Tourism management bill advances, Captain Cook name change clears House, Bezos tours Maui food bank, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kailua-Kona pool party pre-COVID ©2022 All Hawaii News

State tourism management bill advances. Anticipating resident backlash against over-tourism as the industry rebounds, state lawmakers today advanced a bill that would set money aside to study and implement tourism management. Maui Now.

No legislation after months of Hawaii land management hearings. Six months of special House investigative hearings — ostensibly over mismanagement of state agricultural lands — have failed to produce any legislation addressing problems identified in two state audits that were amplified during the hearings. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Sheriffs Training Chief Arrested On Charges Of Falsifying Records. J. Marte Martinez, who oversees training for the state Department of Public Safety, also is accused of perjury and lying to authorities. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Homeless Survey Reveals Pandemic Effects On Neighbor Islands. The 2022 point-in-time count shows a decrease in homelessness on Maui, while the Big Island and Kauai saw an uptick in people living on the streets or in shelters. Civil Beat.

Order of political parties on ballot announced. The state Office of Elections has announced the order in which political parties will appear on the 2022 primary ballot. The order was determined at random in a drawing on Wednesday. Maui News.

Candidate familiarity overshadows policy details in race for Hawaii governor. The three Democratic Party candidates for governor agree on some key challenges facing Hawaii and provide differing levels of specifics in an election that will ultimately come down to favorability over details, according to longtime political observers. Star-Advertiser.

Bill commemorates 1843 restoration of Hawaiian kingdom. A bill at the state Legislature would declare July 31 an official state day of observance commemorating King Kauikeaouli Kamehameha III’s accomplishments in restoring the Hawaiian kingdom after a British navy captain seized control in 1843. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Ige considers emergency water order as conflicting statements cloud contamination issue. Both the Navy and state Health Department have said there’s no indication that the Navy’s fuel contamination at Red Hill is spreading. But at a meeting last month of the state Commission of Water Resource Management, Navy engineers revealed data shows there is a possibility. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Senate Budget Proposal Puts $350M Toward New Stadium. The Legislature is looking to speed up development of the new Aloha Stadium. Civil Beat.

DOT proposes plan for roundabout at a busy Kahaluu highway intersection. The state Department of Transportation has announced plans to build a traffic roundabout at the intersection of Kahekili and Kamehameha highways in Kahaluu. Hawaii News Now.

Laniakea parking reopens, but some residents say long-term solution needed. For decades, North Shore residents and visitors have complained about a traffic bottleneck at popular Lania­kea Beach, where beach­goers darted haphazardly across two-lane Kameha­meha Highway. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Captain Cook Name Change Adopted By Hawaiʻi State House. The Hawaiʻi House of Representatives voted on Thursday to adopt a resolution, HCR27 HD1,  which requests “the United States Census Bureau to re-designate the census-designated place known as Captain Cook on the island of Hawaii as Ka‘awaloa.” Big Island Video News.

Prosecution calls law enforcement witnesses on Day 3 of drug trial for Big Island doctor. The prosecution in the federal drug trafficking trial of Dr. Rudy Puana, the brother of former Honolulu deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha, called several members of law enforcement to the stand on Thursday. KITV4. Civil Beat.

Coast Guard identifies victim of fatal boating incident; nearly $29K raised to support victim’s family. Theresa “Reesa” Butts, a crew member aboard the vessel 40-foot Uhane Nui o Naia, which is operated by Sunlight on Water, died in an accident reported about 6 p.m. in waters about 10 minutes out of Honokohau Small Boat Harbor in Kailua-Kona, U.S. Coast Guard officials said Thursday morning. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos tours Maui Food Bank. Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos was spotted earlier this week at the Maui Food Bank, one of the many organizations he made personal donations to in the second half of 2021. Maui Now.

Maui Resort, Earthjustice Look To Resolve Lawsuit Over Lights Injuring Seabirds. Jay Penniman, who manages Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, is advocating for the creation of an islandwide seabird habitat conservation plan like Kauai has. Civil Beat.

Kīhei roundabout sparks Maui residents’ traffic, project concerns. Construction on the Kīhei roundabout — the first multilane roundabout on a state highway — is sparking several concerns among area residents. Maui Now.

Traffic Is A Mess In South Maui. Residents Say These 2 Projects Could Help. With the new Kihei high school set to open its doors next year, community members worry things will only get worse if nothing is done. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Brun associate, Haidee Sueyasu, pleads guilty. The final associate named in the federal indictment against former Kaua‘i County Councilman Arthur Brun pled guilty to a drug charge Wednesday. Garden Island.

Homeowner assistance programs expand on Kauaʻi. Island homeowners in financial hardship can apply to an expanded assistance program. Garden Island.

Hawaii Supreme Court rejects redistricting challenge, candidate filing begins for legislative seats, $300M proposed for low-income housing, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Supreme Court ©2022 All Hawaii News

Candidate filing opens after court rejects challenge to redistricting. Candidate filing for congressional and state House of Representatives and Senate seats is now open, after the Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a legal challenge to the new map for state legislative districts. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. West Hawaii Today. Maui Now.

Record funding proposed for Hawaii low-income rental housing. Members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee have proposed giving $300 million to a state agency that helps developers produce affordable homes. Star-Advertiser.

Budget bill allocates $1.7M to mitigate rapid ohia death. Among proposed appropriations outlined in a state House budget bill is nearly $2 million to help combat rapid ohia death throughout Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Two years of persistent catalytic converter thefts prompt legislative bills. Bills before state legislators aimed at cracking down on catalytic converter thefts would require anyone selling one to provide a receipt as proof of ownership. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Regents seek public’s input on University of Hawaii’s future. The University of Hawaii Board of Regents at a special meeting Friday will weigh how the university should grow in its various roles: Indigenous-serving institution, provider of online education, supplier of the state’s workforce, and more. Star-Advertiser.

State To Pay $250,000 To Cover Lawyers’ Fees In Lawsuit Over Covid-19 In Hawaii Prisons. A federal judge ruled the corrections system failed to follow its own protocols for coping with the pandemic, which has now been blamed for 10 inmate deaths. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi National Guard concludes COVID-19 support mission. The Hawai‘i National Guard’s Joint Task Force has transitioned its remaining COVID-19 responsibilities such as vaccinations, testing, COVID-19 mapping, and unemployment office temperature screenings back to the state as of March 15, 2022. Maui Now.

Health risks, ‘mask shaming’ feared when Hawaii public schools drop indoor mask requirement. Now that Gov. David Ige has declared the sunset of the general statewide indoor mask mandate at 11:59 p.m. March 25, how and when the public schools will follow suit is a topic of vigorous discussion in parts of social media and some advocacy and parent groups. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Community Health Centers To Split $23 Million In Federal Funding. The newest round of funding follows over $40 million in federal dollars distributed to Hawaii’s 14 health centers during the pandemic. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i reports 1,092 Covid cases, 14 new deaths over the last week. In its weekly update, the state Department of Health reported that there were 608 coronavirus cases on O‘ahu, 107 on the Big Island, 160 on Kaua‘i, 122 on Maui, one on Lāna‘i, three on Moloka‘i, and 91 diagnosed out of state. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu Prosecutor Opens Independent Probe Into Police Involvement In Makaha Crash. The three officers accused of causing the crash are facing felony charges, the interim HPD chief said. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Plan to stop rail construction at South Street puts several Kakaako properties in limbo. The rail system paid about $12 million for properties it condemned near Kona and Pensacola streets ― land which they now may not need. Hawaii News Now.

Head of Honolulu transportation services on ending rail short of Ala Moana. City Transportation Services Director and HART Board Member Roger Morton says they’ve tested and modeled the plan, which calls for buses to continue service to major destinations in the area. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bill regulating Oahu commercial activity passes. The Honolulu City Council approved a proposal to regulate commercial activities at beach parks on the east side of Oahu on Wednesday, March 16. Bill 38 will go to Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi for signature. KHON2.

Lawmakers call for more clarity on Navy’s timeline for emptying Red Hill tanks. Some lawmakers are expressing concern that the Navy won’t begin draining fuel from the Red Hill tanks before possible mandatory water restrictions this summer. Hawaii News Now.

City halfway to green goal of planting trees. The City and County of Honolulu is half way toward its ambitious goal of planting 100,000 more trees. Four years ago, the city embarked on a plan to plant those trees by 2025. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

South Kona town could be renamed. The town name Captain Cook could be no more under a resolution being considered by state lawmakers. House Concurrent Resolution 27 requests the U.S. Census Bureau re-designate the Census-designated place known as Captain Cook on Hawaii Island as Ka‘awaloa. It further requests the County of Hawaii remove all references to Captain Cook as a place name. West Hawaii Today.

Kanuha receives Press Club’s ‘Torch of Light’ award; San Buenaventura, others, get ‘Lava Tube’ dishonor. The Big Island Press Club awards its annual meritorious Torch of Light Award to state Sen. Dru Mamo Kanuha, a Democrat representing Kona and Ka‘u, and the Lava Tube dishonor award to a group of 10 state senators, including Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, a Democrat representing Puna and Ka‘u. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Victorino Outlines Priorities of Safety, Economy, Housing, Green Infrastructure in State of the County Address. Maui Mayor Michael Victorino delivered his State of the County address in hybrid fashion Wednesday evening from the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. His address included a mix of video and live remarks. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Court upholds approval of Paeahu Solar agreement. Finding that the state Public Utilities Commission properly evaluated a Maui community group’s allegations of harm, the state Supreme Court has upheld the commission’s approval of a power purchase agreement between Maui Electric Co. and Paeahu Solar. Maui News.

Mexican Consulate returns to MEO in Wailuku to process documents. After two years of postponement due to the pandemic, the Mexican Consulate will return to Maui Economic Opportunity to process documents, such as passports and birth certificates, by appointment from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 26 and 27 in Wailuku. Maui Now.

The Deer Population Is Devastating Maui. Hunters Want To Help. For decades, axis deer have threatened everything from ranching to watersheds. Hunters can limit the destruction while feeding their families but accessing the land has proven difficult. Civil Beat.

Kauai

$10M Chan, Zuckerberg donation for Kaua‘i medical program. Using a $10 million commitment gift from Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine will fund a new Kaua‘i Medical Training Track. Garden Island.