Look Who’s Talking — Or Not — At Hawaiʻi’s Legislature. For some lawmakers, quietly is the most effective way to legislate. Others feel the public should hear exactly where they stand. Civil Beat.
Civil Beat Launches Digital Democracy AI. Technology that reveals how decisions are made in Hawaiʻi. The custom-built AI tool tracks every word spoken in public hearings, every dollar donated to politicians, every bill introduced, every vote cast and more. Civil Beat.
Sen. Aquino is leaving Legislature for lobbying firm position. Sen. Henry Aquino announced his retirement Wednesday, with it becoming effective Nov. 30. Aquino (D, Pearl City-Waipahu-West Loch) has served 17 years in the Legislature, and is assistant majority whip in the Senate. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaiʻi Gov. Green to speak at annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. Gov. Josh Green was to have traveled to New York on Wednesday afternoon to attend the Clinton Foundationʻs Global Initiative Annual Meeting. Big Island Now.
Hawaii’s air ambulance services get much-needed lift with new companies. For the last three years, Hawaii has had just one air ambulance company that serves the entire island chain. Now a new carrier is helping meet growing demand, with another on the way. Hawaii News Now.
Hawaiʻi expected to receive hundreds of millions from federal rural health fund. The state is planning how it will spend hundreds of millions of dollars from a new federal Rural Health Transformation Program, and it wants public input. Hawaii Public Radio.
E-Bikes In Schools: Hawai’i Politicians Call For Restrictions. Efforts to implement stricter rules and more consistent standards have taken on urgency amid a sharp increase in traffic fatalities this year. Civil Beat. KHON2.
State's AI-generated podcast invites more eyes (and ears) on classroom AC audit. State Auditor Les Kondo launched an AI-generated podcast, "The Audible Audit," this month. Hawaii Public Radio.
University of Hawaiʻi’s four-year universities earn national recognition. The University of Hawaiʻi’s three four-year universities earned national recognition in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges rankings released on Tuesday. Big Island Now.
Oahu
Proposed Honolulu ‘Downtown Business Improvement District’ nears approval. A new taxing entity involving downtown Honolulu property owners paying into a revamped special improvement district to boost public safety and economic revitalization in an area known for crime, homelessness and shuttered businesses is nearing City Council approval. Star-Advertiser.
Judge To Decide Fate Of CEO Accused Of Illegal Campaign Donations. Prosecutors allege that JL Capital CEO Tim Lee reimbursed employees for donations they made to the mayoral campaigns of Keith Amemiya and Kym Pine in 2020. Civil Beat. KITV4.
Building, solar permits delayed in Honolulu with launch of new software system. The city Department of Planning and Permitting said the $5.4M HNL Build system, which was paid for using federal funds, launched on Aug. 4. Hawaii News Now.
DPP sets public meeting over North Shore plan. The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting will host a community meeting Tuesday in Waialua to discuss the public review draft Opens in a new tab of the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan, the main planning document for use of land that runs for 27 miles along the coastline from Kaena Point in the west to Waialee Gulch near Kawela Bay in the east. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaii Island
Proposed county pay hikes advance. Those raises would include a 3.5% increase on Jan. 1, 2026, a 3.79% raise on July 1, 2026, and 4% hikes on July 1, 2027, and July 1, 2028. Tribune-Herald.
Hawaiʻi Will Soon Be Home To The World’s Biggest Land-Based Seaweed Farm. Ag tech company Symbrosia is scaling up production of its feed supplements for more environmentally friendly livestock production. Civil Beat.
Plea deal in the works for alleged puppy abuser. A plea deal is on the table for a 58-year-old homeless Hilo woman accused of abusing a pet puppy in April. Tribune-Herald.
Maui
Billionaire Larry Ellison Shuts Down Vacation Home Division On Lana‘i. The closure will eliminate 15 jobs, or about 4% of Pulama Lānaʻi’s 400-strong workforce, but the company said employees can apply for other positions. Civil Beat.
Maui nonprofit funding pledged after PGA tournament canceled. The owner of two shuttered Maui golf courses has pledged to donate $750,000 to Valley Isle nonprofits in place of anticipated lost donations connected with a PGA tournament in January canceled due to a water shortage. Star-Advertiser.
Immigrant Lahaina Fire Survivors Terrified By ICE Presence. Members of Maui’s large immigrant population were on edge this week after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were seen knocking on doors in Lahaina, including at the largest temporary housing development for survivors of the deadly 2023 wildfires. Civil Beat.
Maui tops in state drowning rate. Maui led the state with Kauai a close second in having the highest rate of drownings from 2020 through 2024, according to the Hawaii State Department of Health. Maui News.
Kauai
Healthy aging and living better. On Wednesday, Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami presented a proclamation announcing that September is National Healthy Aging Month and National Senior Center Month to representatives of the county’s Agency on Elderly Affairs, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and several of Kauai’s most well-known kupuna, including Janice Bond and Santa in Paradise (also known as Phil Worwa). Garden Island.
Cultural practitioners, chefs unite at Waipā for Eat the Invasives gala fundraiser. On Kauai's North Shore, an innovative culinary event spotlighted the fight against invasive species by transforming them into gourmet dishes. Kauai Now.
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