Former Speaker Calvin Say retires from politics while Hee, Kahele return, Honolulu hikes property taxes on vacation rentals, Maui council unanimously opposes Air Force telescopes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hee, Kahele reemerge in Hawaii politics as Say exits. Former state senator and Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Clayton Hee and former U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele have reentered Hawaii politics this election cycle, while current Council Member Calvin Say, the former speaker of the state House of Representatives, has decided to retire from politics at age 72. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.  Big Island Video News.

State launches new marketing campaign in bid to recruit hundreds of new corrections officers. The state Department of Corrections is racing to fill nearly 400 positions at its facilities across the state — the highest number of vacancies it’s ever had. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii to cover palliative care through Medicaid. Hawaii has become the first state in the U.S. to cover community palliative care services through Medicaid, according to Gov. Josh Green. Star-Advertiser.

Search for new CEO of Native Hawaiian trust stirs debate over qualifications. The Liliuokalani Trust, named after Hawaii’s last reigning queen, was founded in 1909 to support orphans and children experiencing poverty. As of 2022, the fund was worth more than $1 billion. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu’s New Budget Includes Higher Property Taxes For Short-Term Rentals. Council members stuck with the higher tax rate in part to avoid cutting more services in the city's $4.5 billion budget, $115 million of which is allocated for hazard back pay from the pandemic. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  KITV4.

The Backlog Of Honolulu Building Permits Is Taking A Toll On City Revenue. In the 2023 fiscal year alone, Honolulu received close to 20,000 permit applications but issued fewer than 15,000. The difference — carried over into the following year — represents an average of more than $1 billion in taxable construction work and nearly $7 million in building permit fees. Civil Beat.

Fireworks bill moves forward at Honolulu City Council. The Honolulu City Council held its first public hearing on Wednesday on whether or not Oahu should bring back sparklers and fountains. KHON2.

Sand Island business board sued by former lawmaker. A former state lawmaker and executive director of the Sand Island Business Association is suing its board of directors for discrimination and wrongful termination, claiming members allegedly made his job impossible in a toxic work environment. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Mililani care home fined $117K for operating without a license. The state Health Department has fined Emmy’s Care Home LLC in Mililani a penalty of $117,000 for operating an adult residential care home without a license. Star-Advertiser.

DLNR to create separate position at Mauna ʻAla for Native Hawaiian cultural protocols. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Tuesday it will create a new position at the Mauna ʻAla Royal Mausoleum to focus solely on Native Hawaiian cultural protocols and community outreach. Hawaii Public Radio.

Undercover sweep of McCully-Moili’ili game rooms result in multiple arrests. Law enforcement agencies conducted multiple raids on game rooms in the McCully-Moili’ili area Wednesday night resulting in several arrests. KHON2.

 Federal agents, state authorities and Honolulu police raided businesses Tuesday in both Kalihi and Mapunapuna. Sources say it was related to possible customs violations. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Homelessness down 28%: Officials credit increases in funding for services, affordable housing. It appears the number of homeless individuals on Hawaii Island has reached its lowest point in the last six years. Tribune-Herald.

Plan to turn Manago Hotel into housing nixed. A $5.5 million county grant to purchase a historic West Hawaii hotel and use it for affordable housing has fallen through. Tribune-Herald.

Bill to regulate bike tours advances. A proposal to impose regulations upon commercial bike tour operators in Hawaii County has advanced despite pushback from bicyclists and tour groups. Tribune-Herald.

Trace Amounts Of Chromium Detected In Laupāhoehoe Water. For the first time, trace amounts of chromium have been detected in water samples from the Laupāhoehoe P-2 Well, which is part of the County of Hawai‘i Department of Water Supply’s Laupāhoehoe-Kapehu system. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui County Council votes unanimously against new telescopes atop Haleakala. The Maui County Council voted unanimously Wednesday against a military plan to build up to seven new telescopes at the summit of Haleakala. ayor Richard Bissen doesn’t have to sign off on the resolution. However, a spokesperson in the mayor’s office said he is drafting a letter on the project that he will send to the Air Force. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Council Prioritizes Maui Fire Recovery And Housing In $1.7 Billion County Budget. The Maui County Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a $1.7 billion spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1, the county’s first budget since the devastating wildfires last summer. More money for affordable rentals, emergency management and firefighters is on tap for 2025. Civil Beat.

Maui Hits Pause Button On Managed Retreat Fund. A fund established to help Maui County deal with the impacts of climate change and sea level rise will be paused for three years and the money earmarked for it in the 2025 fiscal year used instead for the Pulelehua housing project north of Lahaina.  Civil Beat.

Tsuhako appointment as Human Concerns director advances with 7-2 committee vote. Department of Housing and Human Concerns Director Lori Tsuhako faced critics Tuesday who questioned her responsiveness, accessibility and management of homelessness in Maui County. Maui Now.

2024 Point in Time Count shows 7% drop in people experiencing homelessness. The overall homelessness count on Maui dropped by 7% from 704 individuals in 2023 to 654 in 2024, according to newly released data from Bridging the Gap. The report showed that there was a 26% decline in unsheltered homelessness. Maui Now.

Kauai

Navy and NASA looking to renew land use deals. Both the Navy and NASA propose to maintain long-term use of the land they occupy, and to satisfy the requirements for negotiations, both parties are working on creating an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposed real estate agreements. Garden Island.