Belatti switches candidacy to lieutenant governor race, Hawaiian Airlines to scrap free meals in coach, Puna triple homicide suspect captured, OHA drops bid for KITV4, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Belatti Drops Bid For Congress To Run For Lieutenant Governor. Democratic state Rep. Della Au Belatti said the political landscape shifted once Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke opted not to run for reelection while facing criminal investigation. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. 

Hawaiian Airlines to scrap free meals in coach. Hawaiian Airlines will eliminate complimentary meals in its main cabin on most long-haul mainland routes, replacing them with a prepaid menu developed with a James Beard-­recognized Hawaii chef. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now. 

Hawaii visitor spending rises despite April drop in arrivals. Hawaii’s visitor industry saw fewer travelers in April but a sharp rise in daily spending, highlighting a widening divide between higher-end visitors who continue to spend freely and more budget-conscious travelers who are pulling back. Star-Advertiser.

Sudden Slashes To Solar Incentives Make It Harder To Go Green. More than 260 of Hawaiʻi’s commercial and industrial projects are at risk after Legislature cuts credits 2026, undermining renewable resource goals. Civil Beat.

Report ranks Hawaiʻi 5th in teachers' union strength. An analysis from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute is an update to the institute's last ranking in 2012, when Hawaiʻi secured the leading spot.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Kapolei community board endorses Amazon project. A $600 million-plus plan by Amazon to build a massive warehouse and order fulfillment center in Kapolei gained some tentative community support Wednesday night. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. 

OHA trustees reject due diligence funding for KITV- KIKU purchase. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees voted against funding due diligence for acquiring KITV Island News and KIKU TV, ending the quasi-government agency’s latest attempt to enter into broadcast media. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. 

Some question if the JERA natural gas project will deliver meaningful savings. Japanese energy company JERA wants to build a floating gas terminal off the coast of Barber's Point and a new gas-fired power plant in Campbell Industrial Park on Oʻahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Chief credits community for helping to nab triple-homicide suspect. Hawaii Police Department Chief Reed Mahuna said during a Thursday afternoon press conference that tips from the public resulted in the apprehension of triple-homicide suspect Jacob Daniel Baker, the subject of a two-day multiagency manhunt involving county, state and federal law enforcers. Tribune-Herald. Star-Advertiser.  Hawaii Public Radio.  Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4. 

Puna Murders Raise Questions About Restraining Order Process. Attorneys say TROs are granted in a majority of cases. But that wasn’t the case for the man who allegedly killed three men. Civil Beat.

Maui

Maui council weighs new hotel zones in vacation rental phase-out equation. In an ongoing effort to address controversial Maui vacation rentals, the Maui County Council is considering a measure to create two new hotel zones that would allow legal short-term rentals.  Hawaii Public Radio.

For many sinkholes left by March storms on Maui County roads, cost and timeline for repairs unclear. Before a portion of a beach park and multiple roadways collapsed during two major storms in March, Maui County Public Works Director Jordan Molina had never seen so many sinkholes in the seven years he’d been with the department. Maui Now.

Maui’s Last Wild Beaches: Locals Fear Upgrades Will Sideline Them. Some members of the Maui community worry that proposed upgrades to Mākena State Park could pave the way for more transformative changes in the future. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Intervention granted in review of luxury development at Hanalei Bay. A group of community organizations successfully petitioned the Kauaʻi Planning Commission to grant a petition they sought to intervene in a proposed luxury coastal housing development by Miami-based Starwood Capital Group’s 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. Kauai Now.

Umi Martin announces candidacy for county council. Lifelong Kauai resident, farmer, small business owner and community leader Umi Martin has officially announced his candidacy for the Kauai County Council in the 2026 election.  Garden Island.

Shipping rates to rise again, military economic impact may be overstated, manhunt in Puna after 3 homicides, tourist banned from beaches after alleged rock-throwing at endangered monk seal, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Interisland Shipping Rates Set To Rise July 1 After Governor Signs Bill. Young Brothers quickly announced a 3% rate hike soon after the bill was signed. State wharfage fees will rise at the same time, potentially driving up prices even more. Civil Beat.

U.S. military’s economic impact in Hawaii overstated, report contends.  The 199-page report from a consortium of groups and activists says the military contributes $7.2 billion to Hawaii’s economy and 6.4% to its GDP annually, about 30% lower than most recently touted by the state and Pentagon. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi solar energy projects at risk after tax credit is signed into law. The governor signed a bill into law on May 21 that will not only phase out solar credits but also affect projects already in the pipeline. Hawaii Public Radio.

Push for renewed look at legislative corruption petition. Former federal attorney Alexander Silvert sent a three-page letter to state House Speaker Nadine Nakamura and Vice Speaker Linda Ichiyama on Wednesday, asking them to bring back the petition he started last year that collected more than 900 signatures. Hawaii News Now.

Teens Suing Kamehameha Didn’t Have Scores To Get In, Lawyer Says. Attorneys for the plaintiffs say race preference permeates the process. Civil Beat.

Oahu

State blesses homeless kauhale village in Waimanalo. Hawaii’s 26th homeless kauhale — 20 tiny homes on the makai side of the former Weinberg Village in Waimanalo — was blessed Wednesday in a community that had seen a nearby homeless encampment at Waimanalo Beach Park grow to more than 40 people lining Kalanianaole Highway last year, which has since been cleared. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Access To Oʻahu Outdoor Recreation Spot Still Restricted After Storm Damage. High above Kaʻena Point, access to the campgrounds and accompanying trails at Peacock Flats has been restricted for more than a month due to damage from this spring’s Kona low storms. Civil Beat. 

Hawaii Island

Manhunt ongoing for Puna man suspected of three homicides. A manhunt continues for 36-year-old Jacob Daniel Baker of Pahoa, who is a suspect in three homicides that occurred over the course of two days in Kapoho and Kalapana earlier this week. Tribune-Herald. Civil Beat. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Water Conservation Notice Issued After Quake Damages South Kona Tank. The Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply says customers in the affected areas must reduce water usage by at least 10%, in order to maintain adequate water storage while DWS performs emergency repairs to the damaged tank. Big Island Video News.

High schoolers granted precious ‘telescope time. Eight Kealakehe High School students were the recipients of Maunakea Scholars awards last Friday, earning them the coveted opportunity to carry out research using the telescope array atop Hawaii Island’s tallest mountain. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

New hotel zoning clears Council committee, 6-1, despite planning commissions’ opposition. The Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee voted 6-1 Tuesday to advance new hotel zoning districts for thousands of short-term vacation rentals facing a county-mandated phase-out — overriding unanimous rejection from all three county planning commissions. Maui Now.

Man accused of throwing rock at seal is banned from Hawaii beaches. Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk  was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond ahead of his next court appearance. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press. Hawaii Public Radio. KITV4.  Hawaii News Now.

Keoni Kuoha announces campaign for Hawaiʻi State House, District 12. Surrounded by supporters on May 18, 2026, Keoni Kuoha formally announced his candidacy for the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives, District 12, representing the Maui communities of Makawao, Hāliʻimaile, Pukalani, Kula, Pūlehu, ʻUlupalakua, Kanaio and Kahikinui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System to host community call, town hall on Kaua‘i. Garden Isle veterans can learn about available services, get health screenings and vaccines, receive assistance with Veterans Affairs healthcare enrollment, renew or replace Veterans Affairs identification cards and more. Kauai Now.