HECO faces $5B in potential lawsuit liabilities, AG report cites lack of communication in Lahaina wildfire, military in battle for land lease renewal, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The Days Of The Army Leasing Land In Hawaii For $1 Are Likely Over. A recent Board of Land and Natural Resources meeting included a measure that would have let the state appraise close to 30,000 acres of land to recalibrate the Army’s rent across Oahu and Big Island. Those leases were signed in 1964 for $1 and expire in 2029. Civil Beat.

Analysts share how the Maui fire reports could affect HECO's future. Hawaiian Electric could face close to $5 billion in potential liabilities from lawsuits filed over the fires, according to Capstone, a consulting firm that studies utilities under stress for its investor clients.  Hawaii Public Radio.

AG’s Report Shows Lack Of Communication Prevented Help For People Trapped In Lahaina Fire. The Attorney General's much-anticipated report provides new insight into the fire response but does not address the cause of the fire. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  Hawaii Public Radio. Associated Press.  Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

‘Good government’ bills headed to Green’s desk. The full House on Wednesday sent 10 “good government” bills, as it called them, to Gov. Josh Green — but none will lead to any sweeping ethics, campaign spending or other reforms to change the way the Legislature does business. Star-Advertiser.

Senate Confirms Green’s Nominees To Board of Education. Former state Rep. Roy Takumi will now lead the volunteer board tasked with setting policy and overseeing Hawaii's public school system. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Rail Chief’s Lastest Evaluation Raises Questions About Whether She Has A Future With Rail. HART CEO Lori Kahikina's annual evaluation was quite critical, citing a lack of progress in filling key positions and "limited transparency" with the rail board of directors. Civil Beat.

Proposals to prevent another big pay hike move forward at city council. Several proposals are moving ahead at the Honolulu City Council that could change how — and how big — salary increases are made for city employees, including council members themselves. Hawaii News Now.

Fireworks sparklers, fountains to make a comeback? Honolulu City Council bill pushes to lift ban. For the last 14 years, ground fireworks have been banned on Oahu. KHON2.

$250,000 Settlement Approved For Honolulu Police Detective. HPD Detective Maile Rego sued in 2021, claiming she suffered retaliation after accusing the department of failing to issue a timely Amber Alert. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Fateful Car Wreck Takes Center Stage At Miske Trial As Alleged Murder Victim’s Girlfriend Testifies. Michael Miske is accused of conspiring to kidnap and kill Johnathan Fraser in 2016. Fraser disappeared in July of that year, and his body has never been found. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu mayor signs bill raising legal age to buy herbal cigarettes. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi has signed a city bill banning the sale of herbal cigarettes to anyone under 21 years old. Hawaii Public Radio.

Ocean Safety sector draws support, criticism. Those for and against contending city resolutions to transform Honolulu’s 277-member Ocean Safety Division into a full-fledged city department voiced their concerns during the City Council’s meeting Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Safe & Sound Waikiki program sees major reduction in crime. Crime in most categories, including violent ones, has dropped by double digits in Waikiki since Safe & Sound Waikiki started 18 months ago to address community concerns over mounting criminal activity and increased homelessness. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Hawaii Island

Another blackouts warning from HECO; lawmakers seek investigation. Hawaiian Electric again is urging Hawaii Island customers to conserve energy this evening to avoid power outages. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

FBI searches 2 locations in Kona; investigation underway. Early Wednesday morning, FBI agents conducted search warrants at two different locations in Kailua-Kona. It is unknown what the warrants were for or if any arrests were made. Big Island Now.

Hawaiʻi County Council lends financial support to upcoming Hala Festival 2024, other community initiatives. The festival wasn’t the only community event, program or project that got a boost Wednesday. Big Island Now.

Public Meeting On Proposed Pāhoa Library, Transit Hub Location. The meeting is being held to discuss the findings of the Draft Environmental Assessment for the library and transit hub, and offer an opportunity for feedback. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Komar Maui Properties files for injunction against Maui County eminent domain action. An affiliate of Komar Investments on Wednesday filed a complaint in Federal District Court for declaratory and injunctive relief against Maui County’s impending eminent domain action for acquisition of a 20-acre parcel next to the Central Maui Landfill in Puʻunēnē.  Maui Now.

The Maui Ethics Board Has So Few Members That It’s Struggling To Even Meet. Members are seeking additional funding and dedicated staff so they can more effectively do their job. Civil Beat.

PFAS detected in Maui Business Park system. PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been detected in water samples collected at the Waiʻele Wells 1 and 2 Chlorinator, Maui Business Park water system (Public Water System HI0000261, owned by Maui Business Park Phase II Association) in Kahului of the island of Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai County says weekend flooding caused significant damage to 157 houses. Kauai property owners who are impacted may qualify for government aid. Hawaii News Now.

Playground construction, ADA renovations scheduled at Waimea Athletic Field. The playground, skateboard half-pipe, ADA parking stalls and ADA walkway near Kaumuali‘i Highway will be closed from April 29 to June 1, weather permitting. Kauai Now.

Ige taps Shikada for attorney general, USS Daniel Inouye commissioned at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii County Council passes 3% hotel tax, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Holly Shikada

Ige Names Holly Shikada To Be Hawaii’s New Attorney General. Shikada is a veteran lawyer who worked for years on educational issues, including ensuring compliance with the Felix Consent Decree. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now.

Red Hill Has Changed The Politics Around The Military In Hawaii. The military has enjoyed unwavering support from state and federal political leaders in Hawaii. But the threat to Oahu’s water supply may be bringing that to an end. Civil Beat.

USS Daniel Inouye commissioned in Pearl Harbor home port, honoring the late U.S. senator as a warrior and statesman. The Navy’s newest warship, the Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer USS Daniel Inouye, was officially commissioned at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  

Hawaiian Electric says 3,200 statewide still awaiting repairs, some may go another night without power. Hawaiian Electric said an estimated 3,200 customers are still without power statewide due to the impacts of the “Kona low” storm that ravaged the isles Monday and Tuesday. Those customers include about 400 on Oahu, 200 on Maui, and 2,600 on Hawaii Island. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.

US Request For More Bigeye Tuna Denied By Pacific Commission. Wespac Executive Director Kitty Simonds expressed her disappointment, saying the council had been trying for six years to negotiate an increase. Civil Beat.

DAR seeks proposed fishing rule input. This month, the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources is holding a series of scoping events to receive community input on proposed amendments to statewide rules for select species of herbivorous reef fishes. Garden Island. KHON2.

Hawaii records 6 new coronavirus-related deaths, 72 additional infections. The new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 51 new cases on Oahu, eight on Hawaii Island, eight on Maui and five on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Navy Finds Contamination In Second Well And Identifies Pollutant At Red Hill Shaft. Meanwhile, the Navy outlined actions it would take in response to an emergency order by Gov. David Ige, but remained silent on the question of emptying the tanks. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Honolulu waives permit fees to expedite storm cleanup efforts. The City and County of Honolulu is waiving all permit fees related to storm-damage cleanup in an effort to jumpstart recovery efforts on Oahu following the powerful Kona Low storm system that blasted the islands. KITV4.

Kahikina Is Named Honolulu Rail’s Third Permanent Executive Director. As rail’s interim executive director for 2021, Lori Kahikina guided Hawaii’s largest-ever public works project through yet another tumultuous year – one that saw maddening construction woes, questionable contract awards and steep funding hurdles. Civil Beat.

New plan to fill gap between rail wheels and track. Hawaii’s DCCA has granted a temporary exemption to allow welders without Hawaii licenses to make temporary repairs to fix the rail project’s too-narrow wheels and too-wide track junction. Star-Advertiser.

Carcasses of Fraser’s Dolphins Wash Ashore on Oʻahu, DLNR Reports. Three carcasses of Fraser’s dolphins have washed ashore between Diamond Head and Waikīkī, DLNR officials reported earlier this week. Big Island Now.

Hawaii Island

Council passes 3% TAT: New hotel tax makes up for state cuts. Visitors to Hawaii Island hotels and vacation rentals will be digging a little deeper come Jan. 1, with the County Council on Wednesday unanimously passing a 3% local option lodging tax. West Hawaii Today.

Parks herbicide ban moves forward. The County Council on Wednesday advanced on first reading a bill banning the use of glyphosate-based herbicides in county parks. West Hawaii Today.

CSO one step closer to decommissioning. The planned dismantling and removal of the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory from Maunakea has cleared another hurdle with the publication Wednesday of the final environmental assessment. Tribune-Herald.

Council votes to accept funds to fix ‘major thoroughfare’ in Hilo. The Hawaii County Council voted Wednesday to accept $12 million in state funds to improve a small but vital one-lane bridge in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Dedicated Philanthropists Donate $1 Million to Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui Health Foundation is the recipient of a one-million-dollar gift from Wayne and Nan Kocourek for dedicated use towards the Maui Memorial Medical Center Emergency Department. Maui Now.

Hazardous Conditions Prompt Closure of Maui Recreation Area & Two Forest Reserves. Due to hazardous conditions and impassable roads and trails caused by this week’s heavy rains and strong winds, DLNR has closed the Kula State Forest Reserve, Kahikinui State Forest Reserve – Papa’anui Tract, and Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area.  Maui Now.

Maui Conservationists Sound Alarm Over Sightings Of Invasive Bird. The first red-vented bulbul was spotted by a forest bird conservationist at Haleakala National Park on Nov. 28. Civil Beat.

Kauai

KFD Air 1 hangar considered inadequate, unsafe. The county’s Air 1 hanger, located at the Lihu‘e Airport, was deemed “inadequate and unsafe” by auditors in a recent utilization study of the Kaua‘i Fire Department. Garden Island.

Endangered bird, rescued from certain death, takes flight. An endangered ua‘u, or Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), rescued in October has taken flight after 67 days of care. Garden Island.

Ige opposes Kapolei casino, coronavirus hospitalizations up 38%, Kahikina named interim HART CEO, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii beach beauties ©2020 All Hawaii News

Tourism recovery not seen until summer, hotel execs say. Longtime Hawaii hotel industry executives don’t see any meaningful recovery in tourism until the summer even though the COVID-19 vaccines began getting dispersed throughout the United States this month. Star-Advertiser.

Visitor arrivals in November down 77% compared to last year. Most of the visitors were from the U.S West Coast. There were 524 visitors that came from Japan. KHON2.

Hawai‘i Visitor Numbers Down 77% in November. Tourism totals in Hawai‘i remain bleak, even as several mainland and international flight routes to island airports have reopened. Big Island Now.

Despite travel concerns, Hawaii saw big spike in trans-Pacific visitors for the holidays. More travelers came to Hawaii from the mainland in the week leading up to Christmas than in any other week since the launch of the state’s pre-travel testing program, data from the Hawaii Tourism Authority shows. From Dec. 17 to Dec. 23, the last date for which data is currently available, 89,050 trans-Pacific travelers were screened at airports across the state. Hawaii News Now.

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Gov. David Ige pans Hawaiian home lands casino plan. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands recently suggested that Gov. David Ige could include its proposal for “limited casino gaming” in his legislative packet for consideration in the next session, which begins Jan. 20. It now appears that isn’t going to happen. Star-Advertiser.

Ige opposes casino on Oahu DHHL land. Gov. David Ige said Monday he opposes a proposal approved last week by the Hawaiian Homes Commission to build a casino on a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands parcel in Kapolei, Oahu. Tribune-Herald.

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Federal Aid Means Hawaii Will Avoid State Worker Furloughs — For Now. The new round of federal relief could bring millions of dollars to Hawaii’s agencies and struggling residents. Civil Beat.

Ige unsure when furloughs for state workers will begin. Gov. David Ige on Monday was still unable to say when state workers, including educators, will see furloughs implemented as the state work’s to cut spending to plug a $1.4 billion budget hole. West Hawaii Today.

State to hold public hearings on water plan. A state water panel will hold virtual public hearings in January on an update to the State Water Projects Plan, the Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Wednesday. Maui News.

As more COVID-19 vaccine doses arrive, Hawaii prepares to ramp up distribution. Another shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Hawaii on Monday — the second shipment of the Moderna brand. That puts the number of doses received so far in the islands at 49,750. And another shipment of the Pfizer version is expected Tuesday, which would push that number to 61,000. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii sees 38% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations; State receives 16.3K more vaccines. Hawaii has seen a 38% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations over the past month as new case counts climbed over the holiday season. Star-Advertiser.

HAWAII VIRUS TRACKER — Dec. 28: 46 New COVID-19 Cases. Health officials reported 46 new COVID-19 cases statewide on Monday, including 30 on Oahu, 13 in Maui County, two on the Big Island and one on Kauai. There were no new fatalities reported. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Kirk Caldwell’s Legacy As Honolulu Mayor Is Marred By Rail And Homelessness. When Mayor Kirk Caldwell was running for mayor in 2012, he promised to help the homeless, “build rail better” and be a dependable leader for Honolulu. Eight years later, as the mayor eyes a run for governor, the island is in much the same place as it was when Caldwell took office, political observers say. Civil Beat.

Caldwell outlines improvements at Ala Moana Regional Park, including the Hawaiian Pond. The eroded, muddy banks of the Hawaiian Pond at Ala Moana Regional Park are being fixed and improved, according to Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Star-Advertiser.

Ala Moana Beach Park improvements nearing completion. Improvements to the Hawaiian Pond at the Diamond Head end of Ala Moana Beach Park are nearing completion. KITV4.

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Lori Kahikina, city environmental services director, is named interim chief of Honolulu rail project. The saga of Honolulu’s financially strapped rail project enters a new chapter Friday when veteran city engineering chief Lori Kahikina takes over as interim chief executive officer of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

Lori Kahikina Pegged To Lead HART As Interim Director. The city’s outgoing environmental services director joins rail right as HART struggles with utility relocations along Dillingham. Civil Beat.

Lori Kahikina, city Environmental Services director, named interim CEO. Lori Kahikina, who has served as the city’s director of Environmental Services for eight years, was named Monday as the interim CEO of the problem-plagued rail project. Hawaii News Now.

HART announces new interim CEO. For the past eight years, the University of Hawaii graduate served as Director of the City's Department of Environmental Services. KITV4.

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Honolulu officials hope to extend ‘City Card’ until Jan. 31 with over 1.3K cards not yet activated. Honolulu officials are hoping to extend the deadline for the use of the $500 “City Card” for disadvantaged families through Jan. 31, pending the approval of COVID-19 related legislation. Star-Advertiser.

Officials working to extend deadline to January for City Card on Oahu. Officials say they’re working on having the City Card deadline to be extended to Jan. 31. KHON2.

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Police Fatally Shoot Windward Oahu Man. The male suspect was wanted in connection to an ongoing kidnapping case. Civil Beat.

Honolulu police fatally shoot man as officers try to serve him warrant. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said two officers feared for their lives Monday morning and had to jump out of the way of a Jeep driven by a 45-year-old man in Ahuimanu just before fatally shooting him. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Chief of Police confirms death of man shot by officer. An officer involved shooting at Hookipa Apartments on the Windward side of Oahu left one man dead, Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard confirms. KHON2.

Suspect in HPD officer involved shooting dies, HPD confirms. The suspect involved in the officer involved shooting in the Windward area has died, Chief Susan Ballard has confirmed. KITV4.

Year-long ban on fishing along a south Oahu shoreline to begin Friday. Rules to prevent over fishing in Waikiki will once again be in place at the start of the new year. Come Friday, the Shoreline Fisheries Management Area from Waikiki to Diamond Head will be closed for fishing. Hawaii News Now. 

Hawaii Island

State Land Board To Decide On Dredging Of New Beach At Pohoiki. The state seeks a waiver to dredge a channel through black sand deposited by the 2018 Kilauea eruption. Civil Beat.

Tee time: West Hawaii golf subsidy program returns. Waikoloa Village Golf Course in South Kohala and Makalei Golf Course in North Kona will both offer reduced rates for residents of Hawaii County for six months. West Hawaii Today.

Thousands flock to HVNP to see eruption. Because of the ongoing eruption at Halema‘uma‘u crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has brought in additional staff to manage an influx of visitors. Tribune-Herald.

Hundreds vaccinated at HMC. More than 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered at Hilo Medical Center since vaccination efforts began on Dec. 23. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

10 COVID-19 Cases at Harbor Lights on Maui, Cleaning Underway. Maui County officials confirmed a cluster of COVID-19 infections at the Harbor Lights condominium complex in Kahului. Maui Now.

Garbage on its way to ocean collected, bagged in Maalaea. Maui Nui Marine Resouce Council hosts gulch cleanup prior to rainy season. Maui News.

Kauai

Bus fares going up this week. The Kaua‘i Bus announced a fare increase effective Friday, Jan. 1, and a new design for its 2021 monthly bus passes. Garden Island.

Lane closures scheduled for portions of Hanapepe. The Department of Public Works is announcing that portions of Hanapepe will be closed Dec. 29 to allow Maui Kupono Builders to conduct road reconstruction work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. Garden Island.