Hurricane Kiko maintains northwest track, group targets Kamehameha Schools admission policy, East-West Center to receive $6.5M federal funds previously withheld, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hurricane Kiko expected to approach Hawaiʻi in early to middle part of next week. As of 5 a.m. on Friday, it was about 1,245 miles south-southeast of Hilo. It is expected to cross into the central Pacific basin Friday night. Maui Now. Kauai Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

‘Subdued’ economic growth for Hawaii forecast through 2026.  High global import tariffs and federal government policy uncertainties are expected to keep Hawaii’s economy in slow-growth mode for the next few years, according to a new state forecast from the  state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii joins West Coast Health Alliance to form own policies. Hawaii has joined forces with the newly launched West Coast Health Alliance, which includes California, Oregon, and Washington. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Kamehameha Schools’ Admission Policies May Face Legal Challenge. An anti-affirmative action group wants the school to end its policy of giving preference to Native Hawaiians. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

Oahu

East-West Center to receive federal funds before end of fiscal year. The East-West Center (EWC) is set to receive some of its federal funding that was previously held by the Trump Administration.The center said $6.5 million in funding that was allocated by Congress is expected to arrive before the end of the fiscal year. Hawaii News Now.

Navy and NPS begin removing platforms from USS Arizona.  The U.S. Navy and National Park Service began operations to remove two World War II-era mooring platforms from the USS Arizona on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

Man pleads not guilty to starting Kunia Road fire. A 70-year-old arson suspect Thursday pleaded not guilty to second-degree arson in a wildland fire along Kunia Road that broke out Aug. 23, but he has not been charged with a Haleiwa fire that was set the same day. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu EMS Director Defends Decision To Drive Wrong Way On H-1 Freeway. Honolulu Department of Emergency Services Director Jim Ireland was driving an official EMS vehicle toward Thomas Square and the Blaisdell Center to follow up on homeless complaints when he witnessed a man get hit by a car on Ward Avenue at around 11 a.m. on Aug. 27, Ireland said Thursday. Civil Beat.

Oahu homeowner shares costly eviction process after dealing with tenants who refuse to pay rent. A costly lesson for an Oahu man who used Facebook Marketplace to rent out a family property and has spent months in court to get it back from tenants who refuse to pay rent. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Marathon entries race past last year's numbers. The Honolulu Marathon is just three months away, but it’s already on track for record-breaking numbers. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

County likely to delay STVR registration law until March. Hawaii County’s new law to regulate short-term vacation rentals — rentals lasting less than 180 consecutive days — is set to take effect Dec. 20 but will likely be pushed back to the end of March to give operators more time to comply. Tribune-Herald.

The weather theme for Hawaiʻi in August is ‘dry, drier and driest’. Most of Hawaiʻi Island was below average rainfall for August, with the seasonable exception of the leeward coast/slopes of the Kohala and Kona districts which turned in another month with many sites near to above average, according to the National Weather Service. Big Island Now. 

Big Island council and public testimony want Pōhakuloa military training to stop. The Hawaiʻi County Council has passed a resolution signaling that it wants to end the military’s presence at the Pōhakuloa Training Area — or at least task the military with taking better care of the land. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi Island grant program invites food security organizations to apply. The Food Basket and Hawaiʻi County’s Department of Research and Development announced a $500,000 grant program to fight the island’s food insecurity issue. Grants are available to existing projects that strengthen food security and economic resilience. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Community College announces two new deans. Carrie Mospens has been named dean of career and technical education, and Jace Saplan has been named dean of liberal arts. Tribune-Herald. 

Maui

Water restrictions put starting of 2026 PGA Tour in question. The billionaire owner of Kapalua Golf said Maui Land & Pineapple Co.’s move to cut off irrigation water Aug. 29 puts preparations for the start of the 2026 Professional Golfers Association Tour at the Plantation Course in jeopardy. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press.

Maui council seeks solutions to address homelessness in new bill. Maui County leaders are taking another look at how to handle homeless encampments. Councilmember Gabe Johnson says his new proposal, Bill 111, is designed to bring more compassion and consistency to the process. Hawaii News Now.

Nonprofits Want To Help Maui Fire Victims — If They Can Reach Them. Limited communications and continued grief have made it more challenging for nonprofits to connect with survivors who could most benefit from their services. Civil Beat.

Theft of shipping container stalls ocean cleanup efforts. A 20-foot long shipping container used as a key link for removing marine debris from Maui’s beaches has been stolen. Maui News. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now. 

Kauai

Office of Elections pushes back on allegations it overcounted hundreds of 2024 Kauaʻi ballots. Earlier this summer, a permitted interaction group, or PIG, within the state Elections Commission put out a report accusing the Office of Elections of overcounting 600-plus ballots received in Kauaʻi County during the 2024 election. Hawaii Public Radio.

$51M+ federal grant funding heading to Līhuʻe Airport. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Hawaiʻi $51,315,736 in federal grant funding for improvements on Kaua‘i. KHON2.

Use It Or Lose It? Kauaʻi Wants Robinson Resort Land Back To Agriculture. Developers have failed to start construction on the 250-room project for the past two decades. Civil Beat.

KPD provides alternative contact numbers amid technical issue. The Kaua‘i Police Department is alerting the public to intermittent outages affecting its non-emergency phone line due to an ongoing technical issue. Kauai Now.

Hotel workers prevail in tips lawsuit, judge dismisses $324M Honolulu rail lawsuit, Roseanne Barr selling mac nut farm, gun purchasing law to be re-litigated, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hotel workers prevail in service charge lawsuit. A group of over 100 Hawai‘i hotel workers have won a class-action lawsuit against their employers over improperly paid tips. Aloha State Daily.

Less Than Half Of Hawaiʻi Teachers Went To High School In-State. Only a third of educators in a recent survey said they felt well-prepared to integrate Hawaiian language, culture and history into their lessons. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i gun purchasing laws to be re-re-litigated. Second Amendment advocates criticize court decision to overturn March decision. Aloha State Daily.

Corey Rosenlee will run for Hawaiʻi House seat held by Rep. Elijah Pierick. Educator and former teachers union leader Corey Rosenlee is running for the state House of Representatives in the 2026 election.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Judge dismisses $324M Hitachi lawsuit against HART, city. On Aug. 14, 1st Circuit Court Judge Shirley Kawamura dismissed Hitachi Rail Honolulu JV’s “breach of contract and unjust enrichment” claim that it filed in December against HART and the City and County of Honolulu over stated delays that allegedly occurred during construction of the city’s more than $10 billion rail system. Star-Advertiser.

City Council chair announces run for reelection. City Council chair Tommy Waters plans to run for another term next year. Waters represents District 4, which includes Hawaii Kai, Kuliouou, Niu Valley, Aina Haina, Kahala, Kaimuki, and Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu firefighters push for COVID hazard pay. The city is determining how to compensate firefighters with the rest of its $150 million it budgeted for other essential workers.  Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

Honolulu Police Department arrests 14 at Ala Wai homeless camp. Honolulu police on Tuesday arrested 14 people found in a homeless encampment along the grassy perimeter of the Ala Wai Golf Course, 12 days after “no trespassing” signs went up in the area and tent dwellers were warned of an impending crackdown. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor casts doubt on Waikiki natatorium pool restoration. Hopes for restoration of the pool at the Waikiki natatorium are fading again after Mayor Rick Blangiardi expressed serious doubts about whether the project is feasible. Hawaii News Now.

Can A New Tax Save Downtown Honolulu’s Small Businesses? The proposed fee could improve safety and cleanliness in the area, but critics say it won’t fix the underlying challenge facing downtown. Civil Beat.

Ex-HPD officer seeks reduced prison time for child sex crimes. A former Honolulu police officer who admitted using his ex-girlfriend’s daughter to help set up a child prostitution ring while working as an officer is asking a federal judge for a 15-year prison sentence. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Roseanne Barr’s mac nut farm for sale. Comedian and television star Roseanne Barr has put her Big Island farm on the market, ending nearly two decades of ownership at a property that once drew headlines for legal and land-use disputes. Tribune-Herald.

What to do about tourism? Dozens of Big Island residents offer feedback at HTA meeting. The Hawaii Tourism Authority engaged with over 40 Hawaii Island residents Monday evening during a 90-minute digital meeting to gather input about tourism to help shape the future of welcoming visitors to the island. Tribune-Herald.

Future of Banyan Drive properties mulled. A meeting Monday of the Banyan Drive Hawaii Redevelopment Agency produced no consensus about what should be done with the vacant lot where Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel once stood or the property where the dilapidated Country Club Condo Hotel still stands, shuttered. Tribune-Herald.

Attack on cashless bail criticized. The signing of executive orders by President Donald Trump seeking the elimination nationally of cashless bail for pretrial criminal defendants is receiving a negative reaction locally from individuals intimately familiar with courts here. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Trouble in paradise: Kapalua to close ‘dying’ PGA Tour course for 2 months amid Maui water dispute.  Kapalua Resort, the Hawaii course where the PGA Tour has started every year since 1999, is shutting down for two months as it tries to save its water-starved courses during a dispute over the handling of a century-old water system on Maui. Associated Press. KHON2.

Overcrowding in Maui classrooms forces redistricting plan. Overcrowding in Maui schools has forced the Hawaii State Department of Education to come up with a redistricting plan. Hawaii News Now.

Lahaina fire debris transfer to permanent site is over 60% complete. The transfer of approximately 400,000 tons of debris began in June and is expected to continue through November. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui News. 

No significant environmental impact determined for Waiʻale Road extension. Maui County’s Department of Public Works has issued a determination of no significant environmental impacts for a $73 million project to extend Waiʻale Road 1.6 miles in Waikapū.  Maui Now.

West Maui YMCA Resource Center applies for Certificate of Occupancy. Renovations to the 6,500-square-foot facility located at  226 Kupuohi Street in Lahaina have been completed and have successfully passed all required inspections.  The Center is anticipated to open in mid-September.  Maui Now.

Ag board advances petition to protect Molokai from beetles. The Hawaii Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity on Tuesday decided to move forward on a proposed rule halting the shipment of plants to Molokai to protect the island from coconut rhinoceros beetles. Star-Advertiser.  Hawaii Public Radio. 

Kauai

Kauhale o Namahana aims to provide permanent affordable homes on Kauaʻi. Kauhale O Namahana has officially started the vertical construction of its 11 affordable single-family homes in Kīlauea. Kauai Now.

Kauaʻi Man Died On His Birthday After Airport Staff Encounter. In a lawsuit, the homeless man’s mother says her son was beaten to death. Civil Beat.

Kauai man allegedly preyed on underage girls. A 28-year-old Lihue man is facing a federal criminal charge after he allegedly trafficked in child pornography, posed as a teenage boy on Snapchat and tried to collect sexually explicit photos from “hundreds” of underage girls. Star-Advertiser.