Legislative task force works on permit reform, Benioff's increased Hawaii presence, HART approves $53M design to bring Skyline to Ala Moana, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Task force aims at permitting reform. Three House-led committees comprising state and county governments, private developers and environmental interests, among others, face tight December deadlines to make recommendations before the start of the legislative session in January on complex issues to spur economic development across the state regarding permitting, cesspool conversions and historic preservation regulations. Star-Advertiser.

Perfect Attendance To AWOL: Missed Votes At The Hawaiʻi Legislature.  Check out how lawmakers rank according to the number of votes they missed during the 2025 session. Civil Beat.

San Francisco reporter talks Marc Benioff's 'massive philanthropic presence' in Hawaiʻi. Since the pandemic, the Salesforce CEO has purchased land and increased his philanthropy in the islands. He also switched his voting records from California to Hawaiʻi. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Electric Proposes Backup Power Program For Certain Customers In Wildfire Risk Areas. As Hawaiʻi faces another Fire Weather Watch, which could trigger Hawaiian Electric’s Public Safety Power Shutoff in certain wildfire risk areas, a new program is being proposed by the utility to help certain customers with the purchase of backup power equipment.  Big Island Video News.

Hawaiʻi Relies On Oil More Than Any Other State. Hawaiʻi’s mandate to transition to 100% renewable resources to generate electricity by 2045 spawned headlines when lawmakers passed the measure in 2015, making the Aloha State the first in the nation to commit to such a lofty goal. But a decade later, Hawaiʻi lags far behind leading states in using renewables. Civil Beat.

Hawaii jobless claims hint at shutdown fallout. The first batch of 381 state unemployment insurance claims filed by idled or unpaid workers offers a glimpse of the effects of the federal government shutdown on Hawaii families as food banks are already feeling the pressure. Star-Advertiser.

Going Hungry In Hawaiʻi? Government Shutdown To Halt Food Stamps. The state is creating a relief fund to cover costs for some — and will consider tapping into a $200 million contingency fund. Civil Beat.

Where To Get Help With Food In Hawaiʻi During The Shutdown. While the state government formalizes its plans to help SNAP recipients, local assistance organizations are stepping up, too. Civil Beat.

Home-care providers launch Hawaii-chapter. The national trade group Home Care Association of America, — which represents nearly 4,500 private-duty home-care agencies nationwide — announced the chapter this month. Star-Advertiser.

Viral Bullying Videos Are Sign Of Bigger Problem In Hawaiʻi Schools. Social media is amplifying conflicts and normalizing bad behavior as teens film fights and post them online to draw hundreds of views and comments.  Civil Beat.

Above Normal Rainfall Expected For Hawaiʻi Wet Season. Climate model consensus supports enhanced probabilities for above normal rainfall through early spring 2026, which is consistent with a cold-season La Niña event. Big Island Video News.

Alaska Air profits sag as integration with Hawaiian Airlines progresses. Hawaiian Airlines sapped some of the profit of parent company Alaska Air Group in the third quarter, but performed relatively well as integration between Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines progressed. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

HART Approves $53 Million In Design Work To Continue Rail To Ala Moana. Extending rail from Kakaʻako to Ala Moana would cost another $1.6 billion, money the rail authority does not have. Civil Beat.

Development in Ala Moana-Kapiolani corridor stalls. What had been one of urban Honolulu’s hottest spots for condominium tower construction in recent years, an Ala Moana transit-oriented development zone, has become pretty cold. Star-Advertiser.

Talks slow for North Shore first-responder hub, city says. Real estate negotiations between the City &County of Honolulu and the owner of a commercial center eyed for a future first-responder hub on the North Shore will require more time to complete, city officials say. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu in search of someone to lead climate change and resiliency efforts. The chief resilience officer tracks, manages, and develops plans regarding the impacts of climate change on city infrastructure, and monitors areas across Oʻahu that could potentially be at risk. Hawaii Public Radio.

North Shore community pushes back on expansive gondola plan. A Canadian adventure-­tourism investor’s bid to build gondolas, a zip line and expanded visitor infrastructure above Waialua has sparked one of the most energized community opposition campaigns the North Shore has seen in years. Star-Advertiser.

Ex-Hawaii CEO sentenced for illegal donations. Martin Kao, 51, the former CEO and 99% owner of Martin Defense Group LLC, formerly known as Navatek LLC, is already serving 87 months for COVID-19 relief fraud and the sentence he received Monday will run concurrently. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hawaiʻi Island lawmakers advance bill to strengthen plastic foodware ban. Bill 83 would ban food providers and permittees at County of Hawaiʻi facilities from using disposable polystyrene or plastic containers and utensils, and require them to use products “certified” compostable or reusable material. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald.

As Hawaii County looks for new police chief, expert points to role’s unique challenges. After nearly two months without a permanent police chief, Hawaii County is now looking for its new top cop. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island police officer struck by vehicle while helping stalled motorist. A Hawaii Island police officer is in serious, but guarded condition after being hit while helping a stranded driver. The crash was reported Sunday morning at the intersection of Kekuanaoa Street and Kanoelehua Avenue near the Hilo International Airport. Hawaii News Now. Big Island Now.

Maui

State commission alleges Maui Land &Pineapple Co. water violations. A major Maui landowner entrenched in litigation with private customers over the supply of water made improvements to stream diversion infrastructure after a state commission alleged violations of a nearly 6-year-old order. Star-Advertiser.

Historic drought strains Upcountry Maui water systems. Upcountry Maui is facing a historic drought, prompting the County Department of Water Supply to declare a Stage 3 water shortage for the first time. Prior to this, Upcountry had been under Stage 1 water restrictions since April 17 and Stage 2 restrictions since Sept. 11. Star-Advertiser.

Paia Inn files for bankruptcy following harassment lawsuit. The Paia Inn filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Friday, with the business owing millions of dollars after being hit with a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission earlier this year alleging widespread sexual harassment against female employees. Maui News.

Group that saved Honolua Bay from development now wants it to become a cultural sanctuary with fewer tourists. With its coral reefs and big winter swells, Honolua Bay is one of the biggest draws in West Maui, bringing in anywhere from 500 people on a slow day to 1,000 on a busy day, according to Heidi Beltz, coordinator of the coalition’s Makai Watch program. Maui Now.

Kauai

County of Kauaʻi updates residents on status of refuse. The Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works has issued an update on the operational status of its refuse transfer stations and the Kekaha Landfill.  Kauai Now.