Personal incomes predicted to rise slightly, Big Island ballot discrepancies investigated, Honolulu mayor sued by former police chief, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Council on Revenues says personal incomes set to slightly increase for 2025. Despite uncertainty regarding tariffs and federal job layoffs, personal income in Hawaiʻi is expected to slightly increase this year, but remain flat in 2026. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tabular data from July 31, 2025, personal income report. Hawaii Department of Taxation.

Schools Ask Families To Spend Big On Supplies As Kids Go Back To Class. Schools often request more than $150 worth of supplies at the start of each year. Unlike some other states, Hawaiʻi has no rule against it. Civil Beat.

State Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole challenges U.S. Rep. Ed Case for Congress seat. Kāneʻohe state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole is challenging U.S. Rep. Ed Case for the Hawaiʻi District 1 seat, which covers most of urban Oʻahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

Cesspools contribute to water pollution crisis. According to the state Department of Health, Hawaii is home to approximately 88,000 cesspools — unlined pits that dispose of untreated sewage directly into the ground — with nearly 50,000 on Hawaii island, 14,000 on Kauai, over 12,000 on Maui, more than 11,000 on Oahu and around 1,400 on Molokai. Star-Advertiser.

Senators seek answers on Hawaii veteran ordered to self-deport. U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut have sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemning her agency’s treatment of Sae Joon Park, a Hawaii veteran and Purple Heart recipient who was ordered to “self-deport” to South Korea in June after more than five decades living in the United States. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. 

Army’s ‘Pacific Division’ gets a new commander. On Monday, Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans handed command of the division over to Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees — who previously served as U.S. Army Pacific’s chief of staff at Fort Shafter. Star-Advertiser.

6 Charged In Killing Of Hawaiʻi Inmate At Arizona Prison. Six Hawaiʻi inmates have been charged — five of them with first-degree murder — in the death of  fellow Hawaii inmate Anton Myklebus at an Arizona prison last year. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Former Honolulu police chief sues mayor over alleged threats. Former Honolulu police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan filed a civil lawsuit Thursday accusing Mayor Rick Blangiardi of micromanaging the department, issuing illegal orders and threatening to “make it very difficult” for him and his family if he refused to step down. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. 

Honolulu police, city, SHOPO try to tackle record vacancies. According to HPD’s Human Resources Division, as of July 1 there were 465 vacancies for uniformed officers and 189 civilian openings — and 228 officers eligible for retirement. Star-Advertiser.

City selects nonprofit to redevelop Waikiki housing site. The City and County of Honolulu has selected EAH Housing as its preferred negotiating partner for the redevelopment of 436 Ena Road, one of four sites included in the city’s first-ever affordable housing portfolio solicitation, city officials announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

YMCA of Honolulu requests city rezone of Atkinson property. The YMCA of Honolulu says it wants to sell its Central Y property near Waikiki, but only after the site is formally rezoned by the City & County of Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

HPD busts two illegal game rooms in a week. Narcotics and vice officers seized 20 gambling machines, more than $3,615 in cash and drugs from a home on Kahaha Street in Kalihi on Monday.  Then on Wednesday, police seized 18 gambling devices, $4,300 and more drugs from a home on Wanaka Street in Salt Lake. Hawaii News Now.

Buying Lei Is A Cost Of Doing Politics In Hawaiʻi. Here’s a look at how much City Council members spend on the colorful and often fragrant garlands. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i Foodbank raises donations for over 573k meals during 2025 Food Drive Day. The event took place at six collection sites across O‘ahu on Saturday, Aug. 2 to fight hunger.  KITV4.

HPR wins best overall news site, sweeps 2 major categories at SPJ Hawaiʻi journalism awards. Hawaiʻi Public Radio was named best overall news site and swept two top categories — eight awards total — in the Excellence in Journalism Contest, presented by the Society of Professional Journalists Hawai‘i Chapter.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Civil Beat Reporter Honored For Public Service Reporting. Civil Beat garnered 28 awards total, 12 of them winning first place. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Business Wins 19 Awards, Including 7 Top Prizes. The accolades were handed out during the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual statewide competition.  Hawaii Business.

Hawaii Island

Hawaiʻi Elections Officials Tackle Big Island Ballot Discrepancies. After finding major discrepancies in how many Kauaʻi ballots were cast, a state commission is looking at the Big Island numbers. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi County reviving program to give victims of minor crimes a louder voice, reduce backlog of cases. Located within the Hawaiʻi County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, the Restorative Justice program can be an option for eligible offenders if the victims want to pursue it. Big Island Now.

Groundbreaking research reveals potential underwater reservoir off Hawaiʻi Island coast. A groundbreaking scientific expedition was just completed off the west coast of Hawai‘i Island in search of something unexpected – fresh water beneath the ocean floor.  Big Island Now.

Maui

Final Maui report on wildfires offers 3 new recommendations.  While a 98-page preliminary After-Action Report was issued in February 2024, this final report includes three new recommendations from the Maui Fire Department, a joint report by the Fire Safety Research Institute and the Hawaii Attorney General, and one additional recommendation from the Maui Police Department. Star-Advertiser.

Saving history from the ashes: Volunteers work to restore thousands of cultural artifacts that survived Lahaina wildfire. On a crystalline morning, with humpback whales leaping in the indigo waters offshore, a group of archivists, curators, conservators and volunteers took on a “CSI”-like challenge: identifying, cleaning and cataloging the surprising array of artifacts that survived the fires, some nearly unrecognizable beneath flaking metal, scorch marks, ashes and soot. New York Times.

Two years after wildfires, Maui Fire Department’s changes to staffing, fleet, fire code aim to prevent another tragedy. The wildfires exposed multiple vulnerabilities in the emergency preparedness and response of the small county spread over three islands. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Kauai beaches are getting trashed. Kauai’s beaches are on the front lines of a growing marine debris crisis. In 2024, Kauai alone collected more than the next leading state, Washington state. Star-Advertiser.

Collecting for tomorrow: Hundreds donate to well-being of Hawaii Foodbank Kauai. On Saturday, a steady stream of people stopped at multiple locations from Hanalei to Waimea to contribute to the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai Food Drive Day.  Garden Island.