Thursday, July 30, 2026

Retail, agriculture jobs face steep declines, nonprofit purchases 126-year-old Maui News, Southwest Airlines begins Hilo-Vegas nonstop flights, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii retail, agriculture jobs face biggest losses by 2034.  Projections from the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations show retail trade could lose about 600 jobs by 2034, the largest decline of any industry. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting follow closely behind retail with a projected loss of almost 500 jobs. KHON2.

Hawaiʻi education department turns to regional kitchen to boost local ingredients. A new regional kitchen, set to open in late 2027, is expected to largely boost the amount of locally sourced ingredients used in school meals across the state Department of Education. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi’s 1st Congressional District race tests incumbent Case. U.S. Rep. Ed Case is facing opposition for his re-election campaign in the Democratic Party primary at a time when some voters have shown they’re in the mood to oust incumbents. Hawaii Public Radio.

High Oil Prices Hammer HECO Customers.
Oil is trading at close to $90 per barrel these days thanks to the Iran war compared to $65 to $70 a year ago. As a result, the average monthly residential bill rose 27% from June 2025 to this year on Maui and 30% on Oʻahu. Lānaʻi has it worst, up 55%, an average increase of more than $100 a month. Civil Beat.

Farms hit by Kona Low urged to apply for aid. Hawaii agricultural producers and farmers who were affected by the Kona- low storms from March 10 to 24 have until Friday to apply for financial and technical assistance with the Emergency Conservation Program. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News.

$1.8M awarded for wildfire mitigation as Hawaii enters peak fire season. The Hawaii Urban Interface (HUI) Wildfire Grant Program awarded funding to eight organizations on Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii Island. The grants will support projects including firebreak construction, invasive vegetation removal, managed grazing, evacuation studies and improved emergency access. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

As Flood Aid Trickles Out For North Shore, Southeast Asian Farmers Are Left Behind. For some Thai and Laotian farmers, language barriers and immigration status stand in the way of seeking help they need after the Kona lows. Civil Beat.

Uncertainty, confusion surround East Oahu’s City Council race.  East Oahu voters, some of whom have already cast their primary election ballots, remain in the dark about the status of the race to represent them on the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Internal power outage hits twin office towers in downtown Honolulu. About 100 businesses in two downtown Honolulu office towers could be displaced for roughly three to five weeks due to an equipment-related power failure at the property. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Ward Centre closed; looming demolition will make way for new Ward Village towers.
Although a timeline has not yet been finalized, sources say that demolition and redevelopment work at the site is expected to begin later this year. Aloha State Daily.

Ex-Social Worker Gets 10 Years In Prison For Daughter’s Death. The public may never know key details about how Sina Pili was able to keep working with children as police investigated her for her daughter’s death. Civil Beat. KHON2. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

A Viable Cesspool Alternative Emerges On Hawaiʻi’s Coasts.
After years of research and planning, Puakō residents’ efforts to create a model for the state using a low-pressure sewer system are finally gaining momentum. Civil Beat.

County names new Animal Control administrator. Hawaii County has announced that Regina DoDaro has been hired as administrator for the Animal Control and Protection Agency, effective Monday, Aug. 3. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Southwest Airlines launches nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Hilo. The new route launches Aug. 6 and will operate three times a week on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Big Island Now.

Future Hawaiian Homestead hub secures state funding for design, initial site preparation in Panaʻewa. State Sen. Lorraine Inouye announced the release of $350,000 for the Panaʻewa Hub, which is being developed by the Keaukaha Panaʻewa Farmers Association.  Big Island Now.

Hilo Man Arrested At Malama Park, Charged With Drug Offenses. Police: Hilo man with nearly 2 pounds of cocaine nabbed at public park.  On Saturday, detectives with the Hawaii Police Department’s Vice Division conducted an operation that resulted in the arrest of Michael Bratt at a public park in Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now.   Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui News changes owners. New nonprofit purchases 126-year-old newspaper. (subscription only print). Maui News.

Law firm fights judge’s ruling on attorney fees in Maui wildfire settlement.
A law firm is appealing a Maui judge’s ruling over how attorneys will be paid from the multibillion-dollar wildfire settlement. Hawaii News Now.

Maui to open larger emergency operations center in August. County officials say the facility in Wailuku will strengthen preparedness capabilities and emergency response. The building is nearly 10,000 square feet and will increase capacity for partnerships and personnel during activation. Hawaii Public Radio.

Waiohuli Hawaiian Homesteaders Association on Maui and ʻĀina Momona on Molokaʻi to benefit from wildfire mitigation funding. The Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, awarded $1.8 million to projects on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, an increase from the $1.5 million awarded through the program in 2025. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauaʻi Police Department conducts sex offender compliance checks. Kauaʻi Police Department, in partnership with U.S. Marshals Service and task force officers, recently conducted compliance checks of registered sex offenders to help ensure Hawaiʻi’s Covered Offender Registry remains accurate and current. Kauai Now.

Council candidate Skyler Workman. Skyler Wailea Workman is a candidate for Kauai County Council. He submitted the preceding introduction to himself and his campaign goals. Garden Island.

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