Hawaii celebrates Little League world championship, Honolulu mulls shoreline setbacks, Hawaiian Princess Kawananakoa near death, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

 

Honolulu wins Little League World Series, beating Curacao 13-3. For a week and a half at the Little League World Series, no team came close to Hawaii. The championship Sunday was no different. Hawaii News Now. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Associated Press. KHON2.

Survey finds strong support for visitor education efforts, access fees to parks. Visitor access fees to state parks and trails are just one of the many tourism management efforts supported by Hawaii residents. That’s according to a recent Resident Sentiment Survey by the State of Hawai’i Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism for Spring 2022. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii Public Radio.

Changes in affirmative action may have little impact on Hawaii schools. University officials say the impact in Hawaii would be minimal should the U.S. Supreme Court strike down racial affirmative action in school admissions. Star-Advertiser.

Fewer Native Hawaiian Men Are Going To College. The Repercussions May Last Generations. Overall college enrollment in the state shrank 20% over the last decade, but the drop was steeper for Native Hawaiian men, with 30% fewer male students enrolled last spring than there were a decade ago. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Top Campaign Contributor Is Backing Republicans This Election Cycle. The GOP saw an uptick in donations as well as stronger voter turnout in the Aug. 13 primary election. Civil Beat.

‘An Epic Fail:’ Hawaii Inmate Medical Records System Hasn’t Worked Right For Months. A top prison official said computer updates weren’t done for the system, and health workers at Hawaii’s jails and prisons lost access to thousands of records. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Hospitalized And Gravely Ill, This Hawaiian Princess Is Intent On Sharing Her Wealth. Abigail Kawananakoa has made clear in the past that she wants her fortune to be used to benefit Native Hawaiians. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Council considering increasing shoreline setbacks. The Honolulu City Council is considering increasing the general shoreline setback distance for structures and development from 40 feet to between 60 and 130 feet, depending on the location and size of the property. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Liquor Commission May Be Headed For An Overhaul. In justifying the need for change, a City Council resolution outlines a decades-long pattern of malfeasance. Civil Beat.

End in sight for foam and plastic take-out containers. Starting on September 6, single-use plastic and foam take-out containers can no longer be used. KHON2.

Ambulance safety questioned on Oahu following deadly explosion in Kailua. The Honolulu City Council is planning a special hearing with the head of Honolulu Emergency Services Department to figure out what changes may need to be made to ensure public safety. KITV4.

University of Hawaii reorganization merges 5 academic units into 1. Five academic units from three different colleges — each with related yet distinct approaches to communication and information — have been combined to establish the  School of Communication and Information  in one of the largest reorganizations in the university’s history. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii study focuses on detecting mutations as a predictor of future COVID-19 variants. UH researchers led by Tao Yan, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, are analyzing wastewater collected from Oahu during the pandemic to determine if the presence of a mutation could be an indicator of virus evolution. Star-Advertiser.

Homeless encampments along Nimitz Highway reduced for now. As Oahu’s summer tourism season comes to its traditional Labor Day end, the main Nimitz Highway corridor that visitors use to get from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport into Waikiki last week was unusually clear of homeless encampments. Star-Advertiser.

Volunteers remove trash and paint over graffiti in Chinatown. The improved look is thanks to the more than 300 volunteers who picked up trash and added fresh layers of paint to the exteriors of businesses, traffic control boxes and nearby bridges Saturday during the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii’s second annual “Chinatown Cleanup.” Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Survey: Locals feeling a little friendlier toward tourists. Big Island residents are reporting an increasingly favorable view of the visitor industry, with East Hawaii residents expressing a more positive opinion than their West Hawaii counterparts. West Hawaii Today.

Commissioners mull cesspool alternatives: Waste management master plans in the works. Tax incentives and low-interest loans as well as the creation of an enterprise fund through a utility surcharge are three options being bandied about to help the state convert its 88,000 cesspools into something less harmful to the environment by 2050. West Hawaii Today.

How to catch up? Pandemic’s impact has stunted development for many young keiki. Preschool and elementary teachers on the Big Island have reported alarming behavioral changes in young keiki following the pandemic. Tribune-Herald.

Proposed bottling plant hopes to give back to community. Hawaiian Kingdom Brands plans to build a 30,000-square-foot water bottling and coffee roasting facility on a lot at the intersection of Mililani and Piilani streets. Tribune-Herald.

Another boat ramp option floated for Pohoiki. State engineers are investigating whether to remove most of a beach in order to reopen the Pohoiki Boat Ramp. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Mayor transmits two resolutions to council in an effort to finalize A&B land acquisition. Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino transmitted two resolutions to the Maui County Council on Friday to accept the dedication of 45 acres of land from A&B Properties for parks and open space.  Maui Now.

Maui hate crime case hinges on use of term ‘haole’. The central question that jurors will be asked to decide is whether the men attacked the victim because he was white or because he was a newcomer who disrespected their community, court documents show. Star-Advertiser.

Maui hospital receives zero “Condition Level Findings” from accrediting body. Maui Memorial Medical Center received zero “Condition Level Findings” during an unannounced visit by surveyors with The Joint Commission in July. This marked the hospital’s highest scores to date, according to a Maui Health press release. Maui Now.

Maui hotels were tops in revenue, last in occupancy in July. Report shows less of a summer travel surge than last year. Maui News.

Could The End Be Near For Hawaii’s Resort Penguins? For nearly 40 years, guests arriving at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa have been greeted by a group of penguins that, while perhaps charming in their feathery faux tuxedos, aren’t exactly associated with Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kaua‘i Police Department backed up Vice President Kamala Harris on vacation. KPD provided services both for the Vice President’s Aug. 15 arrival and the Aug. 25 departure, along with backing up her movements when necessary. Garden Island.

Bird Rescuers ‘Desperately’ Seek Kauai Honeycreepers As The Species Faces Extinction. Crews are in the remote forest seeking three ‘akikiki birds, part of a last-ditch attempt to protect them from the mosquito-borne illness that’s devastated their numbers. Civil Beat. Garden Island.