HMSA delays medical reimbursement changes, Kanakaole tapped to head DLNR, Grassroot Institute sues over campaign contribution limits, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

HMSA Delays The Change Threatening Patient Access After Governor Steps In. Change of heart extends insurance reimbursement shift for six months. Hawaiʻi’s largest health insurer is giving primary care doctors more time to adapt to a dramatically different reimbursement model that doctors say threatens their ability to keep their doors open after Gov. Josh Green intervened. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Suit challenges campaign spending activity law. The nonprofit Grassroot Institute of Hawaii filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to invalidate the new state law, which intends to bar campaign spending activity by companies, labor unions and other organizations that had such abilities protected in a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2010 under a case called Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. Star-Advertiser.

Green appoints Kanaka‘ole to head BLNR, DLNR. Gov. Josh Green announced Monday that Dawn Chang will retire as chairwoman of the Board of Land of Natural Resources and director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, effective July 1. Green appointed Hawaii Island native Ryan Kanaka‘ole to serve as chairman of the board and director of the department. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Proposed guidelines reignite fight over aquarium fishing. After lawmakers refused to stop aquarium fishing this year, fishers are pushing for new limits, spurring debate over whether the controversial practice can be done sustainably.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi advocates say monk seal protection falls short amid harassment case. Hawaiian monk seals have been on the endangered species list for 50 years. But advocates of marine mammals say they need more protection from people, including enforcement and education. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

$3M in illegal rental fines uncollected a year after foreclosure threat. A year after the Honolulu City Council approved foreclosure on a short-term rental owner, the case remains unresolved — and nearly $3 million in fines remains uncollected. Hawaii News Now.

Agency unveils homelessness central response command center. The facility will will serve as a central command center for homelessness response efforts, gathering data from across Oahu and helping connect individuals with housing, support services and other resources. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. 

‘Cannot Happen Again’: Lawmaker Targets Doctors Who Impregnate Patients. After learning a beloved North Shore gynecologist was accused of using his own sperm to inseminate patients without their consent, Rep. Amy Perruso is seeking to outlaw this behavior. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Annual EPIC system update scheduled later this week. Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works and Planning departments will perform the annual update to the county’s Electronic Processing and Information Center — or EPIC — beginning early Thursday morning, June 11. The EPIC site will be unavailable from 1 a.m. June 11 through 8 a.m. Friday, June 12. Big Island Now.

$6M in renovations planned for UH Hilo theater. The Performing Arts Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo has changed very little throughout its over 50-year lifespan, manager Lee Barnette-Dombroski said. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Man gets 2 years prison time for filing false FEMA claims. A man who stole more than $60,000 with his ex- girlfriend from the Federal Emergency Management Agency by lying about being victims of the deadly 2023 West Maui wildfires and the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires was sentenced to two years in federal prison Friday. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.  KITV4.

West Maui Taxpayers Association to host candidate forum June 25.  The West Maui Taxpayers Association will host its 2026 Primary Candidates Night on June 25 at the Lahaina Civic Center Social Hall. Maui News.

Empty Shelves: Young Brothers Misses 3 Shipments To Molokaʻi In 21 Days. The shipping monopoly has missed its past four shipments to the Friendly Isle, leaving residents frustrated by empty store shelves and costly alternatives. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kauaʻi police said financial dispute reason Billy Sinclair allegedly killed a 37-year-old in Hanalei. The victim, who was identified by his cousin on Facebook as Tito Reyes, was killed where he worked at a restaurant in Hanalei, police said. Kauai Now. Garden Island. KHON2. 

Mike Coots joins county council race. Kauai-born photographer, ocean advocate, author and shark attack survivor Mike Coots announced his campaign for the Kauai County Council on Sunday. Garden Island.

Green signs bill limiting corporate spending in Hawaii elections, condo associations in line for low-interest loans, Kash Patel's Pearl Harbor snorkel trip, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Green signs 4 bills into law, first batch from 2026 Legislative Session. The bills include measures on corporate spending in elections, licene plate covers, Hawaii leadership awards and Love my Library Day. KITV4.

State opens $20 Million loan program for Hawai’i condominium repairs. Hawai’i officials have launched a new state-backed loan program to help condominium associations pay for critical building repairs as rising insurance costs and aging infrastructure continue to strain the state’s condo market. Big Island Now.

Higher oil prices hurting Hawaii’s economy, UHERO report says. Hawaii’s near-term economic outlook “has worsened noticeably” as the war with Iran continues to push oil and consumer prices higher, according to the latest economic forecast by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, released Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii attorney general defends Medicaid fraud enforcement. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez pushed back Thursday against claims leveled a day earlier by Vice President JD Vance that the state isn’t serious about combating Medicaid fraud. Star-Advertiser. KITV4. 

Military leaders meet in Waikiki as land leases remain in limbo. At this week’s Association of the U.S. Army’s annual Land Forces Pacific Symposium, or LANPAC, in Waikiki, military leaders continued to make the case for continuing to use state landas a training and weapons-testing ground for their troops and those of their allies as they prepare forces for a potential showdown with China in Taiwan and the South China Sea. Star-Advertiser.

Amid Funding Fears, Food And Farming Bills Fared Better Than Expected. Lawmakers, farmers and agriculture advocates found tens of millions of dollars for key infrastructure projects this legislative session. Civil Beat.

Hawaii doctor: Hantavirus ‘is not the next pandemic’ . Dr. Scott Miscovich, an infectious disease expert, said Hantavirus, originating from infected rodents, isn’t a new disease. He said it’s more difficult to catch than COVID, and the virus also doesn’t mutate as frequently to create wild new variants. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Emails show FBI Director Kash Patel’s Hawaii trip included ‘VIP snorkel’ at a Pearl Harbor memorial. When Kash Patel visited Hawaii last summer, the FBI took pains to note the director was not on vacation. Left out of the FBI’s news releases was an exclusive excursion that Patel took days later when he participated in what government officials described as a “VIP snorkel” around the USS Arizona in an outing coordinated by the military.  Associated Press.

Honolulu City Council proposes building rules in flood areas. Honolulu lawmakers are working on changes to city construction laws in anticipation of new federal flood maps. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will update its flood areas on Oʻahu on June 10. Hawaii Public Radio.

 Honolulu BWS chief urges residents to store water ahead of hurricane season. Hurricane season in Hawaiʻi traditionally falls between June to November. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu police chief finalists answer questions in live PBS forum. The three finalists to be Honolulu’s next police chief made their only joint public appearance Thursday night on the PBS Hawaii “Insights” program. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

Hawaii Island

Permit granted for Falls on Fire festival in Papaikou. The controversial Burning Man-inspired festival known as “Falls on Fire” can continue to be held in Papaikou after the Hawaii County Windward Planning Commission voted 4-1 on Thursday in favor of issuing a special use permit clearing the way for the event to proceed. Tribune-Herald.

County purchases Honolulu Landing property. The $3.7 million acquisition occurred through the County’s Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC) program. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui Council Races Could Reshape Power Balance. This election will bring new faces — and possibly a progressive majority — to the county’s nine-member lawmaking body. Civil Beat.

Lahaina school rebuild gets nearly $200M, wildfire study misses out on funding. Maui came away with the promise of nearly $200 million to rebuild a burned-down Lahaina elementary school but lost out on funds to expand a study on the health of wildfire survivors as the legislative session closed last week.  Maui Now.

Hawaiian Electric seeks renewable energy proposals for Lanai. Hawaiian Electric is beginning the process to seek proposals of a large-scale renewable energy project on Lanai to reduce the use of imported fossil fuels, cut carbon emissions and stabilize rates. Maui News.

People Usually Get Away With Harming Hawai‘i’s Seals Despite Tourist Case. A Seattle visitor was arrested a week after lobbing a rock at an endangered seal on Maui. But cases involving people killing the seals are rarely prosecuted. Civil Beat.

Kauai

New Kaua’i renewable energy project approved by Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission. If successfully developed, AES’ Mānā Solar + Storage project, coupled with AES’ previously approved Kaawanui Solar project, would bring Kaua‘i to nearly 90% renewable generation by 2030, according to a news release from Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative. Kauai Now. Garden Island.

Landfill project open house scheduled. The County of Kauai Department of Public Works Solid Waste Division, along with project consultant Tetra Tech, invites the community and Westside residents to attend an informational open house on the proposed Kekaha Landfill Cell 3 Vertical Expansion project on May 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.  Garden Island.

Legislators advance bills limiting corporate money in elections, allowing automatic shipping rate hikes, paying UH student athletes; military members lose Red Hill case, Honolulu narrows police chief candidate pool to 3 finalists, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Legislators Advance Bill To Limit Corporate Money In Hawaiʻi Elections. The legislation would make Hawaiʻi one of the first states to sidestep the Citizens United U.S. Supreme Court case that allows unlimited corporate spending in local elections. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Shipping rate-hike bill advances to governor. Young Brothers, LLC asked for the automatic increases of up to 5% a year despite receiving a nearly 26% increase last year. Hawaii News Now.

Isle nonprofits face mounting challenges, new report finds. As Hawaii lawmakers finalize state budget priorities and uncertainty looms over federal funding, a new statewide report is raising concerns about the stability of the nonprofit sector, which employs more than 1 in 10 workers and plays a critical role in supporting communities across the islands. Star-Advertiser.

Legislature passes package of health-related bills to strengthen access, care statewide. The Hawaiʻi State Legislature passed a broad package of health-related measures that expand care for kūpuna, mental health access, cancer screening, and long-term care planning. Big Island Now.

Hawaiʻi expected to regulate AI being used by children. Hawaiʻi will likely put protections in place for children using artificial intelligence. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bill to help UH recruit student-athletes set to become law. Hawaiʻi is set to establish “name, image and likeness” rules to recruit and retain student-athletes at the University of Hawaiʻi. Last week,state lawmakers passed Senate Bill 3263, which would require UH to create its own NIL rules. It also agreed to send $2.5 million from the state's general funds to the university system to pay student-athletes. Hawaii Public Radio.

Attention Divers! Hawaiʻi’s Reefs Need Your Help After Destructive Storms. Early reports support fears of widespread damage, but without more monitoring the picture remains incomplete. Officials are calling on more volunteer divers from across the islands to help assess Hawaiʻi’s reefs once it’s safe by posting their photos and reports to the Eyes of the Reef Hawaiʻi website. Civil Beat.

Oahu

3 Finalists Announced For Honolulu Police Chief. The finalists include the director of the Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement, a police chief in Georgia and a retired assistant chief in San Francisco. Civil Beat. KHON2.  KITV4. Hawaii News Now.  Star-Advertiser.

Military members lose Red Hill case against the federal government. Despite calling it an “overly harsh and unjust outcome,” a federal judge ruled against military service members affected by the Red Hill fuel crisis and dismissed their case against the government Tuesday — a decision attorneys for the plaintiffs say they are ready to take to the Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

Health officials see fewer pathogens in follow-up tests of Kona-low mud samples. The results show a “general decrease” in concentrations of environmental pathogens associated with the storms compared with results from about a month ago, Hawaii Department of Health officials said in a news release. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu housing market lagged in April. The Honolulu Board of Realtors on Wednesday published data showing decreases under 5%, which were relatively small but still represented the first month this year where there were negative figures across sale volume and prices for single-family homes and condominiums. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A boon for Banyan Drive: State Legislature passes redevelopment bill. A Banyan Drive redevelopment bill is heading to Gov. Josh Green’s desk for his signature. Senate Bill 2001 was affirmed by a unanimous final Senate floor vote of 25-0 Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

Commission OK’s rezoning plan for Pahoa town. The Hawaii County Windward Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a legislation package that would rezone parts of downtown Pahoa. These bills would change zoning designations for a stretch of mainstreet Pahoa from Village Commercial and Single-Family Residential to a new category — Downtown Pahoa Commercial — and codify standards for the new district’s permitted land uses, building heights and architectural density. Tribune-Herald.

State to remove passing zone on Daniel K. Inouye Hwy. after deadly crash. HDOT Director Ed Sniffen said crews will remove the passing zone at mile marker 26 on the cross-island highway known as Saddle Road. KHON2.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi County Expands Kona Low Assistance Centers. Another assistance center will open at the Nā‘ālehu Public Library from May 26th through June 12th. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii Island Seed Bank helps build climate resilience. Containing mostly native plants and some food crops, the Hawaii Island Seed Bank was created to help preserve and protect the island’s native species. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Schatz congratulates Maui families awarded with federal funding to buy first home; Visits ʻĪao and Hālau of ʻŌiwi Art. US Sen. Brian Schatz conducted site visits on the Valley Isle on Wednesday, focus on the progress of recovery efforts on Maui, following the 2023 wildfires and recent Kona Low storms in March of this year.  Maui Now.

Despite A Death And Damage, Maui Stalls On Chronic Kīhei Flooding. Residents remain frustrated by the county’s lack of progress in addressing the decades-long problem facing the burgeoning South Maui town.  Civil Beat.

First neighbor island kauhale is changing lives on Maui. Six months after the largest kauhale in the state opened, residents are finding more than housing at Kīpūola Kauhale on Maui. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i County advances Wildfire Home Assessment Program. Kaua‘i County, in partnership with Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization, continues to advance a Wildfire Home Assessment Program to help residents reduce wildfire risk and strengthen community resilience. The program is scheduled to launch Aug. 1. Kauai Now.

Aging fair draws a crowd. More than 200 people surged through the doors of the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall on Wednesday when organizers opened the Kauai Senior Resource and Disabilities Fair. Garden Island.

Dozens of discarded needles scattered on Kauai shore discovered by Kauai comedian. What started as a normal walk along a Kapa'a shoreline Monday evening quickly turned into something much more alarming for local Kaua'i comedian Zavier Cummings. KITV4.