Musk seeks expansion of SpaceX splashdown zones, Department of Law Enforcement director stepping down, Maui resident population drops following wildfire evacuation, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

SpaceX seeking permit to splash down in Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and Indian Ocean. Public comments are due Jan. 17 on Elon Musk’s plans for his SpaceX rockets to splash down in a much wider area, including Hawaiian waters and 240 nautical miles east of the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary. Maui Now.

Fire prevention, housing top priorities as new lawmaking session gets underway. Initial bills to address old, new concerns. State lawmakers already have announced their intentions to introduce nearly 500 bills ahead of today’s start of the legislative session. Each legislative session, 2,000 to 3,000 bills are introduced, and about 250 become law.  Maui Now.  Kauai Now.

State legislature drafts several bills cracking down on illegal fireworks. Hawaiʻi lawmakers who hope to curb the use of illegal fireworks already have several bills drafted ahead of the start of today’s new legislative session. KHON2. Star-Advertiser.

Amid a slew of controversies, the director of Hawaii’s Department of Law Enforcement is stepping down, and a Honolulu Police Department major has accepted the position, HNN Investigates confirmed Tuesday. Jordon Lowe was appointed to the role in 2020. Hawaii News Now.

The Number Of Hawaiʻi Children In Foster Care Dropped To Lowest In Decades. The number of children in foster care in Hawaiʻi hit a 20-year low last year, an encouraging development for the troubled state Child Welfare Services Branch. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Resolution opposing landfill sites above Oahu’s aquifer advances. A Honolulu City Council resolution meant to uphold a more than 20-year-old city policy over solid waste landfills and their proximity to Oahu’s drinking water supply has advanced. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu City Council considers increasing penalties for fireworks violations. The Honolulu City Council is considering increasing the penalties for fireworks violations on Oʻahu. According to city law, owning or using illegal aerial fireworks is currently a misdemeanor with a fine between $250 and $2,000, and up to a year in prison. Hawaii Public Radio.

Executives Hope A New Fee Can Save Downtown Honolulu. Honolulu business and political leaders are pushing to create a new special downtown business improvement district, similar to the one governing Waikīkī, to add more safety, sanitation and security to a once thriving neighborhood that has never fully recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic. Civil Beat.

Honolulu proposes to ease ambulance strain with help from rideshare companies, but drivers have questions. A proposal to ease the strain on Oahu’s ambulance crews by enlisting the help of rideshare companies is prompting questions from some drivers. Hawaii News Now.

State Is Banking On Charter Schools To Help Expand Hawaiʻi’s Free Preschool. Hawaiʻi’s first-ever charter preschool is slated to open in Kapolei next month, amid a push to utilize the charter system to increase access to early learning in the state. Parkway Village Preschool is located in an affordable housing complex that recently opened there and will eventually serve up to 80 3- and 4-year-olds. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Lawsuit over EPIC system moves ahead. Oral arguments have been scheduled in a lawsuit in which a Milolii homeowner is suing the county, alleging its Electronic Processing and Information Center system, known as EPIC, has trapped him in a permitting catch-22 that will allow him only to demolish his home — which is in a shoreline management area — not to remodel or live in it. Tribune-Herald.


Playground improvements ongoing at Pu‘u Nui Park.  Playground renovations and the installation of new equipment are underway at Pu‘u Nui Park in Waikoloa Village and are projected to be completed by the end of February, county officials announced last week. West Hawaii Today.

Replacement of narrow Hilo bridge pushed back. Plans to replace the Four Mile Creek Bridge are unlikely to come to fruition before 2028. Tribune-Herald.

Residential Program For Integrated Clinical Care Launched. A grand opening was held for the 6-bed program that "offers transitional housing and structured support for its most vulnerable members experiencing homelessness." Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Maui

At Least 1,000 People Have Left Maui Since The Fires, Tax Records Show. Hawaiʻi will see its annual income drop by $53 million due to migration from Valley Isle, researchers say. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

Final Maui Fires Report Calls For Better Communication, Prevention, Education. The Hawaiʻi Attorney General’s office released its final report Tuesday on the August 2023 Maui wildfires, making 140 safety recommendations for state and county agencies, utility companies and landowners. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

South Maui Community Pushes Back After Plan Gets More Developer-Friendly. Advisory committee members say the county Planning Department’s changes will contribute to an unsustainable future for the greater Kīhei area. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kilauea roundabout generating buzz. The ongoing groundwork for the upcoming roundabout on Kauai’s North Shore is anticipated to be completed in 2026. Garden Island.

Wilcox nurses start three-day walk-out. On Tuesday morning starting at 7 a.m., 159 nurses represented by the Hawaii Nurses Association took to the sidewalks fronting the Wilcox Medical Center in a three-day strike that, according to the HNA notice provided to Hawaii Pacific Health, will end at 6:59 a.m. on Friday. Garden Island.

Kaua’i forest bird rescue and recovery organizations joining forces in one facility. Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources members last week approved a request from Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami to cancel a 1955 executive order that set aside state land for the county as the Hanapēpē Dog Pound. Kauai Now.

Lawmakers advance bills fighting felony fraud, Elon Musk Starship may land near Kauai, homeless relocation bill advances, measles spotted on Oahu, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bribery scandal that rocked state Capitol could inspire powerful new laws aimed at fighting fraud. A sprawling government bribery scandal may lead to powerful new state laws against fraud based on the same federal statutes that sent two lawmakers in prison. Three proposed new laws would make it much easier to prove felony fraud or lying to government or in business transactions.  Hawaii News Now.

Priced-out Hawaii residents check out of paradise. Gov. Josh Green and state lawmakers frequently cite the ongoing threat of losing residents and are pushing legislation to help residents stay. With less than a month before the end of the legislative session, several measures designed to lower Hawaii’s cost of living remain alive. Star-Advertiser.

Proposed homeless relocation program flies to Senate floor for consideration. A bill at the state Legislature would create a three-year pilot program at the Department of Human Services to help people experiencing homelessness return to the continent, or other parts of the state, to rejoin their families. Hawaii Public Radio.

Fragments in Republican caucus lead to more bipartisan work for one state lawmaker. Republicans in the state House of Representatives tripled in size this session, from two to six members. In title, state Rep. Kanani Souza of Kapolei and Makakilo is the minority caucus whip, but she hasn’t attended minority caucus meetings since the end of January. Hawaii Public Radio.

Condo Management Giant’s License Is Reactivated By Hawaii Regulators. Following a regulatory compliance problem that rendered Associa Hawaii unable to practice in the state, the property management giant has come into compliance with state laws governing such firms, state records indicate. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi teens lead second youth climate change trial in US history. A climate change lawsuit brought by a group of Hawaiʻi's youth against the state Department of Transportation is moving ahead. It's now scheduled for a fall trial. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Health Department confirms measles in Oahu resident. State health officials are investigating a case of measles in an unvaccinated Oahu resident upon returning from international travel.  Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4. 

 Oahu

Honolulu City Council studying its own tax-relief measures. A slew of real property taxation measures that might offer tax credits, tax exemptions or other means to aid homeowners affected by the approximately 10% or greater increase in real property assessments on Oahu is under consideration by the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Why Does It Take So Long To Fire Bad Cops In Honolulu? Recent national stories report officers involved in shootings and other serious incidents are quickly fired. But in Hawaii final discipline can take years. Civil Beat.

Military to provide health care to civilians affected by Red Hill water. The Defense Health Agency announced Monday that it will begin evaluating — and potentially providing medical treatment to — civilians affected by the Red Hill water crisis from now until March 10 on a “space available” basis. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Bishop Museum seeks recurring funding. State officials are working to establish annual funding for Bishop Museum to support and help stabilize Hawaii’s flagship repository of Hawaiian culture, science and community as it moves forward under its fourth CEO in the past seven years. Star-Advertiser.

Cirque du Soleil planning new show in Waikiki. Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Outrigger Hospitality Group have some high- flying news: They’ve entered into a joint venture that will add Hawaii next year to Cirque’s shortlist of destinations with shows in residence. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.  KITV4.

DOE Looking Into Financial Records Of Kailua School Composting Program. Proceeds from compost sales to the public are kept by the partner schools. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Grand Naniloa woes linger: Owners again seek permission to refinance loan. The beleaguered owners of the Grand Naniloa Hotel are once again requesting to refinance its mortgage to the tune of $54 million. Tribune-Herald.

Merrie Monarch Festival attendees urged not to transport ‘ohi‘a. Merrie Monarch Festival attendees are urged to not transport ‘ohi‘a in order to prevent the further spread of rapid ‘ohi‘a death. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Council committee to hear from Upcountry Maui residents on county budget Wednesday. The Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee will receive testimony from Upcountry Maui residents on the county’s fiscal year 2024 budget Wednesday, April 12, at 6 p.m. at Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center. Maui Now.

Draft EA filed for Hālau of ‘Ōiwi Art, construction expected to start in 2024. The Hālau is designed to be a Hawaiian cultural and community center to help advance hula and native and local arts.  Maui Now.

Kauai

Elon Musk Starship may land near Kaua‘i this month. The most powerful rocket ever built could splash down off the coast of Kaua‘i within the next two weeks, according to Elon Musk’s Twitter account. Garden Island.

Ige maintains mask mandate despite CDC guidance, Musk plans rocket reentry off Kauai, workers hard to find despite high unemployment, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. David Ige

Gov. David Ige keeps Hawaii mask rules unchanged despite change by CDC. As President Joe Biden and federal health officials gave the OK for Americans who have been vaccinated to go maskless in most situations and discard social distancing, Gov. David Ige signaled that the time to loosen such restrictions wasn’t right for Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now. Garden Island. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Lt. Governor Wants to Give Vaccinated Hawaii Residents More Travel Options. The state rolled out its vaccine passport system this week, making inter-island travel easier for people who were vaccinated in Hawaii. Lieutenant Governor Josh Green says he'd soon like to use the system for vaccinated residents returning to the islands from the mainland. Hawaii Public Radio.

HiEMA announces change in requirement for intercounty travelers to bypass quarantine. Interisland travelers now need to show proof of just one vaccine dose in Hawaii, as opposed to two, to qualify for the state's vaccination exception program. That's for anyone who received Pfizer or Moderna's two-dose COVID vaccine. KITV4.

State epidemiologist says Hawaii is ‘close’ to reaching herd immunity. The state’s epidemiologist says Hawaii is getting close to herd immunity, but stressed that vaccinations must continue to actually achieve it. Hawaii News Now.

“Follow the Science:" Restaurant Owners Want Governor to Relax Mask, Distance Restrictions. Greg Maples, Chairman of the Hawaii Restaurant Association, wants Governor David Ige to relax mask and distancing restrictions as consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. KITV4.

Schatz Urges Ige to Lift Restrictions on Youth Sports, Permitting Surf and Regatta Competitions. US Sen. Brian Schatz has called on Gov. David Ige to lift restrictions on youth sporting events, including allowing parents and guardians to cheer on their athletes in person and permitting surf competitions and regattas to resume while adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Big Island Now. KHON2.

Hawaii Has A Lot Of Unemployed People. But Companies Still Can’t Find Help. The labor force has been reduced by workers leaving the state and staying home to supervise children and avoid potential exposure to the virus. Civil Beat.

Bypassing the Bitcoin Blockade. How one state worker helped open the door to Cryptocurrency in Hawai‘i. Hawaii Business magazine.

Taxpayers On The Hook For $2.3M To Settle Legal Claims Against The State. A state settlement over a deadly motorcycle crash on the Likelike Highway accounted for nearly half of taxpayers’ legal bills — totaling about $2.3 million — approved by lawmakers this year. Civil Beat.

May 13, 2021 COVID-19 Update: 76 Cases (49 O‘ahu, 17 Maui, 1 Moloka‘i, 7 Hawai‘i Island, 2 Out-of-State). Maui Now.

Oahu

Officials embark on a study to lower costs of $651 million Ala Wai project. Another study is in store for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ over-budget Ala Wai Flood Risk Management Project. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Coral damage near Honolulu Harbor entrance prompts state probe. State officials Thursday said they are investigating the circumstances that led to significant coral damage near the entrance channel to Honolulu Harbor after dredging work done by a contractor. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

City requests gag order in Lindani Myeni case. The city's Deputy Corporation Counsel Thursday filed a motion for a protective order against the disclosure of details surrounding the death of 29-year-old Lindani Myeni. KITV4.

Honolulu opens short-term homeless shelter in Wahiawa. The project, HONU (Homeless Outreach and Navigation for Unsheltered Persons), uses inflatable tents to offer services to unsheltered individuals and families 24 hours a day. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Public comment sought on county budget. Tuesday is your chance to speak out, as the County Council holds its annual public hearing on the county budget. West Hawaii Today.

Spreading the word: Vaccination outreach effort hits Kona neighborhoods. A dedicated group of individuals led by the Department of Health has been spreading the word about an upcoming vaccination clinic in Kona by pounding the pavement and knocking on doors. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui COVID-19 Clusters are Down in Latest Weekly Report. While construction was not identified in this week’s report, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino on Wednesday confirmed that there is a a cluster at a construction company that contributed to today’s double-digit count of new cases in Maui County. Maui Now.

DOH confirms 12 COVID-19 cases linked to contractor who worked at Molokai General Hospital. The Queen’s Health Systems on Thursday reported that a Maui-based contractor working at Molokai General Hospital tested positive for COVID-19. KHON2. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Southern Airways to Bring Larger Turboprop Aircraft to Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. Southern Airways, the parent company of Mokulele Airlines, announced today that it is bringing a larger cabin-class aircraft to Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi with weekday service to begin in the fall.  Maui Now.

Kauai

For upcoming space mission, Elon Musk eyes waters off Hawaii to land rocket. A spacecraft may be splashing down off the coast of Hawaii as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk plans to launch an orbital flight test for his newest rocket. In filings to the Federal Communications Commission, Musk said he plans to make a soft ocean landing about 62 miles off the northwest coast of Kauai. Hawaii News Now.

Facebook founder, wife spent years building relationships before 2nd Kauai land buy. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, recently purchased an additional 600 acres of land on Kauai. They now own more than 1,300 acres on the island. Hawaii News Now.

600 households have applied for rental assistance. Since opening for applications in the first week of May, 600 households have applied for the coronavirus rental and utility assistance program on Kaua‘i, and there’s still funding available. Garden Island.

DOH: No new cases Thursday, clusters under control. Identified clusters from two weeks ago are under control, Dr. Janet Berreman, Kaua‘i District Health Officer, said Thursday, and case counts across the island have trended downward. Garden Island.

Olympic Cafe shut down for mask violations. The state Department of Health announced the cafe was closed Monday, after a Department of Health Food Safety Branch inspector responded to complaints about the establishment’s violations of mask use requirements. Garden Island.