Hawaii bans unlicensed vaping imports, reward offered for identification of monk seal killer, Oahu median home price again tops $1M, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii law bans import of e-cigarettes, e-liquids. It is now illegal to import electronic smoking devices and e-liquids into the islands after Gov. Josh Green signed a bill into law Tuesday as part of a years-long and continuing effort to prevent children from becoming addicted to nicotine.  Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Video News. Hawaii News Now

Hawaii lawmakers take steps to prevent fentanyl deaths. The deaths of two men from Hawaii following a suspected fentanyl overdose involving five people in a Waikiki hotel room over the weekend has spurred Hawaii lawmakers, including Gov. Josh Green, to move forward on measures designed to prevent deaths from the potent synthetic opioid. Civil Beat.  KITV4. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Attorney General prevails in federal challenge to hemp regulations. The U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi entered judgment in favor of the Hawaiʻi Department of Health and the Director of Health in a lawsuit challenging the Department’s regulations prohibiting the sale of Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC products processed from hemp. Big Island Now. Kauai Now.

Gov. Green signs 22 bills into state law. The bills cover a myriad of issues, including raising salaries and pay for benefits of Hawaiʻi’s public employees. Big Island Now.

NOAA offers reward to help find Hawaiian monk seal killer. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to a successful prosecution of those responsible. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Associated Press. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

Report: High levels of bacteria detected at multiple Hawaii beaches. The Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force released its latest clean water report that identified three Hawaii waterways as priority beaches with high bacteria rates. Hawaii News Now.

State’s Embattled Ag Corporation Has Chance For A Reset As It Seeks New Leadership. The Agribusiness Development Corp. is taking steps to fill the leadership vacuum left by the sudden death of executive director James Nakatani in April. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu Council to review mayor’s proposed $3.41B budget.  The Honolulu City Council is expected today to review and consider approval of Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s proposed $3.41 billion executive operating budget and a nearly $1.1 billion capital improvement plan for the 2024 fiscal year, which begins July 1. Star-Advertiser.

Amid outrage over proposed 64% raise, council to consider measure that would ban outside income. The controversial 64% raise for City Council members is still slated to take effect without a vote in about three weeks. But a related plan ― to ban outside income ― is on the agenda at Wednesday’s council meeting. Hawaii News Now.

Computer Glitches Are Causing Concerns Over The Integrity Of Oahu’s Neighborhood Board Elections. Questions are flying about the results of the recent Honolulu Neighborhood Board elections, with some people complaining they were unable to vote online because of computer glitches amid surprisingly low voter participation in areas known for high levels of civic engagement. Civil Beat.

Environmental risks will persist after Red Hill tanks are drained. Ever since thousands of gallons of jet fuel spewed from a pipeline at Red Hill in November 2021 and made its way into the Navy’s drinking water system, sickening military families, environmentalists and water officials have had their sights set on ensuring that the fuel in the facility’s massive underground tanks that sit just 100 feet above an aquifer is permanently removed. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu median home price tops $1M again amid high rates. Single-family resales fetched $1,109,000 in May, up 10.9% from $999,995 in April and down just 3.9% from the record $1,153,500 in the year-earlier period, according to data released Tuesday from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Big Island EV charging plan withdrawn after criticism. A proposal to require some Big Island gas stations to install electric vehicle charging stations was roundly rejected Tuesday after criticism from gas station owners. Tribune-Herald.

Managing director defends sweep of homeless at Kona park. Hawaii County on Tuesday responded to the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii regarding concerns raised in a letter that demanded the county stop evicting people from homeless encampments without first providing adequate shelter. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.

Group to sue over Kailua-Kona sewage discharges.  A group of citizens intends to file a civil suit against Hawaii County over the discharge of sewage into a popular local harbor in Kailua-Kona. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Sheriff recruitment open on Maui. Deputy sheriff recruitment is now open through June 12 on Maui and Oahu, the state Department of Law Enforcement announced Monday.  Maui News.

Woman sent to prison for embezzling $59K to feed addiction. A Wailuku woman who embezzled at least $59,000 from her former employer to support her opioid addiction was sentenced in federal court on Oahu last week to one year and one day in prison. Maui News.

 
/Kauai

Solid Waste Division leaders to provide Kekaha Landfill update. Local environmental groups will tackle Kaua‘i’s ongoing landfill crisis with guest speakers from the Kaua‘i County Solid Waste Division on June 14, at this month’s Kaua‘i Climate Action Forum. Kauai Now.

Domestic arrivals dropping. The number of people getting off domestic flights at Lihu‘e Airport dropped 7.5 percent in May, as passenger counts fell further behind the record-setting pace of 2022. Garden Island.