Native Hawaiians eye funding cuts, Blangiardi seeks safer Oahu in State of City speech, Maui teacher fired for opposing transgender rules, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Senate committees slashes DHHL’s $600M request to $50M. A drastic cut to the money could come to Department of Hawaiian Homelands as it aims to clear its decades-long waitlist. Two Senate committees moved a proposed bill forward Tuesday, but took a big cut to the DHHL’s $600 million request. Hawaii News Now.

Native Hawaiian services at risk due to federal funding cuts. From Hawaiian immersion programs to affordable housing and food banks across the islands, critical programs are in jeopardy of being eliminated. KITV4.

High Court Rules Against Insurers. Now It’s Time To Divvy Up $4B. Among the questions: how much will Maui wildfire victims and their lawyers get from the huge settlement, and how will Hawaiʻi’s insurance market react? Civil Beat.

Family caregivers could get up to $5,000 in tax credits for out-of-pocket costs. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed a bill that would allow caregivers to claim a tax credit for out-of-pocket costs for supplies. Hawaii Public Radio.

Proposed AI facility at UH approved by panels. A joint hearing of the Senate Higher Education and Labor and Technology committees passed the latest version of House Bill 546 to establish an “aloha intelligence institute” at UH that would “develop, support, and advance artificial intelligence initiatives statewide,” according to the bill. Star-Advertiser.

Federal support secured for UH, restoration of 442nd web page. Gov. Josh Green announced Monday that discussions with White House officials have helped secure continued federal funding for the University of Hawaii amid an ongoing civil rights investigation, while also advocating for the restoration of an Army web page honoring the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

State considers costly solution to fight coconut rhinoceros beetles. The state has tried to stop the spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle since its first detection in 2013. So far it’s been a losing battle, but agriculture officials now say a virus in New Zealand may be the answer. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii sees continued growth in solar installations and capacity. Rooftop solar installations across Hawaiian Electric’s service areas continued to expand in 2024, with 7,976 new systems added, bringing the total to 113,999. This marks a 7.5% increase from the previous year. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Blangiardi Outlines Plans For Safer Oʻahu In State Of The City Speech. A North Shore first responders hub, a Windward ocean safety facility and a Waipahu base for the city’s homelessness response team are part of a raft of public safety investments that Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi is planning for the coming year. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. KITV4.

Measure to ban landfills over aquifers is now fielding concerns about recycled ash. In December, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration announced plans to site Oʻahu’s new landfill in Wahiawā, prompting several measures to be introduced at the Legislature this year to clarify where landfills and waste facilities can, and can't, be placed. Hawaii Public Radio.

To Sell More Housing in West Oʻahu, This Developer Plans To Raise Prices. In Kalaeloa, affordable housing units aren’t a lot cheaper than market-rate units. So the developer plans to raise the price of market-rate units. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Committee Punts Approval Of Police MOUs With Feds To Full Council. By a razor-thin margin, a Hawaiʻi County Council committee on Tuesday voted to leave it up to the full council whether to allow the mayor to sign agreements between the Big Island’s police department and federal law enforcement agencies after its top cop insisted he had no interest in enforcing immigration law. Civil Beat.

New preschool for 80 children to be built near ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. The preschool will offer a variety of benefits such as affordable child care for UH Hilo students, workforce development for new teachers, and meeting the demand for more early childhood education taught in the Hawaiian language. Tribune-Herald.

Hawai‘i Community College butchery course graduates inaugural class. A new butchery course at Hawai‘i Community College graduated its inaugural class of six at the Kō Center in Honoka‘a. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui police chief’s lawyer asks commission not to investigate allegations; county says fair probe needed for public trust. Pelletier has been accused in a civil lawsuit of being involved in the conspiracy of a gang rape orchestrated by rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs in California in 2018. At the time Pelletier was working for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.  Maui Now.

Maui teacher says she was fired for speaking out against anti-trans policy. A teacher on Maui said she was fired for not accepting a new school policy that she said discriminates against transgender students. Vashti Daise has been a teacher for 35 years. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Waena Intermediate School’s Principal McCandless named Principal of the Year. Maui Waena Intermediate School Principal Jacquelyn McCandless has been named a winner of the state’s 2025 National Distinguished Principals of the Year by the Hawai’i Association of Secondary School Administrators. Maui News. Maui Now.

Kauai

KIUC looking at two new renewable energy projects. On Tuesday, the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative announced that it is proposing two new renewable energy projects that will bring Kauai close to 80 percent renewable energy by 2028. Garden Island.

Hands-on ocean awareness. The first paid lifeguard internship program hit the waters on Tuesday at the South end of Lydgate Beach Park. Garden Island.

130k Hawaii veterans face VA cuts, state may raise capital gains tax, UH Manoa one of 60 campuses warned about antisemitism, Maui police chief named in Sean “Diddy” Combs rape lawsuit, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Scale of cuts to the VA in the Pacific unclear. With significant proposed cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs by the administration of President Donald Trump, it’s not yet clear what that will mean for veterans in Hawaii and across the Pacific. Hawaii is home to an estimated 100,000 veterans on Oahu and 30,000 veterans on the neighbor islands. Star-Advertiser.

Tulsi Gabbard stops in Hawaii ahead of trip to Asia. Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, is heading to Asia on a trip that will include an appearance at a security conference in India next week. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi could raise its capital gains tax to 9%. Lawmakers are considering increasing the capital gains tax from about 7% to 9%. Capital gains are the profits earned on investments or through the sale of a property. Hawaii Public Radio.

Double-digit raises considered for state officials. The Commission on Salaries on Thursday will consider finalizing recommendations that would give the governor a series of pay raises totaling 27% until mid-2030, in addition to 44% overall pay increases for state legislators over the next five years. Star-Advertiser.

Why Does UH’s New President Need A $250,000 Adviser? Before University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel took office, she already had plans to bring on a new senior adviser from her last job in New York. That adviser, Kim Siegenthaler, started work last week, earning $250,000 a year. In January, the university’s Board of Regents had created the new position just for her, opting to forgo formal recruitment. Civil Beat.

Resolution for potential state highway patrol and speed cameras passes. A senate committee on March 10 passed a resolution aimed at making roads safer. It would ask the Hawaii Department of Transportation and Department of Law Enforcement to look at the possibility of a highway patrol and speed cameras along major freeways and highways. KHON2.

Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Are Pushing For Car-Free Fun Zones — But Not On Oʻahu. To reduce carbon emissions, encourage sustainable transportation and promote community health, counties could be required to pilot a “Summer Streets” program, closing select roads to traffic and repurposing them for pedestrians and bicyclists.  Civil Beat.

UHERO study: reveals ‘debilitating impact’ of construction defect litigation on housing access in Hawaiʻi. The Hawaiʻi HomeOwnership Center (HHOC) collaborated with key stakeholders to release a new, independently-commissioned report Monday examining the effects of construction defect litigation on Hawaiʻi’s housing market—first-time homebuyers, current homeowners, builders, and the overall housing industry. Maui Now.

Hawaiʻi Farmers Want Protections For Poi. The Legislature is now weighing how best to safeguard local farmers and the culturally important starch they produce by adding poi to an expanding list of foods and crops the state has stepped in to help in recent years, māmaki tea and Kona coffee among them.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii a good spot to see total lunar eclipse. A total lunar eclipse that will take place Thursday will be perfectly timed for Hawaii viewing. According to NASA data, a partial eclipse will begin at about 6:30 p.m. HST. It will reach totality at 8:26 p.m. and will last until 9:32 p.m. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

UH-Manoa among 60 colleges warned of antisemitism penalties by Trump officials. In January 2024 a group of Jewish students at UH filed a Title VI complaint with U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, claiming that words and acts of antisemitism had made the university’s Manoa campus an “unsafe and hostile environment” for them. New York Times. KITV4.

City’s proposed $5.14B budget under Honolulu Council review. The city’s new plan — which proposes a $3.93 billion operating budget and a $1.21 billion capital improvement program that, if adopted, begins July 1 — will cover its costs without raising real property taxes, according to officials. Star-Advertiser.

Pilot program in Kalihi helps residents cross the street safely. The city’s Department of Transportation Services recently installed a solar-powered rapid-flashing beacon on North School Street at Ahonui Street in Kalihi as part of a pilot improvement project to help pedestrians safely cross the street. Spectrum News.

Work begins to improve street lighting at McCully and Kapiolani Boulevard. Work to improve street lighting and enhance pedestrian safety begins Monday, March 10, on the mauka/ewa corner of McCully Street and Kapiolani Boulevard next to the McCully Shopping Center.  Spectrum News.

Waianae veterans garden plants seeds to reduce homelessness. On any given night there are more than 100 people finding shelter with U.S. VETS Waianae and roughly 10% of those people are veterans. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

2 unions finalize COVID hazard pay agreements with Hawaiʻi County. The County of Hawaiʻi has reached an agreement for COVID-19 hazard pay with the Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association and Hawaiʻi Fire Fighters Association. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi County Seeks Input On Homelessness, Housing Strategies. The County of Hawaiʻi is updating its Strategic Roadmap for Homelessness and Housing, and inviting residents to participate. Big Island Video News.

State Rep. Sue Lee Loy trying to finish what Nakashima started: bill to revitalize Hilo’s Waiākea Peninsula. The late Big Island state Rep. Mark Nakashima spent 15 years trying to pass legislation to revitalize the Waiākea Peninsula that features the once-thriving Banyan Drive in downtown Hilo. Big Island Now.

Crews survey Kona airport after finding 3 coconut rhinoceros beetles. It's the first time they have been detected on Hawaiʻi Island in about five months.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui Police Chief Pelletier named as co-conspirator in Diddy rape case lawsuit; mayor calls for leave, investigation. Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen is asking the Police Commission to place Maui Police Department Chief John Pelletier on leave after the chief was named in a lawsuit alleging he posed as a sheriff to a woman who reported being raped by Sean “Diddy” Combs and took two people at gunpoint from Las Vegas to the California home where they witnessed the rape of the woman in 2018. Maui Now. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.  KITV4.

Council takes action on Maui County Fair, public tax notices, traffic safety and more. A bill to appropriate $1.5 million to the nonprofit Festivals of Aloha for the 2025 Maui County Fair gained final approval Friday from the Maui County Council and advances to the desk of Mayor Richard Bissen. Maui Now.

Lahaina fire survivors await electrical infrastructure as HECO hits delays. As more homes are rebuilt in Lahaina, a new challenge is leaving residents powerless.That is because Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) is facing its own challenge. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Volunteers clean site more than 60 years after a missile’s crash landing. About 800 feet above sea level, two dozen volunteers embarked on a nearly 24-mile trek about to the top of Niu Valley Ridge by all-terrain vehicle to clear debris left behind from an inert testing missile that crashed more than 60 years ago. Kauai Now.

Kauai’s Corey Nakamura honored. Corey Nakamura, the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School principal, was honored on Saturday as one of the Department of Education’s Top 15 principals by the Island Insurance Foundation in Honolulu. Garden Island.

Honolulu homeless increase almost 12%, pay to play regulation a tough sell, Zuckerberg settles wrongful death lawsuit, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The Number Of People Living On The Streets Of Oahu Has Nearly Doubled In The Last Decade. The Point in Time count — a federally mandated effort to identify the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January — located 4,494 homeless people on Oahu this year, a roughly 12% increase from 2023. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.  KITV4.

Hawaii Ethics Commission Grapples With Pay-To-Play Issues. The Hawaii State Ethics Commission is trying to figure out how to wrangle two groups of people who are proving particularly challenging: high-level state employees who are politically active and legislators who have outside jobs with companies that have government business.  The commission acknowledged that it's tough to oversee lawmakers who resist most accountability measures. Civil Beat.

2 bills aimed at preventing drownings in Hawaii become law. Gov. Josh Green signed Senate Bill 2841 to make every May 15 Water Safety Day for the state, and in tandem Wednesday signed a separate bill to raise money for water safety programs and efforts by authorizing the sale of special Hawaii license plates honoring legendary Hawaiian waterman Duke Kaha­na­moku. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Hawaii Wants Home Cooks To Play A Bigger Role In Growing The State’s Food System. New legislation awaiting the governor's signature would help businesses operate out of home kitchens. Civil Beat.
 
“Sentinel Landscape” Designation Around Hawaiʻi Military Installations Announced. U.S. Representative Ed Case (D, Hawaiʻi) announced a new partnership on Wednesday in support of a “Sentinel Landscape” designation for two million acres of land near military installations in Hawaiʻi.  Big Island Video News.

Green signs emergency proclamation, pledges National Guard support as kona low nears. The governor has signed an emergency proclamation and pledged an all-of-government response to a kona low system nearing the islands that forecasters warn could bring record rains, flash flooding and thunderstorms. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4.

Oahu

Honolulu planning panel considers next step on landfill alternative. The Honolulu Planning Commission continues to wrestle with the city’s request for an extension to find an alternate site for the 34-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei which is scheduled to close in 2028. Star-Advertiser.

Families on the Navy water system say there is new contamination in their tap water. They say samples they sent to labs have come back with traces of forever chemicals known as PFAS. Hawaii Public Radio.

Elevated bacterial detected from sample taken at Kailua wastewater treatment plant. The city says this week’s downpours likely caused elevated bacteria in treated wastewater discharged about 5,000 feet from shore. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Council bill authorizes County to limit bike tours from select public roads. What began as an effort to reduce bike traffic on specific West Hawaii roads has become a proposed series of regulations upon bike tour operators throughout the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

County grants lease extension of Kanoelehua Industrial Area property. After years of bureaucratic wrangling, a Hilo lessee of state land has finally secured a 30-year lease extension for property in the Kanoelehua Industrial Area. Tribune-Herald.

County puts up $200K to mitigate invasive insect. Hawaii County will invest in additional biosecurity measures at a West Hawaii waste facility to prevent the spread of a devastating invasive beetle. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Police Chief Gets Glowing Job Review From Commission. Chief John Pelletier is credited with implementing a five-year strategic plan, something the department lacked when he joined the force in 2021. Civil Beat.

Maui Planning Commission weighs in on Ledcor South Maui’s draft EIS. Maui Planning Commission members finished hearing public comments and then added their own Tuesday to a draft environmental impact statement for Ledcor South Maui’s plans to build as many as 975 homes. Maui Now.

Health declines seen in survivors of Maui wildfires, UH study finds. Nearly half of those affected by the Maui wildfires in August suffered a decline in health, according to a study that aims to track the well-being and social conditions of those exposed to the disaster. Star-Advertiser.

Construction to begin at Lahaina housing site. Heavy construction is set to begin at the Kilohana temporary housing site in Lahaina later this week and will last approximately six months, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Project aims to restore landscape, mitigate deer damage and reduce erosion above Kihei. A collaboration aiming to protect against erosion, reduce flood risk, mitigate axis deer damage, and improve water quality is being implemented in an 11-acre area mauka of Kihei as part of The Hapapa Watershed Axis Deer Damage Mitigation Project, according to the Maui Soil & Water Conservation District. Maui News.

Kauai

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg settles wrongful death case in Hawaii. In the wrongful death lawsuit in Hawaii involving Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the attorneys for both Zuckerberg and the plaintiff, the family of Rodney Medeiros, who worked part-time as a security guard at Zuckerberg’s ranch on Kauai’s North Shore, agreed to dismiss the case. KITV4.

UH farmer training program holding open house on Kauaʻi. A University of Hawai’i beginner farmer training program is hosting an open house at its Kauaʻi site on June 1 and is encouraging interested participants to register. Kauai Now.

Hawaii braces for COVID surge, new fire chief for Honolulu, police chief for Maui, the Aussies are back, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lt. Gov. Josh Green administers coronavirus vacine Dec. 29, 2020 PC:Lt. Gov. Office

Hawaii COVID-19 cases are on the rise, local health experts urge vaccinations. With the omicron variant already circulating in Hawaii, another COVID-19 surge is expected, health officials warn, just as holiday gatherings get into full swing. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii Health Department marks 1-year anniversary of first COVID-19 vaccine shot. The first COVID-19 vaccine in the state was administered to Dr. Lester Morehead at Queen’s Medical Center on this day a year ago, signifying a turning point in the state’s battle against the coronavirus. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

House Panel Wants Answers On Rail Audit Contracts. As the House Investigative Committee examining two audits by the Hawaii Office of the Auditor nears the end of its work, it is seeking more information on several contracts related to the Honolulu rail project. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i Airports Set to Receive Nearly $50 Million to Improve Infrastructure, Safety. US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced the new federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Maui Now.

Hawaii Innocence Project Receives $570,000 Grant From DOJ. The Hawaii Innocence Project at the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law has been awarded a substantial grant from the Department of Justice to fund DNA testing. Civil Beat.

Dentists Could Soon Find It Easier To Move To Hawaii Under Proposed Bill. Its sponsor says the state House measure would align Hawaii’s dental licensing law with those of 46 other states. Civil Beat.

Interim fix for USS Arizona Memorial dock pursued as $5.8 million contract for long-term replacement is awarded. The National Park Service is hoping the latest repair to a chronically-failing shoreside dock at the USS Arizona Memorial visitor center will take fewer than the 17 days it took for a fix in September. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Airlines welcomes back first Australian travelers. A nearly full plane flew into Honolulu from Sydney on Wednesday to start the recovery of service from Australia to Hawaii after the route was suspended in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Hawaii records 5 new coronavirus-related deaths, 282 additional infections. The new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 230 new cases on Oahu, five on Hawaii Island, 28 on Maui, 13 on Kauai, two on Molokai and four Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Sheldon ‘Kalani’ Hao selected as new Honolulu Fire Department chief. Sheldon “Kalani” Hao, the Hono­lulu Fire Department’s acting deputy fire chief, has been selected to become the department’s new fire chief. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

City Finalizing Deal With Consultant To Help Select The Next Honolulu Police Chief. PSI Services LLC has been awarded a $145,777.50 contract to the relief of police commissioners who believed the process was taking too long. Civil Beat.

Defense bill directs military to offer alternatives to Red Hill. The latest iteration of Congress’ annual defense bill includes a provision that directs the military to conduct an assessment of alternatives to its Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, including consideration of locations outside of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Public hearing set for order requiring Navy to drain tanks at Red Hill. A public hearing is set for Monday, in which the Navy is expected to contest the Hawaii Department of Health’s emergency order instructing it to drain the fuel from its 20 underground Red Hill fuel tanks. Star-Advertiser.

Lawsuit Alleges Inmate Was Killed For ‘Being A Snitch’ In The Miske Case. Suit claims James Borling-Salas gave Honolulu police information about the alleged murder-for-hire of Jonathan Fraser. Civil Beat.

A New Program To Help Homeless People On Oahu Is Off To A Slow Start. The CORE program has hired 15 people since starting operations in mid-October and has had to scale back plans to rely mostly on community health workers. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Richards to seek state Senate seat. Kohala Councilman Tim Richards is planning to forego a final term on the County Council to run for the District 4 Senate seat vacated when the state Reapportionment Commission redrew the boundary lines on the Big Island. West Hawaii Today.

$10M boost for Big Isle airports. Big Island airports will receive $10 million in federal funds for infrastructure improvements as part of a $246 million funding package for the state. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

New Maui Police Chief Officially On Board. New Maui Police Chief, John Pelletier was sworn in during a blessing and badge pinning ceremony held this morning at the Wailuku Police Station. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Federal report details fatal 2019 Kauaʻi helicopter crash, unusual weather pattern. The National Transportation Safety Board released an investigation report Wednesday on a fatal Kauaʻi tour helicopter crash that killed seven people in 2019. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Kaua‘i County Council voice concerns for drug use in public spaces. The Kaua‘i County Council, with support of county administration, has passed a resolution acknowledging the increase of opioid drugs, including fentanyl, on Kaua‘i, and encouraged heightened enforcement within drug-free zones. Garden Island.