Red Hill working group seeks $750M in military remediation, governor proposes Maui tax breaks, short-term rental ban as 850 Lahaina fire victims displaced by tourists, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Officials Demand Navy Clean Up Red Hill Fuel Spilled Since The 1940s. A coalition of public officials say that as much as 2 million gallons of petroleum threatens Oahu's drinking water and that it could cost $750 million to clean up. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.  KHON2.  KITV4. Hawaii News Now. Spectrum News.

Full Red Hill Water Alliance Initiative report can be found here.

Hawaii Governor Wants To Entice Maui Property Owners To Rent To Fire Victims. Gov. Josh Green is proposing using taxpayer and private funds to build new housing and to pay home owners well above market value if they rent long term. Short-term rentals would simply be banned. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

‘We’re Winging It Right Now’: Hawaii State Hospital Struggles Despite $160M Upgrade. Construction of a state-of-the-art psychiatric hospital was supposed to mark a new era in worker and patient safety. Instead, a familiar set of problems emerged. Civil Beat.

Jeff Bezos donates $5M to fight homelessness in Hawaii. Jeff Bezos donated $5 million to two nonprofits in Hawaii — Ka Mana O Na Helu on Oahu and Neighborhood Place of Puna — that help houseless families, according to a news release. Spectrum News.

Hurricane season was average but deadly. The 2023 hurricane season officially draws to a close Thursday, extending to five years a run of average to below-average Central Pacific hurricane seasons. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

$125M approved for ‘Skyline’ as leaders look toward major expansions. A new rail funding agreement could free up in federal money to help build the line through town. With more federal funding approved to get the Honolulu Skyline to Kaka’ako, leaders are dreaming of future extensions all the way to Kahala. Hawaii News Now.

City rental, utility relief program reopens in December. The City and County of Honolulu’s Rental and Utility Relief Program will temporarily reopen for applications in December, starting this Saturday. The reopening is for new applicants only. Star-Advertiser.

Special Education Teacher Accused In Sexual Abuse Case. A lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges that a special education teacher at Kaiser High School sexually abused and molested a 14-year-old student over a period of several months. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Hilo Medical Center gets $1M grant. Hilo Medical Center will receive $1 million to alleviate a shortage of health care workers in East Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Glenwood Park reopens after four years. Glenwood Park, located on Highway 11 in Mountain View, was closed in March 2019 after a 3,000-gallon water tank, which supplies water to the park’s restrooms, was stolen. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Maui

Mayor Bissen proposes bill amendment to make short-term rentals available for displaced wildfire survivors. Mayor Richard Bissen submitted to the County Council a bill to amend a section of the County Code in an effort to immediately increase the inventory of housing available to survivors of the August wildfires. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Hundreds of wildfire evacuees prepare to relocate again as West Maui tourism rebounds. Some 850 Lahaina evacuees will move out of three Kaanapali hotels starting Wednesday into other properties — a harsh reality of tourism’s return to West Maui. Hawaii News Now.

23 acres of north shore Maui coastline to be focus of management plan in the new year. In early 2024, the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation will begin working on a management plan for 23 acres of newly acquired county land on Maui’s north shore, which includes Wawau Point, often referred to as “Baby Beach.” Maui Now.

First Major Rains Of Wet Season May Test Runoff Measures In Lahaina. County, state and federal agencies say steps have been taken to mitigate the threat of toxic runoff entering the ocean. Civil Beat.

Plug Pulled On Solar Farm Planned For South Maui. Paeahu Solar was proposed five years ago but faced opposition from local residents. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Disaster Area residential restrictions lifted for Zones 11B, 11D, 11E, 11F and 13D. County of Maui Disaster Area Restrictions will be lifted for owners and residents beginning Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, for Zones 11B, 11D, 11E, 11F and 13D. Maui Now.

Kauai

'We're on the right track': Hāʻena's community subsistence fishing area sees positive results. An experiment in community-based fishery management on Kaua‘i’s north shore appears to be working, according to a five-year assessment by University of Hawaiʻi researchers. Hawaii Public Radio.