Hawaii kids rank low in survey, Maui advances bill to let people sleep in their cars, Oahu power bills rise as HEI earnings up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii children at play ©2022 All Hawaii News

Hawaii ranks low in Kids Count national report. With school back in session and primary elections around the corner, advocates hope to see more investment in Hawaii’s children who, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book released today, rank in the lowest third of states when it comes to education and economic well-being. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s readiness for possible school shooting might be lagging. Many Hawaii schools and colleges have launched unprecedented efforts to prevent and prepare for an active shooter on campus as mass shootings and targeted school violence have risen to historic high levels in the United States. Star-Advertiser.

900 Hawaii school employees get violence-prevention training. With school shootings rising across the nation, the chief of the U.S. Secret Service center that is trying to stop targeted attacks on schools has a message for Hawaii: The Aloha State is not immune. Such violence can happen here. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Department of Education considering requiring ‘run, hide, fight’ training. While a few dozen Hawaii public schools so far have received “run, hide, fight” training for responding to an active shooter on campus, demand is rising, and the state Department of Education is considering changing from providing it to schools on request to making it required. Star-Advertiser.

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement wants to bring change to the visitor industry. Why is the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement fighting to keep a tourism award that would allow it to manage Hawaii tourism, while shaping how United States travelers view the state? Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii GOP Candidates Say They Just Want To Give Voters A Choice. Of the 10 Republican candidates on the ballot for a federal race, only state Rep. Bob McDermott has any meaningful political experience. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Industries reported second-quarter earnings of $53 million. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. (HE) on Monday reported second-quarter earnings of $53 million. The Honolulu-based company said it had profit of 48 cents per share. Associated Press.

Here’s What Climate Advocates Hope To See In Hawaii’s Next Governor. The state needs to dramatically cut its carbon emissions in the next eight years to hit its climate goals. That will require bold leadership, advocates say. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Oahu, Your Electric Bill Is About To Go Up. Oahu households can expect to see their monthly electricity bills increase by about 7% when Hawaiian Electric Co. shuts down the state’s last remaining coal-fired power plant on Sept. 1 and replaces it with another fossil fuel source: oil. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Navy divers describe conditions within the contaminated Red Hill well and how the mission affected them. For three months members of the Pearl Harbor-based Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One worked inside the Navy’s contaminated Red Hill water well, becoming unlikely front-line responders to the crisis. Star-Advertiser.

After worrisome findings, UH task force calls for more testing of Navy tap water. University of Hawaii scientists are finally talking about their data ― showing what appears to be jet fuel still in the Navy’s tap water ― and are calling for more tests. Hawaii News Now.

2 well-known politicians face off in Democratic race for seat representing Aiea, Pearl City. Senate District 16 stretches from Halawa to Aiea and all the way down to Pearl City. And now the incumbent senator for the area is facing off against a longtime City Council member. Hawaii News Now.

‘It’s A Nightmare’: Feral Pig Population Explosion Rattles East Honolulu Neighborhood. Aina Haina, an affluent residential neighborhood on Oahu’s southeastern shore, wedged between Waialae/Kahala and Hawaii Kai, is trying to fend off an invasion of pigs. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Public meetings for TMT environmental review to begin. The National Science Foundation will hold four meetings on consecutive nights Tuesday through Friday to hear the public’s views on what alternatives and environmental impacts should be studied when it conducts its proposed environmental impact statement. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island Deputy Prosecutor Ordered To Stop Alleged Harassment. A judge has summoned Randall Winston “Bew” Albright to appear in court and answer complaints that he’s been allegedly intimidating his neighbor. Civil Beat.

 Consultant hired to help fix EPIC. Hawaii County has hired a consultant to troubleshoot its building permit process in hopes of streamlining a critical government function analysts have called the most cumbersome in the nation. West Hawaii Today.

Affordable housing eyed for Waimea. Parker Ranch is exploring developing more affordable housing on the 175-year-old ranch’s lands in the coming years. West Hawaii Today.

Votes trickling in with one week left: Here’s what you need to know. With about a week left to vote on national, state and local races, a little more than 11% of the 112,630 Hawaii Island ballots mailed out have already been returned, and 19% of the 739,000 mailed ballots statewide, according to election officials. West Hawaii Today.

Three vie for House District 3 seat. Three candidates are vying for control of a newly formed House district that includes part of Hilo, Waiakea, Keaukaha and Keaau. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Bill to allow people to sleep in their vehicles in Maui County parking lots advances. Maui County Council on Friday voted unanimously to approve the bill on first reading. Bill 108 now advances to the second and final reading at full council. Maui Now.

Mayor proposes to buy former ʻIao Valley Lodge from Hawaiʻi Nature Center for $1.5M. Mayor Michael Victorino transmitted a proposal to the Maui County Council to purchase the acreage and the structure that was the former ʻĪao Valley Lodge in ʻĪao Valley for $1.5 million from the Hawaiʻi Nature Center. Maui Now.

Bilingual government issue on Maui ballot. A Maui County Charter amendment proposal slated to go before voters on the Nov. 8 general election ballot asks whether the county should establish a “Department of Oiwi Resources” as well as initiate bilingual government operations. Star-Advertiser.

Maui managed retreat fund would come to rescue when infrastructure falls into ocean. West Maui has nine condo complexes at risk of falling into the ocean. Maui Now.

Maui County Council Advances Investigation Into Developer’s Monster House. The Maui County Council voted on Friday to authorize the Planning and Sustainable Land Use Committe to investigate how and why the Victorino administration allowed a controversial monster house to be built in Napili. Civil Beat.

Three compete in closely watched Democratic primary for Senate District 7. Senate District 7. In what is arguably one of the most closely watched races this election cycle, incumbent Sen. Lynn DeCoite will defend her seat against two Democratic primary challengers, Walter Ritte and Leo Caires. All three candidates hope to represent Senate District 7, which covers East Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe. Maui News.

Kauai

Kawakami outspends competition in mayor’s race. Mayor Derek Kawakami has spent more than 10 times the funds on his re-election campaign than all three of his opponents combined, financial disclosures show. Garden Island.

Third-party audit critical of county’s Roads Division. An audit conducted by Spire Hawai‘i LLP reported that the county Department of Public Works Roads Division did not have “the necessary and qualified staff” to perform maintenance projects it is responsible for. Garden Island.