Navy wants to keep Red Hill infrastructure in place, Honolulu council mulls Waikiki noise levels, Maui County employees awarded COVID hazard pay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Navy wants to find alternative uses for Red Hill as part of its closure plan. The Navy wants to keep its Red Hill fuel facility, including the 20 cavernous fuel tanks, surge tanks and pipelines, in the ground after it permanently retires the facility from fueling operations, according to a plan it submitted Tuesday to the state Department of Health. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Corrections By The Numbers: Incarceration Declined In 2020, And So Did Crime Rates. Data made public recently by the state Department of Public Safety shows Hawaii reduced its inmate populations in 2020 by more than most people realized at the time, and state crime statistics show Honolulu’s crime rates actually dropped that year. Civil Beat.

Struggles Of Micronesian Students Point To ‘Significant Issues’ In Hawaii School System. Many Micronesian students – especially in high school – have been struggling for years, but the pandemic widened existing achievement gaps.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii Health Department issues nearly $110K in fines for air pollution violations. The Hawaii Department of Health has fined six entities, including several major companies and the U.S. military nearly $110,000 for air pollution control permit violations in the state. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Oahu

Environmentalists, engineers urge local leaders to prepare for coastal erosion. A group of environmentalists, engineers and academics have urged state leaders and community members to take steps in addressing coastal erosion. The foundation, UH Sea Grant, and engineering firm SSFM International formed the North Shore Coastal Resilience Working Group to address the future of coastal management. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.

City acquires university dorms and classrooms to create affordable housing. The city has acquired a building that Hawaii Pacific University currently uses for dorms and classrooms in hopes of adding another 100 units to its 1,500-unit affordable housing portfolio. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Report: Consultant, Rail Engineer At Odds Over Station Cracking. Those investigating the cracks have disagreed about their severity, but the final report still isn’t out. Civil Beat.

Waikiki Health Employees Fired After Protesting Bathroom Limits Get Back Wages. The community health center offered jobs back to three employees who were fired a week after complaining about losing access to a unisex bathroom. Civil Beat.

Gap Parks raise interest. Parks over the freeways, it is an idea that’s floating around and could be implemented on Oahu. They’re called Cap Parks.  KHON2.

City Council looks into street speaker noise ordinance for Waikiki. The streets of Waikiki could soon get quieter, if a bill before the Honolulu City Council passes. The measure would restrict the use of speakers on the streets. KITV4.

Hanauma Bay begins accepting JCB payments for reservations. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve will accept the Japan Credit Bureau, or JCB, credit card for reservations starting Tuesday, Nov. 1. And starting Wednesday, JCB cards will be accepted for in-person admission payments. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii’s high court hears arguments tied to Mauna Kea. The justices heard arguments on the question of whether, in this case, it is the government that must prove its rules are reasonable and do not unduly limit the rights conferred by the state Constitution, or whether the burden is on the challenger to prove the opposite. Star-Advertiser.

Police Commission holding special meeting to discuss police chief vacancy. The Hawai‘i County Police Commission has scheduled a special meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday to continue discussing the applicants for police chief. The meeting will be held online via Zoom. Big Island Now.

Gun carry permits granted; police raise concerns over training. With 19 licenses to carry a concealed firearm issued and another 58 pending approval in Hawaii County, some Hawaii Island police officers are concerned they haven’t received proper training on encountering permit holders. West Hawaii Today. Big Island Now.

Bill aims to provide tool to revitalize downtown Hilo. At Tuesday’s meeting of the Hawaii County Council’s Finance Committee, Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung introduced Bill 230, a recreation of a bill he introduced in 2020 that would have allowed member businesses in a downtown Hilo Business Improvement District to finance upgrades to the area’s infrastructure and other services. Tribune-Herald.

Council members urge state to help solve traffic and road woes. The Hawaii County Council is urging the Legislature to take steps to improve ailing roadway infrastructure on the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui resort agrees to reduce bright lights to protect Hawaii seabird. The Grand Wailea resort on Maui has reached an agreement with several conservation groups to reduce its bright lights to protect endangered Hawaiian petrels, resolving a lawsuit filed earlier this year. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Maui Now.

In contentious race for Maui mayor, water is a key issue — with few solutions. The general election is one week away and the candidates for Maui County mayor are vowing to improve the island’s water system. Hawaii News Now.

Maui County employees entitled to temporary hazard pay for working during pandemic. Employees who worked during Gov. David Ige’s emergency proclamation period from March 4, 2020, to March 25, 2022, can get up to 25% of their base salary. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui venison could soon stock local grocery stores. Efforts to manage the axis deer population in Maui County are working, and their plans to use the meat to feed the community and create economic opportunities are moving in the right direction. KHON2.

Kauai

Army trains at Barking Sands. The window of opportunity was small, but the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Mana, or Barking Sands, figured prominently Tuesday during the Kaua‘i segment of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center large-scale training exercise, referred to as JPMRC 23-01. Garden Island.

They’re ‘holding space’ at a popular Kauai beach to protest commercialization on the sand. On Kauai, there are growing concerns that residents are getting pushed out of a popular surfing and beach spot. Hawaii News Now.

Kaua‘i jobless rate falls to 4 percent. Employers ramped up hiring in the final days of summer and into early fall on Kaua‘i, in turn helping send the unemployment rate for September to its lowest level in three years. Garden Island.

Blessing commemorates completion of Waimea rockfall mitigation project. The Department of Public Works held a blessing on Tuesday to commemorate the completion of the $1.6-million Waimea Rockfall Mitigation Project. Kauai Now.