Changes sought in solitary confinement law, safety inspections lag as building fires rise, Pentagon denied additional condemnation authority at Pohakuloa, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation seeks changes to solitary confinement law. The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation wants the state Legislature to loosen a law that sets stronger regulations on the use of solitary confinement on incarcerated individuals. Hawaii Public Radio.

New political action committee aimed at electing inclusive, equality-driven leaders. Community leaders on the third anniversary of the Respect for Marriage Act announced last week the official launch of HOKU PAC, a new non-partisan political action committee dedicated to empowering māhū and LGBTQIA+ candidates — and their allies — seeking county and state office throughout Hawaiʻi.  Big Island Now.

Hawaiʻi Building Fires Are On The Rise; Safety Inspections Aren’t Keeping Up. Regular inspections of hotels and other accommodations required by the state are being inconsistently carried out by most county fire departments. Staffing and resource limitations mean that all of the state’s county fire prevention bureaus only inspect a fraction of the state’s accommodations, leaving visitors and residents at risk.  Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi Wants To Bring Home The Bacon Again — Literally. Pork production in the islands has dropped significantly in the past 20 years. The state is now taking calls for help from piggeries more seriously. Civil Beat.

The state is urging households to use their Hawaii Emergency Food Assistance Program (HEFAP) benefits before they expire on Dec. 31. The Hawaii Department of Human Services said Wednesday that households that received the $250 per person HEFAP benefits should use them as soon as possible. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Deadly force found justified in Keehi Boat Harbor barricade. A Honolulu police corporal was justified to use deadly force when he shot a 37-year-old man high on methamphetamine through the cheek after the man threatened officers with a hammer and a rifle during a standoff June 22 at Keehi Boat Harbor, the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office said. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Prison guard and wife permanently banned by DOE. The state Department of Education issued a permanent ban from all campuses and properties against a man accused of punching out Moanalua High School’s associate athletic director after allegedly harassing referees at his son’s exhibition basketball game Dec. 4.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

State begins emergency repairs at Kamehameha Hwy. at Kualoa. The state Department of Transportation has begun emergency repairs to a section of Kamehameha Highway near Kualoa Regional Park after erosion threatened to undermine the roadway. The DOT said the erosion was found on Monday by inspectors, and repairs were started Tuesday because of fears the roadway could fail. Hawaii News Now.

Manoa pool closed again as city fixes renovation problems. After reopening in June following nearly nine months of repairs, the pool shut down once more in late November.  KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Hawaiʻi Island gets new official name. The "Island of Hawaiʻi" will now be known simply as "Hawaiʻi" on official state documents. The Hawaiʻi Board on Geographic Names voted in favor of the change last week after more than a year of discussion on what the island's official name should be. Hawaii Public Radio.

Senate Passes Military Spending Bill, Includes Provision On Pōhakuloa Land. Senator Mazie Hirono says the bill does not provide the military with any additional authority to condemn state land, despite a last-minute push by the Army. Big Island Video News.

Street Medicine Program To End At Year-End. The Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center says it is terminating its innovative Street Medicine Outreach program for un-housed individuals at year-end. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui Police Chief John Pelletier seeks apology as ‘Diddy’ civil lawsuit is dismissed. The civil lawsuit filed in California against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs — later amended to add a list of co-defendants, including Maui Police Chief John Pelletier — was dismissed on Tuesday for failure to prosecute. Maui Now. Maui News. 

A Maui sailing company is among the first to resume operations in Lahaina Harbor. Lahaina Small Boat Harbor has officially reopened. The harbor sustained $30 million in damage from the 2023 wildfire. Hawaii Public Radio.

Troubled Maui water system due for improvements. A state commission has fined Maui Land &Pineapple Co. for failures earlier this year to manage stream water feeding competing demands that include taro farming, wildlife habitat, golf course irrigation and residential landscaping. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Mayor Kawakami signs Kauai Climate Adaptation and Action Plan. Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami signed the Kauai Climate Adaptation and Action Plan (KCAAP) on Wednesday, marking an important step in the County of Kauai’s long-term work to prepare for climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Garden Island. Kauai Now. 

Kauaʻi Renters Are Fighting A Hawaiian Homesteads Condo Project. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is being sued over a relocation plan residents say is inadequate. Civil Beat.

Fire at Kauai Sea Farm caused about $144K in damage. Kauai firefighters on Tuesday extinguished a fire at the eastern shore of Nomilu Fishpond in Kalaheo. No injuries were reported. Star-Advertiser.