month — recover.

Near the end of the opening night of the band’s farewell tour in Philadelphia Saturday, Tyler urged audience members not to be afraid to travel to the island again.

“When you think about Lahaina, think about south Maui,” Tyler told the audience at the Wells Fargo Center shortly before performing the band’s biggest hit, “Dream On.”

“Paia and Hana: it’s still there,” he said, of two other Maui resort towns unscathed by the fires. “It’s a place to go and do, you know, the love thing. It’s still open, it’s still happening.

“Everything’s beautiful, except we gotta come there and make it more beautiful, OK?” he said.

Immediately after the fires obliterated the seaside tourist town of Lahaina, officials including Gov. Josh Green told tourists to stay away during the island’s recovery.

But they soon reversed that advice, realizing how essential tourism is to the island’s economy — and to the prospects of its residents returning to a normal life anytime soon. Tyler’s daughter, Mia, was among those initially discouraging tourists from coming to Maui shortly after the fires.

The number of people listed as missing from the fires stood at 385 on Friday, Hawaii officials said.

The flames turned Lahaina into rubble in a few short hours on Aug. 8. Wind gusts topping 60 mph (97 kph) ripped through the town, causing the flames to spread exceptionally quickly.

Half the town’s 12,000 residents are now living in hotels and short-term vacation rentals. Reconstruction is expected to take years and cost billions.

___

Follow Wayne Parry on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC.

United States News

Associated Press

Virginia police investigate explosion at house where officers were trying to serve a search warrant

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Police in a Virginia suburb of the nation’s capital are investigating an explosion at a residence where officers were trying to serve a search warrant Monday. The Arlington County Police Department said in a statement that the suspect fired several shots inside the home and that an explosion happened. Firefighters were […]

12 minutes ago

FILE - A hiring sign is displayed at a grocery store, Oct. 5, 2023, in Deerfield, Ill. Most busines...

Associated Press

Economists predict US inflation will keep cooling and the economy can avoid a recession

Most business economists think the U.S. economy could avoid a recession next year, even if the job market ends up weakening under the weight of high interest rates, according to a survey released Monday.

31 minutes ago

Associated Press

Photographs capture humpback whale’s Seattle visit, breaching in waters in front of Space Needle

Seattle (AP) — Pictures released by a conservation group show a young humpback whale breaching in front of the Space Needle as it visited the waters off Seattle last week, capturing a rare display of wildlife next to a major city. The photos were also used to gauge the general health of the whale and […]

50 minutes ago

FILE - President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, leaves after a court appearance, July 26, 2023, in ...

Associated Press

Prosecutors push back against Hunter Biden’s move to subpoena Trump documents in gun case

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prosecutors pushed back Monday against Hunter Biden’s move to subpoena documents from Donald Trump and former Justice Department officials in the firearms case filed against the president’s son. They argued that Hunter Biden doesn’t have enough evidence to support his claims of potential political interference in the criminal investigation against him and […]

1 hour ago

(Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photo)...

Associated Press

Treasury creates new strike force as US and China pursue crackdown on illicit fentanyl trafficking

The Treasury Department on Monday announced a new strike force to help combat illicit fentanyl trafficking as the U.S. and China step up stop efforts.

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Arkansas rules online news personality Cenk Uygur won’t qualify for Democratic presidential primary

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas election officials on Monday said online news personality Cenk Uygur, who was born in Turkey, can’t appear on the state’s Democratic presidential primary ballot next year. The determination comes weeks after Uygur proclaimed that he had become the first naturalized citizen on a presidential ballot after filing paperwork with […]

2 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

Valley residents should be mindful of plumbing ahead of holidays

With Halloween in the rear-view and more holidays coming up, Day & Night recommends that Valley residents prepare accordingly.

Follow @KTAR923...

The best ways to honor our heroes on Veterans Day and give back to the community

Veterans Day is fast approaching and there's no better way to support our veterans than to donate to the Military Assistance Mission.

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

Aerosmith singer and Maui homeowner Steven Tyler urges tourists to return to the island