Elite Army rangers train in Hawaii as Pacific interest grows. Members of the Army’s elite 75th Ranger Regiment who have been in Hawaii the past two weeks. The Pentagon has been shifting its attention to the Pacific amid tensions with China, and soldiers are training for the potential of a very different sort of war. Star-Advertiser.
Military in Hawaii face possible pay reduction. Most military service members in Hawaii are facing a possible pay cut of around 4.6% amid persistent high inflation as the Department of Defense contemplates amending its cost of living allowance for armed forces personnel outside the contiguous United States. Star-Advertiser.
Government transparency bills go before Hawaii governor. Bills aiming for greater transparency from lawmakers and state boards have gone to Gov. Josh Green. Four bills are on Green’s desk, and 11 are still alive and have crossed over to their opposite chamber. Star-Advertiser.
Senate rejects Gov. Green’s cabinet nominations for DBEDT, Office of Planning. Lawmakers did not confirm Scott Glenn as the head of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. Senators also voted against Chris Sadayasu, the Gov.'s pick to lead the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.
Potential raises for Dept. of Education executives draws concern from Hawaii residents. The State Board of Education's working on considering, approving and finalizing pay increases for many executives, including superintendents. KITV4.
Lawmakers reject proposal to make Indigenous Peoples' Day a state holiday. Instead, legislators are proposing a day of observance — meaning no time off from work. Hawaii Public Radio.
Henry Curtis Has Been A ‘Thorn In The Side’ Of Developers And Power Company Execs For 30 Years. The inside baseball of energy policy goes way over the heads of most people. In-the-weeds details about microgrids, transmission lines, tariffs, grid stability, fuel supply and price volatility can lull even the most chronic insomniacs to sleep. But for Henry Curtis, energy policy minutia has the opposite effect. Civil Beat.
Proposed farm bills could usher in new era for Hawaiʻi's food system. Roughly every five years, federal lawmakers have the opportunity to take a hard look at the country's agricultural policy and update their vision for the U.S. food system. Hawaii Public Radio.
Pandemic delays reporting on Hawaii’s hospital infections. The state Department of Health has fallen several years behind in producing annual reports detailing infections patients acquire during hospital stays, leaving the public with less information about how well health care facilities are doing in controlling the spread of pathogens that can prove deadly. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaii’s unemployment rate remains at 3.6%. Hawaii’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.6% in February as the state’s labor market remained virtually unchanged. Star-Advertiser.
Oahu
Miscommunication creates confusion as scrutiny is raised for Ala Wai project. The plan for a multimillion-dollar flood control project that aims to prevent a disaster in Waikiki and the Ala Wai watershed now will include a more comprehensive environmental study, according to a notice filed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Star-Advertiser.
Proposed Honolulu High Rise Is Pitting Residents And Neighborhood Boards Against City Officials. The Kobayashi Group is moving ahead with a 43-story residential high rise that will take the place of 124 rental units on Kapiolani Boulevard. Civil Beat.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial parking fees to begin April 15. Parking fees at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial will be $7 per day. Star-Advertiser.
Waikiki tourism rebounding from pandemic lows. COVID-19 has created lingering challenges as well as permanent business losses and closures. It also created opportunities for those waiting to break into Waikiki’s normally tight commercial real estate market. Star-Advertiser.
Palolo residents brainstorm boulder mitigation strategies. After a boulder crashed through a Palolo home in January, residents mulled over possible measures to prevent more rocks from breaking loose from the valley’s ridges above and causing further damage and even serious injury. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.
City’s schedule for Prince Kūhiō Day. City and County of Honolulu offices will be closed in observance of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Day, Monday, March 27. KHON2.
Hawaii Island
Judge: ‘Seeing Is Believing’ When It Comes To ‘Atrocious’ Conditions At The Hilo Jail. Big Island Chief Judge Judge Robert Kim, who toured the packed facility in January, has been refusing to send some defendants to the jail, letting them await trial at home. Civil Beat.
Hawai‘i County finally nearing finish line to make all beach parks ADA compliant. Several county-owned parks have undergone or are currently being renovated to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Big Island Now.
‘Losing momentum’ in albizia battle: Officials look for solutions as funding dwindles. As funding for albizia removal on the Big Island dries up, the invasive trees — and the danger they pose — are spreading again. Tribune-Herald.
Conceptual plans for Holualoa Elementary unveiled. Holualoa Elementary held a School Community Council meeting to discuss plans for the future and new possible school designs amid concerns of mold and other potential health hazards at the 128-year-old school. West Hawaii Today.
Maui
Mayor’s $1B budget request calls for a slight increase. Proposal includes a decline in some real property taxes, rise in monthly water rates. Maui News.
Maui Solar Project Stokes Concerns About Climate-Fueled Fire And Flooding Risks. The Paeahu solar farm, located in a dryland forest, would operate a short distance from a residential subdivision. Civil Beat.
Final EA Approved For Mosquito Suppression Technique To Save Native Birds. The Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources voted in favor of a Final Environmental Assessment to use an Incompatible Insect Technique on Maui. Big Island Video News.
MFD working on planning, design of Haiku fire station. The Maui Fire Department hopes to finalize funding for a Haiku fire station by 2025 and have it operable by around 2026 in a “best-case scenario” for the long-stalled project, Fire Chief Brad Ventura said. Maui News.
Kauai
Koloa Rum to build new facility in Koloa. The Kaua‘i-based rum company is planning on moving its operations to an 18.5-acre parcel of land across from Anne Knudsen Park in Koloa. Garden Island.
Coco Palms Resort to be rebuilt. The latest developer of Kaua‘i’s infamous Coco Palms Resort is officially prepping for the site’s demolition and reconstruction, and he says people can expect the new resort to be completed in about three years. Garden Island.
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