University of Hawaii continues mask mandate, tensions rise in Congressional District 2 race, Honolulu short 3k workers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii-Hilo ©2022 All Hawaii News

University Of Hawaii To Maintain Indoor Mask Mandate For Now. The university said officials will revisit the decision in mid-September after consulting with the state Department of Health on Covid guidelines. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

University of Hawaii workforce training, tuition subsidy aided by $16 million grant. The University of Hawaii Community Colleges are working toward a sustainable workforce training system by establishing the Resilient Hawaii: Good Jobs Challenge initiative to train participants to obtain work certifications nearly free of cost. Star-Advertiser.

Cayetano Continues To Pump Money Into Her Campaign As Her Fundraising Falls Short. Honolulu businesswoman Vicky Cayetano continued to pump hundreds of thousands of dollars of her own money into her campaign for governor last month, and has now loaned her campaign a total of $2.235 million in an effort to keep up with the well-funded apparent frontrunner in the race for Hawaii governor, Lt. Gov. Josh Green. Civil Beat.

Hawaii congressional candidates Jill Tokuda and Patrick Branco clash in forum. Hawaii’s two top candidates seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele in Congress accused each other Wednesday of spreading falsehoods in their competitive effort to get elected. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

AOC Campaign Sets Up PAC In Hawaii. The New York congresswoman is backing Congressman Kai Kahele for Hawaii governor. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign registered a noncandidate committee in Hawaii Wednesday afternoon. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Department of Health’s COVID-19 wastewater monitoring program hit by delays. The Hawaii Department of Health’s long-awaited COVID-19 wastewater monitoring program is still a work in progress nearly halfway through the summer as the department deals with staffing challenges. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Department of Health reports 3,689 new infections, 21 coronavirus-related deaths. The state’s average positivity rate, meanwhile, declined to 13.8% compared to 15.7% reported the previous week, representing tests performed between July 16 to Aug. 1. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu Is Short 3,000 Workers. That’s Because It Takes 6 Months To Hire Anybody. The city’s long-time failure to establish a system for tracking and measuring hiring performance is at the core of its problems, a consultant found. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu sees ambulance closures as struggles mount to staff emergency services. EMS couldn't staff 21 ambulance shifts over the weekend, as it struggles to recruit and retain personnel. Four ambulances were closed on both Friday and Saturday morning. KITV4. Hawaii News Now.

Ballot processing begins amid heightened oversight. The first full day of mail-in ballot processing began Wednesday at the state Capitol for the first 79,000 Oahu ballots mailed in amid heightened security and scrutiny. Star-Advertiser.

Blangiardi: Concrete Cracking Could Push Honolulu Rail’s Opening To Next Year. Consultants and structural engineers are still assessing just how serious the cracking is in the piers that support several West Oahu stations. Civil Beat.

Amid concerning increase in pedestrian fatalities, city ramps up traffic safety efforts. Honolulu police, city transportation officials and the mayor waved signs at a busy Kalihi intersection to mark Pedestrian Safety Month in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

In wake of recent monk seal attack, state steps up efforts to protect the endangered species. The DLNR announced Wednesday it will be enforcing a 50-yard cordon around Hawaiian monk seal Rocky and her pup at Kaimana Beach. Hawaii News Now. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Hawaii Island

Board OKs teaching telescope. The University of Hawaii’s Maunakea Management Board has approved plans for the installation of a new educational telescope at Halepohaku. Tribune-Herald.

‘A shining example’: Miloli‘i becomes state’s second official Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area. The Miloli‘i CBSFA will protect and conserve fish populations and their habitats, by combining traditional Hawaiian fishing practices with modern approaches to conservation, according to state officials. West Hawaii Today.

House lots eyed for Honokaa: Zoning approval sought for two new subdivisions with parcels for 40 homes. Developers are seeking permits for a new affordable housing development in Honokaa scheduled to open in 2027. Tribune-Herald.

Friendly Place lease renewed: Council approves homeless shelter lease after receiving more information. After being provided the data they requested, County Council members Wednesday were feeling a little more friendly toward the Friendly Place homeless shelter and approved extending its $10-a-year no-bid lease for up to four more years. West Hawaii Today. Big Island Now.

County Council District 6: Four farmers, ranchers vie to represent sprawling rural district. With Chairwoman Maile David term-limited, the nonpartisan County Council District 6 seat is up for grabs, and four candidates have set their sights on filling it. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County Council committee votes to reject lawsuit from Don Guzman. After testifiers recounted traumatic stories, a Maui County Council committee on Tuesday voted against taking action on a lawsuit by the county’s former prosecuting attorney who was fired over workplace violence.  Maui Now.

Maui County receives high bond ratings. Fitch Global Ratings, Moody’s Investor Service and S&P Global Ratings have assigned ratings of AA+ (stable outlook), Aa1 (stable outlook), and AA+ (stable outlook), respectively to Maui County’s General Obligation Bonds, Series 2022, Mayor Michael Victorino announced Tuesday. Maui News.

Maui Memorial doctors in ER are upset over alleged mismanagement. A group of emergency room doctors at Maui Memorial Medical Center are seeking to oust a California-based firm that took over management of the emergency department in 2018, laying out a long list of allegations against the company, Emergent Medical Associates, in a letter to the board of directors that oversees the hospital. Star-Advertiser.

Maui airport officials seek heat relief for long security lines. For the past month-and-a-half, long lines of travelers have snaked out of Kahului Airport’s security checkpoint, enduring hours-long waits in the hot midday sun. The cause: bigger planes, a busier flight schedule and too few security lanes. Star-Advertiser.

The Community Is Mobilizing Again To Buy Molokai Ranch. Will It Work? On development-weary Molokai, where boarded-up resorts, restaurants and theaters recall a foreign investor’s abandoned crusade to remodel a moribund pineapple plantation town into a lucrative tourist destination, a decades-old quest to overthrow corporate interests that control a third of the island is gaining new momentum. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Affordable housing voted down. Voters will not have the chance to decide on an affordable housing measure this fall, after the Kauaʻi County Council voted against putting it on the ballot on Wednesday. Resolution 2022-22 would have amended the County Charter to designate at least 2% of real property tax revenues each year to an affordable housing fund. Garden Island.

KCC looks to get head start returning to school. The first day of the fall semester at the Kaua‘i Community College is Aug. 22, and Hanana Kainoa Kula wanted to give students entering the college a head start, as well as a final push to get students who are still sitting on the fence. Garden Island.

Public schools, polling places open today, mudslinging defines political races, Honolulu parks advise bring your own toilet paper, battle continues over tourism contract, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Testing elections counting machines in Hawaii ©2022 All Hawaii News

Voter service centers prepare to welcome those who want to cast their ballot in person. Most voters will opt to use mail-in ballots for the primary election, but in-person voting will also be available starting Monday. On Saturday morning, state election officials tested the vote counting system that will be used at each service center. Hawaii News Now.

New era of negative campaigning begins in Hawaii. The window for last-minute negative attack campaigns has opened wider with mail-in ballots arriving weeks before the Aug. 13 primary and Nov. 8 general elections, an update to the old political tactic of making allegations just before election day.  Star-Advertiser.

Jewish leaders condemn Kahele campaign’s use of ‘Mr. Men’ meme, saying it resembles Hitler. An already heated Democratic gubernatorial primary now includes an allegation of hate speech. Members of the local Jewish community say Congressman Kai Kahele’s campaign should apologize for using a caricature they said resembles Adolf Hitler. Hawaii News Now.

All 3 Top Candidates For Hawaii Governor Have Lucrative Side Jobs. Lt. Gov. Josh Green has a business through which he contracts his services as an emergency room physician. U.S. Rep Kai Kahele receives income for his work as a Hawaiian Airlines pilot and the Hawaii National Guard and receives an income from real estate properties he owns in Tennessee. Businesswoman Vicky Cayetano started United Laundry Service and still maintains an ownership interest in the business’ parent company. Civil Beat.

By Land And Space: How GOP Candidates For Governor Plan To Diversify Hawaii’s Economy. Duke Aiona eyes opportunities in the space industry, while Gary Cordery and Heidi Tsuneyoshi want more funding for farmers. Civil Beat.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs 2022 election: Here's what to expect. Six of the nine seats on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees are up for election this year. This includes three at-large seats and one seat each for Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Tourism Authority predetermined procurement for U.S. tourism award, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau says. The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau is alleging that the Hawaii Tourism Authority violated state procurement law by running an unfair process that predetermined that re-solicitation for its largest piece of business, the U.S. brand management and global support services contract, should go to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. Star-Advertiser.

Cruise ship COVID reporting program ending. The recent discontinuation of a program by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that tracked COVID-19 cases aboard cruise ships and reported findings to the public has no effect on how state agencies deal with the virus on cruise ships. Tribune-Herald.

What to know about masking, other pandemic procedures in Hawaii public schools. Masking is now optional indoors and outdoors in Hawaii public schools, so for the first time in a year, whether a student should wear a mask on campus will be left for each family to decide. However, state schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi says that in keeping with state Health Department guidance, masks are still “highly encouraged,” especially while community levels of COVID-19 are high now across most of the state. Star-Advertiser.

Teachers union pushing for better air ventilation to help prevent spread of COVID. With masks optional for Hawaii public and charter schools starting fall semester, ventilation will play a key role in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in classrooms. Tribune-Herald.

Kalima case lawyers calculate damages for Native Hawaiians in $328M settlement with the state. Damages are being calculated for more than 2,700 Native Hawaiians in the Kalima case — a class-action lawsuit filed by Native Hawaiians waiting for homestead land. Now, lawyers for the claimants are working to ensure the $328 million settlement approved by the state gets to those who deserve it. Hawaii Public Radio.

New law restores $1M for immigrant resource centers in Hawaiʻi. A bill introduced by the Filipino Caucus and signed into law earlier this month by Gov. David Ige allocated $1 million to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Office of Community Services to restore the centers. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii gas prices stay stubbornly high amid major national decline. Nationally, the decrease was 61 cents as of Friday compared with a month earlier, and eight states led by Ohio had drops of 70 cents to 82 cents. Hawaii’s decline was 11 cents, while the next smallest decrease was 30 cents for Idaho. Star-Advertiser.

New York firm gets PUC’s OK to buy Hawaii Gas. The state’s only franchised gas utility and largest propane distributor has a new owner after a New York-based infrastructure fund manager received approval from the state Public Utilities Commission. Star-Advertiser.

Latin America takes on growing RIMPAC role. At this year’s Rim of the Pacific Exercise, Latin America’s interests in the Pacific have taken on new significance. For the first time in the history of the biennial exercise, every country on South America’s Pacific Coast has sent serv­ice members to participate. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Bring Your Own Toilet Paper. Honolulu Parks Are Experiencing A Shortage. Honolulu officials warned they may have to close some public bathrooms in city parks due to a shortage in industrial toilet paper rolls. The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation called on park-goers to bring their own toilet paper until the problem can be solved. Civil Beat.

Wealthy beachfront homeowners turn to the courts to avoid Hawaii environmental laws. When heavy surf threatened their home in Mokuleia in the winter of 2006-07, Elizabeth and Mike Dailey ignored state environmental laws and stacked large boulders along the beach, creating a formidable seawall. The Daileys’ case is among the state’s longest running seawall enforcement cases and highlights how wealthy beachfront property owners have been able to evade state laws aimed at protecting public beaches. Star-Advertiser.

Battle For Central Oahu Senate Seat Pits Incumbent Against Well-Known City Councilman. Rivals Brandon Elefante and Sen. Bennette Misalucha agree major concerns facing District 16 are public safety, housing and homelessness. Civil Beat.

Waianae House Race Highlights The Democratic Party’s Power In Hawaii. Former Rep. Jo Jordan and Rep. Cedric Gates are facing off against each other for the fifth election in a row, vying to represent Waianae, Makaha and Makua in West Oahu. Their rivalry has a history. Civil Beat.

Efforts underway to get a more accurate count of feral cats, reduce concentrated populations. Just about all of us have seen feral cats on Oahu and on the neighbor islands, but exactly how many of them are there? There have been estimates, but those estimates are likely to be wrong. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Bill would add EV stations: Councilwoman says lack of charging options an obstacle to EV ownership. Big Island property developers may be required to add electric vehicle charging stations to their parking lots under a bill to be introduced Tuesday to the Hawaii County Council. Tribune-Herald.

Senate District 4: Democrat Tim Richards and Republican Nicholas Tancheff will square off in the general election. There are two candidates on the ballot for the vacant District 4 state Senate seat, but they’re not running against each other. At least, not yet. West Hawaii Today.

House District 6: 3 Democrats, one Republican, line up for newly created House district. There’s a new House district in town, and four candidates have lined up to compete for it. Running for the seat are Democratic candidates Ilya Barannikov, Kirstin Kahaloa and Lono Mack. The winner of the Aug. 13 primary will square off with Republican candidate Jonathan Kennealy in the general election. West Hawaii Today.

‘An unfortunate event’. An estimated 4,500 internet and 16,000 voice customers in West Hawaii were affected on Tuesday when a Hawaiian Telcom fiber-optic cable was severed in Waikoloa. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Three Maui County mayor candidates see tourism management as a platform priority. Three candidates for Maui County mayor unveiled Saturday what they would do to manage tourism during a time when the islands have reopened to near-record numbers of visitors. Maui Now.

Primary to whittle down packed field for Kahului seat on council. In the second-most crowded race of the Maui County primary election, seven individuals compete for the Kahului residency seat: Cara Flores, incumbent Council Member Tasha Kama, Carol Lee Kamekona, Buddy James Nobriga, Tina Pedro, Jason “Jack” Schwartz and Keoni Watanabe. Maui News.

Should Maui County Take Over Water Long Controlled By Private Companies? Voters will have a say in whether the county should create new water authorities charged with managing the island’s most precious natural resource. Civil Beat.

Committee to consider updated zoning map. A bill to adopt amendments to the Maui Digital Zoning Map for 13 parcels will be considered by the Planning and Sustainable Land Use Committee at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Maui News.

County sees 41% increase in stolen cars this year. Some residents raise concerns over burned cars off Piihana Road. Maui News.

Rehab of Kahoolawe continues. The effort to return Kaho'olawe to its nature state continues. There's been nearly 20 years of renovation, since the military finished cleaning up munition on the island from when it was a firing range. KITV4.

Kauai

Kaua‘i visitors are spending more than they were pre-pandemic. Kaua‘i has been outpacing the state in terms of tourism recovery. Hawai‘i as a whole was only at 89% of its June 2019 visitor level, with a total of 842,927 visitors in June 2022. Garden Island.

Only bon dance on the island draws huge crowd. The pau-hana time came, the rain clouds that welcomed Friday parted, and the people came to Puhi to enjoy the bon odori experience of food, games and, of course, the bon odori. Garden Island.

DHHL official anticipates up to 6k Hawaiian homesteads with new money, COVID deaths rise, Green attacked by opponents, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian homestead ©2022 All Hawaii News

DHHL official: New funding could result in up to 6K homesteads. Between 3,000 and 6,000 new homestead lots could be developed with $600 million allocated to the Department of Hawaii Home Lands this year. Tribune-Herald.

Public weighs in on government reform in Hawaii. A 5-month-old commission aiming to improve conduct standards for Hawaii government officials finished an initial set of public meetings Wednesday as it moves closer to producing a much-anticipated report by the end of this year. Star-Advertiser.

Ethics Reform: Leading Democrats Endorse Term Limits For State Lawmakers. Josh Green and Vicky Cayetano both want to limit members of the state House to four terms, and members of the Senate to two terms. Both Vicky Cayetano and Lt. Gov. Josh Green say term limits for state lawmakers is the most urgently needed government reform proposal in Hawaii, but admit it won’t be easy to put term limits into place. Civil Beat.

Cayetano and Kahele team up to question Green’s finances. In a rare joint news conference, Vicky Cayetano and Congressman Kai Kahele questioned Lt. Governor Green’s earnings from his LLC’s. KHON2.

Hawaii congressional candidate accused of using ‘shameless’ tactic to woo dark money ads. A candidate for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District is being accused of using a new tactic to attract so-called “dark money” advertising by mainland Political Action Committees. It’s illegal for candidates to directly collaborate with independent PACs, but experts and his opponent say Patrick Branco is openly soliciting for mainland advertising and dictating what the ads should say. Hawaii News Now.

Rep. Ed Case facing primary challenge from progressive opponent. Sergio Alcubilla, who came to the U.S. from the Philippines as a child and later became a lawyer for the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, decided to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D-HI01) for the 1st District seat after Case expressed opposition to part of the Build Back Better bill supported by the Biden administration. KITV4.

Hawaii Schools Are Struggling To Get Seniors To Apply For College Financial Aid. Efforts to increase the number of high school students in Hawaii who apply for financial aid for college have been significantly hampered by the pandemic as schools and advocacy groups struggle to reach families virtually and some students feel mounting pressure to get a job after graduation. Civil Beat.

Use of fake urine on the rise in Hawaii workplace drug testing. Positive tests for marijuana during workplace drug screenings have increased since Hawaii’s medical dispensaries began operating in 2017, and recent lab data indicates that more people are turning to fake urine to avoid detection of cannabis, as well as other drugs. Star-Advertiser.

Despite mounting hardships at hospitals, Hawaii nursing programs see a rise in interest. Despite years of COVID stresses and staffing shortages, student nursing programs in Hawaii are seeing a surprising trend ― a rise in interest. Hawaii News Now.

COVID-19 treatments available to prevent serious illness. Health officials are reminding the public that therapeutics are available to Hawaii residents as BA.5, a more transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19, gains a foothold in the state. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i reports 23 additional Covid deaths, over 4,000 new cases in past week. There are 2,719 coronavirus cases on O‘ahu, 542 on the Big Island, 176 on Kaua‘i, five on Lanai, 527 on Maui, 11 on Moloka‘i, and 95 diagnosed out of state. That compares to 4,329 cases and 13 additional deaths in the previous week. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Candidates For Honolulu’s District 6 Vow To Tackle Housing, Corruption And Crime. Community and family ties run deep for the seven candidates vying to represent downtown Honolulu and its surrounding urban areas. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi’s only coal-fired power plant receives final shipment of coal. Hawaiʻi’s only coal-fired power plant received its final shipment of coal on Wednesday. The AES Hawaiʻi power plant, the largest single source of electricity on Oʻahu, is set to end operations in September after three decades of use. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.

NIMBY worsening Hawaii’s housing crisis. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s office said they’re working on it, but it will also need the support of folks in wealthy communities. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Taxpayers could save tens of millions on replacement cesspool agreement. Hawaii County taxpayers are expected to save tens of millions of dollars on downsized plans for sewer treatment systems in Naalehu and Pahala. The consent agreement between the county and the EPA signed last week not only gives the county more time to get into compliance, but also allows it to consider four alternatives to the massive former projects. West Hawaii Today.

HVNP officials get feedback on planned improvements. Members of the public were mostly quiet during a public meeting Wednesday about plans to build new facilities and infrastructure, including a roundabout, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Tribune-Herald.

$15M NELHA project clears environmental hurdle. The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority is moving forward with an estimated $15 million project that will expand the campus’s research village and create a shoreline visitor education center. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

First-time candidate tops council races in donations. First-time political candidate Nohe U’u-Hodgins bested all primary election candidates for the Maui County Council in terms of fundraising, netting around $63,000 since she filed for office on May 13. Maui News.

Maui Emergency Management Agency urges residents to sign up for new alert system. The County of Maui’s mass notification system is transitioning to a new service provider, and is urging residents to sign up for the new system. Maui Now.

Kahului Airport sees some of its longest lines; Maui residents wonder if relief is in sight. In recent months, TSA lines for those without PreCheck are among the longest Kahului Airport has seen, and some residents are wondering if this is the new normal. Maui Now.

Kauai

More than half of Kaua‘i went without medical care, survey shows. More than half of Kaua‘i residents (51%) cut back on medical care or medicine this past year because they were short on money, according to the Access to Care survey released this week by the nonprofit Community First. Garden Island.

Hamada is interim Kaua‘i school leader. Tuesday, most of the state Department of Education educators returned to their classrooms in accordance with the DOE school calendar. Garden Island.

Woman escapes fine in monk seal encounter, big raises for veteran teachers, new charges in affordable housing credit scam, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

 

Swimmer attacked by monk seal won’t be fined. State officials Monday said they will not fine a woman whose close encounter with an endangered Hawaiian monk seal mother left her with injuries Sunday morning in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.  Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Feds ask judge to dismiss lawsuit questioning validity of dolphin swim ban. Federal officials have asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit contesting the validity of a rule banning swimming with Hawaiian spinner dolphins. West Hawaii Today.

High inflation is top issue for Hawaii voters. More than two-thirds of Hawaii voters have altered their household spending due to high inflation, and half want a state gas tax suspension, new Hawaii Poll results suggest. Star-Advertiser.

Majority of Hawaii voters think homelessness has increased. A majority of Hawaii voters participating in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Hawaii Poll indicate they have seen no improvement in homelessness in the islands, with 67% saying the problem has gotten worse over the past 12 months. Star-Advertiser.

Diversifying The Economy: Governor Contenders Would Boost Ag, Small Business. Vicky Cayetano wants a permanent 50% excise tax cut for small businesses, while Josh Green is proposing new government subsidies to support Hawaii agriculture. Civil Beat.

Top candidates for governor differ on specifics, but agree housing crisis must be addressed. The leading Democratic candidates for governor agree the housing crisis — with its low inventory and burdensome regulations — isn’t solvable overnight. But they do support some immediate measures and all support some form of a housing emergency declaration. Hawaii News Now.

Newcomers Are Leading In Campaign Donations For OHA Elections. Will It Matter? A prominent Thirty Meter Telescope supporter and attorney emerged as the leader in the field in campaign donations for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board of trustees race. But political observers say incumbents have the advantage of name recognition so traditionally have not needed to raise as much. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio.

Teacher salary change in Hawaii sparks ‘unretirements’. Salaries are being raised by $7,700 to $26,000 for those thousands of educators for whom salary “step movements” occasionally have been held back by the state in economically lean years.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

UH receives record $505M in extramural funding. The University of Hawaii has topped half a billion dollars in outside funding for the first time in its history, officials announced Thursday. The 10-campus system hit a record $505 million in fiscal year 2022, which ended June 30. Hawaii News Now.

Ige travels to Idaho to attend governors’ conference, lead roundtable discussion. Issues such as land use, rural healthcare, wildfire events, cyber security, transportation and droughts will be discussed at the event. Hawaii News Now.

Ige’s about-face on air tour bill creates challenges for industry. The measure, which became law as Act 311 upon Ige’s signature July 12, also establishes the Air, Noise and Safety Task Force. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Will Create A New Office Dealing With Trauma. The Office of Wellness and Resiliency will be temporarily housed in the governor’s office. A new state agency tasked with helping people who deal with childhood trauma and other mental health issues will soon be up and running. Civil Beat. Maui Now.

Hawaii Department of Health to begin taking vaccine appointments for those at high risk of catching monkeypox. The Hawaii Department of Health today announced monkeypox vaccination appointments will be available starting Wednesday for adult residents at higher risk of monkeypox infection or severe illness. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Oahu

Rail project satisfies audit recommendations. The current administration overseeing the city’s troubled rail project satisfactorily addressed nine recommendations made by the city auditor dating back to 2019 to control cost overruns, delays and other issues, according to a report released Monday. Star-Advertiser.

To help reduce backlog, Ala Moana Satellite City Hall to offer passport services. For the first time, passport applications can be processed at Ala Moana Satellite City Hall. It’s part of a pilot program to help reduce application backlog. The new service will begin in August and will only be available by appointment-only. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Housing case broadens: Two Hilo attorneys, Pahoa businessman charged. Federal court documents outlining charges against two Hilo attorneys and a Pahoa businessman claim the trio, and a county official who has already pleaded to wrongdoing, fraudulently obtained almost $11 million in land and affordable housing credits over a six-year-plus period — without building any affordable housing. Tribune-Herald. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Inaba seeks audit of housing credits at issue in federal probe. Amid a growing corruption scandal, North Kona Councilman Holeka Inaba believes the county’s use of affordable housing credits deserves a deeper look, and he’s sponsored a resolution asking the county auditor to do just that. West Hawaii Today.

Land board OK’s updates to Maunakea plan. A Hawaiian activist on Friday said she plans to seek a contested case hearing after the Board of Land and Natural Resources voted to approve updates to the University of Hawaii’s Maunakea management plan. Tribune-Herald.

NELHA Innovation Center, Visitor Center Posts Final EA. A new Innovation Center for NELHA, and Hale Wawaloli Visitor Center for the Hawaiʻi Ocean Science and Technology Park, are planned for the Kona shoreline. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Negotiations begin with new developer of Lānaʻi Solar project. Hawaiian Electric has selected a new developer, DG Development & Acquisition, LLC, to build and maintain Lānaʻi Solar, the largest utility-scale renewable energy project on Lāna‘i and the island’s first to offer the shared solar program. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

With ballot boxes set up, Kaua‘i voters can make their primary election decisions. With ballots mailed out Friday and drop boxes set up throughout the island Monday, Kaua‘i residents can now make election choices that will shape policy on the most-important issues of the day, from housing to COVID-19. Garden Island.

Input sought on Mahelona new master plan. Last Thursday, a crowd of approximately 50 people who live in the surrounding area attended a special meeting organized by state Rep. Nadine Nakamura at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital’s auditorium to discuss the new master plan for the 34-acre Mahelona campus. Garden Island.

Green strong in gubernatorial race, voters favor legal marijuana, split on legalizing gambling, mama monk seal attacks swimmer, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Approvals still high for Josh Green in Hawaii governor’s race. Registered Democratic voters continue to give Lt. Gov. Josh Green high approval ratings and overwhelmingly said they will vote for him in his run to become Hawaii’s next governor. Green would receive 55% of Democratic Primary votes if the election were held “today,” according to the results of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Hawaii Poll. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lieutenant governor’s race deadlocked. State House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke led the poll with 21%, followed by 19% for former mayoral candidate Keith Amemiya and 18% for former Honolulu City Council Chair Ikaika Anderson. Sherry Menor-McNamara, CEO and president of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, trailed with only 4%. Star-Advertiser.

Voters give Ige and Biden approval boost, Hawaii Poll shows. Ige received a 41% approval rating in January compared with 44% this month, according to the results of the latest Honolulu Star-Advertiser Hawaii Poll. Star-Advertiser.

Majority in Hawaii oppose people packing firearms in public, poll finds. Most Hawaii residents disagree with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that supports the right to carry a gun in public, while 25% say the state needs stricter firearm regulations, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s latest Hawaii Poll. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii voters support legalizing recreational cannabis, but split on legalizing gambling. A majority of Hawaii residents favor legalizing recreational cannabis to increase tax revenue for the state but are split about legalizing gambling for the same reason, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s latest Hawaii Poll. Star-Advertiser.

Affordable Housing: Top Democrats See ‘Emergency’ But Differ On How To Build Faster. Vicky Cayetano wants to work with the Legislature to declare a state of emergency in housing, while Josh Green wants to push ahead with 42,000 stalled units. Civil Beat.

Cost Of Living: Here’s How Top Democratic Candidates Say They Could Help. Lt. Gov. Josh Green wants to eliminate the state excise tax on food and medicine and impose a new fee on tourists to shift some of the state tax burden to visitors. Vicky Cayetano is ready to entertain the idea of capping rent increases as a way to provide relief to residents who are struggling with the sky-high cost of living. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Emergency SNAP benefits extended in Hawaii. Gov. David Ige has extended a COVID-19-­related emergency period for additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in Hawaii, citing a still-­significant need to address food insecurity in the state. Star-Advertiser.

More Help Is Coming For Hawaii’s Homeless Youth. Act 130, recently signed into law, establishes the Safe Spaces for Youth Pilot Program under the Department of Human Services. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi to get $20M in additional federal funds to keep keiki fed. The funding, some of which was authorized in the Keeping Kids Fed Act that Senator Hirono helped pass in both the House and Senate before it was signed into law last month, is meant to help Hawaiʻi address supply chain issues and food inflation in its school meal programs. Maui Now.

Hawaii Will Soon Have A Women’s Court In An Effort To Reduce Recidivism. Advocates hope the three-year pilot program will prevent more women from being incarcerated and re-entering the criminal justice system. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Woman is injured while swimming near nursing monk seal. The incident occurred near a roped-off section of beach that the seal, known as Rocky, has been occupying with the pup since giving birth two weeks ago.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Can The Dems Finally Take Ewa Beach Away From The GOP? With their incumbent vacating his seat to run for U.S. Senate, voters in Ewa Beach and Iroquois Point–-- one of only four Republican House districts in Hawaii – will decide this November whether to keep District 40 Republican or to vote in a Democrat for the first time in a decade. Civil Beat.

Housing and crime dominate Honolulu City Council District 6 election. District 6 covers Downtown through Nuuanu and Kalihi Valley, and the seat is currently held by Council member Carol Fukunaga, who has reached her term limit and is running for a state Senate seat in District 11. Star-Advertiser.

Case pending before Hawaiʻi Supreme Court to look at Kealoha legal fees. The City and County of Honolulu continues to fight a 2019 decision by the Honolulu Police Commission to pay for former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha's criminal defense. Hawaii Public Radio.

Engineers give the public a chance to comment on proposals to manage Ala Wai Canal. The latest effort to prevent a Waikiki flooding disaster linked to the Ala Wai Canal is set to advance this week as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gives the public a chance to comment on its preliminary work. Star-Advertiser.

Misdemeanor probe into Honolulu police union leadership forwarded to state Attorney General. Honolulu police have forwarded the findings of a misdemeanor extortion investigation to the state Department of the Attorney General, which will decide whether to charge the president and vice president of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers. Star-Advertiser.

Your drone is interfering with Hawaii emergencies. In April 2020, the Honolulu Fire Department used drones to enforce then Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s COVID-19 stay-at-home and work-at-home order at beaches around Oahu. The drones played an audio message telling people not to gather or sit on the beach. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Big Island lawmakers react to campaign fundraiser ban. Coronavirus pandemic protocols, a bribery scandal and debate over a bill to make fundraisers illegal during the legislative session all combined this year to keep Big Island lawmakers from holding the Honolulu fundraisers that historically added big boosts to their reelection campaigns. West Hawaii Today.

No fares till 2025: Hele-On to remain free for an additional two years under bill. Some $1.87 million in American Rescue Plan funding has been allocated to the Hawaii County Mass Transit Agency for operations and lost passenger fares through Dec. 31, 2025, agency administrator John Andoh told the county Finance Committee Tuesday at the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kailua-Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Tiny houses at NAS Pool being relocated, repurposed. More than a year after serving as an emergency shelter for the homeless during the coronavirus epidemic, 31 of 32 micro-housing units once dubbed Hale Hanakahi are being moved from the parking lot at the NAS Pool in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

ADA improvements ready to begin at NAS Swimming Pool. t appears that long-awaited construction on court-ordered Americans With Disabilities Act improvements at the NAS Swimming Pool near Hilo International Airport is set to begin. Tribune-Herald.

Vision For New Puna Learning Center Campus Pictured In EA. The Final Environmental Assessment illustrates the proposed construction of six new buildings over four phases at the Pāhoa campus. Big Island Video News.

Keauhou development on hold for cultural review. Developers of a planned 65-lot single home project on 11 acres in Kapalaalaea were given an extra assignment Thursday, as the Leeward Planning Commission deferred the oft-delayed project until an updated cultural impact assessment could be produced. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Eight candidates battle for mayor in the most crowded county race. The Maui News is featuring the profiles and platforms of candidates in the lead-up to the Aug. 13 primary election. Maui News.

Kauai

Improvements to homeless shelter will accommodate more people. The improvements project, headed by Keith Suga and Michael Rita of Pacific Concrete Coring and Cutting, eliminated six independent, aging and problematic septic systems and connects the KEO facility to the municipal wastewater system, reducing future maintenance costs and protecting groundwater integrity. Garden Island.

Alternative wastewater treatment system workshop Thursday in Hanalei. Ridge to Reefs and Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations are hosting a workshop on a nature-based wastewater treatment system Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Hale Halawai ‘Ohana O Hanalei. Garden Island.

Green leads campaign money race, Honolulu extends rent relief, former Hawaii County employee heads to court in affordable housing scam, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Vicky Cayetano Turns To Self-Funding For Her Gubernatorial Campaign. Lt. Gov. Josh Green raised $1.47 million in the first six months of this year, vastly outpacing his opponents including U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele. Civil Beat.

House Speaker Scott Saiki Rakes In Money From Well-Known Donors In House District 25 Race. In the most recent reporting period, which covers campaign activity from Jan. 1 through June 30, Saiki raised $118,126, bringing his total raised for this election cycle to $255,718. Iwamoto’s  fundraising fell far short of her opponent’s, bringing in about $36,000 this reporting period. Civil Beat.

Medical aid in dying gaining more acceptance in Hawaii, report finds. A growing number of patients and physicians are participating in Hawaii’s medical-aid-in-dying program, but delays in the eligibility process continue to present challenges for terminally ill patients in their final days, according to the state Department of Health. Star-Advertiser.

Board of Education approves superintendent’s $240,000 annual contract. The formal contract officially making Keith Hayashi the next state superintendent of Hawaii’s massive public school system was approved Thursday by the state Board of Education. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Has $200 Million To Spend on Pre-K. Who Gets The Money? Final language in the new law leaves an open question about whether private as well as public facilities are eligible for the funding. Civil Beat.

Hawaii hospitals participate in RIMPAC disaster drills. As part of this year’s iteration of the biennial Exercise Rim of the Pacific, local hospitals are teaming up with the military to practice responding to a large-scale humanitarian disaster. Star-Advertiser.

Hurricane Darby weakens, expected to pass south of islands. As of 5 a.m. Friday, Darby was located about 610 miles east-southeast of Hilo or 810 miles east-southeast of Honolulu. It was moving west near 16 mph. As Hurricane Darby continues to be monitored, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is taking precautions to provide support for counties. KHON2. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

City Rental and Utility Relief to be extended by $31 million. The city is extending the Rental and Utility Relief Program by using $31 million of federal COVID-19 relief funds in hopes of providing more assistance to Oahu renters. Star-Advertiser.

Cracks In Concrete Columns Could Be Honolulu Rail’s Next Big Problem, HART Says. City contractors have advised that no passengers be allowed on seven station platforms until they have a better grasp of the issue, rail officials said. Civil Beat.

Live-work-shop? The city wants to make it easier to build condos at shopping malls. The city’s Department of Planning and Permitting wants to make it easier for malls to do that and is proposing a change to the city’s Land Use Ordinance. Hawaii News Now.

HOLO card registration urged after defective cards issued, Honolulu DTS says. Honolulu transportation officials are asking HOLO card users to register their cards online in order to suss out less than 100 defective cards that were recently issued. KITV4.

City looks to replace vendor for Waikiki pavilion plagued by homelessness. In December, city crews cleared the pavilions along the shoreline to lease them out to vendors. However, all but one are up and running today. KITV4.

Heads up, gamers! Your library card will soon get you into the state’s first public esports hub. Your library card will soon get you access to the state’s first public esports hub. The lab was unveiled at the Waipahu Public Library on Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Former county employee charged in affordable housing credit scheme. A former employee of the county Office of Housing and Community Development is set to enter a plea Monday in federal court on charges he took almost $2 million in bribes and kickbacks to influence affordable housing projects in West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii News Now.

Police jurisdiction challenge rejected again. A lawsuit claiming that the chiefs of police for the Big Island, Maui and Honolulu violated the law during the 2019 Thirty Meter Telescope protests has been dismissed once again, this time by the Hawaii Supreme Court. Tribune-Herald.

Survey IDs deficiencies in Big Isle health care. Psychiatry and mental health counseling are the Big Island’s two most needed types of health care, according to an islandwide survey completed in March by Community First Hawaii, a nonprofit with a goal of improving access to health care throughout the state. Tribune-Herald.

900 acres of ʻōhiʻa were cut down in 1985. Here's how the trees are making a comeback in Kalapana. Nearly 40 years ago, a tract of pristine ʻōhiʻa forest in Kalapana on Hawaiʻi Island was cut down. The trees were reduced to wood chips for a proposed biomass energy project. Now the trees are making a comeback — and battling it out for dominance. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kona-grown seaweed helping reduce cattle methane emissions. An agricultural technology company located at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority is growing seaweed in an effort to reduce cattle methane emissions around the world. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Here’s Who’s Pulling In The Most Cash In The Maui Mayor’s Race. So far, most of that money is still pouring into the campaign of former Judge Richard Bissen, who is among six others trying to oust Mayor Michael Victorino, according to the latest campaign spending reports filed Thursday. Bissen raised almost $272,000 in the period spanning from April 26 to June 30, topping the other contenders by tens of thousands of dollars. Victorino raised $91,000 in his bid to serve a second four-year term. Civil Beat.

Council to consider homeowner exemption bills for principal home, long-term rental. Bills proposing homeowner exemptions from real property tax are up for first reading at the Maui County Council’s meeting at 9 a.m. Friday, Council Vice Chairwoman Keani Rawlins-Fernandez announced. Maui News.

Committee backs probe of two county departments. Maui County Council members moved one step further on Wednesday in greenlighting a formal investigation into two county departments over approvals for a large controversial home in Napili that has angered community members and spurred calls for an investigation. Maui News.

AEI Housing Center: “Maui’s sky-high home prices are a self-inflicted wound”. Maui’s record home prices and the impacts that have resulted in displaced residents, are not unique, but there are potential solutions, according to a researcher from a public policy think tank on the mainland. Maui Now.

New shuttle takes Maui residents to Wailuku performance venues. Maui residents can catch a free ride to performance art Wailuku venues starting Thursday, July 14. Da Artsy Bee shuttle service begins in the Maui Lani Safeway parking lot and drops off guests in front of the theater. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui Now.

Kauai

DOT Backpedals On Kauai Airport Expansion Following Public Outrage. State transportation officials have decided to abandon a proposal to add three new gates at Lihue Airport after considering community pushback and the ongoing effort by other government agencies to rein in Kauai’s staggering tourism growth. Civil Beat.

Environmentalists file suit over pollution concerns at busy Kauai harbor. Earthjustice, a non-profit environmental law organization, filed the federal Clean Water Act lawsuit on behalf of the Surfrider Foundation and Na Kiai Kai. Hawaii News Now.

Civil Support Team exercise at Kaua‘i Community College. Reports of gunshots broke a quiet Thursday morning at the Kaua‘i Community College. That was the scenario of the full-scale weapons of mass destruction exercise that pretty much shut down the Puhi campus as county, state agencies, and other emergency response partners took over the situation with the Hawai‘i National Guard 93rd Civil Support Team. Garden Island.

Case, Tokuda far out front in congressional races, Lassner gets positive revaluation, Navy investigating leaked Red Hill footage, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Civil Beat/HNN Poll: Case, Tokuda Far Ahead In Democratic US House Races. U.S. Rep. Ed Case is on course to easily win reelection in the Democratic primary Aug. 13. He leads political newcomer Sergio Alcubilla 65% to 8%. Jill Tokuda, a former state senator, is leading first term state Rep. Patrick Branco 31% to 6% for the CD2 seat. But a huge number of those surveyed — 63% are not sure who they favor. Civil Beat.

Democratic hopefuls soften tone, praise one another in second joint appearance. The kid gloves were firmly in place and their metaphorical oratory weapons were holstered when Lt. Gov. Josh Green, U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele and business entrepreneur Vicky Cayetano on Thursday night met face to face for the first time ahead of the Aug. 13 Democratic Party primary election and repeatedly praised one another’s political stances and their philosophical positions. Star-Advertiser.

Fewer visitors intend to return to Hawaii within 5 years, survey finds. While overall satisfaction among Hawaii visitors has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in key areas, fewer visitors from the state’s top U.S. market say they’re likely to return in the next five years, according to the results of a state- commissioned survey. Star-Advertiser.

Snorkel Safety Study Sheds Light On Unexplained Drownings In Hawaii. The three-year project finds many snorkeling-related deaths aren’t from inhaling water, and that long flights beforehand may play a role. Civil Beat.

Education-related bills signed into law by Gov. David Ige. An unprecedented appropriation of $200 million to create more public preschool facilities across Hawaii, a bill devoting $10 million to installing more air conditioning in public school classrooms, and other measures to help solve Hawaii’s doctor shortage were among a raft of education-related bills signed into law Thursday by Gov. David Ige. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.  Hawaii News Now.

Ige signs bills aimed at retaining more health care professionals. To combat shortages, Gov. David Ige signed two measures  into law on Thursday, appropriating a combined $6.75 million for the 2022-23 fiscal year to the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

University of Hawaii president receives positive annual evaluation. University of Hawaii President David Lassner received a mostly positive annual performance evaluation from the UH Board of Regents on Thursday, giving him the green light to continue leading the 10-campus system through challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, changes on Mauna Kea, development of a new university strategic plan and more. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Community Schools Seek To Support And Engage With Local Families. The schools are joining a national movement to create more community partnerships to help students thrive inside and outside of the classroom. Civil Beat.

Farmers Want Action From Hawaii Governor Candidates, Not Lip Service. Farmers and ranchers feel investing in agriculture has become more of a buzzword than an actual concern for the executive branch. Civil Beat.

Omicron subvariants continue to rise in Hawaii. Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 together now make up roughly 20% of variants circulating in Hawaii, according to the state Health Department’s latest variant report. The CDC, meanwhile, on Thursday kept Honolulu, Maui and Hawaii counties classified as orange, high-level communities for COVID-19 impacts even though the state’s average case counts and positivity rates have been on a downward trend. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu airport to get $10 million for upgrades. Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu will receive $10 million in federal funding for upgrades to its runways, lighting and draining. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Navy investigating leaked footage of Red Hill fuel spill. The Navy is investigating the publication of video and photos this week showing fuel gushing from a Red Hill pipe on Nov. 20, according to a Navy official who said the person who released the footage to the media could face disciplinary action. Star-Advertiser.

Higher interest rates shackling Oahu’s housing market. Higher mortgage interest rates created ripple effects across Oahu’s housing market in June as sales volume decreased, asking prices were reduced and active listings stayed on the market longer. Star-Advertiser.

Bishop Museum revisits history of gender-fluid healers. More than 500 years ago, Hawaiians placed four boulders on a Waikiki beach to honor visitors from the court of Tahiti’s king who had healed the sick. They were “mahu,” which in Hawaiian language and culture refers to someone with dual male and female spirit and a mixture of gender traits. Associated Press.

Outrage grows as basketball coach accused of sex abuse still working with minors. A coach’s history of alleged sexual misconduct prompted a warning from several schools to parents — while stirring new frustration among accusers. Hawaii News Now.

Police capture live gopher snake at Kapolei Home Depot. Honolulu police officers responding to a 911 call captured a live snake at the Kapolei Home Depot last night, according to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Council Nixes Bill That Sought to Create New Building Department. Council members on Wednesday, July 6, during their regular meeting killed Bill 174. The measure sought to amend the county charter to create a new department that would manage the duties and functions currently performed by the Building Division within the county Department of Public Works. Big Island Now.

Plans for new transit hub and bus route coming to Big Island. The state Department of Transportation and Hawaiʻi County’s bus system Hele-On have received federal funding to plan a new transit hub in downtown Pāhoa. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Judicial Selection Commission reveals nominee list for judge vacancy on Maui. The judicial office has been vacant since December 2021, when former District Judge Kirstin M. Hamman was elevated to Circuit Judge of the Circuit Court of the Second Circuit. Maui Now.

Molokai woman is tapped to be county agricultural director. Rogerene ‘Kali’ Arce still requires council confirmation; Weston Yap named deputy. Maui News.

Maui hunters protest new contraceptive meant to control feral pig populations. For the second time this week, Maui hunters are protesting a new product aimed at controlling feral pig populations. The contraceptive HogStop is now being distributed on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Joint pavement preservation pilot project begins on Kula Highway. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation, in coordination with the County of Maui, will pilot the use of micro surfacing as a pavement preservation technique in the area.  Maui Now.

Maui median sales prices hit another all-time high at $1.25 million for single-family homes. Despite a slowdown in sales, Maui County median sales prices last month hit another all-time high for single-family homes at more than $1.25 million. Meanwhile, condo median sales prices in June set a new record at $832,500, according to the Realtors Association of Maui report released Wednesday afternoon. Maui Now.

Kauai

Grove Farm sues County of Kauaʻi over gifted land deeded for treatment facility. For nearly 20 years, the County of Kauaʻi has been working to open a drug treatment center for children and young adults on the island. Hawaii Public Radio. Garden Island.

English sentenced to 40 months in prison for accepting bribes, Green leads Democrats in gubernatorial poll, former chief justice Moon dies, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Former state senator is sentenced to 40 months in prison. The former majority leader of the state Senate expressed remorse and apologized Tuesday after he was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for taking bribes to manage legislation on behalf of a wastewater treatment and industrial machinery executive. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Associated Press. Big Island Now. Maui Now. Maui News. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Civil Beat/HNN Poll: Green Enjoys 30 Point Lead Over Kahele, Cayetano In Gov Race. According to a new Civil Beat/Hawaii News Now poll, Green has 48% of the vote compared to U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele with 16% and businesswoman Vicky Cayetano with 15%. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s Congressional District 2 Race: Veteran Tokuda Vs. Newcomer Branco. The CD 2 seat is open with the departure of Kai Kahele but the contest drew little interest from the state’s political office-seekers. Civil Beat.

Record number of Hawaii election observers, new ballot tracking planned. A record number of volunteer election observers are planning to monitor mail-in ballots as they’re opened and processed across the state, while voters this year also have new tools to track their ballots before they arrive at counting centers and as they’re being tallied. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s ‘clean energy future’ aided by new state laws. Hawaii is on an improved path toward lower electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions under new state laws enacted Tuesday that include a subsidy to develop hydrogen vehicle fueling stations. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Maui Now.

Biden awards Medal of Honor to 2 Hawaiʻi soldiers for Vietnam War heroism. President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to four Army soldiers, including two from Hawaiʻi, for heroism during the Vietnam War — bravery that he said had not diminished even with the passage of time. Associated Press. Maui Now. KHON2.

Sailors take on cybersecurity at RIMPAC. At this year’s iteration of RIMPAC, participants are holding their first cyberwarfare symposium as part of the biennial naval war game. Star-Advertiser.

More terminally ill patients are choosing aid-in-dying, but experts say obstacles remain. Hawaii’s “Our Care, Our Choice” Act went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019, giving terminally ill patients the right to use prescribed end-of-life medications. Twenty-eight people died that year after being prescribed the medications. In 2020, the figure was 34. And in 2021, according to new state numbers, there were 49. Hawaii News Now.

Former Hawaii Chief Justice Ronald Moon Dead At 81. Moon served as chief justice for more than 17 years before retiring in 2010. He was the first Korean American to become the chief justice of a state supreme court. Civil Beat. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Oahu

Honolulu Police Department releases footage of Rep. Matthew LoPresti’s DUI arrest. The Honolulu Police Department today provided media with body-worn camera footage of officers interacting with LoPresti, who was arrested on the evening of June 16 after officers found his vehicle stopped on the shoulder lane of Fort Weaver Road. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Honolulu Aquifer Likely Contaminated, According to the Board of Water Supply. By the Navy's report, there could be 5400 gallons of fuel unaccounted for from the Red Hill fuel spill last year. KITV4.

Navy reports no evidence of ‘chronic exposure’ from Red Hill fuel spill. The Department of Defense has set up a medical database to track the health impacts of jet fuel that leaked from Red Hill into the Navy’s water system, according to U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Capt. Michael McGinnis. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu Councilwoman Takes Up The Fight Against Tour Helicopters. Tired of the long wait for action, City Council member Esther Kiaaina takes residents’ pleas for peace and quiet direct to helicopter companies. Civil Beat.

Seagull Schools to remain on city downtown campus. The city will temporarily relocate Seagull Schools in August 2023 from above the parking garage of the Frank Fasi Civic Center grounds to the Mission Memorial Center and the resource library — a reprieve for the early-childhood education center. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Stadium plagues UH in big money musical chairs. An announcement on building the new Aloha Stadium could come next week, but time is of the essence as a shift in college football weighs on the future of the University of Hawaii’s athletics department. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Council seeks homeless plan: Housing office to detail how it will spend millions coming its way. The county housing agency is awash with money, and the County Council wants to know how it’s being spent. West Hawaii Today.

Council to Consider Overriding Roth Veto on Housing Program Revolving Fund. A measure that made the language in the county’s housing program revolving fund code more specific as to how it can be used was vetoed by Mayor Mitch Roth. The County Council on Wednesday, July 6, will revisit the issue — and could consider overriding Roth’s disapproval. Big Island Now.

Health care CEOs upbeat about merger: Bay Clinic, West Hawaii Community Health Center consolidating. The Bay Clinic and West Hawaii Community Health Center consolidated operations on July 1, forming a new health care organization for the Big Island known as Hawaii Island Community Health Center. Tribune-Herald.

Wastewater Discharged Into Hilo Bay. An obstructed sewer line on the July 4th holiday sent an estimated 3,000 gallons into a nearby storm drain, which empties into Hilo Bay. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Maui

Firefighters respond to nine fireworks related incidents over the Fourth of July holiday. The majority of these incidents involved the discarding of spent fireworks in rubbish bins. All of these fires were quickly knocked down and extinguished, according to department reports.  Maui Now.

A fitting tribute is finally on its way for the residents of Kalaupapa. Gov. David Ige recently signed off on $5 million to fund a memorial dedicated to the thousands sent to the Hansen’s Disease colony. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Sen. Hirono day trips to Kaua‘i. Tuesday, Sen.Mazie K. Hirono squeezed out a short day trip to Kaua‘i with several stops, including the Wailua River Bridge Improvement project, a stop at the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i, and the Boys &Girls Club, Lihu‘e before leaving on an afternoon flight. Garden Island.