Federal money could fix Hawaii roads, record high state tax collections, officials say Waikiki crime at normal levels, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

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How Federal Funds Could Help Fix Hawaii’s Roads And Bridges. The state transportation department is developing plans on how to spend upwards of $220 million each year in investment act funds. Civil Beat.

Hawaii tax collections soared to a record high in April while the local economy recovered. Hawaii’s general fund took in $1.4 billion in tax revenue during April, representing a 40% gain over roughly $1 billion in the same month of 2021 and more than any month in history. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Would You Want The Government To Be Your Landlord? For years, Hawaii Sen. Stanley Chang has been promoting Singapore’s government housing program as a solution to Hawaii’s housing shortage. Now Chang, who is chair of the Senate Housing Committee and a leader on housing issues, is promoting another model: the city of Vienna’s “social housing” program. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Commission stands by selection of Maj. Gen. Arthur ‘Joe’ Logan as city’s police chief. The Honolulu Police Commission will not reconsider its selection of retired Maj. Gen. Arthur “Joe” Logan in the wake of his 36-year-old son’s arrest for allegedly attacking a man with a metal hook and notice of a pending felony theft trial for allegedly shoplifting electronics from Target. Star-Advertiser.

Here's what government officials and nonprofits say about crime, homelessness in Waikīkī . Despite crime trending upward, Honolulu Police Department Major Randall Platt says this activity is just returning to pre-pandemic levels. Hawaii Public Radio.

North Shore man who moved tons of sand to protect his home gets more time to fight $92k fine. In April, Todd Dunphy racked up violations when he used an excavator to build a sand berm behind his Rocky Point house without first getting permits, said officials. Hawaii News Now. Star-Advertiser.

Wahiawa charter school under investigation after receiving multiple parent complaints. The State Public Charter School Commission said it’s investigating Kamalani Academy after receiving multiple complaints from parents. Parents like Kelly Olayan said the school is reneging on a promise to let the students keep distance-learning technology devices. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Council to Consider Measure That Proposes to Prohibit Non-Mineral Sunscreen. A bill that would prohibit some types of sunscreen on the Big Island in an effort to help protect the environment, especially coral reefs, has garnered the support of hundreds. Big Island Now.

Council committees evaluate charter measures. A County Council panel Tuesday took a dim view of a proposed charter amendment adding more Native Hawaiian input into county water policies, but four other proposals were forwarded to the council with positive recommendations. West Hawaii Today.

BLNR mulls Naniloa request to use second mortgage. The future of the Grand Naniloa Hotel is up in the air as the Board of Land and Natural Resources considers whether to permit the hotel’s owners to take out a second mortgage to pay off its first one. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Fair canceled for third straight year. The Hawaii County Fair Foundation, the fair’s nonprofit organization, said in a statement that E.K. Fernandez Shows/Carnival Events, which brings the carnival midway to Hilo, can’t commit to fairs on the Neighbor Islands due to higher shipping costs and staffing challenges. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Council Questions Lack Of Progress In Bank Of America Legal Battle. Almost two years after Maui County hired an outside attorney for $200,000 to pursue a lawsuit against Bank of America for allegedly failing to uphold a decades-old promise to provide $150 million in home loans to Native Hawaiians, there’s still unclear when — or if — the county plans to take action against the banking giant. Civil Beat.

Maui’s Northshore Greenway gets long awaited blessing. The Northshore Greenway extends a little more than 3.7 miles long from Kanahā Beach Park in Kahului, along past Saddle Road behind the airport, past the Kaunoa Senior Center and Baldwin Beach Park, ending in Pāʻia at the Pāʻia Youth Center. Maui Now.

UH gets grant for project to monitor space weather. A four-year, $2.5 million grant will fund a project to construct a space weather station center on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus and deploy a neutron monitor on Maui, UH announced Sunday. Maui News.

Kauai

HDOT infrastructure community meeting June 8. The state Department of Transportation Highways Division will host an informational meeting to provide updates, present information and collect public feedback on several ongoing and upcoming projects on the North Shore. Garden Island.

Free bus rides offered during Tropic Care. The county Transportation Agency’s The Kaua‘i Bus announced free bus service during Tropic Care from Monday to Monday, June 13 to 20. Garden Island.