University of Hawaii to renew $285M military contract, strike hits Waikiki resort, Honolulu to offer employees pandemic hazard pay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The University Of Hawaii Is About To Get Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars To Do Military Research. But student government members argue that the research should not be secret and say the university is ignoring their concerns over colonialism. The University of Hawaii is poised to renew a controversial contract to conduct research for the U.S. military worth up to $285 million over 10 years, in what administrators call a major source of federal funding for the university. Civil Beat.

UH president finalist puts emphasis on AI. Wendy F. Hensel, the first of two final candidates to replace the University of Hawaii’s president promised an AI-driven future during a forum Tuesday at UH-Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now.

1,800 hotel workers strike at Hilton Hawaiian Village. More than 1,800 hotel workers went on an open-ended strike Tuesday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, and their union, UNITE HERE Local 5, says they will not return to work until they have a new contract. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press.  Hawaii Public Radio.  Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii Governor Urges Federal Mediation To Settle Nurse Labor Dispute.  Gov. Josh Green on Tuesday urged the Hawaii nurses union and Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children to seek federal mediation to resolve their long-standing labor dispute. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Report: Suspected Trump gunman charged with attempted assassination. Ryan Routh, the Oahu man accused of staking out Donald Trump’s Florida golf course with a rifle was indicted Tuesday on a charge of attempted assassination of a political candidate as prosecutors alleged he intended to kill the former U.S. president. Reuters.

Oahu

City eyes $5M in federal COVID-19 money for possible worker hazard pay.  The City and County of Honolulu might tap roughly $5 million in federal COVID-19 money to help pay the estimated tens of millions of dollars in hazard pay to city workers employed during the pandemic. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Man who killed charging neighbor: ‘I going stop him’.  The 42-year-old man who shot and killed the neighbor who rammed his house and shot and killed three women on Waianae Valley Road said he opened fire after the neighbor pledged to “kill ’em all.” Star-Advertiser.

Beachfront home partially collapses into ocean on Oahu’s North Shore. Witnesses were stunned as a portion of a home off Ke Nui Road, near Sunset Beach, crumbled just before noon Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

New chief gets good review: Moszkowicz’s performance in first year ‘commendable’.  The Police Commission on Friday gave Hawaii Police Department Chief Benjamin Moskowicz a positive review for his first year as the Big Island’s top cop, but said in his evaluation letter it is “crucial” the chief “enhances his transparency” with the commission, “particularly in areas where the commission holds oversight authorities.” Tribune-Herald.

Mauna Loa Access Road Restoration Planned After 2022 Lava Flow. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking a state permit to repair the road to the Mauna Loa Observatory. Big Island Video News.

From seawater to jet fuel: Proposed Kona research facility would use NELHA infrastructure. A Texas company has plans to use a site at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority’s Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park in Kailua-Kona to make jet fuel from seawater. Tribune-Herald.

Waimea meat processing company wins $1.6M grant.  The Kamuela Meat Co. is a new processor on the Big Island and is planning to use this award to establish a cattle slaughtering and meat processing facility, according to a USDA press release. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

For Some Maui Fire Victims, FEMA May Step In When Private Insurance Benefits Expire. Government officials said an additional $14.5 million is available for eligible applicants. Civil Beat.

DBEDT report: Maui County hotels still impacted by last year’s wildfires. In August, Maui County’s revenue per available room was $284, or 4.6% less than August 2023 and 7.2% lower than the same month, pre-COVID 2019, the department said in its monthly Hawai‘i Hotel Performance Report.  Maui Now.

Molokaʻi brush fire prompts precautionary evacuations, road closures.  Door-to-door, voluntary evacuations by Maui Police Department were under way midday Tuesday for Molokaʻi homes in the vicinity of a brush fire of approximately 100 acres near the Molokaʻi Airport.  Maui News. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Planning commission discusses contentious South Maui housing project. Supporters of a long-debated project to build more than 1,000 homes in South Maui addressed criticism towards the proposal on Tuesday during a Maui Planning Commission meeting. KITV4.

Kauai

Kauaʻi community group, Earthjustice don't want a 2nd landfill in Kekaha . The island's only landfill, located in Kekaha, is estimated to reach capacity in 2027. The county is in the middle of expanding it, but that's a short-term solution while it figures out another way to manage the 80,000 to 90,000 tons of waste annually. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kaua‘i hotels lead state in August for revenue per available room. Kaua‘i hotels led the state in August revenue per available room at $316, despite it being 10.4% less than August 2023; it was still 50.8 more than August 2019. Kauai Now.

More Native Hawaiians becoming doctors, TSA allows cannabis product on flights, Honolulu police $10M over OT budget, Kauai tackles vacation rentals, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Man sets flags at Punchbowl cemetery PC: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Remembrance at Punchbowl on Memorial Day. Punchbowl cemetery was awash in more than 35,000 small and large American flags Monday as Memorial Day and the sacrifices made by American service members across the decades were observed amid a series of auspicious anniversaries coming closely together. Star-Advertiser.Star-Advertiser.

Where Hawaii’s Chronic Teacher Shortage Hits Hardest. Students at rural or lower-income schools are less likely to be taught by experienced, fully qualified teachers than elsewhere, DOE data shows. Civil Beat.

Number of UH minority medical school graduates reaches record. The University of Hawaii has seen a record number of minority medical student graduates despite low numbers of Native Hawaiians and Filipinos in college. Star-Advertiser.

More terminally ill are requesting lethal drugs under the new law. Since Jan. 1, when medically assisted death became legal in Hawaii, at least 17 patients have requested lethal drugs to end their lives and at least three of them went on to use the medication to “have a peaceful death.” Star-Advertiser.

TSA now allowing a cannabis product on flights. TSA updated passenger guidelines after the Food and Drug Administration approved a drug containing cannabidiol or CBD used by children with epilepsy. KITV.

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Hawaii’s slow-growth economy is expected to continue. In what is becoming a recurring theme in local economists’ quarterly reports, the state’s economy is projected to keep inching forward with its gross domestic product — the total value of the state’s goods and services — growing from 1.2% to 1.4% annually over the next four years, according to a new economic forecast by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Economist: Overtourism And Crowding Is A Pricing Problem. The number of tourists coming to Hawai'i has grown in the past three decades, but their spending in real dollars has remained the same. Hawaii Public Radio.

Good and bad signs for Hawaii's economy. Home sales are down. New vehicle sales are down. And bankruptcies are up. The state's chief economist says there is no recession just around the corner -- but not all economists agree. KHON2.

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NTSB calls for safety improvements to rules following Kailua helicopter crash. Following three fatal crashes in the past month, including a helicopter crash in Kailua, the National Transportation Safety Board is calling for greater safety measures to the federal regulations covering them. Star-Advertiser.

Pet dogs trained to detect invasive species in Hawaii's forests. The fight to save endangered species in Hawaii is gaining more ammunition. KITV.

Oahu

Honolulu Police Department seeks $10M transfer to fund overtime. The City Council Budget Committee last week gave tentative approval to a Honolulu Police Department request to transfer $10.25 million to cover salaries and wages during the last six weeks of the fiscal year due to unanticipated expenses. Star-Advertiser.

Hotel workers union reaches tentative deal with Hilton Hawaiian Village. The tentative deal is for a four-year union contract that reportedly covers some 1,800 workers. Hawaii News Now.

Completed questionnaires offer insight into prospective jurors for Kealoha trial. Many of the 413 prospective jurors for the Kealoha mailbox trial didn’t hold back when filling out questionnaires aimed at determining whether they could serve. Hawaii News Now.

Arbitrator asked to rule on private Kakaako road fines. Two brothers who created a public uproar over control of several streets they own in Kakaako are not bowing to the state’s attempt to impose a $250,000 fine over the issue. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu woman's campaign to clear-out Honolulu homeless comes with bus ticket to Waianae encampment and criticism. She posted her plan on Facebook. KITV.

Former BWS employee says automated meter reading system is bogus. Back in 2000, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply paid $30 million for an automated meter reading system to help it measure the monthly water use of its 170,000 residential and business customers. Hawaii News Now.

Nearly 1,000 beachgoers stung as jellyfish invasion keeps Oahu lifeguards busyNearly 1,000 people were stung today by box jellyfish at five beaches on Oahu’s south, west and north shores, city Department of Emergency Services officials said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Thirty Meter Telescope Hearing Set For Storm Water Discharge Permit. The hearing on the NPDES application and draft permit to discharge storm water associated with construction activities from the TMT will be heard in Kona on Tuesday, June 25. Big Island Video News.

Video shows PTA public meeting. Protecting Native Hawaiian archaeology from Pohakuloa Training Area bombing exercises was top of mind for those attending a May 16 annual meeting with PTA officials, according to video footage provided by a participant. West Hawaii Today.

500 Kamehameha parcels to be checked for cesspools. Kamehameha Schools has conducted an assessment of its properties statewide in efforts to identify, and subsequently close, any large-capacity cesspools. Tribune-Herald.

Beach Created By Volcanic Eruption Was Born Polluted. You might think a brand new black sand beach would be pristine. But microplastics have already been detected at Pohoiki in Lower Puna. Civil Beat.

Kahaluu Ma Kai slated for completion in 2020. Every day, a historic plot of oceanfront aina is regaining more of its natural ambiance. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Kanaha Beach Park Closure for Cleanup, May 29-31. Kanaha Beach Park in Kahului will be closed from 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, to 2:30 p.m. Friday, May 31, for park maintenance, repairs and cleanup. Maui Now.

Maui Liquor License Renewals Due June 15. The Department of Liquor Control is reminding liquor license holders that license renewal applications for the 2019-2020 fiscal year are due by 4:30 p.m. on June 15, 2019. Maui Now.

Homegrown Teachers Are The Norm At Molokai High. The school defies Hawaii’s revolving door of teachers at many isolated schools, with the vast majority staying more than five years. Civil Beat.

Kauai

County cracks down on illegal TVRs. The Kauai County Council on Wednesday will hear public testimony on a bill aimed at helping the county shut down illegal vacation rental homes. Garden Island.

Kauai beach reopens after whale carcass, 30K pound head removed. The sperm whale carcass that washed ashore in Kealia over the weekend is now gone. Hawaii News Now.

Saving Kauai’s rare birds. Hiking through the sheer ridges and native forests of the world’s highest wetland, Justin Hite spends his time looking and listening for Kauai’s endangered forest birds. Garden Island.

Molokai

Homegrown Teachers Are The Norm At Molokai High. The school defies Hawaii’s revolving door of teachers at many isolated schools, with the vast majority staying more than five years. Civil Beat.