$120M undersea fiber cable to connect islands, government employees push to telework, Green introduces almost 340 bills, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii undersea fiber cable to connect islands. State officials Thursday announced a $120 million project to build a submarine optical fiber cable system that will connect the Hawaiian Islands and expand high-speed broadband internet access. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now. Big Island Now.

Almost 340 bills are introduced to Hawaii lawmakers by the governor. Gov. Josh Green has given state lawmakers a lot to contemplate with a package of proposed legislation comprising close to 340 bills. Star-Advertiser.

Government workers union urges senators to support teleworking for state employees. Given the state's high worker vacancy rate, the Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association is urging lawmakers to better support teleworking for government employees. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lawmakers are ensuring all Hawaii public schools have working fire alarms. A report said Hawaii's public schools still have a backlog of work to address when it comes to fire safety. KITV4.

Senate committee defers bill requiring police to undergo racial and implicit bias training. A Senate committee on Wednesday deferred a measure that would have required police commissions to create programs on cultural competency, implicit bias, and racial and ethnic sensitivity. Hawaii Public Radio.

New bill would create go-between position for HOAs, Hawaii residents. Ensuring homeowners associations are being fair to their residents is the goal of a new proposal in the State Legislature that would create a government position as a go-between for HOAs and concerned tenants. KHON2.

New bill would make the ‘shaka’ an official state gesture. The story of aloha starts with a shaka! A newly introduced bill is looking to make the shaka an official state gesture. KHON2.

Air travelers in Hawaiʻi advised of potential flight delays due to military exercise. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation advises air travelers of potential flight delays due to the Sentry Aloha fighter exercise that is being hosted by the Hawai‘i Air National Guard through the end of January. Maui Now.

ACLU of Hawaiʻi names Salmah Rizvi as next executive director. The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi has selected Salmah Rizvi to replace outgoing Executive Director Scott Greenwood. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Alaska Judge Will Take Over Kaneshiro Bribery Case. An experienced federal judge in Alaska will temporarily preside over a high-profile Honolulu corruption case after a local judge recused himself from the matter this week.  Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

HPD ‘failing’ to communicate with public, mayor says. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi “could not be anymore dissatisfied” with what he called the Honolulu Police Department’s “failing” communication efforts, saying officers don’t get to make up their own rules about what the public needs to know. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Man With Knife Fatally Shot By HPD Officer In Waianae.  A man who police say was brandishing a knife and walking in the middle of Farrington Highway on Thursday was shot and killed by police in the second fatal officer-involved shooting so far this year. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

What do Oʻahu's latest power outages mean for grid reliability?  One week into the New Year, Hawaiian Electric had to cut power to Oʻahu customers because it didn't have enough electricity to meet the demand. It was the first power shortfall event on Oʻahu since 2015. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu Council urges more action from the city to fight invasive species. Oʻahu lawmakers want more to be done about invasive species, and they say the city needs to play a bigger role. Hawaii Public Radio.

New Queen’s command center is unveiled. The Aukahi Command Center is a centralized hub offering real-time data on the location and number of admitted patients, beds occupied per unit and estimated time of discharges and transfers at Queen’s facilities. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Proposed short-term rental rules on Big Island met with overwhelming opposition. Proposed changes to regulations for short-term rentals on the Big Island, those of 180 days or less also called transient accommodation rentals, sparked about four hours of impassioned testimony during a meeting Tuesday of the Hawai‘i County Council Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Development. Big Island Now.

Maui

The Army Corps Is Ready To Clean Up The Lahaina Burn Zone. But It Needs Permission From Property Owners. Most of the commercial businesses have yet to submit a right-of-entry application to the county, and hundreds of forms turned in by residents were incomplete. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Is Replacing Wood Poles Lost In August Fires With Steel. The community wants more changes to make the grid safer, such as burying lines underground. Civil Beat.

Salvage Operations Planned For Pair Of Vessels Aground Off Maui. A former Navy vessel released an oily sheen into the water while a passenger ferry apparently missed channel markers and ended up stuck. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kaua‘i is helping choose the next leader of its only college; meet the first two candidates. Thursday saw candidates Mark Lausch and Margaret Sanchez – who has served as interim chancellor of Kaua‘i Community College since January 2023 – field questions from faculty, staff, students and community members at back-to-back meetings held in the Kaua‘i campus Fine Arts Auditorium. Kauai Now.

Housing market ends year on bright note. A rough housing cycle ended on a bright note, as transactions for single-family residences popped in the final month of the year on the island of Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

University of Hawaii football team quarantined, contact tracing chief resigns, state 50th in work from home rankings, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii football, courtesy photo

Entire UH Football Team Heads to Quarantine Following Eight Positive Tests. The football team directed 81 players to quarantine in their homes "out of an abundance of caution after UH medical officials consulted with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health," the school said in a statement. Hawaii Public Radio. Big Island Now. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. KITV4.

CDC finds spread among youth sports, Hawaii pediatrician says play on. While the Rainbow Warriors are regularly tested for COVID-19, youth sports in Hawaii are generally not. This as the Centers for Disease Control says that they’re finding spread of the virus from youth sports. KHON2.

Official In Charge Of Hawaii’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing Resigns. Emily Roberson, an epidemiologist hired last year to revamp Hawaii’s COVID-19 contact tracing efforts, has resigned, she told Civil Beat Tuesday. Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo said that Roberson left her position April 1.  Civil Beat.

Report: Hawaiʻi Ranks 50th in Work from Home Rankings. With 71 percent of people — whose jobs can be done remotely — working from home all or most of the time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on the Best States for Working from Home. Hawai’i was ranked 50th, with only Alaska ranking lower. Maui Now.

Here’s How Hawaii’s New State Budget Is Shaping Up. With just a few weeks left in session, both the House and Senate plan to bail out Hawaii employers and pass some tax increases. Civil Beat.

Hawaii closer to declaring a ‘climate emergency’. A series of symbolic — but widely supported — climate resolutions, including one declaring a climate emergency, continued to move through the Legislature on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Dark Clouds Are Looming Over Hawaii Even As The Economy Appears To Be Improving. Economic experts say many people are worse off than they were before the pandemic and a lower unemployment rate is simply masking deeper problems. Civil Beat.

Transition to 10-Digit Dialing (Area Code + Number) to Begin on April 24. Beginning April 24, 2021, callers in Hawai‘i will be encouraged to dial the area code (808) plus the telephone number when making local calls, six months before this will be required for local calls to complete. Maui Now.

Hawaii Expects To Meet Biden’s New Goal Of Offering Vaccines To All Adults By April 19. Hawaii health officials say they can meet a new deadline set by President Biden Tuesday of offering COVID-19 shots to all adults by April 19, supplanting an earlier goal of May 1. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

April 6, 2021 COVID-19 Update: The state Department of Health reports that there were 61 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Tuesday, including 30 on O‘ahu, 21 on Maui, three on Hawai‘i Island, and seven in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed while out of state. Maui Now.

Oahu

Mayor Rick Blangiardi makes request to change Oahu’s tier criteria. Blangiardi on Tuesday said he sent a request to Gov. David Ige asking that the criteria for Tier 3 be increased to a seven-day average case count of 50 to 100, which is what it currently is for Tier 2. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.

Business owners say they are disappointed in the lack of clarity surrounding COVID guidelines. Business owners are seeking clarity on tier system as Oahu’s averaging 57 daily COVID cases clearly meeting the criteria to move back to Tier 2 Thursday at 12:01 a.m. Hawaii News Now.

Public reviews proposed rules for short-term rentals. A public hearing Tuesday on the city’s plan to give permits to about 1,700 Oahu homeowners to operate bed-and-breakfast units raised the question of whether the city’s Department of Planning and Permitting can be trusted to distribute the permits fairly. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Home prices on Oahu surge closer to $1 million median. Oahu’s housing market had another breakout month in March with a record $950,000 single-family home median sale price and an eye-popping number of condominium sales. Star-Advertiser.

City starts fixing Kakaako streets owned by state. Two oversize city pothole patching crews descended on perhaps the worst streets in Kakaako on Tuesday to smooth over a problem that has vexed area residents and business owners for several years. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

State crews clear out more than 30 homeless camps at Diamond Head. More than 30 homeless camps on both sides of Diamond Head are being cleared out this week by state Department of Land and Natural Resources crews. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

State again proposes removing seawall that forms Doris Duke swimming hole. A state Department of Land and Natural Resources proposal to remove the 83-year-old Diamond Head Breakwater, which parallels the seawall beneath Doris Duke’s Shangri La to form a popular ocean swimming hole, will be discussed Thursday at a public hearing. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A reprieve for Van Pernis: Council Planning Committee postpones action on ouster of commissioner. Mark Van Pernis was called rude, crusty, insulting, confrontational and condescending, among other adjectives, during a grueling three-hour Tuesday evening session of a County Council panel that ended with a recommendation to not immediately remove him from the powerful Leeward Planning Commission. West Hawaii Today.

Plan calls for 6 low-income housing projects to begin this year. The county will spend nearly $6 million in federal funds on six low-income housing projects this year, according to an action plan presented to a County Council committee. Tribune-Herald.

USA Women’s Water Polo Team donates lane course, valued at $5,500, to county. A gift from the USA Women’s Water Polo Team could result in the County of Hawaii Department of Parks and Recreation implementing a youth water polo program on the Big Island. West Hawaii Today.

Resolution for lava zone insurance study gets lukewarm support. Hawaii County Council members were lukewarm Tuesday about a proposal to investigate ways to manage home insurance rates in Lava Zones 1 and 2. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery slated for expansion. The West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery is slated to receive funds for expansion in the Hawaii State Legislature’s Capital Improvement Project proposed budget. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County population could decline with job losses. With Maui suffering some of the worst pandemic-induced job losses in the state, one of Hawaii’s top economists is predicting the Valley Isle will also be hardest hit in 2020 population decline as people move away for better work opportunities. Maui News.

Maui County Economic Development Office Hosts Virtual Grant Training Workshop April 21. Businesses and nonprofit organizations that administer viable projects that positively impact the economy of Maui County are urged to participate in a virtual grant training workshop Wednesday, April 21, at 1 pm. Maui Now.

Kauai

Cowden fined $500 for ethics violations. A 2019 county Board of Ethics complaint alleged that Councilwoman Felicia Cowden had used her role and position as a councilmember to secure the benefit of an expense-paid trip to attend a conference in Vologda, Russia, in 2019, and for having county staff use council letterhead to urge others to attend the conference, “which gave the impression attendance at the conference was being promoted by the Kaua‘i County Council,” according to the complaint. Garden Island.

Kauai coronavirus rental, utility assistance program applications open in May. The Kaua’i Government Employees Federal Credit Union (KGEFCU) will be administering the program. KHON2.

Koke‘e Nature Trail trampled Easter weekend. Easter celebrations in Koke‘e State Park over the weekend left native plants destroyed along a trail that runs behind the Koke‘e Museum. Garden Island.

Timbers embraces community throughout pandemic. Timbers Kaua‘i at Hokuala is one of the many resort properties on Kaua‘i now accepting trans-Pacific visitors through the Hawai‘i Safe Travels program. Garden Island.

Furloughs delayed as Hawaii awaits federal bailout, Honolulu grocery cards malfunction, Kauai seeks 3-day bubble quarantine, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Government Employees Association member signup Dec. 10, 2020 PC:HGEA

 Hawaii to delay state furloughs after virus relief bill passes. Gov. David Ige today said the passage of a new coronavirus relief bill by the U.S. Congress this week has prompted him to delay the implementation of state worker furloughs previously due to begin on Jan. 1. Associated Press.

Governor delays January start of furloughs for state workers, but doesn’t set new date. Gov. David Ige said the federal government’s $900 billion pandemic relief package allows Hawaii to put off implementation of the furloughs ― or two unpaid days a month for most state workers. Hawaii News Now.

Ige Announces Delay For Furloughs. Governor David Ige announced Wednesday afternoon that there will be a delay in state furloughs, that were set to begin on January 1, 2021. Hawaii Public Radio.

Governor Delays State Employee Furloughs. Based on the promise of federal aid, the governor made the decision to delay the implementation of planned state furloughs, which was set for Jan. 1, 2021.  Big Island Video News.

Governor announces delay of furloughs. In a letter sent to state employees this afternoon, the governor said the state had been waiting months to see if Congress would provide additional federal funds to help address the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impacts here in Hawai‘i. Garden Island.

University of Hawaii faculty union sues to stop furloughs. The union representing University of Hawaii faculty filed a lawsuit today, asking the court to stop Gov. David Ige from enacting furloughs and a 9.23% pay cut. Star-Advertiser.

State worker union files lawsuit against Gov. Ige on furloughs as delay is announced. The unions say they will take action against the governor if a furlough is imposed before their contract expires in June of 2021. KHON2.

HSTA President calls delay of furloughs a holiday gift for teachers. More than 13,000 public school teachers and staff would have been affected. KITV4.

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Hawaii Joins Legal Battle Over Telework Tax. Hawaii wants the U.S. Supreme Court to prohibit states from levying income tax on people who work from home in another state. Civil Beat.

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Lagging tourism could result in more than half of Hawaii’s eateries closing for good by April, a survey says. More than half of Hawaii restaurants may be forced to close for good by April without a significant boost in tourism, according to a survey by the University of Hawaii’s Public Policy Center. Star-Advertiser.

Without a tourism rebound, half of Hawaii restaurants say they’ll be permanently closed by April. If tourism doesn’t make a rebound early on in 2021, more than half of Hawaii restaurants say they will be forced to close permanently by April, a new survey finds. Hawaii News Now.

Survey: 50% of Hawaii restaurants will close by April. More than half of Hawai'i’s restaurants will be forced to permanently close by April 2021, if tourism does not significantly increase, according to a survey by the Public Policy Center located at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. KITV4.

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PUC OKs regulatory changes for Hawaiian Electric. The state Public Utilities Commission approved Wednesday regulatory changes for Hawaiian Electric aimed at incentivizing the quick adoption of clean energy goals and could lower customers’ energy bills. Tribune-Herald.

Casino plan underscores worsening problems with homesteading program. This fall, as the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands faced mounting criticism over its handling of a century-old program to return Native Hawaiians to their ancestral lands, top officials asked their staff to come up with bold solutions. Star-Advertiser.

The Pandemic Is Hitting Hawaii’s Filipino Community Hard. The virus has sickened Filipinos disproportionately and led to widespread job losses. A grassroots Filipino COVID-19 task force has partnered with various nonprofit organizations and the Filipino Community Center to use federal CARES Act funding to educate thousands of Filipino residents about the virus and how to prevent it. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s COVID-19 Vaccines Are Arriving At Slower Pace, Health Officials Say. Hawaii health regulators anticipate the arrival of thousands more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine across all counties next week. Civil Beat.

TRACKER — Dec. 23: 107 New COVID-19 Cases and 3 Deaths. Health officials reported 107 new COVID-19 cases statewide on Wednesday, including 69 on Oahu, 15 on Maui, 13 on the Big Island and 10 Hawaii residents diagnosed out of state. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Vendor trying to rectify City Card activation issues. As of Tuesday night, 751 out of 3,700-plus cards distributed had activated their cards, said Amy Asselbaye, the city’s director of economic revitalization. Star-Advertiser.

If you’re still trying to activate your city grocery card, here’s what to do. On Wednesday afternoon, the city said the cards can now be activated online. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell announces new H-POWER contract to recycle ash, prevent it from going into Oahu landfills. Instead of going into the landfill, the ash byproduct of H-POWER would be treated and cleaned and could then potentially be used as construction material. Metals that are recovered from the ash would be recycled as well. Star-Advertiser.

ACLU pushes city to stop homeless sweeps, at least during the holidays. Honolulu city officials are under pressure to stop the homeless sweeps. Hawaii News Now.

Rail line on verge of opening. The first segment of the city’s over budget and long-delayed rail line will begin carrying passengers between East Kapolei and Aloha Stadium sometime in the second half of 2021, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Andrew Robbins told reporters Wednesday in what likely was his last public availability while on the job. Star-Advertiser.

Draft environmental impact statement for new Aloha Stadium entertainment district released. The march to replace aging Aloha Stadium reached a major milestone today with the release of the draft environmental impact statement for the new Aloha Stadium entertainment district. Star-Advertiser.

State seeks feedback about its vision for Aloha Stadium redevelopment. The state released its draft environmental impact statement for the “Aloha Stadium Entertainment District” ― and wants your input on next steps. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

HVO: Kilauea lava lake rises to more than 500 feet. Areas around the summit of Kilauea on Wednesday were blanketed in high levels of sulfur dioxide and particulates that reached levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency as hazardous, according to a statement from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Tribune-Herald.

HVNP Sees Surge in Visitors Coming to See New Kīlauea Eruption. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has temporarily closed the backcountry to overnight use due to a surge in visitors coming to see the new eruption at Kīlauea volcano. Big Island Now.

HMC begins vaccinations. The first round of Pfizer vaccines was given to health care workers Wednesday at Hilo Medical Center, 273 days after the first stay-at-home order was implemented in Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

‘The beginning of the end’: Frontline workers, first responders receive COVID-19 vaccine. The first 25 frontline workers at Kona Community Hospital received their initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday afternoon in Kealakekua. West Hawaii Today.

Healthcare Workers at North Hawai‘i Community Hospital Receive Vaccine. Thirty staff members at Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital received their Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations Tuesday, with the remaining staff expected to receive the vaccine in the next two weeks. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui County tops state in revenue per hotel room for month of November. County saw rise in occupancy, rates, revenue last month. Maui News.

Hospital workers first in Maui County to receive vaccine. A respiratory therapist, an emergency room physician and other Maui Memorial Medical Center staff became the first people in Maui County to receive the COVID-19 vaccine early Wednesday morning. Maui News.

Maui First Responders Begin Vaccinations at UHMC Drive Up Clinic. A drive up COVID-19 vaccination clinic was held for first responders at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College in Kahului today for fire personnel, police officers, paramedics and front line medical workers. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i proposes rule independent of state’s Safe Travels. The county is seeking approval to create a post-travel resort bubble program that would allow incoming travelers to test out of the quarantine after three days. Garden Island.

Mayor Kawakami requests ‘resort bubble’ alternative to Safe Travels Program. Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami sent a proposal to Gov. David Ige during the week of Monday, Dec. 21, that would allow incoming Kauai passengers who received a pre-travel test to quarantine at an approved resort bubble. KHON2.

Kaua'i County proposing mandatory post-travel COVID-19 test. Kaua'i County is proposing a mandatory post-travel COVID-19 test, three days after arriving on the island. KITV4.

Aea appointed new KLA president. Newly appointed president to the Kaua’i Lifeguard Association Laola Aea is looking forward to new challenges she and her team will face in a world significantly altered by COVID-19. Garden Island.