Wednesday, September 25, 2024

University of Hawaii to renew $285M military contract, strike hits Waikiki resort, Honolulu to offer employees pandemic hazard pay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The University Of Hawaii Is About To Get Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars To Do Military Research. But student government members argue that the research should not be secret and say the university is ignoring their concerns over colonialism. The University of Hawaii is poised to renew a controversial contract to conduct research for the U.S. military worth up to $285 million over 10 years, in what administrators call a major source of federal funding for the university. Civil Beat.

UH president finalist puts emphasis on AI. Wendy F. Hensel, the first of two final candidates to replace the University of Hawaii’s president promised an AI-driven future during a forum Tuesday at UH-Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now.

1,800 hotel workers strike at Hilton Hawaiian Village. More than 1,800 hotel workers went on an open-ended strike Tuesday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, and their union, UNITE HERE Local 5, says they will not return to work until they have a new contract. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press.  Hawaii Public Radio.  Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii Governor Urges Federal Mediation To Settle Nurse Labor Dispute.  Gov. Josh Green on Tuesday urged the Hawaii nurses union and Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children to seek federal mediation to resolve their long-standing labor dispute. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Report: Suspected Trump gunman charged with attempted assassination. Ryan Routh, the Oahu man accused of staking out Donald Trump’s Florida golf course with a rifle was indicted Tuesday on a charge of attempted assassination of a political candidate as prosecutors alleged he intended to kill the former U.S. president. Reuters.

Oahu

City eyes $5M in federal COVID-19 money for possible worker hazard pay.  The City and County of Honolulu might tap roughly $5 million in federal COVID-19 money to help pay the estimated tens of millions of dollars in hazard pay to city workers employed during the pandemic. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Man who killed charging neighbor: ‘I going stop him’.  The 42-year-old man who shot and killed the neighbor who rammed his house and shot and killed three women on Waianae Valley Road said he opened fire after the neighbor pledged to “kill ’em all.” Star-Advertiser.

Beachfront home partially collapses into ocean on Oahu’s North Shore. Witnesses were stunned as a portion of a home off Ke Nui Road, near Sunset Beach, crumbled just before noon Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

New chief gets good review: Moszkowicz’s performance in first year ‘commendable’.  The Police Commission on Friday gave Hawaii Police Department Chief Benjamin Moskowicz a positive review for his first year as the Big Island’s top cop, but said in his evaluation letter it is “crucial” the chief “enhances his transparency” with the commission, “particularly in areas where the commission holds oversight authorities.” Tribune-Herald.

Mauna Loa Access Road Restoration Planned After 2022 Lava Flow. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking a state permit to repair the road to the Mauna Loa Observatory. Big Island Video News.

From seawater to jet fuel: Proposed Kona research facility would use NELHA infrastructure. A Texas company has plans to use a site at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority’s Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park in Kailua-Kona to make jet fuel from seawater. Tribune-Herald.

Waimea meat processing company wins $1.6M grant.  The Kamuela Meat Co. is a new processor on the Big Island and is planning to use this award to establish a cattle slaughtering and meat processing facility, according to a USDA press release. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

For Some Maui Fire Victims, FEMA May Step In When Private Insurance Benefits Expire.
Government officials said an additional $14.5 million is available for eligible applicants. Civil Beat.

DBEDT report: Maui County hotels still impacted by last year’s wildfires. In August, Maui County’s revenue per available room was $284, or 4.6% less than August 2023 and 7.2% lower than the same month, pre-COVID 2019, the department said in its monthly Hawai‘i Hotel Performance Report.  Maui Now.

Molokaʻi brush fire prompts precautionary evacuations, road closures.  Door-to-door, voluntary evacuations by Maui Police Department were under way midday Tuesday for Molokaʻi homes in the vicinity of a brush fire of approximately 100 acres near the Molokaʻi Airport.  Maui News. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Planning commission discusses contentious South Maui housing project. Supporters of a long-debated project to build more than 1,000 homes in South Maui addressed criticism towards the proposal on Tuesday during a Maui Planning Commission meeting. KITV4.

Kauai

Kauaʻi community group, Earthjustice don't want a 2nd landfill in Kekaha
. The island's only landfill, located in Kekaha, is estimated to reach capacity in 2027. The county is in the middle of expanding it, but that's a short-term solution while it figures out another way to manage the 80,000 to 90,000 tons of waste annually. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kaua‘i hotels lead state in August for revenue per available room.
Kaua‘i hotels led the state in August revenue per available room at $316, despite it being 10.4% less than August 2023; it was still 50.8 more than August 2019. Kauai Now.

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