State Agriculture Director Hurd resigns, Green to nominate Dvonch for Attorney General, Hawaiian Electric Industries turns a profit despite storm expenses, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiʻi Agriculture And Biosecurity Director Resigns. The departure of Sharon Hurd, longtime agriculture official, creates another vacancy in Gov. Josh Green’s Cabinet. There is now a vacuum in state agricultural leadership, as the department is also searching for a deputy director to oversee biosecurity and the state Agribusiness Development Corp. is job hunting for a new executive director. Civil Beat.

Green to nominate first deputy AG for top job. Gov. Josh Green plans to nominate First Deputy Attorney General Matthew Dvonch to serve as Hawaii’s attorney general after Anne Lopez’s term ends Dec. 7, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation who are not authorized to comment. Star-Advertiser.

Wespac Seeks A New Executive Director To Replace Kitty Simonds. There’s been speculation for years about whether Simonds would retire — and what that might mean for the federal fisheries council and its role in the Western Pacific. Civil Beat.

Recent storms damaged HEI finances, but company sustains profit. Despite the storm-related financial hits, HEI earned a $35 million profit during the July-September quarter, up from $31 million in the same quarter last year. The recent third-quarter profit was driven by $64 million in realized and unrealized gains from a minority ownership stake in Honolulu-­based American Savings Bank. Star-Advertiser.

Senate president says recent disaster damage will cost Hawaiʻi $300M. Natural disasters and a high fuel prices-induced tourism slowdown will pose budgetary challenges during the next legislative session beginning in January, Senate President Ron Kouchi said Thursday. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi Welcomed These Students To College. They Said No Thanks. A University of Hawaiʻi program is trying to entice more students by offering guaranteed admission. But UH may need to do more to get them to attend.  Civil Beat.

Report calls for statewide fare-free bus system. A new report from the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law &Economic Justice estimates that making bus transit free for all riders statewide would cost roughly $62.4 million a year and recommends using existing transportation- related revenues to fund the program. Star-Advertiser.

New push aims to resolve ceded land revenue conflict. A reformed state panel is taking on a complex challenge to fairly assess how much state revenue from ceded lands should be paid annually to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. For nearly 50 years, state law has specified that the share of such revenue for OHA is 20%, but since that time state leaders and the agency serving Native Hawaiians have never agreed on how much revenue is derived from the roughly 1.4 million-acre public land trust that includes airports and harbors. Star-Advertiser.

Voters Bring On New Faces To Tackle Old Issues In Neighbor Island Councils. Kauaʻi, Maui and Hawaiʻi county councils will have plenty of fresh perspectives following the election. But will that be enough to change the status quo? Civil Beat.

Oahu

Voters Said Yes To Food Security Fund. How Will Honolulu Spend It? A key question: Should it only support existing programs or is this an opportunity to try something new? Civil Beat.

Tracking gangs: One focus is redirecting troubled youth. The Honolulu Police Department is working to identify the number of gangs operating on Oahu after a 24-year-old felon was accused by federal prosecutors of leading a criminal organization from the Kamehameha IV public housing complex in Kalihi. Star-Advertiser.

High court to decide whether Honolulu Zoo elephants have rights. The Hawaii Supreme Court will hear arguments today from the Nonhuman Rights Project and the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Enterprise Services on whether the elephants should be granted a habeas corpus proceeding, which would determine whether they have been illegally detained.  Star-Advertiser.

Council advances shopping-cart bill despite homeless concerns. Profanity-laced testimony from one opponent and widespread criticism from others failed to put the brakes on a controversial Honolulu City Council measure aimed at curbing shopping-cart theft and abandonment, as Bill 53 advanced Thursday despite detractors’ claims that it unfairly targets Oahu’s homeless population. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hawaiʻi Island lawmakers review sewer rate hike. If Bill 183 passes, a rate hike would take effect in 2027, increasing household rates from $52 to $63. Rates would then climb incrementally each year until hitting a ceiling of $125 in 2031. Hawaii Public Radio.

Ex-volunteer firefighter’s lawsuit against the county proceeds. Just over five years after Elizabeth Stabo was severely burned while helping to combat a brushfire in Ka‘u, a lawsuit she filed against the Hawaii Fire Department and its leadership at the time is moving forward. Tribune-Herald.

Ng seeks another term on District Family Court bench. Hilo District Family Judge Jeffrey Ng has petitioned the state Judicial Selection Commission to be retained in office for an additional 6-year term. Ng’s first term will expire on May 4, 2027. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Made in Maui County Festival draws more than 7,500 attendees. More than 7,500 people attended the 13th annual Hawaiian Airlines Made in Maui County Festival on Nov. 6-7 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, bringing together local businesses, wholesale buyers and shoppers for the two-day event. Maui News. Maui Now. 

Months after Hurricane Lala, Maui residents want ‘dangerous’ storm debris removed. Nearly three months after Hurricane Lala caused widespread damage around the islands, residents in upcountry Maui say storm debris is still a safety hazard. Hawaii News Now.

The Unrelenting Ordeal Of Wildfire Recovery. A Maui family lays the foundation for a new home three years after it was destroyed by the deadliest U.S. wildfires in a century. Civil Beat.

Kauai

County acquires 155 acres Līhu‘e for future housing development. The property was purchased for $3.7 million from Grove Farm Properties and based on preliminary assessments is expected to accommodate about 400 to 500 new homes. Kauai Now.

Kauaʻi honey competition highlights Garden Isle beekeepers as they advocate for zoning amendment. Kauaʻi's beekeeping community is abuzz as a bill that would enhance local honey production with new regulations and support from the community and officials.  Kauai Now.

Koke‘e and Waimea Canyon State Parks reopen. All state parks, lookouts and comfort stations between Waimea Canyon lookout and Pihea are now open. Reduced services should be expected, as popular visitor amenities such as the Koke‘e Lodge Restaurant and the Koke‘e Museum will not reopen until next week at the earliest. Garden Island.