Green touts tourism on Japan trip, state arts funding, free school meals in jeopardy, second phase of Honolulu Skyline on track, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Green in Japan to help boost tourism. Gov. Josh Green, who is in Japan this week meeting with Japanese officials and business leaders, is working on lowering barriers to travel between Japan and Hawaii through a “Travel Corridor” that expands Global Entry, beefs up biometric screening and pursues “preclearance” status. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Hawaii State Arts Programs Could Be On The Chopping Block In The Legislature This Year. A 59-year-old program that pays for art in public spaces is facing significant changes and budget cuts under a bill being considered Tuesday in the Senate. Civil Beat.

Legislative deadline looms over universal free school meals bill. A bill to provide universal free school meals in Hawaiʻi is once again in jeopardy at the state Legislature. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Corruption Offenders Are Getting Reduced Sentences — With One Notable Exception. Changes to federal sentencing guidelines mean dozens of Hawaii prisoners, including those in high-profile corruption cases, are now eligible for early release. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers Advance Bill To Stabilize Soaring Insurance Costs For Condo Owners. Hawaii lawmakers are seeking to stabilize Hawaii’s condominium insurance market against sharply rising premiums and a declining availability of hurricane insurance that has sent ripples through Hawaii’s housing market. Civil Beat.

Dangerous dogs bill advances: Measure would create harsher penalties for their owners. A proposal to strengthen state laws regarding vicious dogs will reach another milestone today following weeks of overwhelming public support. Tribune-Herald.

Bill advances allowing pedestrians to safely jaywalk. Legislators appear willing to make jaywalking legal across the islands — when safe — arguing in a Senate bill that pedestrians’ judgments are better at reducing injuries and deaths than traffic lights and traffic markings. Star-Advertiser.

UH Hopes To Retain Authority Over Construction Projects. University of Hawaii officials are pushing for passage of a bill that would reinstate the authority of the UH president over construction and related professional services. Civil Beat.

Advocates rally for stalled ‘clean elections’ bill. More than a dozen advocates from the Clean Elections Hawaii Coalition gathered Monday at the state Capitol rotunda to urge legislators to reconsider implementing a comprehensive public financing program for Hawaii’s political candidates, commonly referred to as “clean elections.” Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

2 Finalists Will Interview For Top Job At Law Enforcement Standards Board. The candidates for the position of administrator of the Hawaii Law Enforcement Standards Board will have their final job interviews in public, the board determined during a meeting Monday.  Civil Beat.

Longtime Hawaii Public Safety Official Ted Sakai Dies at 77. Former Hawaii Department of Public Safety Director Ted Sakai died Monday after a long struggle with lung cancer, corrections officials said. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Big Island Press Club celebrates retired judge, dishonors Hawai‘i emergency administrator. The Big Island Press Club has awarded its annual meritorious Torch of Light Award to retired Intermediate Court of Appeals Judge Daniel Foley, and its Lava Tube Dishonor Award to Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency Administrator Col. (Ret.) James Barros. Big Island Now.

Oahu

Honolulu Council could receive 3% salary hike. The proposed pay jump comes less than a year after the city’s top elective panel received a controversial 64% salary increase while the Honolulu mayor’s nearly 12.6% pay jump ultimately surpassed similar compensation granted to Hawaii’s governor. Star-Advertiser.

Second segment of Skyline gets one step closer to test phase as track work gets underway. Work is happening on the rail tracks that Skyline is not yet using between Aloha Stadium and Middle Street. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Police Department plans to buy neighboring property to its headquarters. HPD currently leases several off-site office spaces and warehouse properties for evidence and vehicle storage. KITV4.

‘We can’t sit idly,’ Mayor Blangiardi addresses affordable housing. Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced the creation of the Department of Housing and Land Management, which combines the Office of Housing with the Department of Land Management. KHON2.

Acid attack suspects plead not guilty in ‘murder for hire’ case. Two men, charged Tuesday in a superseding indictment for the Jan. 23 “murder for hire” acid attack on Chinese-language teacher Danying Zhang, pleaded not guilty this morning to all charges including conspiracy to commit attempted first-degree murder and/or attempted second-degree murder and/or first-degree assault. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

More housing, hotels for Kona: Lili‘uokalani Trust plans to develop nearly 70 acres. A draft environmental assessment for the Lili‘uokalani Trust Makalapua Project details plans for a mixed residential/hotel/commercial development on land adjacent to the Old Kona Industrial, Kona Commons and Old Kona Airport Park. West Hawaii Today.

Breeani Kobayashi announces candidacy for Big Island mayor. Hilo native Breeani Kobayashi has announced her candidacy for Hawaiʻi County mayor, joining Kimo Alameda and current mayor Mitch Roth in the 2024 race for leadership of the Big Island. Big Island Now.

Experts: Take rat lungworm disease seriously. Franny Brewer, program manager at Big Island Invasive Species Committee, hosted an information session Saturday in Hawaiian Paradise Park about rat lungworm as part of BIISC’s education series. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Hawaiʻi Attorney General to release ‘Phase One’ report on Maui wildfire investigation, April 17.  The Phase One report analyzes how the fire incident unfolded, based on science, during the first 24 to 72 hours of the fire and its aftermath, and includes a comprehensive timeline of events. Maui Now.

Over 60 subpoenas served in probe of Maui disaster response. The findings from the first phase of a state investigation into how government agencies handled the Maui wildfires that destroyed Lahaina and killed at least 101 people have been delayed and won’t be released until April, but 64 subpoenas have been issued in the probe since November. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press.

5 more candidates check out nomination papers for Maui County Council seats. Since early February, five new candidates have checked out nomination papers from the Hawaiʻi Office of Elections for Maui County Council seats. Maui Now.

Company buys historic Maui sugar mill, 300 acres with eye toward potential redevelopment. An Oahu-based construction company has bought the Puunene Mill on Maui. The new owner, Nan Chul Shin, purchased approximately 300 acres from Alexander & Baldwin in Central Maui last Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

New fishing rules for Kīpahulu are based on traditional practices, driven by community. Kīpahulu on Maui is now officially home to Hawaiʻi’s third community-based subsistence fishing area. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui News.

Kauai

Pacific Biodiesel expands fuel crop project to Kauaʻi, eyes building 2nd refinery. For close to three decades, Pacific Biodiesel has been plugging away in Hawaiʻi using crops for fuel and recycling cooking oil waste from restaurants. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Airlines shareholders approve sale to Alaska Airlines, relief coming to businesses harmed by Honolulu rail construction, Maui council advances housing projects, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

 

Hawaiian Airlines shareholders approve Alaska's $1.9B acquisition. Hawaiian Airlines shareholders on Friday approved the acquisition of Hawaiian by Alaska Airlines for $1.9 billion. The deal includes $900 million in Hawaiian debt. Hawaii Public Radio. Kauai Now.

Exodus of Hawaii residents cost state $185M in lost taxes since 2020. The on-going exodus of Hawaii residents far outstrips the number of U.S. residents moving to the islands, resulting in the overall loss of 36,789 Hawaii residents over the last three years. Star-Advertiser.

Japanese visitors to Hawaii are trickling back. The full recovery of visitor arrivals from Japan, one of Hawaii’s most coveted source markets, continues to fall short, and a complete return to 2019 levels could take until 2026. Star-Advertiser.

Bill requires teachers accused of sexual misconduct to surrender licenses. An amended bill that would require teachers to surrender their licenses during any investigation into student sexual misconduct or abuse before retiring or resigning passed out of the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee on Friday. Star-Advertiser.

New promises on horizon for future Hawaiian homestead leases. The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is returning, in a big way, to a practice of issuing unconventional land leases to beneficiaries on its homestead waitlist. Star-Advertiser.

State warns against unlicensed contractors. In the midst of recovery efforts following the August 2023 wildfires on Maui, the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs last week urged property owners to prioritize hiring licensed contractors for their repair work. Star-Advertiser.

Stalled bills would support student inclusivity, identities. House Bill 1799 and its companion, Senate Bill 2670, would require the state Department of Education to establish a procedure allowing students to use their preferred names over legal names in an effort to strengthen “inclusivity” within public schools. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Signs Bill To Give Financial Relief To Businesses Hurt By Rail Construction. The city’s upcoming budgeting process will determine how much funding is available to dole out. Civil Beat.

Horrific crimes in Honolulu contradict drop in illegal acts. Despite those-high profile horrors that shocked communities accustomed to that kind of crime happening on the mainland, crime dropped in Honolulu in 2023 compared with 2022’s final tally from the Honolulu Police Department. Star-Advertiser.

Complaint alleges antisemitic rhetoric on UH Manoa campus. A group of Jewish students at the University of Hawaii have filed a Title VI complaint with the federal government claiming that words and acts of antisemitism have made the university’s Manoa campus an “unsafe and hostile environment” for them. Star-Advertiser.

Taxpayers Are On The Hook For $1.25 Million After The State Failed To Provide Water To An Oahu Farmer. The Agribusiness Development Corp. is asking lawmakers to pay $1.25 million to settle a case that an Oahu farming outfit brought against it in 2019, alleging the state agency knowingly made years of false promises.  Civil Beat.

Oahu’s Construction Waste Could Become Food For Crops At A New Kapolei Facility. An innovative recycling plant also hopes to provide a process to turn invasive weeds and grasses into something more useful. Civil Beat.

City short of garbage trucks in supply chain backlog. The city typically purchases about 15 new trucks a year for replacement and maintenance, but supply chain and manufacturing delays have left the fleet short. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Leeward Planning Commission faces backlog. West Hawaii development permit requests are piling up after the Leeward Planning Commission has been unable to meet for six months straight. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. Green releases funding to upgrade 3 cesspools at Hilo International Airport. Gov. Josh Green released nearly $700,000 in capital improvement project funds to upgrade three cesspools at Hilo International Airport. Big Island Now.

Hundreds pay final respects to teen fatally struck by police cruiser. Hundreds paid their final respects late last week to a 16-year-old Hilo High School junior who died in January from injuries he received after being struck as a pedestrian by an on-duty Hawaii Police Department officer at the wheel of a blue-and-white police cruiser. Tribune-Herald.

Take a walk au Naturel at Hawaiian Naturism Park, a nude bed and breakfast located in Fern Forest, just outside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Other clothing-optional retreats include The Banana Patch, in Kealakekua, and Kehena Mauka Nui Club, a clothing-optional, gay/LGBTQIA Airbnb right across from Kehena Beach. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui Council passes two housing projects on first reading; a third sent to Budget Committee. All three projects would tap the County’s Affordable Housing Fund after developers applied for funding and came out on top of a competitive review process. Maui Now.

Why Are Hundreds Of Lahaina Fire Survivors Turning Down FEMA Housing? Because It’s Not In West Maui. FEMA has secured about 1,500 properties for long-term housing for fire victims but only about a third are in West Maui. Civil Beat.

Nonprofit builds affordable housing on Maui. Catholic Charities Hawaii expects to complete construction of a 178-unit affordable housing project in Kahului by the end of 2026 that would help address the imperative need of residents who suffered serious loss in the August wildfires. Star-Advertiser.

FAA awards $8.6M for Kahului Airport TSA security screening checkpoint facility. The facility will include six new TSA screening lanes. A pedestrian bridge over the existing service road will connect the new checkpoint facility to Hold Room A. Maui Now.

New program helps train, boost nurses needed in Hawaii. Thirty-one students graduated in December from a first-of-its-kind bridge program at the University of Hawaii Maui College designed to train and bring more LPNs into the workforce. Star-Advertiser.

Hopes rise by survival of Lahaina’s banyan tree. After losing nearly 25,000 trees in the wildfire, 300 have survived including the famed banyan tree, and Maui finds hope. Maui News.

Kauai

Redesigned police badge honors legacy of law enforcement on Kauaʻi. The unique special edition shield was minted in recognition of the dedication of the department’s staff and sworn officers throughout the past 80 years. Kauai Now.

Hawaii tourism's slow return, minimum wage hike, new gun laws kick in Monday, Lahaina restaurant workers get $600 gift cards, four inmates indicted in OCC beating death, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Visitor arrivals to Hawaii up slightly, but spending drops.  Some 731,233 visitors came to the Hawaiian Islands in November, up just 0.3% from November 2022. Star-Advertiser.

In encouraging sign for tourism, Japanese visitor arrivals to Hawaii on the rise. Just under 63,000 Japanese tourists arrived in Hawaii last month, which is a 142% increase from November 2022. Arrivals are still not quite at pre-COVID levels, but, spending is seeing an increase. Hawaii News Now.
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/12/29/encouraging-sign-tourism-japanese-visitor-arrivals-hawaii-rise/

Hawaii’s Minimum Wage To Increase To $14 On Monday.  The increase is required under a 2022 law that incrementally increases the wage to $16 per hour on Jan. 1, 2026, and to $18 per hour on Jan. 1, 2028. Civil Beat. Kauai Now.

Kaleo Manuel Became A Cause Celebre For Maui Water. Now He’s Leaving The State Water Commission Without Saying Why. The deputy water commissioner told one state lawmaker he didn't want to be 'an obstacle.'  Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Oahu gun owners frustrated over new firearm law. The Honolulu Police Department has not certified any instructors yet, therefore it will be impossible to get a permit. KITV4.

City releases ‘Complete Streets’ report. Honolulu has released its 2023 “Complete Streets” progress report, which details finished and ongoing projects underway for people walking, biking and accessing transit on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Attorney Michael Green sued for alleged sexual harassment. A former client of attorney Michael Jay Green filed a “Jane Doe” lawsuit against him and his law firm alleging he sexually harassed and sexually assaulted her. Star-Advertiser.

Four inmates indicted in OCCC beating death. An Oahu grand jury indicted four Oahu Community Correctional Center inmates for manslaughter in the death of inmate Christopher Vaefaga, 36. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

NOAA surveying shoreline in case whale calf spotted around Waikiki comes back. Honolulu Ocean Safety and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) responded to a call Wednesday afternoon to a humpback whale calf that was separated from its mother. The calf was spotted swimming very close to shore at Fort DeRussy Beach. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

New Firearm Permitting Law Takes Effect Starting 2024. The Hawaiʻi Police Department detailed the changes to the application form in a Thursday news release. Big Island Video News.

Hawai‘i County’s top leadership to get pay raises for first time in 5 years.  Officials  will receive a 22.44% inflation adjustment increase starting Jan. 1 and a 5% pay raise in July. Big Island Now.

County seeks to fill Community Development Plan Action Committees. The County of Hawaiʻi seeks applicants for its Community Development Plan (CDP) Action Committees for Kona and Puna.  Big Island Now.

Maui

New rules on Maui Police Department’s concealed carry weapon policy go into effect. Any concealed carry weapons license applications submitted before January 1, 2024, but are pending approval will not be subject to the new rules. Maui Now.

Thousands of Lahaina restaurant workers to receive $600 prepaid debit cards.  Thousands of Lahaina restaurant workers are scheduled to receive financial aid in the form of $600 prepaid debit cards following a fundraiser by celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Hawaii Public Radio.

Parents And Teachers Say Schools Must Do More To Help Those Still Traumatized By Lahaina Fire. Campuses have expanded their mental health resources, but some people say the response has been inadequate. Civil Beat.

Lahaina Disaster Recovery Center hours to change Tuesday. The Lahaina Disaster Recovery Center will have shorter hours next year, starting Tuesday, Jan. 2, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Star-Advertiser.

Survivor shares video of his dramatic Lahaina escape in bid to share a powerful message. Nearly five months after the Maui wildfires killed at least 100 people, a Lahaina man is sharing dramatic videos of his escape. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

County seeks approval for ‘Waimea 400’ affordable housing. As the County of Kaua‘i Housing Agency works to obtain land use and environmental approvals for a new affordable housing development on the island’s westside, the agency is asking members of the public to weigh in on plans for the future project. Garden Island.

Home sales hold steady, price eases. A weary housing market showed a spark of life in the penultimate month of 2023, as sales of single-family homes were on par with the same period a year earlier on the island of Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Airlines sale to Alaska Airlines will impact Hawaii travelers, state Democratic Party names interim chairman, Japanese tourists staying away, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian and Alaska airlines to merge. Hawaiian Airlines, a kamaaina company that has served the islands for 94 years, has agreed to be bought by Alaska Airlines in a $1.9 billion deal that has raised questions and concerns for customers, workers and local leaders. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Associated Press.  Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4.

Airline analysts, experts tout deal between Alaska, Hawaiian. Hawaiian Airlines’ pending $1.9 billion sale to Alaska Airlines was praised by industry analysts and experts as a positive development that is expected to receive clearance by the U.S. Department of Justice and benefit the flying public. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii governor’s emergency housing panel resumes work. An emergency working group established in July by Gov. Josh Green to speed delivery of affordable housing in Hawaii has gotten back to work after initial setbacks that included legal challenges and the resignation of its leader. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii conference tackles North Korean human rights situation, amid Kim Jong Un’s ongoing threats. On Monday, Dec. 4, the diplomatic community is hosting a North Korean Human Rights Hawaii Conference at the Hawaii Convention Center focused on the situation in North Korea, which human rights advocates say is dire and often ignored in global conversations. Hawaii News Now.

Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Elects Interim Party Chair. The State Central Committee, the governing body for the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, voted in Adrian Tam as their new interim Party Chair at a special meeting that was held on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. Maui Now.

Japanese Travelers Are Steering Clear Of Hawaii. Once Hawaii's top international tourist market, Japanese visitors are staying away from the islands amid inflated prices and a weak yen. Civil Beat.

Condo Task Force Facing Deadline May Punt To State Auditor Instead. A condominium task force established to identify issues related to condo associations and the systems in place to resolve disputes with unit owners is supposed to submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations by the end of this month.  Civil Beat.

New Lawsuit Against Former Hawaii Defense Contractor Alleges Charity Fraud. Martin Kao, who's pleaded guilty to numerous criminal charges already, faces a barrage of lawsuits seeking to recoup money he's alleged to have stolen or misspent. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Charter Schools Say Test Scores Don’t Tell The Whole Story. While charter schools fall below the state average in reading and math proficiency, leaders and advocates look to alternate ways of measuring success. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council anti-bribery bill fades in committee. Bill 36, in its original form, had one purpose: to end corruption within the troubled city Department of Planning and Permitting. Star-Advertiser.

Navy ‘safely’ recovers military spy plane stuck in Kaneohe Bay for almost 2 weeks. Navy confirms P-8A plane successfully removed from Kaneohe Bay. U.S. Navy officials confirmed Sunday that a team of military and civilian experts has successfully raised the P-8A Poseidon airplane from Kaneohe Bay and back onto the Marine Corps Base Hawaii runway. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Waipahu High School Opens New Academy Learning Center. The $29 million center aims to promote collaboration among students on different career pathways. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Bill targets flavored vapes: Measure aims to reduce use among teens. A bill to be discussed at this week’s County Council Policy Committee on Health, Safety and Well-Being would prohibit retailers from selling, marketing or advertising any tobacco or nicotine product that tastes or smells like anything other than tobacco. Tribune-Herald.

Contractor breaks ground on Hilo High’s new football field, track. Construction work on a new football field and track at Hilo High School — a project that has long languished on the drawing board — is underway. Tribune-Herald.

Funds allocated for ‘overall replacement’ of Laupahoehoe ramp. The deteriorating boat ramp has been sorely in need of restoration for years, because the pounding surf has worn away much of its concrete and exposed rebar, which could damage any boat launching from the site. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Is Still Searching For Someone To Lead Its Emergency Management Agency. With the expiration of interim administrator Darryl Oliveira's three-month contract, a selection committee is considering 15 candidates. Civil Beat.

Maui councilmembers float idea of forming a commission for tourism management. The Maui County Council is moving Bill 138 to create the commission, focusing on reducing the negative impacts of tourism while maximizing its benefits. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui Relief TANF Program outreach for noncitizens to be held Dec. 10. An outreach event to reach noncitizen families with dependent children, who could be eligible for Maui Relief TANF Program benefits, will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 10, in Lahaina. Maui Now.

DHHL awards 25 pastoral lots in Kahikinui, Maui. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands awarded 25 pastoral lots Saturday as part of the department’s Kuleana Program.  Maui Now.

Unexploded ordnance forces road closures, evacuations. Some classes were relocated to another portion of the Lihikai School campus and lunch and recess were held indoors at the school as police handled a report of an old unexploded ordnance at a nearby residence in Kahului, school and police officials said Friday afternoon. Maui News.

Kauai

Kaua‘i DMV announces new requirement to schedule Type 3 Road Tests. Customers under age 18 must now complete their required driver’s education courses prior to scheduling a road test. Kauai Now.