Lawmaker: Recreational cannabis tax revenue outweighed by management cost, state mulls tech waste recycling, lawsuit filed over Oahu prison sex assaults, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Management costs of recreational cannabis outweigh tax revenue, says Hawaii legislator. Projections of $50 million in state tax revenue on a recreational cannabis industry would make it hard to create a new oversight department or increase adequate staffing to test and otherwise regulate the industry, let alone fund education and health programs, state Rep. Ryan Yamane, chairman of the House Health, Human Services Committee, said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is about to launch one of the nation’s most ambitious tech waste recycling programs. Hawaii is implementing one of the most ambitious electronic waste recycling plans in the country, but some Hawaii retailers are afraid it will mean higher prices and less selection. Hawaii News Now.

Neighbor islands create a central portal for hotel tax payments. County transient accommodation taxes went into effect last year. The process of collecting the tax fell into the hands of each individual county. Hawaii Public Radio.

Geolocation data provides new perspectives on destination management of popular Hawaii sites. Tourist visitation outpaced resident visitation in only 10 of the top 30 points of interest statewide for both visitors and residents in September, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s inter­active data tool, the Symphony Dashboards. Star-Advertiser.

State Grants Promised To Hawaii Nonprofits Likely To Be In Limbo For Weeks. Many nonprofits are scrambling to provide services while they wait for the state to fix a problem in the law allocating millions of dollars. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Certain Home Repairs Should Bypass Honolulu Permitting Department, Councilwoman Says. Property owners who want to make repairs to existing elements of their homes would be exempt from Honolulu’s permitting process under a bill proposed by Honolulu City Council Member Andria Tupola. Civil Beat.

 Experts: Chick-fil-A citation for unpermitted work highlights ongoing trend. As the newly-opened Chick-fil-A Ala Moana Center location faces a fine for unpermitted construction work, some say it's been a trend for years. Industry experts report many businesses have started work without a building permit because it's faster and cheaper. KITV4.

Lawsuit: Working Cameras Needed To Monitor Sexual Assaults At Women’s Prison. A group of current and former female inmates is asking a federal judge to require that cameras be installed in all of the control stations at the women’s prison in Kailua after the inmates say they were sexually assaulted by corrections officers in the stations. Civil Beat.

City Council District 6 candidates focus on housing and crime. Housing and crime dominate the Nov. 8 Honolulu City Council District 6 race, with both candidates, Traci Toguchi and Tyler Dos Santos-­Tam, choosing to focus on those issues. Star-Advertiser.

North Shore Group Confronts Growing Threats Of Erosion, Sea Level Rise. Members of the hui say that planning against Hawaii’s encroaching shorelines has been “piecemeal” and “reactionary” so far. Civil Beat. KHON2. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu freight company buys former Love’s Bakery headquarters. One of Hawaii’s leading transportation service companies announced that it has purchased the former Love’s Bakery headquarters. Honolulu Freight Service said it will centralize its main Hawaii operations at the building located on Middle Street. Hawaii News Now. Star-Advertiser.

Radio Station KNDI Entertains And Informs Non-English Speakers. The Filipino-owned station broadcasts in 13 languages. But after 60 years of programming, it faces the challenge of attracting a new generation of listeners. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Victims of affordable housing scheme start lining up. Hawaii County has declared itself a victim of an employee who pleaded guilty to stealing affordable housing credits, and its attorneys are asking the court to return property currently under forfeiture by the federal government. West Hawaii Today.

Another Meeting On Mauna Loa Volcanic Unrest Set For Kona. Emergency officials and scientists will host another “Status Update and Community Discussion” this weekend on the current Mauna Loa volcano unrest, this time in Kona. Big Island Video News.

Pilot, passenger statements describe Big Island copter crash. The National Transportation Safety Board on Monday released various documents related to the crash, which injured all six people on board, but the agency has yet to release a probable cause for why the helicopter suddenly made “violent and uncommanded yaw and pitch changes.” Associated Press.

In ongoing dispute, state seeks more proof lead at Hawaii preschool has been dealt with. Both the state and the head of Kalamapii Play School returned to court Monday morning. Hawaii News Now.

Pāhala Public & School Library to reopen Nov. 1 after repairs from earthquake damage. The library at 96-3150 Pikake St. had been closed temporarily due to damage caused by the Oct. 14 earthquakes on Mauna Loa’s flanks. Big Island Now.

DLNR to spend $1M to plan demolition of Uncle Billy’s. The Department of Land and Natural Resources. The DLNR announced Monday afternoon that it would use the funds to finance plans and designs for the demolition of the derelict building, which is on state leasehold land. Tribune-Herald.
 
Firebreak project to protect palila OK’d by land board. A proposed firebreak expansion project on Maunakea to protect the critically endangered palila has been approved by the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Lahaina’s Halloween is back, but on smaller scale due to Maui police officer shortage. After being canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lahaina Halloween festivities are back this year, but with no adult party on Front Street due to the 25% shortage of Maui police officers. Maui Now.

‘Showcase’ put on for crew. Lahainaluna students organize event for USS Daniel Inouye. Lahainaluna High School students were able to “showcase their talents” Saturday evening as they performed and hosted a dinner for the crew of the USS Daniel Inouye, the new guided missile destroyer, which anchored in Lahaina this past week. Maui News.

Kauai

Effort to stop redevelopment at former Coco Palms continues. A community-led effort to thwart plans to build a 350-room hotel on the former Coco Palms Resort property on Kauai took a hit after the state Board of Land and Natural Resources last week voted to renew permits on land where development would take place. Star-Advertiser.

Kaua‘i federal worker admits to government theft. A Kaua‘i federal worker pleaded guilty on Monday to making about $35,000 in unauthorized purchases on his government credit card over the course of several years. Garden Island.