Housing top of mind for Legislature, DHHL, Maui to allocate $13M police COVID hazard pay, Green lobbies Washington for aid for Lahaina, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Almost 12,000 affordable homes in Hawaii could be lost over next 20 years, study says. AARP Hawai‘i commissioned the study from Washington, D.C.-based Smart Growth America, and is scheduled to brief two legislative committees today on results. Star-Advertiser.

DHHL changes $600M spending plan to prioritize acquired land development. The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is making last-minute changes to its spending plan for the $600 million the agency needs to encumber by the end of June.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Why The State’s Housing Working Group Is Being Dissolved. The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. is taking over for the Build Beyond Barriers Working Group. Civil Beat.

Maui costs may lead to budget cuts for state departments. There are serious budget cuts on the table for state departments. In a memo, the Chairman of the Senate’s Ways and Means Committee asked department heads to propose 10% and 15% budget reductions to cover soaring costs from the Maui wildfires. KHON2.

Gov. Josh Green lobbies for more federal aid for Lahaina. Green said his visit with the nation's top leaders paid off because the feds have agreed to pay more than $40 million to get people out of hotels and into condos. KITV4.

On eve of roll-out, fund for wildfire deaths still awaits legislative approval. The Governor’s “One Ohana Fund” aims to pay $1.5 million each to families of people who died or were seriously injured in the Maui wildfire. Hawaii News Now.

Statewide survey shows strong public support for protecting natural resources. A statewide survey commissioned by the Care for ‘Āina Now coalition, formerly known as the Hawai‘i Green Fee Coalition, shows strong support for state funding of legislative bills to fund natural resource stewardship, the coalition announced. Maui Now.

Measure calls for homeless triage center.  A homeless triage center would be established within the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the state Department of Health under a proposal advancing at the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i lawmakers to hold public hearing on vicious dog bill. Bills that would increase the penalties for owners whose dogs have seriously injured or killed someone are moving through the State Legislature with a public hearing scheduled this morning in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Big Island Now.

State measure to help combat invasive two-line spittlebug. The State House of Representatives Committee on Finance took up a measure on Thursday to fund mitigation and control of the two-lined spittlebug, an invasive pest that has destroyed thousands of acres of pasture land on the Big Island. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Federal Judge Says He’ll Rule Soon On Motions In Kaneshiro Bribery Case. The trial against former Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro and those accused of trying to bribe him with campaign donations, including businessman Dennis Mitsunuaga, is currently scheduled for March 12.  Civil Beat.

HART board to consider scrapping internal audit. Plans to scrap a previously sought top-down internal review of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation are expected for review today. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu police fire 3 officers in Makaha crash case. Three Honolulu Police Department officers awaiting trial for allegedly causing a high-speed chase and crash and covering it up in Makaha in September 2021 were fired by the department. Star-Advertiser.

Green ‘super concerned’ about petroleum-based detections in water at 7 Hawaii schools. There’s growing concern after seven public schools in the Pearl Harbor area showed detections of petroleum-based chemicals. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Big Island cable market could see fresh face. The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will hold public meetings in Hilo and Kailua-Kona today to solicit feedback about a plan by Hawaiian Telcom to enter the island’s cable television market. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui settles COVID hazard pay grievance with police for $13 million. Less than a month after an arbitrator ruled that thousands of state workers were owed COVID-19 hazard pay for their efforts during the pandemic, the County of Maui settled a grievance with the Maui Police Department for about $13 million. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  KHON2.

No high levels of bacteria found off of West Maui in five months following Lahaina wildfire. Ocean water quality samples taken from seven sites off the Lahaina burn zone showed no high bacteria levels five months after the Aug. 8 wildfires, according to the 2023 Blue Water Task Force water quality report released by the Surfrider Foundation Hawaiʻi. Maui Now.

Maui police arrest 13-year-old for alleged threat at Kalama; Investigation remains active at Baldwin and ʻĪao schools. A 13-year-old girl was arrested for Terroristic Threatening in connection with an alleged threat at Kalama Intermediate School.  Police say an investigation revealed the teen was responsible for the Kalama threat and she was arrested at approximately 3:20 p.m.  Civil Beat. Maui Now.  KITV4.

Kauai

Big crowd turns out for Waimea Town Celebration. Hundreds of people collected at the Waimea Product Fair under the shade of the old sugar mill to wrap up the 47th Waimea Town Celebration over the weekend. Garden Island.