FEMA reviews Hawaii Covid funding in wake of corruption investigation, PUC rejects HECO power plant proposal, Hawaiian Telcom nets $150M broadband contract, Peter Boy siblings get $3.25M from state, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

FEMA reviews Hawaii’s COVID funding after Sylvia Luke indictment. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reviewing FEMA-­funded COVID-19 work that has been tied to the public corruption indictment of Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and four others, and the agency said it may seek repayment or other enforcement actions if it finds improper spending. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Could Hit New Low For Voter Turnout This Year. Oʻahu voters seem apathetic. But competitive mayoral races on Kauaʻi and Maui, where candidates have spent big, are energizing voters. Civil Beat.

New images of the sun show its surface in the finest detail yet.  Researchers were able to peek at its scorching surface with the help of the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, located on the island of Maui in Hawaii.  Associated Press. Reuters. 

Anti-war advocates protest RIMPAC in Hawai'i. The 30th Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC exercise, ended last week, but dozens of anti-war advocates gathered at the state Capitol Tuesday to protest military action across the islands. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi Moves Forward With $150M Fiber Optic Broadband Expansion. Hawaiian Telcom has been contracted to deliver fiber-optic service to approximately 5,800 homes that currently lack modern broadband access. Big Island Video News. Garden Island.

Oahu

PUC rejects HECO’s power plant proposal ‘without demonstration of need’. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission declined Hawaiian Electric Co.’s request to add a 500-megawatt power plant, finding that it would not be in the public’s best interest to move forward without identifying whether Oahu needs it. Star-Advertiser.

With Waters’ departure, 3 vie for East Honolulu Council seat. East Honolulu’s City Council race has been reshaped after Council Chair Tommy Waters was disqualified from seeking a third consecutive term, leaving three candidates vying for the seat he has held since 2019. In District 4, former Council member Trevor Ozawa, small-business owner Tara Malia Gregory and city employee Jason Liang are competing to represent the area stretching from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai. Star-Advertiser.

JERA takes public comment on importing LNG to power Hawaiʻi. JERA Americas held the first of two community meeting events in Honolulu on Aug. 3, which drew about 75 people. Hawaii Public Radio.

OCCC inmate captured after nearly 11-hour manhunt. An inmate who escaped from the Oahu Community Correctional Center Wednesday morning was captured after a manhunt that lasted nearly 11 hours. Joseph Tauilemua, 20, was arrested on military property at around 8 p.m. by Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam police, according to the Honolulu Police Department.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Honolulu police use drones as first responders in 2 districts. The Honolulu Police Department is using drones as first responders to 911 calls for police service and requests for help in two patrol districts as part of a push to use technology to expand public safety. Star-Advertiser.

Proposed master plan for Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden includes new tourist fee. Dozens of community members joined botanical garden staff Wednesday night for an interactive presentation of the near-final master plan for Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, which includes proposals for renovated facilities and a tourist entry fee. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

State agrees to $3.25M settlement with Peter Boy Kema’s siblings. The state has agreed to apologize and pay $3.25 million to the siblings of Peter “Pepe” Kema to settle a years-long civil lawsuit over the 6-year-old’s tragic death. An attorney for the Kema family said the proposed agreement would compensate Chauntelle, Allan, and Lina Acol, who filed the lawsuit against the state in 2018. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi Island lawmakers set to redefine role of main economic agency. The Department of Research and Development collects economic data and supports local industries like agriculture, energy, and tourism. Some county council members say the department’s mandate in county code is vague. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi County reaches agreement with landowner to prevent eminent domain for widening of a Puna road. The Hawaiʻi County Council was going to vote Wednesday on whether to authorize condemnation of 3.74 acres of land to make Government Beach Road safer, but was asked to postpone the decision to allow for the agreement to be finalized with Lum Family Enterprises. Big Island Now.

Council OK’s coconut rhinoceros beetle resolution urging state to do more. Advocates for a new rule aimed at stopping the spread of the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle on Hawaii Island say that its implementation and enforcement has been lacking since going into effect earlier this year. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiʻi County’s District 4 is an open council seat with Ashley Kierkiewicz unable to run due to term limits. The candidates are Shannon Smiley Burrows, Lloyd Enriquez, Cyd Makanui Hoffeld, and Eileen O’Hara. Big Island Now.

Kona Community Hospital verified as level III trauma Center. The designation, given by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, means the hospital meets criteria to care for critically injured trauma patients, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Maui police lieutenant arrested by the FBI. Lieutenant Michael Vaitu‘ulala, a Maui Police Department lieutenant suspended earlier this year after allegations he covered for a New Year’s Eve party featuring illegal aerial fireworks was arrested by FBI agents Tuesday. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. 

Infrastructure improvements underway at new Līpoa, master-planned community in South Maui. Pacific Rim Land is underway with infrastructure improvements at Līpoa, a 400-acre mixed-use, master-planned innovation community in South Maui featuring commercial, residential and recreation spaces. Maui Now.

Additional Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) detections on Maui prompt community action alert. Following two recent detections in Central Maui, the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) is urging the community to remain alert for invasive coconut rhinoceros beetles. Maui Now.

A Viral Hawaiian Monk Seal Changes The Conversation On Molokaʻi. A critically endangered seal’s chance encounter with the owner of a popular local social media account has brought community members together after recent killings of the protected species. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Six candidates battle in Aug. 8 primary to become Kauaʻi’s next mayor. The candidates, which include three current Kauaʻi County Council members, are all running to replace term-limited Derek S.K. Kawakami.  Three of the candidates are currently county council members: Chair Mel Rapozo, Felicia Cowden, and Bernard Carvalho Jr., who also formerly served as mayor. The other candidates are Laura Andaya-Lindsey, Michaela Widener and Megeso William Denis. Kauai Now.

Kauaʻi County launches solid waste infrastructure survey. Kauaʻi County Solid Waste Division recently launched a countywide survey — limited to a randomly selected sample of Kauaʻi residents — to help county officials better understand resident views about landfills and long-term solid waste needs. Kauai Now.

Lieutenant Governor candidates face off, Belatti files late spending report, Case congressional race gets national attention, voting machines tested statewide, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lieutenant Governor candidates’ appearance shows similarities, differences. During their joint appearance, frontrunners Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami and state Rep. Della Au Belatti last week shared the need for more affordable housing, reducing Hawaii’s high cost of living, and their overall support for Gov. Josh Green’s kauhale housing program expansion to create permanent, affordable homes for Hawaii’s homeless. Both, however, said the lieutenant governor should remain independent from Green. Star-Advertiser.

Belatti Files Campaign Spending Report A Week Late. Della Au Belatti’s campaign blamed a computer glitch for the delay. State Rep. Della Au Belatti finally filed the reports Thursday afternoon, but not before her rival for lieutenant governor, Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami, had issued press releases publicly calling her out for the missing report. Civil Beat.

The Race For Lieutenant Governor: A Coveted Political Stepping Stone. While the job itself doesn’t amount to much, it helped elevate four politicians who later became governors, and two others who eventually became U.S. senators. Civil Beat.

Case And Keohokalole Ramp Up Their Spending In Advance Of August Primary. New Federal Election Commission filings show that both candidates raised and spent about the same amount in the last quarter, but Case has more money left over for the final run. Civil Beat.

Honolulu congressional race draws national attention. The race to represent urban Honolulu in Congress has attracted national attention from the New York Times and the Washington Post as an example of younger, left-leaning Democrats like state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole challenging older, more moderate incumbents like U.S. Rep. Ed Case. Star-Advertiser.

Voting equipment testing statewide as primary election approaches. The Office of Elections held its statewide logic and accuracy test at the State Capitol, with around 60 official observers on Oahu and another 20 on each of the neighbor islands. KITV4.

History shows every vote counts in Hawaii legislative races. All 51 state House seats and 14 of the 25 state Senate seats are up for election this year, but 16 Democratic and Republican legislators face no challenge and will automatically return to office in the Aug. 8 party primary elections. Star-Advertiser.

‘Hawaii Builds’ initiative aims to fast-track affordable housing. Under Senate Bill 2544, which legislators passed almost unanimously on May 6, the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. is being directed to help private developers produce at least one affordable-housing project on Oahu, Hawaii Island, Kauai and in Maui County under the new program in part by sidestepping county council reviews. Star-Advertiser.

Military scales up 3D printing, drones and AI to supply RIMPAC forces. Over the last few iterations of RIMPAC, the Naval Postgraduate School’s Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education participated in the exercise and experimented with these systems. But this year, military leaders have made a point of massively scaling up their use across the Hawaiian islands and beyond. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Waters holds huge fundraising lead in City Council race. Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters is heading into the Aug. 8 primary election with a commanding financial advantage over his closest challenger as he seeks a third term representing East Honolulu’s District 4, campaign filings indicate. Star-Advertiser.

Tulsi Gabbard’s brother charged in alleged Waikiki ‘stranger danger’ incident. The 55-year-old brother of former U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was arrested and charged Friday with second-degree custodial interference after allegedly trying to lure children to a Waikiki hotel room. Batarti Gabbard, aka Bhakti Gabbard, allegedly approached several children, including a boy, age 9, and offered them gum and money to accompany him to his hotel room, according to police. Star-Advertiser.

HECO seeks energy bids as JERA moves forward with LNG plan. JERA Americas, a subsidiary of Japan’s largest energy company, JERA Co., filed a notice of intent Friday with the Public Utilities Commission seeking approval to establish a new Hawaii-­based regulated wholesale power-generation company called GenCo that would own and operate the proposed power plant and supply liquefied natural gas, or LNG, to Oahu’s energy grid. Hawaiian Electric Co. is arguing the “unprecedented” move would create complexity, inefficiencies and risk in Hawaii’s energy grid. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu could follow other county councils in calling for aquarium fishing ban. The city council is moving along a pair of resolutions urging state-level policymakers to prohibit the collection of fish in the state for the commercial aquarium trade. One urges the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules banning aquarium fishing, and the other is directed at the state Legislature. Hawaii Public Radio.

Home at last: New beginning for 815 Native Hawaiian families. On July 18, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands awarded 815 residential leases on Oahu, the largest offering on the island this year. KHON2.

Social media bans impact Honolulu businesses and artists. Several  businesses, community organizations and artists in Hawaii that have come to depend on Meta’s platforms say they’ve dealt with seemingly arbitrary bans, with little explanation from the company as it increasingly turns to AI and other systems for content moderation. Star-Advertiser.

Waikiki organizations unite to boost community, visitor impact. With Hawaii’s tourism marketing resources under pressure and international visitor arrivals still below expectations, two of Waikiki’s leading business organizations have combined operations to strengthen the resort district’s voice, marketing reach and competitive position. Star-Advertiser.

Horse-Trading And Living Costs: State House District 18 Candidate Q&As. Member chosen to replace Gene Ward runs against Democratic challenger. Incumbent representative Joe Gedeon will face Democratic challenger James Wataru in the Nov. 3 general election. Both are running unopposed in the primary. Civil Beat.

Not Again! Another Sidewalk Collapse Next To Barefoot Beach Cafe. For more than a year after a portion of Waikīkī’s popular beachside walkway collapsed into the sand, Barefoot Beach Cafe customers looking to drink out of pineapples as they watched the sunset had to do so through a chain-link fence. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Kona-based company is bringing aquaculture to Florida. Kona-based company Ocean Era recently received approval for a first-of-its-kind aquaculture pilot project off of the Gulf Coast of Florida. Titled the Velella Epsilon project, it will be located in federal waters about 40 miles out from Sarasota, to cultivate 20,000 red drum fish over the course of a year in a submerged net system. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island residents turn in nearly 150 firearms during community gun buyback event. Firearms collected included eight assault-style rifles and nine privately manufactured firearms, commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” Big Island Now.

Community raises questions about Laupahoehoe boat ramp. Dozens of community members gathered July 8 for an informational meeting about planned repairs to the breakwater in Laupahoehoe, which juts out about 100 feet from the rocky coastline. Tribune-Herald.

Investment firm pays $23 million to become outright owner of Kailua-Kona hotel. Nine Brains, headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., acquired full fee-simple ownership of Pacific 19 Kona hotel — formerly Kona Seaside Hotel — 4 years after it purchased the ground lease for the property. Big Island Now.

New youth hub in Puna to guide young people toward independence. The Neighborhood Place of Puna has opened the Puna ʻŌpio Hub for youth and young adults, ages 14-25, as they explore employment and educational pathways that may seem inaccessible. Big Island Now.

Waimea Continues “Speed Dating” Election Candidate Tradition. Voters sat down with candidates for Hawaiʻi County Council, State House, and Lieutenant Governor. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Lahaina’s Front Street scheduled to reopen on Aug. 1, 2026. Repairs and rebuilding in the area have been ongoing since the 2023 Maui Wildfires, including: removal of wildfire debris and offshore pilings; repairs to the seawall and sidewalk; installation of new railings and planting of trees along the makai side of the street; installation of fencing along the mauka side of the street and around off-limit areas; and road paving and striping. Maui Now.

‘Keep Hawaiʻi Loud’: Car Stereo Enthusiasts Boo Increased Fines On Maui. For some Maui residents, the noise is a source of repeated frustration. Others see the music as part of Hawai‘i’s local culture.  Civil Beat.

Displaced Lahaina residents hope jobs will provide a way home. Hundreds of homes have been rebuilt, according to Maui County officials, and billions of dollars have been committed to disaster recovery. Yet many West Maui families remain displaced, businesses continue to struggle to rebuild their workforce and many former residents still cannot afford to come home. Star-Advertiser.

Moloka‘i growers feeding the island in wake of missed barges, plant shipping restrictions. On an island rich with farmland and resourceful people, the goal is to help make the community more resilient and sustainable during unexpected crises like missed shipments and interisland restrictions. Maui Now.

Airlines compete for Lanai air service contract. Pacific Air Charters and Cape Air are competing against Mokulele Airlines, the only commercial airline currently servicing the island,  receiving federal subsidies to do so. Hawaii News Now.

Selenium detected in Makawao water. Trace levels of selenium have been found for the first time in the Maui County Department of Water Supply’s Makawao water system. Maui News.

Luxury Rentals, Bill 9 And Public Water: Maui County Council, Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū District. Five candidates are running for the seat held by Council Chair Alice Lee, who is stepping down. Civil Beat.

Wetlands, ICE And Accountability: Maui County Council, South Maui District Candidate Q&As. Itʻs a rematch for the two candidates running in the November general election. Civil Beat.

Invasive Species, Sustainability And Planning: Maui County Council – Kahului District. Three candidates are running in the primary for the council seat covering Mauiʻs largest commercial center. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kauaʻi keiki bring home free helmets, bikes after annual Keiki Bike Safety Day on Saturday. Forty lucky youngsters pedaled home with new bikes, and hundreds learned essential riding skills and helmet safety from dedicated Wilcox Medical Center physicians and community partner. Kauai Now. Garden Island. 

Disasters, Tourism And Housing: State House District 16 Candidate Q&As. Incumbent Democrat faces Republican challenge for the Kauaʻi House seat. Democratic House Member Luke Evslin, who has represented state House District 16 since 2023, will face Republican opponent David Hazlebeck in the general election in November. Both are running unopposed in the primary. Civil Beat.

Income Tax Relief And Housing Affordability: State House District 17 Candidate Q&As. Longtime Kauaʻi Democratic incumbent faces primary opponent and Republican challenger.Incumbent House member Dee Morikawa is facing Democratic challenger Chad Schimmelfennig in the Aug. 8 primary election for State House District 17, which Morikawa has represented since 2010. Civil Beat.

Plan to rebuild historic Coco Palms Resort gets financial backing. A Utah-based real estate investment firm that acquired the Coco Palms site in 2022 through a state court foreclosure case recently arranged $431 million in financing and said it has begun below-grade construction work on the 32-acre property in Wailua. Star-Advertiser.

Legislature mulls UH funding restrictions, lighter punishment for drug offenses, public school leadership, hurricane relief fund; Honolulu Salary Commission proposes raises, vacation rentals again on Hawaii County agenda, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Funding restrictions would be ‘catastrophic’ for UH. Each of the University of Hawaii’s 10 campuses would have to rely on funding they generate from their individual tuition and student fees — and any excess revenue would have to be turned over to the state general fund under a bill that UH President Wendy Hensel said would be “catastrophic” for the system and especially for smaller campuses. But the Tax Foundation of Hawaii argued that UH has “hoarded” nearly $429 million in student tuition and fees as of June. Star-Advertiser.

Early Education Bill Gutted, Replaced With School Leadership Restrictions. Language from one of the Senate education chair’s failed bills suddenly reappeared in an unrelated piece of legislation. Critics say that could be unconstitutional.  Civil Beat.

Bill could ensure insurance coverage for children's vaccines. At the end of last year, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began slashing the number of vaccines recommended for children. Because of this, the state Legislature is considering a measure that would preserve insurance coverage for preventative service recommendations before the changes were made. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi Weighs Shorter Probation, Lighter Punishment For Drugs. A committee of stakeholders from across the criminal justice system is working to bring the state more in line with national trends on drug possession and probation. Civil Beat.

Use of Hurricane Relief Fund grows significantly. State lawmakers on Monday received an update on Hawaii’s efforts to stabilize its strained property insurance market. The briefing also covered implementation of Act 296, which aims to stabilize the property insurance market and ensure coverage remains available when private insurers pull back. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Air ‘seeing the light at the end of the tunnel’ as new app launches, full integration with Alaska set for April 22. Many travelers said the merger between Hawaiian and Alaska Air has been plagued with problems – multiple confirmation numbers, login problems, and not being able to change seats or flights. KHON2.

Oahu

Salary Commission advances 4.7% pay boost for city officials, Council. During its meeting Monday, the Salary Commission, which establishes compensation schedules for municipal positions, proposed raising the mayor’s annual salary to $236,705, up from its current $226,080 a year. Other top city posts would see similar pay bumps. Star-Advertiser.

JERA wants to bypass the competitive bidding process. What is that exactly? The Japanese energy company JERA wants to build a natural gas plant on Oʻahu that could supply more than a third of the island's electricity demand. Hawaii Public Radio.

In June, flood zones will change, shifting hundreds of Oahu homes out of those higher risk zones. But 10 times the number of homeowners will then find themselves in a flood zone. KITV4. Hawaii News Now. 

Oahu’s housing market saw surge and slump in March. The number of single- family home purchases completed in March jumped 26.2%, to 260 from 206 in the same month last year, according to a Honolulu Board of Realtors report released Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Disaster Debris: Coming Soon To A Park Near You? Some park users are getting in the faces of city crews and leaving ugly voicemails, demanding the debris be taken elsewhere. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Vacation Rental Owners Could Face New Hawaiʻi County Rules. Stronger enforcement and better registration requirements are on the horizon on the Big Island. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi County launches an accessible, online coastal zone management atlas. Developed by the Planning Department and Tetra Tech Inc., the County of Hawaiʻi has launched the Coastal Zone Management Atlas to better inform the public on management plans that preserve, protect, develop, and restore the resources of the nation’s coastal zones. Big Island Now.

Health officials investigate high rates of strep infections in West Hawaii. The Hawaii Department of Health is working with the Hawaii District Health Office and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to follow up on physician findings of above-average cases of invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) — caused by a bacteria commonly found on the skin or in the nose that doesn’t normally lead to infection. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now. 

Maui

From Democrat to GOP: Lahaina Rep. Elle Cochran explains why she made the switch. As her disillusionment with the Democratic party grew, her Republican colleagues were quick to welcome her into the fold, Cochran recalled. Five candidates have already pulled papers to run against her. The filing deadline is June 2. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui Council cheers gold medal wrestlers, then wrestles with an affordable housing project refund. The Maui County Council celebrated local high school wrestling champions Thursday before grappling with a contentious request for an affordable housing project refund. Maui Now.

Kauai

Police identify 3rd fatality in Kauai helicopter crash. Kauai police have identified the third person killed in the helicopter crash off Kalalau Beach on the Na Pali Coast on March 26. Police identified the third fatality as Oksana Pihol, 40, a Ukrainian national. 65-year-old Margaret Rimmler and 59-year-old Patrick Haskell, both from Massachusetts, were also killed in the crash. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now. 

Community Wildfire Protection Plan workshops rescheduled. Community Wildfire Protection Plan workshops were rescheduled after being postponed because of inclement weather. Kauai Now.