UH study: Researchers call for new standards for building in coastal flood zones. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research, published in Water, provides a critical resource for policymakers and designers in coastal communities such as Hawaiʻi who are planning for the impacts of climate change. Maui Now.
School bus offerings have improved since last year, but challenges remain. The bus driver shortage is no longer a state of emergency, according to the Hawaiʻi Department of Education. This is a drastic change from last year when more than 138 bus routes were suspended, impacting 3,500 students. Hawaii Public Radio.
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority names David Uchiyama as chief administrative officer. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has announced that David Uchiyama will serve as its new chief administrative officer, bringing decades of leadership experience in Hawai‘i’s tourism, airline, transportation and energy industries. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.
Hawaii’s new inter-island air ambulance is cleared for takeoff. Hawaii has a new air ambulance serving the entire island chain. Optimum Air’s Pilatus PC-12 became operational Monday, Sept. 1. Hawaii News Now.
Oahu
City Council passes homeowner tax exemption bills. The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday adopted two measures meant to offer financial relief to Oahu property owners burdened with high property taxes. Star-Advertiser.
Former secretary accused of illegal campaign contributions. Terri Ann Otani of Mitsunaga & Associates was acquitted in last year’s federal bribery trial. Some of the money allegedly went to last year’s co-defendant former city prosecutor, Keith Kaneshiro. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.
State unveils 20 new EV charging stations at Honolulu airport. The OpConnect Level 2 chargers are available to the public 24 hours a day on a first-come, first-served, pay-per-use basis. Star-Advertiser.
New eyes on safety: Honolulu to install cameras at Blowhole, Plantation Village. Honolulu officials are adding more eyes in two high-profile areas. It’s part of a push to improve public safety at some of the island’s most visited – and sometimes most vulnerable – spots. KHON2.
Affordable rental apartments rising on city land in Ewa Beach. The first structure of a low-income rental housing complex in Ewa Beach initiated more than five years ago has begun to rise on a long-ignored piece of city land. Star-Advertiser.
Despite social media fears, Oahu fire numbers are steady. HFD Fire Captain Jaimie Song said the apparent uptick in fires is in part a reflection of heightened attention rather than a sharp increase in frequency. Star-Advertiser.
City urged to install cameras to monitor streams, roadways for flooding. The Honolulu City Council has unanimously passed a resolution urging the city administration to install monitoring devices to help during weather and other climate-related disasters. Hawaii News Now.
ʻAiea community shares concerns about planned Aloha Stadium development. New contracts have been signed to move forward with the demolition and construction of a new Aloha Stadium — set to open in 2029. Hawaii Public Radio.
The Great Aloha Run ending after 41 years. The Great Aloha Run, one of Hawaii’s largest community sporting events and fundraisers, has ended after 41 years. The 8.15-mile race, which began in 1985, held its final run in February and will not return for a 42nd year. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.
Hawaii Island
Council unanimously urges state to stop military bombing at PTA. The Hawaii County Council unanimously voted Wednesday, 8-0, to urge the state to halt military “bombing and desecration” at the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.
Attorney General indicts Big Island woman on labor trafficking charges. Ludin Yorleny Pena Miranda, 26, was indicted in the 3rd Circuit Court in Kona on Aug. 27 by the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division on nine counts of first-degree labor trafficking, a class A felony. In one instance, the court document indicates the 26-year-old withheld government-issued identification documents to keep the reported victim from moving. Big Island Now. KITV4.
Hawaiʻi Island residents push county to protect historic 364-acre parcel. Honolulu Landing, a 364-acre stretch of coastline in Hawaiʻi Island’s Puna District, is on the market. Some Hawaiʻi County Council members and Puna residents are urgently pushing to protect it from private buyers. Hawaii Public Radio.
Puʻu Nui Park Playground In Waikōloa Reopens Saturday, September 6. The redeveloped playground includes the installation of “two new play structures with slides and climbing areas, a new play surface to enhance safety, new walkways and fencing.” Big Island Video News.
Maui
Maui council member seeks solutions to compassionately address homelessness. A bill to establish a process to decommission encampments in Maui County will be discussed in the Water Authority, Social Services, and Parks Committee on Thursday, Sept. 4, Council Member Gabe Johnson announced. Maui Now.
Century-old Maui land dispute ends before Hawai‘i Supreme Court. Pioneer Mill claimed ownership over Maui land in 1919. In 2025, that claim has been rejected. In 1919, the Pioneer Mill Company filed an application claiming three parcels totaling 1,905 acres in Lahaina, which has left descendants of an ali‘i landowner fighting for decades to get that land back. Aloha State Daily.
New upscale Wailea restaurant staffing kitchen with culinary graduates from UH Maui College. When husband-and-wife team Taylor Ponte, the chef, and Natasha Ponte, the general manager, were staffing their new upscale restaurant Aurum Maui, they knew exactly where to find kitchen talent in the tight job market. Maui Now.
Kauai
Reporter digs into the history of the Robinson family's 100,000 acres of Hawaiʻi land. This includes the entire island of Niʻihau, where a handful of residents live and work under secretive conditions. Hawaii Public Radio.
Kauaʻi Beer Company shuts down popular restaurant abruptly amid market challenges. The closure came as a shock to many of its patrons, who also were saddened that the intimate microbrewery would not longer be a place for them to hang out in downtown Līhu’e. Kauai Now.
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