Interior Department creates Hawaiian consultation process, keeping an eye on North Korea, Hilo loses only direct mainland flight, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Albert Kahiwahiwaokalani Haa Jr. speaks at 2014 Department of the Interior listening session  ©2022 All Hawaii News

Feds’ consultation process will put Native Hawaiians on par with Indian tribes. The Department of the Interior announced Tuesday it will require a process of formal consultation with the Native Hawaiian community on any actions it proposes that have a substantial direct effect on the community. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News Maui Now.  Civil Beat.

$1M in federal funding secured for cultural education for visitors. Seven local organizations will split $1 million in federal funding to continue cultural education programs for tourists. Hawaii Public Radio.

Ige ‘racing to the finish’ with to-do list for final weeks in office. Gov. David Ige says he’s got a sense of urgency as he’s trying to finish last-minute business in his final 48 days in office. Hawaii News Now.

Historic year of North Korean missile tests raises Pacific tensions. In just the past two months, North Korea has fired more than a dozen missiles. The most recent flurry of missile tests coincides with fears of further escalation in the war in Ukraine and increased tension between China and Taiwan.  Star-Advertiser.

Report: Hawaiʻi has highest hotel revenue per business in the US. According to the data, Hawaiʻi hotel businesses make up .55% of the total businesses in the state. Hawaiʻi hotel businesses also employ 40,067 people, an average of 4,067 per company. Maui Now.

Supporters of breadfruit want more government help to cultivate agriculture industry. Farmers, educators, researchers, and entrepreneurs from across the Pacific gathered to discuss the benefits of crops like bread fruit that could help address food security and sustainability concerns. The National Tropic Breadfruit Institute co-hosted the 2022 Global Breadfruit Summit at the Hawaii Convention Center on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council committee postpones audit of planning department. The Honolulu City Council postponed considering initiating a comprehensive city audit on the Department of Planning and Permitting to give the agency two months to solve some of its issues, such as delayed permits. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Navy says it’s legally barred from paying state’s $8.7M fine for wastewater violations. The Navy is contesting an $8.7 million fine for Clean Water Act violations and alleged deficiencies at its Pearl Harbor-­Hickam wastewater treatment system, arguing that the penalty levied by the state Department of Health is legally prohibited because the state is barred from seeking punitive fines. Star-Advertiser.

2 water mains repaired, more work underway, Navy says. The Navy has repaired two of four water mains that broke since Friday, though the first and largest one to crack remains unfixed. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Panel Report: Start Over On Plan For A New Oahu Jail. A newly formed panel of prison and jail reformers that includes state Supreme Court Associate Justice Michael Wilson is wading into the controversy over plans for an expensive new jail at Halawa, and is urging corrections officials to start the entire planning process over. Civil Beat.

Former University of Hawaii employee charged after alleged death threats. Claire R. Chun worked at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Information Technology Services Department since 2011 and resigned Sept. 19, according to the university. Star-Advertiser.

Haiku Stairs hikers require rescues. The Honolulu Fire Department has rescued 118 people on Haiku Stairs in the last 12 years. The popular trail, also known as Stairway to Heaven, has been a point of contention in the windward community for years. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Hilo is about to lose its last direct flight to the mainland. United Airlines to end direct flights from Hilo to L.A. United Airlines is set to end Hilo International Airport’s only direct route to the mainland. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now.

Panel pans tax cap for nonresidential properties. Bill 156, introduced by Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy proposed the cap for apartment, hotel and resort, commercial, industrial, agricultural or native forests and conservation assessments. West Hawaii Today.

Meeting finds no quick fix for animal control concerns. No immediate solutions were forthcoming after a Tuesday discussion about the woes facing Hawaii County’s animal control operations. Tribune-Herald.

Few residents turn out for Puna wastewater meeting. A scoping meeting last week at Keaau High School about the future of wastewater treatment services for Puna residents drew fewer audience members than government officials and consultants. Tribune-Herald.

Volcano Golf Course clubhouse to be razed. The fire-gutted Volcano Golf Course clubhouse is being demolished after three years of disuse. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Mayor Victorino signs Bill 107 to change the formula used to price affordable homes. Councilmember Gabe Johnson introduced the bill after years of hearing community concerns that even “affordable homes” were too expensive for Maui County’s working families to become homeowners. Maui Now.

Should Cost Of Maui Charter Amendments Be Made Public Before Election Day? Voters will decide on a proposal that would require the county auditor to calculate cost estimates of proposed charter amendments before they go on the ballot. Civil Beat.

Delay in Maui County program that allows homeless to sleep in cars overnight stirs concern. It’s been more than a month since Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino eagerly announced that homeless individuals would be allowed to sleep in their cars and vans in the parking lot of the Cameron Center in Wailuku. Hawaii News Now.

Airline agreement to streamline flight purchases for passengers. A new agreement between Hawaiian Airlines and Southern Airways, which owns Mokulele Airlines, will help streamline bookings and connections for passengers who often have to make multiple purchases when flying out of state from airports like Molokai and Lanai. Maui News

West Maui Hospital developer seeks $7M to help cover costs. Years in the making, hospital has support but has run into financing problems. Maui News.

Why This Hawaiian Island Has To Outsource Psychiatric Care. For the first time since 1990, the state agency that provides care to adults diagnosed with a serious mental illness has no staff on Lanai. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kauai Plans For Sea Level Rise With New Building Standards. The county became the state’s first municipality to regulate construction based on flood projections spurred by sea level rise. Civil Beat. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now.

Recovered shearwaters released back into the wild. A pair of fledgling ‘a‘o, or Newell’s shearwaters, were honored guests poised to leave the annual Ho‘opomaika‘i ‘ia na Manu ‘A‘o Tuesday with students from Island School participating with Kumu Sabra Kauka, and invited guests including Capt. Brett Stevenson of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands and other selected individuals from PMRF, members of the Kaua‘i County Council and the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Garden Island.