Student vaccinations fall below herd immunity, state boards required to conduct business in public, Maui to release report on vacation rentals, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii student vaccinations fall below average rate. Kindergarten vaccination rates in Hawaii continue to lag behind the national average, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While there was a slight improvement over the year, the rates of routine childhood vaccinations for measles, mumps, whooping cough and chickenpox, among others, remain below the national average and failed to meet most rates required to reach so-called herd immunity. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii minimum wage to rise by $2 in 2026. Hawaii workers earning minimum wage will see the state’s biggest pay bump in years when the new rate takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026, jumping from $14 to $16 per hour — an increase of $2 that outpaces most other states. Tribune-Herald.

It's Official: Boards Can't Go Behind Closed Doors For Most Personnel Matters. The Office of Information Practices has finally formally acknowledged court rulings on hiring, firing and evaluating top public officials. Civil Beat.

Senator Voted For Bills Backed By Lobbyists He's Going To Work For. State Sen. Henry Aquino is stepping down to go to work for one of the biggest lobbying firms in the state after serving in the Hawaiʻi Legislature for 17 years. Civil Beat.

Campaign Commission Will Push Again For Reforms Lawmakers Keep Rejecting. Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to resurrect four government reform measures next year that were rejected by the 2025 Legislature. Civil Beat.

‘Shows how much they care’: Federal workers in Hawaiʻi keep airports operational despite working without pay. Despite nationwide airport disruptions, Hawaiʻi’s airports have not seen any significant disruption during the government shutdown, the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation said. KHON2. KITV4. Kauai Now. 

Native Hawaiian empowerment gains momentum. Bringing the convention to Washington — the state with the fastest-growing Native Hawaiian population — helped the council expand its reach. As of 2020, more than half of Native Hawaiians in the U.S. (360,000 of 680,000) lived on the mainland. Star-Advertiser.

DTRIC Insurance To Withdraw From Hawaiʻi Market. The Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is alerting DTRIC customers that the insurance company will be withdrawing from the Hawaiʻi market.  Big Island Video News. KITV4.

Federal cuts threaten a digitization project to preserve windows to Hawaiʻi's past. The state archives lost its federal funding this year to help with the preservation effort. It was a $213,000 grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services grant.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Federal shutdown casts doubt on Honolulu rail funding payment. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is expecting $125 million in federal funds toward its ongoing rail construction.  Since the federal government’s Oct. 1 shutdown, however, President Donald Trump has acted to suspend federal funds to mass transit projects across the United States. Star-Advertiser.

Skyline’s newest segment opens with high expectations. Honolulu’s Skyline rail system has passed its testing phase — with some lingering challenges — before Thursday’s opening of the next 5.2-mile route for public ridership that will take passengers into four new stations at Makalapa/Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Lagoon Drive and Middle Street in Kalihi, amid elevated expectations of a significant boost in ridership. Star-Advertiser.

National report calls for urgent action to protect coastlines. A new national report from the Surfrider Foundation is spotlighting Oahu’s North Shore as a leading example of how communities can take the lead in confronting climate change — and calls for more urgent action as Hawaii’s beaches and shorelines face growing danger from erosion and rising seas. Star-Advertiser.

Grant improves water quality assessments along Hawaiʻi coastlines. A new grant for the University of Hawaiʻi’s Water Resource and Research Center will help researchers analyze how fecal contaminants are transferred between shores and the ocean. The $549,960 grant from the National Science Foundation will cover research costs over the next three years and will cover the salaries of two graduate assistants.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Renovation Of Ala Wai Driving Range Is Months Overdue. After missing a spring deadline to reopen, a city spokesperson said the popular golf course driving range will be back in business in November. Civil Beat.

Aloha Stadium Swap Meet moves to new spot in parking lot this week. Starting Wednesday, Oct. 15, the Swap Meet moves to its new location at the Halawa lot. It’s the parking lot right in front of the volcano and the ticket office. KHON2.

Parents Are Hopping Fences To Sneak Into Playgrounds. Lawmakers have pushed schools to open their facilities for recreational use, but the education department has raised concerns about liability and safety. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Building Department considered. A proposed charter amendment to create a new Department of Building in Hawaii County was postponed Tuesday following growing concerns about the department’s cost, scope and necessity. Tribune-Herald.

Drought severe in Hilo. Hilo International Airport received just 2.76 inches of rain in September, 32% of its normal total for the month. For the year, the Hilo airport’s rain gauge has recorded 38.17 inches through September, just 46% of its norm. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii AG investigates case of fallen banyan tree. The circumstances surrounding the collapse of a large banyan tree that killed two women July 12 on Kilauea Avenue in Hilo are now being investigated by the state Department of the Attorney General. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Temporary Investigative Group to release report Oct. 14 on proposed phase out TVRs in apartment districts. Council Member Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins announced that a report from the temporary investigative group she led on policy responses to the possible phasing out of transient vacation rental uses in Apartment Districts will be released Tuesday. Maui Now.

Affordable housing deed extension bill revived after near-death experience. Maui County Council members killed a bill aimed at maintaining affordable workforce housing when they failed to muster a fifth vote needed for passage, even after the measure passed unanimously out of committee 8-0 last month. Maui Now.

Legal feud over Maui water expands to land. Litigation between two companies on Maui with billionaire owners has spread from contention over water to land, and specifically control of an association representing landowners at Kapalua Resort. Star-Advertiser.

Maui contends with tourism and housing troubles amid ongoing fire recovery. The rebuild efforts are expected to give the island's economy a boost, but it's also facing a tourism slowdown, workforce shortage issues and housing supply scarcity. Hawaii Public Radio.

DAGS hires Maui District Office manager. The Department of Accounting and General Services hired Maui native Wade Shimabukuro as its new Engineering Program Manager. KITV4.

Hundreds more ‘paper leases’ for Hawaiian home lands are being awarded on Maui. Now the state must deliver. Driven by a historic $600 million allocation from the State Legislature and an urgent need for housing after the 2023 Maui wildfires, the department is making a big push to award more than 2,600 leases statewide this year, including more than 1,200 on Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai Comic Con packs the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall. Hundreds of people streamed through the secured entry point at the Comic Con that moved from the previous event at the Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort. Garden Island.

$400M state stockpile could soften blow of federal cuts, state libraries banned from saying 'banned' during Banned Books Week, state Senate committees to examine impacts on agriculture food security, IRONMAN kicks off with Kona underpants run, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Legislators to examine federal impacts on ag, food security. Two state Senate committees will hold a joint informational briefing next week to examine how recent federal policy changes are affecting the state’s agricultural and food sectors, amid growing concern over rising costs, trade disruptions and weakening federal support for farmers. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Hawaii library system bans displays that refer to ‘Banned Books Week,’ rebrands to ‘Freedom to Read’.  New guidelines issued by the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System ahead of the 41st annual event prohibit the use of the words “censorship” and “banned,” as well as the phrase “banned books week,” in displays at 51 public libraries across the state.  Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Introduce A Lot Of Bills. See Whose Pass — And Fail. Committee chairs and legislative veterans have the best track record, a review of the data shows. But even they only get a fraction of what they introduce through. Civil Beat.

$400M stockpile for Hawaiʻi low-income families could soften effects of federal cuts. The state has more than $400 million in unspent federal funds for a program to help low-income families through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tourist Tax Hike Sought For Hawaiian Home Lands. The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands plans to ask lawmakers to approve a 1% increase to the Transient Accommodations Tax, which could generate more than $100 million in annual revenue for the department to pursue development and assist its beneficiaries with home loans — a key sticking point for many who have languished for decades on a waiting list for housing lots. Civil Beat.

Native Hawaiian Convention wraps up with focus on tourism, culture. The Native Hawaiian Convention wrapped up this week in Tulalip, Washington, after days of cultural exchange and discussion about how tourism can better support local communities. KHON2. Big Island Now. 

1 In 4 Hawai‘i Students Are Chronically Absent From School. Five years after the pandemic upended attendance, many schools are still struggling to get kids to show up regularly. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i House of Reps accepting applications for 2026 legislative session. Session staff positions are temporary and typically span from December/January through May each year, with salary ranges dependent on the specific position and relevant experience. Kauai Now.

State senators see results — and challenges — during illegal fireworks bunker inspection. Senators also were briefed about the ongoing work of the Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement Illegal Fireworks Task Force, highlighting enforcement efforts and challenges of addressing illegal fireworks throughout the islands. Kauai Now.

Oahu

Assaults on Honolulu police officers on the rise. Assaults on Honolulu police officers are up 21% this year compared with the same period last year, and are on pace to surpass 2024’s total of 43 cases, the Honolulu Police Department announced Thursday in a news release. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. 

Hopes high for increase in Skyline ridership. Journalists got to ride the city’s second segment of the Skyline rail system on Thursday that will take passengers down a new, 5.2-mile route to some of the most important stations and major employment centers at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.  KITV4. 

Oceanit donates thousands of COVID test kits to local schools. Honolulu-based Oceanit this week said it has donated thousands of its ASSURE-100 COVID rapid test kits to schools across Oahu. The test kits, authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, were developed by Oceanit scientists and engineers locally. Star-Advertiser.

This School Wanted Officers On Campus. 3 Others Will Get Them First. Representatives of Nānākuli High and Intermediate School say they have been left out of Oʻahu’s upcoming school resource officer pilot program. Civil Beat.

City says improper propane tank disposal sparked waste facility fire. The Department of Environmental Services (ENV) confirmed the fire that sparked Wednesday, leaving piles of charred debris and equipment, was caused by improper disposal of a propane tank. Hawaii News Now.

Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden to close Thursdays, city says. City officials say that in the post-pandemic era the number of guests to Ho‘o­maluhia — which in the Hawaiian language translates to “a peaceful refuge” — skyrocketed to a point where the garden itself needed peace and refuge. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Kona Underpants Run Held On Aliʻi Drive. The Kona Underpants Run was held on Aliʻi Drive Thursday morning, part of the IRONMAN World Championship pre-race series of events. Big Island Video News.

2025 IRONMAN World Championship Week In Kona. This year marks the final co-hosting rotation of the IRONMAN World Championship, with the 2025 men’s edition having been held in Nice, France in September, with the women’s edition taking place in Kona this weekend. Big Island Video News.

Restoration Of Honu‘apo Estuary Wetland Planned. A proposal to restore 8 acres of estuary and wetland habitat at Honu‘apo in Kaʻū is examined in a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) published in the October 8th issue of The Environmental Notice.  Big Island Video News.

20 Sheep Killed On Puna Ranch. The sheep were killed sometime between Friday, October 3th, and Monday, October 6th, police say. Investigators discovered what appeared to be dog bite marks on the slaughtered sheep. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. KHON2. 

Maui

Major GMO Seed Company Is Maui County’s Top Water Customer. While the genetically modified seed industry has declined across Hawaiʻi, records show Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, has increased its water usage on two Maui farms by 13% since 2021. Civil Beat.

Public hearing set for Kula Forest management plan.  The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has scheduled a public hearing next week to solicit feedback on a comprehensive plan to manage the 3,434-acre Kamehamenui Forest Reserve in Kula. Maui Now.

DOT completes repairs to erosion-damaged highway on Molokai. The state said it has completed emergency road repairs to the main highway on Molokai damaged by coastal erosion at a cost of $720,000. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Road work scheduled for various locations in Wailuā Houselots area. Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works and contractor Maui Kupono Builders notify the public about road closures and single-lane contraflows for portions of Nonou Road, Likeke Place, Laʻaukea Place, Eggerking Road and Nānā Place in the Wailuā Houselots area beginning next week. Kauai Now.

U.S. Postal Service hiring for holiday help on Kauaʻi. The holiday positions available are at the Kapa’a and Līhuʻe post offices, with assignments running from Nov. 15 to Dec. 26. Kauai Now.

Booking.com fights $20M Hawaii GET tax bill, Native Hawaiian convention sparks federal recognition debate, $1B budget for Honolulu Rail, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Online travel agency could owe state $20 million in GET. Lawsuit by Booking.com against the Hawai‘i Department of Taxation going to state Supreme Court. The Hawai‘i Supreme Court will hear a case that could leave online travel agency Booking.com owing the state nearly $20 million in taxes. Aloha State Daily.

Pacific climate hub shutters due to lapse in federal funding. After waiting months for federal funding to materialize, the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center had to officially close its doors last week. For over a decade, the center supported local researchers working to understand Hawaiʻi's climate — and how it's changing.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Can Hawaiʻi Turn Around Another Deadly Year On The Roads? An executive order emphasizes enforcement and safety education, but data shows infrastructure is also a major factor in many fatal accidents. Civil Beat.

Native Hawaiian Convention held on tribal lands sparks federal recognition debate.  More than 1,300 attendees from 37 states and countries are participating in the Hawaiian Council’s 24th annual convention, which is the largest annual gathering of Native Hawaiians. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. 

Lawmakers to consider compassionate release measures for Hawaiʻi inmates. Hawaiʻi is the only state in the nation that does not have a compassionate release law, which allows inmates to be considered for release from prison for medical reasons. Hawaii Public Radio.

Interest-free payment options available to electric customers affected by government shutdown. Hawaiian Electric customers experiencing financial hardship because of the ongoing federal government shutdown might be eligible for interest-free monthly installment plans for their electric bills. Big Island Now. KHON2.

Half Of UH Students Struggle To Get Food. For students at the University of Hawaiʻi, skipping a meal or going hungry isn’t uncommon, according to new data. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi Libraries Mark Banned Books Week With “Freedom To Read” Initiative. The state librarian says the new guidelines help people avoid any confusion that the library is banning books. Civil Beat. Big Island Video News. 

Leadership program graduates most diverse class. The most diverse graduating class in the Hawaii Carpenters Union’s fourth group — inspired by one another’s commitments to their communities — included two sitting Honolulu City Council members, a Maui County Council member and others who may want to pursue their own political careers or just advocate for their causes. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

HART sees $1.07B total budget next year. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2027 will total nearly $1.07 billion — 9.5% above the agency’s current total budget of $968.3 million adopted in June, rail officials say. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu police targeting game rooms, keeping them closed. Honolulu police are cracking down on illegal game rooms with a new strategy that is showing big results. KHON2.

City rolls out tool to help residents calculate sewer bills. Officials with Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services are urging residents to use less water to save on sewer bills. Hawaii News Now.

Man Shot By Police Was Undergoing Court-Ordered Mental Health Treatment. Sonny Siofele, who was shot by Honolulu police outside The Queen’s Medical Center last week, had struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues for decades, according to a July report from his probation officer. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Council weighs in on ICE. A resolution affirming Hawaii County’s commitment to constitutional rights, multiculturalism and protections for immigrants advanced Tuesday after the County Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs voted unanimously to send the measure to the full council. Tribune-Herald.

Proposed Hilo housing project gets favorable recommendation. After years of delays, the Kaiaulu O Kapiolani affordable housing project in Hilo received a crucial boost Tuesday when the Hawaii County Council’s Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions Committee recommended adoption of a five-year extension — pushing the construction deadline to March 2031 — to keep the development on track. Tribune-Herald.

Mumps case prompts closure of Kailua-Kona park for sanitation. The County of Hawaii Department of Parks and Recreation will temporarily close the park in Kailua-Kona to sanitize contact surfaces on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4. 

Maui

Maui County Council to hear presentations from experts on climate change. The Maui County Agriculture, Diversification, Environment and Public Transportation Committee will hear three presentations on climate change at 9 a.m. Thursday in the Council Chamber and online, according to Maui County councilmember and committee chair Gabe Johnson. Maui News. Maui Now. 

Maui County Board of Ethics meeting canceled. Citing technical issues with the distribution of the meeting’s agenda, the Maui County Board of Ethics has canceled its meeting scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8. Maui News.

Kauai

Chan Zuckerberg donates $1 million to support education, housing, culture on Kauaʻi. The Chan Zuckerberg Kaua‘i Community Fund recently donated $1 million in unrestricted funding to 25 nonprofits across the Garden Isle. Kauai Now.

Kaua‘i Humane Society welcomes new chief executive officer into the pack. Kaua‘i Humane Society announces the appointment of Susan Rhee as its new chief executive officer. Kauai Now.

Elections Commission seeks audit, return to same-day in-person voting; job cutbacks amid softening tourism; status unclear on federal parks in Hawaii, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Elections Commission Wants State Auditor To Examine Hawaiʻi’s 2024 Vote. The commission also asked the Legislature to consider returning to one-day, in-person voting, and narrowly rejected firing chief election officer Scott Nago. Civil Beat.

‘Closely monitoring’ shutdown: Green’s office issues statement in wake of federal funding uncertainty. With a partial federal government shutdown in place and the Trump administration freezing $26 billion in federal funding for Democrat-run states, including Hawaii, the office of Gov. Josh Green says it is “closely monitoring the impacts … on our residents, workers and critical programs.” Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Maui Now.  KHON2. 

Tourism softening prompts job cuts and reduced hours for Hawaii workers. The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism reported Tuesday that there were 806,776 total visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in August. The 2.6% decline from August 2024 was the second-worst arrivals drop of the year after July, when visitor arrivals dropped 4.4%. Star-Advertiser.

Trump freezes $26B in funding for Democratic-run states, including Hawaii. The targeted programs included $18 billion for transit projects in New York, home to Congress’s top two Democrats, and $8 billion for green-energy projects in 16 Democratic-run states, including Hawaii, California and Illinois.  Reuters.

Federal funding cuts trigger Hawaiʻi Resilience Fund activation. The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation announced it has activated its Hawaiʻi Resilience Fund in response to ongoing federal funding cuts to nonprofit organizations across the state. Maui Now.

Private funding keeps Hawaii’s historic sites open.  Despite a federal government shutdown that began Tuesday evening in Hawaii, the state’s most visited historic sites will remain open to the public. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Digital Navigator program launches at state libraries. Beginning this month, Hawaii residents will be able to sit down with trained “digital navigators” at public libraries for help with everyday technology skills, part of a new state initiative to expand digital literacy and bridge the digital divide.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. 

Eyeing rooftop solar? Options are slim for the rest of 2025. The deadline to claim a major federal tax credit for rooftop solar is three months away. But for some Hawaiʻi residents, the window may have already closed. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Convicted Officials May Be Innocent, Hawaiʻi Chief Justice Suggests. Honolulu’s former top city attorney Donna Leong, managing director Roy Amemiya and Honolulu Police Commission Chair Max Sword may have an opening to get their criminal records thrown out, one legal expert says.  Civil Beat.

Council OKs Downtown Business Improvement District. Downtown Honolulu property owners will soon pay into a revamped special improvement district to boost public safety and economic revitalization in an area long known for crime, homelessness and closed businesses. Star-Advertiser.

City completes Dillingham Boulevard Bridge rehabilitation project ahead of schedule. The city’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) said the $1.5 million project finished two months ahead of schedule. Hawaii News Now.

OHA May Have Found A Way To Build Housing In Kakaʻako Makai. After years of failing to get building approval, the office may look to another Hawaiʻi government agency to jumpstart construction. Civil Beat.

Concerns raised as state approves use of ‘camera car’ to enforce parking at Ala Wai harbor.  A vehicle with a license plate reader  goes though the lots and figures out who’s been parked for longer than the six-hour limit. Hawaii News Now.

The Fallout: Life After Aging Out Of An Abusive Foster Home. The former foster sons of John Teixeira were left to find their way in the world. Some made it. Some did not. Civil Beat.

Stuck On A Honolulu Rail Platform? Let A Book Take You Somewhere. The city wants livelier rail stations. The library system wants more access to their books. Can a vending machine pilot project satisfy both goals? Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Woman charged for making millions off ‘100% Kona Coffee’ that was not pure. Patricia Johnson, aka “Trish,” was charged in a 24-count indictment Sept. 25 after she allegedly made more than $5.2 million selling “100% Kona coffee” that was actually sourced from South American beans bought in California and Washington. Johnson’s Kona Coffee Cafe on Alii Drive opened in the 1990s and purportedly sold “100% Kona Coffee” in drinks, coffee beans, and chocolate-covered coffee beans. Kona Coffee Cafe’s physical location is closed but its online business remains open, according to the company website. Star-Advertiser. 

How does the federal government shutdown affect Hawaiʻi and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park? Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will remain accessible to the public during the federal government shutdown, but some services may be limited or unavailable, officials with the National Park announced on Wednesday. Big Island Now.

Young Brothers shipment originally slated to arrive Oct. 2 at Hilo port delayed. Cargo destined for Hilo will be loaded on another barge departing today, with Young Brothers reporting in its promised update that the backup barge is expected to arrive Oct. 3 at the Port of Hilo. Big Island Now.

Maui

Lahaina Strong and Housing Back Hui Coalition urge Maui County Council to pass Bill 9 ‘clean’. Bill 9, which passed out of the Maui County Council Housing and Land Use Committee on July 24, 2025, would transition short-term vacation rental (STR) units in apartment-zoned districts—once homes for local families—back into the long-term housing pool for residents. Maui Now.

Lahaina’s Front Street to remain two lanes. A Maui County government consulting firm looking at ways to rebuild Lahaina after the 2023 wildfire has narrowed the field of discussion about redesigning Lahaina’s commercial district and eliminated turning Front Street into a mall or into a one-way thoroughfare. Maui News.

New Pā‘ia siren expected in late 2026, as recent emergencies show they’re no longer a ‘last resort’. The use of the sirens in the Pā‘ia fire and during the tsunami warning in July showed just how much the approach to sounding them has changed since the 2023 Lahaina wildfire.  Maui Now.

State selects Ku‘ia property for new King Kamehameha III Elementary. Gov. Josh Green’s office announced Wednesday that state and county officials have landed on the Ku’ia site below the Lahaina Bypass as they move forward with plans to rebuild the school destroyed in the 2023 Maui wildfires. Maui News. KITV4.

Kauai

EPA fines Grove Farm, Hawaii Gas for illegal cesspools on Kauai. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined the Grove Farm Company Inc. and The Gas Company more than $104,500 for operating illegal large-capacity cesspools in Lihue, Kauai. Garden Island.

Hurricane Kiko strengthens, Japan arrivals rebounding, bumper coffee crop hampered by ICE raids, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hurricane Kiko strengthens, no threat to Hawaii today. As of early this morning, the storm was located about 1,815 miles east of Hilo, moving slowly west at 6 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour.  KITV4. Hawaii News Now. 

Clock is ticking on how to spend new green fees. When the legislative session begins, it’ll be up to Green to turn the Green Fee Advisory Council’s recommendations into bills for the Legislature to debate and potentially send back to Green by the time the session ends in May. Star-Advertiser.

Japan arrivals rebounding in the back half of the year.  Japanese arrivals to Hawaii were expected to drop below last year’s levels after a sluggish start to the year, but visitor industry members say that the market is gaining ground and has a shot at finishing flat to slightly better. Star-Advertiser.

Who Uses The Most Water In Hawaiʻi? Golf courses, big resorts and the Marine Corps Base on the Windward side of Oʻahu top the list of the state’s biggest water-hungry consumers. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi legislators call for a special session to address immigration enforcement. This year, from January through the end of July, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made almost 150 administrative arrests in Hawaiʻi. The agency made 45 arrests locally in all of 2024. Hawaii Public Radio.

Gas prices up slightly in Hawaii. According to AAA Hawaii, the statewide average price for regular unleaded was $4.47 as of Aug. 28, which is one cent more than last week and 19 cents lower than this time last year. Maui News.

Oahu

HFD fund lacks public transparency, city audit states. A Honolulu Fire Department fund meant to collect public payments for fire plan reviews related to the city’s building code is non- transparent to the public it serves, the Office of the City Auditor says. Star-Advertiser.

Oʻahu is updating its climate plan ahead of 2030 state goals. The Honolulu Resilience Office is in the process of updating its climate plan. It will lay out actions that the City and County of Honolulu will take over the next five years to help the state meet its goal of slashing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions in half compared to 2005 levels.  Hawaii Public Radio. 

Honolulu County Employee Fired After Nearly 5 Years Of Paid Leave. The employee was paid not to work for years as officials mulled over his “impossible” mileage reports. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

North Kohala Customers Told To Use Water for Essential Needs Only. The Hawi #2 well is suspected to have failed around mid-day September 1st, prompting the Essential Needs Only Notice. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

ICE Takes Aim At Immigrant Kids In Big Island’s Coffee Belt. President Trump has said he wants to deport hardened criminals. But on Hawaiʻi, agents are snaring undocumented children and their adult relatives. Civil Beat.

Immigration Raids Throw Long Shadow Over Big Island Coffee Harvest. As their workers are arrested and deported, flee the country or stay away, coffee farmers are struggling to bring in a bumper crop. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi County partnership aims to increase affordable housing. The partnership between Hawaiʻi County and the HALE o Hawaiʻi Community Land Trust is opening doors to affordable housing for local families. Hawaii Public Radio.

Playground project underway at Greenwell Park. Redevelopment of the playground of Arthur L. Greenwell Park in Captain Cook began last week and will continue for about five months, according to Hawaii County. Tribune-Herald.

Maui 

County encourages Hoʻokumu Hou applicants to get official information. The County of Maui Office of Recovery is encouraging residents to find official information on Hoʻokumu Hou housing programs directly through the County due to potential fraud by third-party entities.  Maui Now.

Residents encouraged to attend in-person Lahaina Community Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Lahaina Community Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at the Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria. Maui Now.

Kula Hospital celebrates 115 years of providing care in Upcountry Maui. Maui’s oldest upcountry hospital is celebrating its 115th birthday this year. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Brutal beating that ended the life of a Kauai man under investigation. Authorities are investigating a beating on an east Kauaʻi shoreline that left a man near death, crying out for help on the side of a busy highway. Hawaii News Now.

Department of Public Works announces lane closures in Kōloa. The Department of Public Works, in partnership with contractor Maui Kupono Builders, reported that lane closures will be in effect on portions of Hailima Road, Iuka Place, and Aka Road in Kōloa starting Tuesday. Kauai Now.