Sen. Keith-Agaran resigning amid ethical questions over Maui lawsuit representation, Mayor Bissen criticized for fire response, Biden pledges $95M for electric grid hardening, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Maui Senator To Resign Amid Questions Over Possible Conflict Of Interest. Hawaii Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran, who has faced public criticism about his role as a private attorney in connection with litigation over the Lahaina wildfire disaster, announced plans to resign from the Senate effective Oct. 31. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  Maui News.  Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Maui mayor had to recuse himself from HECO suit because his daughter works for utility. Mayor Rick Bissen was not involved in Maui County’s decision to sue Hawaiian Electric because his daughter, Sayble Bissen, works for the utility on the island. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen faces calls to resign as questions about county’s wildfire response.
More than three weeks after a raging inferno gutted historic Lahaina town, leaving at least 115 people dead, not one state or county leader has taken responsibility for the failures that led to the deaths of what’s likely hundreds of people. Hawaii News Now.

Rep. Tokuda: “We’re going to fight like hell” to ensure FEMA is funded for Maui recovery. US Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) announced a shared legislative priority for Congress to approve funding for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund as Maui continues recovery from the Aug. 8 deadly wildfire in Lahaina. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Biden pledges $95M to harden Hawaii electric grids. Nearly $100 million is “on the way” from the federal government to upgrade Hawaii’s electric grid to better withstand extreme weather events, but it’s unclear how many improvements the money can pay for as well as where and when. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Biden to nominate Hawaii attorney for federal judgeship. Micah W.J. Smith has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii since 2018. He is a nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Exec’s cooperation leads to reduction of sentence. Honolulu wastewater executive Milton Choy’s sentence following his involvement in a bribery scheme was reduced because of his “extraordinary cooperation” with prosecutors, which has led to the arrests and convictions of state legislators and Maui County employees. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A North Shore Shooting That Left Two Men Dead Has An Intriguing Link To The Miske Case. A 20-year-old man who shot and killed two others in an exchange of gunfire in the parking lot of Haleiwa Joe’s Seafood Grill on Aug. 31, 2018, was an FBI confidential source in the investigation leading to the indictment of Honolulu businessman and alleged racketeering gang leader, Michael J. Miske Jr. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Most of Kapapala Ranch transfered to ag department. The Kapapala Ranch, which encompasses about 31,000 acres in Ka‘u just north of Pahala, was mostly transferred from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to the state Department of Agriculture in order to fulfill the terms of a 2003 law. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council Gets An Earful From Angry Residents Over Housing Proposal. The state's chief housing officer says her team is identifying land where new housing can be built and assessing needs. Civil Beat.

Lahaina Parents Criticize DOE Plan To Temporarily Relocate Students. Lahaina Parents Criticize DOE Plan To Temporarily Relocate Students.  Families from Lahaina used a public meeting in Napili Wednesday to vent their frustration with the Hawaii Department of Education over communication since the Aug. 8 fire that damaged one school and closed three.  Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Lahaina District Courthouse to reopen Sept. 5. The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary announced the Lahaina District Courthouse will reopen and resume normal operations on Sept. 5, 2023.  Maui Now.

Ocean water testing begins off Lahaina. Preliminary water testing in the nearshore waters off Lahaina is showing that physical parameters, like temperature, PH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, are currently in normal ranges.  Maui Now. Garden Island.

Visitors urged to not cancel trips. Tourists were initially urged to stay away from Maui in the immediate wake of a wildfire that killed at least 115 people and devastated the historic town of Lahaina.But now, more than three weeks after the catastrophic wildfire, officials and some residents are urging visitors to not cancel upcoming trips to other parts of the island, saying the tourism dollars are needed to keep locals employed. Los Angeles Times. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Kauai utility to cut power to some customers amid red flag conditions. Select power lines on Kauai will be de-energized due to red flag warning currently impacting leeward parts of the islands, according to Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4.

Hawai‘i homelessness coordinator, Kaua‘i County Council debate root cause of homelessness crisis.  James Koshiba, Gov. Josh Green’s coordinator on homelessness, met with the Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday to discuss solutions for Hawai‘i’s growing homelessness crisis, emphasizing the administration’s focus on countering the continuing unaffordability of homes in the state. Garden Island.

Landfill expansion meeting Aug. 31. A public meeting to discuss the Kekaha Landfill vertical expansion is at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center on Thursday, Aug. 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Garden Island.