US, China held maritime security talks in Hawaii, flower industry wilting, state gets $31M for high-speed internet, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii’s flower industry wilts as it faces changing tastes, global competition. According to federal and state data, the local floriculture industry generated $83.4 million in 2000 and $75.6 million in 2010; by 2022 that figure dropped to $47.1 million and fell again in 2023 to $43.9 million. The Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation convened more than 200 industry leaders Tuesday to discuss how to stabilize the sector. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Farmers Are Investing In Tech To Protect Property And Livestock. Local farmers and ranchers are eager to invest more in technological solutions to their real world problems, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Civil Beat.

U.S., China held maritime security talks in Hawaii, Chinese navy says. The U.S. and Chinese militaries last week  held “frank and constructive” maritime security talks in Hawaii, the Chinese navy said Saturday, as the two superpowers gradually restore military-to-military communications after several months of trade tensions. Reuters.

Gov. Green predicts Newsom won't satisfy U.S. desire for a peacemaking leader in 2028. Gov. Josh Green, a Hawaiʻi Democrat who has floated the possibility of running for president, predicted that Americans will want a peacemaker once Donald Trump’s second term is over — and California Gov. Gavin Newsom may not fit the bill. Hawaii Public Radio.

Army in Hawaii reinvests in boats for service in the Pacific. As the U.S. military has tried to shift resources from drawn-out conflicts in the Middle East to confront China and prepare for the prospect of a very different kind of engagement, the Army has dusted off the Kuroda and the Smalls and has more ambitious plans. It also is testing a new boat prototype in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Schatz: Hawai’i to receive $31M in new federal funding to expand high-speed internet. National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved a proposal that will unlock $30.6 million in new federal funding to expand high-speed internet access throughout Hawai‘i. Kauai Now.

New Hawaiian Airlines CEO sees gradual changes continuing under Alaska. Hawaiian Airlines recently named former Alaska Air Group executive Diana Birkett Rakow as its CEO. Alaska Air Group officially acquired Hawaiian Airlines in September of last year for $1.6 billion, setting off a long integration process. Hawaii Public Radio.

Strong cruise recovery collides with Hawaii’s climate rules. Cruise ship visitation to Hawaii has set a course for its strongest rebound in nearly two decades, but new state rules requiring cleaner-burning fuels and expanded “green fees” are sparking legal challenges and raising questions about the industry’s future. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. 

Independent workers in Hawaii brace for skyrocketing health premiums. American Rescue Plan Act premiums are rising an average of 30% in 2026 for states such as Hawaii that use the federal healthcare.gov platform. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Former Lifeguard Chief Who Sparred With Mayor Is Finalist For His Old Job. After falling out with Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi a year and a half ago, former Ocean Safety Chief John Titchen is interested in getting his job back. Civil Beat.

Hitachi files new $320M lawsuit against HART. Skyline’s principal contractor has brought a new $320 million lawsuit against the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation over claims the rail agency caused numerous costly delays during the phased construction of the city’s $10 billion-plus rail line. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Foodbank gets biggest chunk of state's $50M fund for nonprofits. The Hawaiʻi Foodbank is set to receive $5.5 million from the state Legislature's grant program for nonprofits impacted by federal funding cuts. Hawaii Public Radio.

Waipahu buyback event nets 724 pounds of fireworks. The state Department of Law Enforcement and partner agencies collected 724 pounds of fireworks during a buyback amnesty event Sunday at the Honolulu Police Department’s Training Academy in Waipahu. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Botanical garden in Windward Oahu closing for improvements. Camping will be temporarily unavailable at Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden in Kaneohe until 2026.  Hawaii News Now.

Unofficial Security Guard Arrested At ‘Hell Hole’ Honolulu Office Building. There is escalating violence at the squalid building, where Union Mall Development has turned former office suites into housing that lacks proper kitchens and bathrooms. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Jim Wilson dead at 92: Longtime Tribune-Herald publisher was a tireless advocate for the community. Jim Wilson, retired longtime publisher of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, died Friday morning at home in Volcano. He was 92. Tribune-Herald.

Council passes bill to allow henneries in residential areas. With egg prices still hovering near double digits, Hawaii Island families may soon find relief in their own backyards after the County Council voted Wednesday to legalize household henneries in most residential zones. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiʻi County agency created to improve animal control already seeking new administrator. Last month, Matthew Runnells, the agency’s first administrator selected by former mayor Mitch Roth’s office, was quietly reassigned to a veterinarian technician position at the county-owned Pana‘ewa Zoo at the behest of current mayor Kimo Alameda. Big Island Now.

Hawaii County converting Hilo hotel to affordable rentals. Hawaii County’s Office of Housing and Community Development has purchased the Dolphin Bay Hotel in Hilo, with plans to convert guest rooms into 18 affordable rentals, officials announced Friday. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News. 

Final Kona Open Space Network Plan To Be Presented, December 4. The Hawaiʻi County Planning Department will present the final conceptual plan to the public from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Makaeo County Pavilion. Big Island Video News.

County still determining ‘next steps’ for Moku‘ola bridge. Hawaii County is using emergency procurement procedures to hire a structural engineer to analyze the foot bridge between Waiakea Peninsula and Moku‘ola (Coconut Island), according to Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma. Tribune-Herald.

Plumbing leaks plague Kealakehe Elementary School. Persistent plumbing problems have plagued Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua-Kona for years, a crisis that escalated earlier this week when what several teachers described as sewage leaked from the second floor into a third-grade classroom during the school day. Star-Advertiser.


Maui

What’s the health toll of 2023 Maui wildfires on firefighters? Long-term study aims to find out. A team came to Maui two months after the fire and took blood samples from more than 100 firefighters. In October, they returned for another round of samples that will help them keep an eye on the firefighters’ health over time and screen for cancer and other diseases. Maui Now.

Kahului Council candidates interviewed; contrasts emerge in policies, philosophy and personalities. Differing personalities, philosophies and policy positions surfaced Thursday afternoon as Maui County Council members interviewed three applicants vying to fill the unexpired term of the late Council Member Natalie “Tasha” Kama. Maui Now.

At Maui’s only go-kart track, drivers have fun and race toward their dreams. Kart racing at home on Maui is making a comeback. For the first time in six years, the club held a time trial race last weekend. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Kauaʻi utility's wildfire mitigation plan needs improvement, report finds. The Consumer Advocate, which represents the interests of ratepayers in utility matters, hired the outside consulting firm Jensen Hughes to review the plan. According to their findings, Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative's vegetation management program needs critical improvement. Hawaii Public Radio.

Coral rescued from Ahukini. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said the corals of opportunity, or loose corals that have been dislodged from their parent reefs or damaged from storms, boat groundings or anchors, were collected by Hoomalu Ke Kai in collaboration with Kauai Ocean Awareness, Kauai Sea Farm, the DLNR-DAR, and the UH Coral Resilience Lab. Garden Island.

Lifeguards face staffing shortage, $50M state fund to help nonprofits hit by federal cuts, military monitors Chinese ship near Hawaii, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Burden For Preventing Drownings In Hawaiʻi Falls On Counties — And Residents. Ocean safety efforts are left up to individual counties, leading to big disparities in drowning prevention across the islands. The state does little to help them. Hawaiʻi’s lifeguards and emergency services are managed and funded at the county level. Neighbor islands, in particular, feel the impact of funding and staffing crunches.  Civil Beat.

Gov. Josh Green signs construction, funding bills into law. Gov. Josh Green finished off the bill signing season by holding two bill signing ceremonies on July 9, signing legislation regarding construction processes and funding for nonprofits.  KHON2.

Special $50M state fund authorized to help Hawaii nonprofits. Hawaii nonprofits affected by federal funding cuts should get ready to apply for grants from a special $50 million state fund created by a bill signed into law Wednesday.  Gov. Josh Green authorized the new fund by signing Senate Bill 933, which he said will help prevent fraying of the social safety net that nonprofits help provide largely in areas of health care, food security, housing support, child care and emergency relief. Star-Advertiser.

Military watching Chinese naval ship near Hawaii. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Oahu-based U.S. Indo-Pacific Command confirmed that it is “monitoring a (Chinese People’s Liberation Army) vessel which was operating in international waters in the vicinity of Hawaii.” Star-Advertiser.

Controversial CEO Of Domestic Violence Action Center Steps Down. Monique Ibarra resigned as chief executive officer of the Domestic Violence Action Center last week, according to a news release from a public relations firm representing the agency.  Laurie Tochiki, a Hawaiʻi family law attorney and former executive director of EPIC ʻOhana, will serve as interim CEO.  Civil Beat.

Oahu

Property owners willing to pay for sanitation, safety improvements in downtown Honolulu. Bill 51 focuses on creating a business improvement district funded by property owners and investors who say they are willing to pay to help revitalize the area. Hawaii News Now.

Council advances Haleiwa expansion project. A proposed Haleiwa housing and commercial development project that has sparked community opposition over the loss of agricultural land, increased traffic congestion and the high cost of living advanced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Demolition begins in Waikiki to make way for new affordable housing project. Demolition began Wednesday at a long-abandoned apartment building on Ala Wai Boulevard, clearing the way for a new affordable housing project. Hawaii News Now.

Plans to demolish Ward Centre begin. Built in the 1980s, Ward Centre is home to over a dozen businesses including shops, boutiques, a co-working space and eateries.  KITV4.

Koko Head Crater Hiking Trail to reopen to public. The popular Koko Head Crater Hiking Trail is set to reopen on the morning of July 10, following a temporary closure by the city. KHON2. KITV4. 

Hawaii Island

What is HPD’s role in ICE raids? Island residents, ACLU seek answers.  Numerous individuals have provided the Tribune-Herald with their written testimony asking the Police Commission to bar local police from assisting the federal government in immigration enforcement raids. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiʻi Island lawmakers consider fining those who feed stray animals. Bill 51 proposes fining those who are caught feeding stray and feral animals on County of Hawaiʻi land — $50 for first-time violators and up to $500 for repeat offenses. Hawaii Public Radio. Big Island Now.

Final phase of Uncle Billy’s hotel demolition underway. This second phase will focus on comprehensive site preparation at the ground level and below. This includes the removal of soil impacted by pesticides, the extraction of underground utilities, surface grading of the entire site and the placing of fresh topsoil and grass. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

Maui

Maui Fires Settlement: Kamehameha Schools Poised To Pay $872 Million. A state court will decide soon whether to allow one of Hawaiʻi’s oldest and largest charitable trusts to settle claims related to the fires that destroyed Lahaina. Civil Beat.

Plans To Improve Lahaina Evacuation Routes Are Slowly Inching Forward. Nearly three dozen people died trying to escape the Kuhua Camp neighborhood, where the county is now working to extend and widen roadways. Civil Beat.

Uncertainty clouds Maui housing market with slow sales and lingering inventory. Condo sales and sale prices are down, listings have decreased and single home sale prices are flat. Maui News.

Lahaina rebuilding dilemma: Commission debates parking lot rezoning for Moku Roots. After three failed attempts to reach an agreement, the Maui Planning Commission finally secured a 5-2 vote Tuesday recommending rezoning of a Front Street lot crucial for customer parking for the new Moku Roots vegan restaurant planned for the former Chart House site in Lahaina. Maui Now.

Debris truck traffic adjusted in hopes of addressing concerns. In response to concerns expressed by members of the public, traffic patterns have been changed for the 50 to 70 trucks hauling Lahaina wildfire debris from West Maui to the Central Maui landfill daily, according to Maui County officials. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauaʻi has a plan for the changing climate. Here are 5 things to know. When a thunderstorm brought record-breaking rainfall to Kauaʻi in April 2018, the county didn't have a formal plan for how it would address the impacts of global warming. After seven years, that's about to change. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kaua‘i County to launch wildfire outreach education in communities vulnerable to blazes. A Kaua’i County wildfire preparedness outreach effort kicks off next week in Kaumakani. Kauai Now.

Back to School Bash this Saturday. Nearly 8,900 students will return to class on Aug. 4, according to estimates from the new Kauai Complex Area Superintendent Leila Maeda-Kobayashi. Garden Island.