Hawaii working on restoring SNAP benefits after shutdown. The state Department of Human Services said it successfully issued full November SNAP benefits Nov. 7 to more than 78,000 households representing over 160,000 people statewide. Star-Advertiser.
From Fundraisers To Favors, Ethics Panel Wants To Crack Down On State Workers. New reform measures would prohibit high level state officials from holding fundraisers and stop state employees from doing favors for former employers. Civil Beat.
Travel firms urge increase in marketing as visitor numbers slip. A total of 690,858 visitors came to Hawaii in September, down 2.5% from September 2024, according to state data. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaii ranks second highest in the country for women in construction. Construction Coverage, which researches construction software, insurance and related services for builders and real estate professionals, looked at all 50 states in its “Best-Paying States for Women in Construction” report that found that women make up 13.2% of Hawaii’s construction industry. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaii Job Corps survives federal shutdown attempt. The operator of the Job Corps centers on Oahu and Maui wants the public to know that the facilities didn’t close at the end of June as directed by the U.S. Department of Labor. Star-Advertiser.
Campaign to ID unknowns from USS Arizona reaches milestone. A civilian-led effort called Operation 85 has reached its goal of collecting enough DNA samples from the living relatives of the battleship’s crew to prompt the Defense Department to consider reexamining dozens of unidentified servicemen who were buried in Hawaii after the Pearl Harbor attack. Arizona Daily Star.
Oahu
Advocates Fear ‘Surveillance Creep’ If HPD Starts Using AI To Write Reports. Honolulu police will start testing an AI program for writing reports run by body camera company Axon on Monday. Civil Beat.
Justice Department: Well-Known Hawaiian Defense Contractor Embezzled Funds. Newly public court documents accuse Christopher Dawson and other executives not only of stealing from their federal contracting business but shortchanging Native Hawaiians in the process. Civil Beat.
Centre Urban project would create 72 Waikiki workforce housing units. Centre Urban Real Estate is advancing plans to transform two Waikiki sites, including the long-derelict 1615 Ala Wai Blvd., into 72 affordable workforce housing units under city guidelines. Star-Advertiser.
Anxious Honolulu bus riders await contract resolution. After months of stalled negotiations and warnings of a possible strike, the approximately 130,000 daily riders of Honolulu’s TheBus have been left in limbo, hoping for a resolution to the contract stand-off. Star-Advertiser.
Strike continues at Kapi‘olani Medical Center. Hundreds of union workers continued their strike Saturday in front of the Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women &Children, marking four weeks since walking off the job Oct. 17. Star-Advertiser.
This Hawaiian Fishpond Is Nearly Restored. All That’s Missing Is Fresh Water. The Heʻeia Fishpond relies on fresh water to create the right conditions to raise fish for the community, but the stream that feeds into it was diverted 85 years ago. Civil Beat.
Housekeeper sues Hilton Hawaiian Village, alleges co-worker sexually assaulted her. A housekeeper at Hilton Hawaiian Village filed a lawsuit against the hotel, alleging a colleague sexually assaulted her, and arguing her employer should have done more to protect her. Hawaii News Now.
Hawaii Island
Construction of Hilo roundabout to start in ’27. The intersection of Bayfront Highway, Kamehameha Avenue and Waianuenue Avenue in Hilo is set for a $22 million redesign that includes a roundabout, with construction expected to begin in 2027. Tribune-Herald.
Bill aims to give kupuna farmers property tax relief. Two Hawaii County Council members are proposing a measure that would give longtime kupuna farmers a break on property tax increases after they retire from agricultural work. Tribune-Herald.
Land use debate heats up over controversial ‘Burning Man-inspired’ festival in Pāpaʻikou. On a 15-acre portion of his land in Pāpaʻikou near Hilo, Pennsylvania native Andrew Tepper held a controversial festival in 2023 and 2024 called “Falls on Fire,” an event with a large wooden effigy inspired by the annual weeklong, large-scale Burning Man held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Big Island Now.
Ka‘u student group seeks to minimize waste through composting, recycling. A student-led zero-waste initiative in Ka‘u has kept more than 20,000 pounds of waste out of the West Hawaii landfill since the 2024 start of their grant-supported efforts in trash separation, recycling and composting. Tribune-Herald.
Maui
Report projects post-shutdown OGG travel surge with TSA data. Kahului International Airport (OGG) is expected to see one of the nation’s steepest surges in passenger traffic this holiday season, according to a new analysis of Transportation Security Administration data by Luxury Link. Maui Now.
Who uses the most water in Lahaina? A new report says non-owner-occupied homes. Single-family dwelling was the biggest category of water use in West Maui by meter type, at approximately 5.5 million gallons per day, with hotels coming in second at about 3.5 million. Hawaii Public Radio.
Japan’s richest person loves Kapalua, but not its water crisis. The owner of the course, Japanese billionaire Tadashi Yanai, has been eagerly pursuing avenues to secure a new adequate supply of irrigation water. Star-Advertiser. Maui News.
Nation’s first communal dialysis home in Hāna needs repairs to keep operating at full capacity. Maui County, which owns the home and leases it to the nonprofit Hui Laulima O Hāna led by Cosma, plans to provide funding to help with the repairs. Maui Now.
Kauai
Kaua’i Council advances measure targeting disposable bodyboards. The Kaua‘i County Council is considering a proposal to ban disposable bodyboards in an effort to reduce plastic waste and protect the island’s beaches and marine life. Kauai Now.
Kaua‘i County comes together to observe National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Kaua‘i County Housing Agency on Nov. 10 joined community members and county officials during a special ceremony in the Mo‘ikeha Rotunda at Līhu‘e Civic Center to proclaim this week, Nov. 16-22, as National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Kauai Now.
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