Few guns at Hawaii airports, Honolulu investigators continue search for victim, suspect in fatal police shootings and fire, Ige to give state of the state speech today, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

TSA at Honolulu International Airport ©2020 All Hawaii News

3 firearms intercepted at Hawaii airports in 2019, TSA says. Three of the more than 4,000 firearms that Transportation Security Administration officers caught at checkpoints nationwide in 2019 were from Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

In State of the State, Ige to focus on proposals aimed at easing Hawaii’s high cost of living. The governor will deliver his annual State of the State address on Tuesday morning. His speech is set to begin at 10 a.m. in the state House chambers. Hawaii News Now.

UH Releases Pay Levels For Hundreds Of Graduate Assistants, Lecturers. Most of them are at the Manoa campus, working up to 20 hours per week and also receiving tuition waivers. Civil Beat.

Ruderman: State lacks commitment to ag industry. The vice chairman of the state Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment said Monday the state “is lacking in a genuine commitment in supporting agriculture.” Tribune-Herald.

Creating More Treatment Options in Hawaii’s Fractured Mental Health System. A key feature of the proposed reforms includes diverting the mentally ill from ERs into outpatient and residential programs more tailored to their needs. Civil Beat.

Aircraft carrier named for Pearl Harbor hero Doris Miller. The Navy on Martin Luther King Jr. Day named an aircraft carrier for the first time for an African American, and for the first time for an enlisted sailor, in bestowing the honor on Ship’s Cook 3rd Class Doris Miller, who overcame segregated roles and seized the initiative to became a hero when he fired back at attacking Japanese planes on Dec. 7, 1941. Star-Advertiser.

Kai Kahele: ‘We Have A Moral Obligation To Humanity’. The state senator who’s now running for Congress is no stranger to war. But he wants to restrict the president’s ability to take military action without the approval of Congress. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Police and fire departments continue shooting, arson investigation. The investigation into Sunday’s fatal shooting of two Honolulu police officers and massive fire continued Monday as shellshocked residents tried to pick up the pieces of their lives in a Diamond Head neighborhood that looked like a bomb had been dropped on it. Star-Advertiser.

Still More Questions Than Answers Surround Honolulu Police Officers’ Deaths. As smoke settled in the fire-ravaged neighborhood Monday, neighbors recalled the terror they’d felt a day earlier. Civil Beat.

Shooting Suspect Believed Dead In Fire Following Killing Of 2 Honolulu Officers. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard says it may take several days to process the Diamond Head area crime scene where two Honolulu police officers were shot and killed Sunday morning. Hawaii Public Radio.

Suspect’s landlord remains unaccounted for following violent rampage in Diamond Head. One of two women who was unaccounted for following Sunday’s shooting and fires in the Diamond Head area has been found and is safe, police said. But authorities say another woman ― Lois Cain ― is still missing. Hawaii News Now.

HPD locate one woman who was unaccounted for in Diamond Head shooting. Honolulu Police have located one of the two women who were 'unaccounted for' in Sunday's deadly Diamond Head shooting and the massive house fires that followed. KITV4.

1 of 2 missing women in Hibiscus Drive fire has been located alive and well. Two women who intervened in the Diamond Head attack before the shooting started said today that they heard terrible screams for help from inside 3015 Hibiscus Drive Sunday morning and found suspect Jerry “Jarda” Hanel beating another tenant of the house with a three-pronged garden hoe. Star-Advertiser.

Suspect waged six-year TRO battle with neighbor, accused of making bogus 911 calls. The suspect in the deadly rampage was engaged in lengthy legal battles with his neighbors and was being investigated for filing bogus 911 reports against them. Hawaii News Now.

Jerry Hanel's attorney believes his client planned the Diamond Head attack. Jonathan Burge represented Hanel on multiple cases since 2015 and is still trying to process the tragedy that happened on Hibiscus Drive. KITV4.

Landlords should keep distance after eviction, says man who served notice to Diamond Head suspect. The suspect in Sunday’s attack and fire, Jerry Hanel, was in the process of being evicted. KHON2.

2 women who intervened in attack describe chaos before Hibiscus Drive shooting and fire. Two women who intervened in the Diamond Head attack before the shooting started said today that they heard terrible screams for help from inside 3015 Hibiscus Drive Sunday morning and found suspect Jerry “Jarda” Hanel beating another tenant of the house with a three-pronged garden hoe. Star-Advertiser.

Governor Orders Flags to Fly at Half-Staff. Gov. David Ige has ordered that the United States flag and the Hawai‘i state flag be flown at half-staff at the Hawai‘i State Capitol and upon all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawai‘i National Guard in the State of Hawai‘i, immediately until sunset on Friday, Jan. 24. Big Island Now.

A legacy of service: 2 officers killed in Diamond Head shooting remembered. Never take a moment for granted. That’s the message a teenager is sharing as she mourns the loss of her mother, one of two Honolulu police officers killed Sunday in a violent rampage in the Diamond Head area. Hawaii News Now.

Total of HPD officers killed on duty now at 50. The deaths by gunfire Sunday of Honolulu police officers Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama brought the department’s fallen-heroes count to 50 and increased the percentage of those shot to more than a third of the group. Star-Advertiser.

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Realignment Of Kam Highway At Laniakea Could Be In The Works. Hawaii transportation officials say they finally have the money to fix that North Shore stretch of the highway, a notorious traffic choke point that is eroding from sea level rise. Civil Beat.

EPA Begins Clearing Lead Soil in Kalihi After Years Of Delay. The long-awaited removal of soil with high lead levels on Factory Street in Kalihi is scheduled to start on Monday. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Paddlers say homeless ruining bays. Graffiti, drug use, defecation and other illegal activities have reached a point where the Big Island’s paddling community is pushing back. West Hawaii Today.

Volunteers clear Maunakea protest site. About 15 volunteers gathered at the Maunakea Access Road last weekend to clean detritus left behind from the temporarily halted anti-Thirty Meter Telescope demonstrations. Tribune-Herald.

Real estate outlook: Slow and steady in ‘20? The Big Island’s real estate market ended 2019 not far from where it ended 2018, but that doesn’t mean nothing has changed. Tribune-Herald.

Officials keeping eye on Hawaiian monk seal RA20 as pupping season nears. Hawaiian monk seal RA20 has been making her presence in Big Island waters known as of recent, hauling out at a variety of spots in West Hawaii, including in the heart of Kailua Village. West Hawaii Today.

Rapid ʻOhiʻa Death Seed Banking Gets A Boost. A project that will collect and preserve seeds from the native ʻohiʻa trees for future reforestation is getting a big boost from Hawaiʻi’s utility company. Big Island Video News.

Maui

EV charging proposals at county sites sought. Maui County has released a request for proposals to upgrade and expand public electric vehicle charging stations at county properties. Maui County has released a request for proposals to upgrade and expand public electric vehicle charging stations at county properties. Maui News.

Regulators Approve EV Charging Network Plan. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved Hawaiian Electric’s plan to own and operate four potential EVohana sites on Maui that will offer lower charging rates incentivizing EV drivers to plug in during the day when solar energy is abundant. Maui Now.

Kauai

Hospital gets $2.75M gift for trauma upgrades. Husband and wife Peter Stengaard and Jennifer Gross recently donated $2.75 million toward Wilcox Medical Center’s emergency department and trauma fundraising campaign. Garden Island.

Resident unhappy with county tax refund. A Kapaa resident recently found out she had overpaid on her property taxes by thousands of dollars over the past seven years due to a clerical error at the county finance department, whose officials have admitted they made a mistake but declined to refund about half of the money. Garden Island.

Kauaʻi Composting Serves As Model For Food Waste Diversion. More than 26 percent of the food in Hawaiʻi goes uneaten each year – that’s nearly one billion dollars’ worth of food likely ending up in the landfill. Hawaii Public Radio.

Ige approves new Mauna Kea rules, DOE seeks more teacher pay hikes, Honolulu mayoral race gets crowded, state repeatedly sent starved child back to abusers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tourists check out telescopes on Mauna Kea ©2020 All Hawaii News

Gov. Ige approves a range of Mauna Kea regulations. Gov. David Ige on Monday signed into law a controversial set of administrative rules designed to offer a new layer of protection for land and natural resources managed by the University of Hawaii on Mauna Kea. Star-Advertiser.

Governor approves rules for Maunakea. Gov. David Ige on Monday approved a controversial series of administrative rules governing the University of Hawaii’s Maunakea land management practices. Tribune-Herald.

Governor Ige Signs Maunakea Administrative Rules. The rules, approved by the UH Board of Regents in November, have been filed and will take effect on January 23, 2020. Big Island Video News.

Six Months Later, TMT National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Comment Responses Posted. The State Department of Health's official responses to public comments have been posted online, but decisions on holding contested cases have yet to be made. Big Island Video News.

Deep Snow Covers Maunakea, Mauna Loa. The Access Road to the summit of Maunakea is closed to the public at the Visitor Information Station at the 9,200 foot level due to snowy and icy road conditions. Big Island Video News.

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DOE Wants To Raise Pay For Experienced Hawaii Teachers. The plan, aimed at reducing the teacher shortage by enticing senior educators to remain in the classroom, is the next phase of a broader teacher recruitment and retention plan. Civil Beat.
https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/01/doe-wants-to-raise-pay-for-experienced-hawaii-teachers/

Results from a 2019 student survey on sexual harassment and violence on UH campuses should be out later this month. In the meantime the university submitted its annual report on campus safety and accountability to lawmakers. KHON2.

Public Safety Department Wants 15 More Guards But Can’t Fill Vacancies. Some members of the House Finance Committee want to know how the new positions can be justified. Civil Beat.

How The Endangered Hawaiian Hawk Became A Political Pawn. The Trump administration has launched an all-out assault on federal environmental regulations, including the Endangered Species Act. Civil Beat.

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Plan calls for $20 million to battle ohi‘a disease. An update to the state’s strategic response plan for rapid ohi‘a death requests more than $4 million in funding each year for five years. Tribune-Herald.

Plan to tackle Rapid Ohia Death. The state updated its response plan for the fight against Rapid Ohia Death on Monday, calling for more than $20 million for research and combat of the disease over the next five years. Garden Island.

Rapid Ohia Death fungus research, response could cost millions. Creating a plan to address Rapid Ohia Death, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is estimating they’ll need $4 million a year for the next five years. Hawaii News Now.

Rapid ʻohiʻa death battle estimated to need $4 million annually. he 2020-2024 update to the original strategic response plan for the fight against Rapid ʻOhiʻa Death notes many challenges ahead. KHON2.

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Stay out of murky water and off eastern shoreline rocks, safety officials warn. On Monday the state Department of Health Clean Water Branch issued islandwide brown-water advisories for the Big Island and Maui, and advisories continued for several beaches on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Real estate broker James joins race for Honolulu mayor. Real estate broker Choon James officially announced her candidacy for mayor Monday afternoon at the steps of Honolulu Hale. Star-Advertiser.

Activist Choon James Running For Honolulu Mayor. James is running as a “good government” candidate who isn’t taking lobbyist donations. Civil Beat.

Businesswoman Choon James announces run for Honolulu mayor. Small businesswoman and frequent city critic Choon James announced Monday she’s running for Honolulu mayor. Hawaii News Now.

Choon James announces Honolulu mayoral run. Small business woman and long time realtor Choon James announced Monday that she is running for Honolulu Mayor. KITV4.

Amemiya Reports Nearly $1M In Mayoral Campaign Contributions. The total includes the $200,000 the businessman loaned himself in his first run for office. Civil Beat.

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City to proceed with first phase of Sherwood Forest project. Honolulu city representatives announced Monday that the city would continue with the first phase of a contentious project to develop a section of Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, also known as Sherwood Forest, representing a loss for opponents who have voiced their opposition to the project for about a year. Star-Advertiser.

City Officials, Hawaiians Find Path Forward On Sherwood Forest Park. The deal drew a mixed reaction when it was unveiled at the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board meeting. Civil Beat.

Controversial Waimanalo park project plan moving forward ... but not completely. Residents in Waimanalo are divided over what is aimed to be a compromise between the community and the city. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell agrees to abandon master plan for Waimanalo park project. The city says it is abandoning both phase 1 and its master plan for its construction project at Sherwood Forest. KITV4.

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Protests shaping up against military’s proposed $1.5 billion radar on Oahu. Activists are already planning to protest a proposed $1.5 billion high-powered radar on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

HPD to hire detectives, increase patrols amid spate of violent crimes. Honolulu police officials say the department will add more detectives and increase patrols islandwide amid a string of brazen purse snatchings and muggings that appear to target the most vulnerable population: The elderly. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu's Recycling Businesses In Crisis As Global Prices Drop. Despite serving as the largest recycling facilities on Oahu, RRR Recycling and Reynolds Recycling are in a crisis, and there are implications for residents who turn in their recyclables for redemption income or reuse. Hawaii Public Radio.

Potholes might not be patched until rain relents. The city wants Oahu drivers to report any new potholes opening up under the puddles they drive through this winter. Star-Advertiser.

City and County news conference on potholes. Ross Sasamura of the Department of Facility Maintenance spoke to the press earlier Monday about potholes. KHON2.

Landlord’s ‘ridiculous’ rent demand blamed for closing of Ala Moana’s Mai Tai Bar. The popular Mai Tai Bar at Ala Moana Center will close Feb. 23 along with Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. due to a lease rental dispute that has made way for Olive Garden. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Big Island child who starved to death was repeatedly returned to alleged abusers, records show. A 9-year-old Hilo girl who died of starvation in 2016 — weighing just 45 pounds — was repeatedly removed from her home only to be returned despite concerns for her safety, according to state records. Hawaii News Now.

Health Department cites 2 teen treatment facilities on Big Island. The department’s Office of Health Care and Assurance issued a notice of violation and order to Christopher Kaiser, Michael McKinney, Suzanne McKinney and Mark Agosto of Pacific Quest Corp. for running the two illegal facilities — one at 15-1973 4th Ave. and the other 15-1736 22nd Ave. — in Keaau. Star-Advertiser.

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Harbor repairs pegged at $8M. At least $8 million will be needed to repair Kawaihae Harbor-North after the state facility was heavily damaged amid high surf at the turn of the year. West Hawaii Today.

DLNR Projects Kawaihae Harbor Repairs at $8 Million. A storm to mark the new year inflicted upwards of $8 million in damages to the Kawaihae North Small Boat Harbor based an DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation engineer’s estimate. Big Island Now.

Repairs to storm-damaged Big Island harbor estimated to cost $8M. A state engineer estimates it will cost at least $8 million to make repairs to Kawaihae North Small Boat Harbor, which was damaged in a New Year’s Eve storm. Hawaii News Now.

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North Kohala subdivision planned. Kohala Shoreline LLC is moving forward with its development of a six-lot subdivision on the North Kohala coastline. West Hawaii Today.

Neighbors battle Mauna Kea hotel. The association of homeowners at the Mauna Kea Resort is appealing the county’s approval of a subdivision without requiring a shoreline survey and other elements of a special management area. West Hawaii Today.

The $14 Million Jail Improvement Project Nobody Seems To Want. State corrections officials, who unsuccessfully sought funding to build a new facility, are proposing construction of an annex to the overcrowded Hilo jail. Civil Beat.

Maui

Lahaina Aquatic Center Closed For Repairs. The Lahaina Aquatic Center will be closed from today at noon through Thursday for repairs to a 10-inch pipe leading to the filtration system, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced. Maui Now.

A whale of show by momma, baby. A mother humpback whale teaches her baby how to tail slap Saturday morning as they frolic in the waters off Launiupoko. Maui News.

Kauai

Council meeting Thursday. The Kauai County Council’s first meeting of the year will be held at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Historic County Building. Garden Island.

Four candidates for KIUC board election. The Kaui Island Utility Cooperative Nominating Committee confirmed four candidates for its board of directors election on March 14. Garden Island.

Ban proposed on ‘forever chemicals’. Kauai doesn’t test drinking water for a class of chemicals being targeted for manufacturing bans by some members of the United States Congress. Garden Island.

Storms sandwiching Hawaiian Islands, Gabbard attacks Harris in debate, vacation rental law spurs Honolulu controversy, celebrities support Mauna Kea protest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hurricane Erick, Tropical Storm Flossie projections NOAA storm tracker

Erick slowly weakening, but hanging on as Category 1 hurricane. Hurricane Erick continues to lose strength as it churns southeast of the Big Island, but forecasters are warning it could bring heavy rains and high surf to the islands starting Thursday. At 5 a.m. Thursday, Erick was packing winds of 85 mph, making it a Category 1 storm. It was moving west-northwest near 15 mph. Hawaii News Now.

Tropical Storm Flossie continues to charge toward the state on Thursday morning. At 5 a.m., the National Hurricane Center said Flossie was located 1,515 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California ― or 1,580 miles east of Hilo. Hawaii News Now.

UPDATE: Big surf of 15-20 ft arriving on the Big Island today as Hurricane Erick passes south. Erick continues as a hurricane but not for long. KITV.

UPDATE: Tropical Storm Flossie will slowly weaken as it approaches the islands. Flossie has winds at 65 mph. KITV.

11p Wednesday Update: Hurricane Erick continues to weaken while Tropical Storm Flossie’s track shifts slightly farther away to the north. KHON2.

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Tulsi Gabbard Attacks Kamala Harris In Presidential Debate. The Hawaii congresswoman has yet to qualify for the third round of Democratic debates, which made her performance Wednesday crucial. Civil Beat.

On debate stage, Gabbard skewers Harris over her criminal justice record. Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard engaged in a heated exchange with fellow presidential contender U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris on the debate stage Wednesday, claiming that Harris should apologize to the people she impacted with her criminal justice policies. Hawaii News Now.

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More Federal Dollars Are Flowing To Hawaii’s Rural Clinics. In just three years, nine more health clinics acquired Rural Health Clinic status from the federal government, allowing them to get higher reimbursement for Medicaid and Medicare patients. Civil Beat.

Feds: Hawaii Still Coming Up Short In Meeting Special Education Needs. Hawaii still needs assistance in implementing provisions of a federal law designed to improve services for special education students. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Crackdown on vacation rentals could hurt tourism. Oahu’s more restrictive short-term rental rules, which take affect today, have come to the attention of investors and economists who warn the county is in danger of not having enough lodging for visitor arrivals to continue to grow. Star-Advertiser.

City works to refine search for illegal vacation rentals as new regulations roll out. As Honolulu officials prepare to start “digital stings” on Aug. 1 to curb illegal short-term vacation rentals, they’re also working to improve their search for potential violators. Hawaii News Now.

Waikiki condo owners will sue to stop new law. the owners of at least one Waikiki condominium complex are preparing to ask a state judge to stop the city from enforcing the new vacation rental law against them. Star-Advertiser.




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Showdown Looms With Howard Hughes Over Parcels On Rail Route. Negotiations to compensate the Kakaako landowner for properties critical to the project have broken down, with the parties as much as $100 million apart. Civil Beat.


State to tow dozens of abandoned cars from Honolulu airport lots. The state says 60 cars that were abandoned at Honolulu's airport will be removed over the next several weeks. Hawaii News Now.

60 abandoned cars will be removed from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. KHON2.


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Rapid ohia death found on Oahu for first time. Rapid ohia death, the fungal disease that has killed millions of ohia trees across Hawaii, has been detected for the first time on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.


Devastating Rapid Ohia Death now found on Oahu. The Oahu Invasive Species Committee made the discovery in a remote area in the Koolau Mountains above Pearl City. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Actor Momoa lends star power to protests. Actor Jason Momoa added some star power to the daily noontime protocol for theThirty Meter Telescope protesters Wednesday, walking up the closed Mauna Kea Access Road to present an offering in front of a crowd of about 600. Star-Advertiser.

‘Aquaman’ star meets with TMT opponents; camp, telescopes prep for approaching storms. Tribune-Herald.

Mauna Kea Day 17 – Press Conference. On Day 17 of the scheduled start of construction on the Thirty Meter Telescope, opponents of the project – including Hollywood actor Jason Momoa – gathered to hold a press conference at the base of the Mauna Kea Access Road. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii actor Jason Momoa visited the TMT protest at the base of Mauna Kea on Wednesday, becoming the latest celebrity to do so. Hawaii News Now.

Scientists Report Missed Opportunities, Equipment Near Failure as a Result of TMT Protest. The telescopes on Mauna Kea are billion-dollar instruments that require daily maintenance to stay in good working order. As access restrictions continue for a third week, many are developing serious problems. Hawaii Public Radio.

Mauna Kea Hunting Closure Concerns Commission. The temporary closure of hunting on Mauna Kea was a topic of discussion Tuesday night at the Hawaiʻi County Game Management Advisory Commission meeting in Hilo. Big Island Video News.




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Shark finning persists off Big Island. Marine biologists say they are alarmed by recent shark finning incidents on Hawaii island, citing photographs of two oceanic whitetip sharks with their fins hacked off, and that of a dead and gutted whitetip reef shark. Star-Advertiser.


Endangered sharks with fins cut off found gutted, dead off Hawaii Island. Hawaii News Now.

Concern raised over recent shark finning incidents. KHON2.

Sharks spotted finned and gutted around West Hawaii. Dive operators spotted two oceanic white-tip sharks alive with some of their fins cut off. KITV.

Maui

Still no evidence of big leak in Waikapu system. Spike in consumption could be due to higher usage. Maui News.

F-22 Raptor Training on Maui Aug. 1-3, Exhibit Aug. 2. The Hawaiʻi Air National Guard is flying over four F-22 Raptors from Oahu to Kahului Airport on Maui between Aug. 1 and 3, 2019. Maui Now.

Maui man charged, accused of buying young Thai girl and forcing her to have sex. A 76-year-old Maui man is in federal custody after he was accused of buying a 9-year-old girl in Thailand in 2014 and trying to smuggle her to Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Kauai’s Ocean Safety Bureau will extend hours for Roving Patrol Units. Starting on Thursday, August 1, Ocean Safety officials will implement extended hours for its lifeguard patrol services islandwide. KHON2.

Building for the future. There’s a new building on Kauai made out of plastic marine debris and plastic household waste. Garden Island.

Tourism numbers down. Through six months, visitor spending on Kauai was a reported $961.9 million, down 5.7% compared to the same period in 2018. Visitor arrivals through June on Kauai totaled 686,236, down 1.7% compared to the first six months of 2018. Garden Island.

Kapaa medical clinic opens. Kauai Medical Clinic opened its new location at Kauai Village shopping center on Tuesday. Garden Island.