Hurricane Lowell expected to cross Kauai tonight, state eyes school closures as student rolls decline, doctor shortage sends patients to urgent care facilities, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kauai County residents told to expect hurricane conditions as Lowell nears. Kauai and Niihau were put under hurricane warning late Sunday as Category 3 Lowell barrelled toward the islands packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph — threatening Kauai County with destructive winds, heavy rain, flooding, storm surge and dangerous surf as early as this afternoon. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4. 

‘Hurricane Hunters’ fly into Lowell. Lt. Sarah Cozart, a pilot, and meteorologists Sofia De Solo and Ryan Knapp are just a few who make up the “Hurricane Hunters,” a team tasked with gathering storm data under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The trio’s current mission is tracking Lowell, which as of 5 p.m. Sunday was a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds. Star-Advertiser.

Extreme weather tests Hawaii’s firefighters, reveals response gaps. Hurricane Lala and multiple Kona-low storms stretched firefighters across the islands this year, forcing crews to balance routine emergency calls with flood rescues, washed-out roads, downed trees and stranded communities. Star-Advertiser.

This Campaign Finance Whiz Helps Hawaiʻi Politicians Keep Their Books In Order. After 33 years with the state Campaign Spending Commission, Tony Baldomero is now working for candidates so they file “true and accurate” expense reports. Civil Beat.

Hawaii patients express frustration with doctor shortage. Hawaii has had a doctor shortage for more than 15 years, with the latest University of Hawaii report noting a gap of 833 full-time- equivalent doctors in 2025, worse than in the previous year. Statewide, more patients may be relying on urgent care due to the inability to find a PCP or seeking help from Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, who have full practice authority in Hawaii, meaning they can evaluate patients, diagnose illnesses and prescribe medication. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Schools Continue To Lose Students. Hawaiʻi schools have fewer students for the eighth year in a row as lawmakers push for campus closures and consolidations by the end of the decade, according to recent data from the state education department.  Civil Beat.

Native Hawaiian Benefits Face Sweeping Legal Attacks. Conservative groups and the Trump administration have taken aim at programs supporters say are foundational to making amends for Hawaiʻi’s history. Civil Beat.

UH debuts free ‘AI for Hawaii’ program to teach ethical, practical AI skills. “AI for Hawaiʻi” is an open-access, self-paced course that teaches foundational AI knowledge and practical skills, while also emphasizing responsible and ethical use. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Hawaii Supreme Court orders special election for state House District 43.  The state must hold another Republican primary for the House seat representing Kapolei and Makakilo after the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Friday that pulling a name out of a plastic egg to decide an election didn’t do the voters justice. On Aug. 8, the primary between incumbent Kanani Souza and Sheila Medeiros for the District 43 seat ended in a tie, with each receiving 842 votes. No Democrat filed to run in the race so whoever takes the primary wins the seat.  Star-Advertiser. Aloha State Daily. 

HPD releases footage of first drone-assisted arrest. In a video posted to social media Sunday, the department showcased how its new Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program was used to arrest three suspects in a recent crime spree. Hawaii News Now.

Ala Moana project developer seeks more time. The developer of 1588 Ala Moana, a mixed-use development calling for a 400-foot luxury hotel tower and a separate residential tower with market-rate and affordable units at Ala Moana Center, is seeking a 90-day extension to allow for further Honolulu City Council consideration. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu condominium prices fell in August; home costs surged. Nearly half of condo resales closed below $500,000 as inventory rose 4.1% year over year, according to data released Sunday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. The median price of $510,000 was down 1% from $515,000 a year earlier while sales declined 6.6%. The median price for single-family homes jumped 12.2% to $1,240,000 to reach its second-highest level ever behind only the $1,242,500 achieved in June.  Star-Advertiser. 

Hawaii Island

Uncertainty lingers following expiration of county’s lease for Punalu‘u park. A week after Hawaii County’s lease for Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park ended following a failure to reach an agreement with the private land owner of the park, changes are becoming visible at the site, which has been managed by the county for decades. Large signs that once greeted visitors have been removed, the public bathroom doors are locked, debris is scattered throughout the parking lot, and the lifeguard stand is shuttered. Tribune-Herald.

Push to ban data centers continues. The Windward Planning Commission on Thursday deferred action until October on a bill intended to ban artificial intelligence data centers. Tribune-Herald.

Green light for Keaau Health Center: Commissioners OK $90M project. The Windward Planning Commission on Thursday cleared the way for Hilo Benioff Medical Center to build an outpatient medical clinic in Keaau. Tribune-Herald.

Funding released toward Tropical AgTech Center project in Hilo. The main goals of the Tropical AgTech Center are to improve the profitability of small farms on Hawaiʻi Island and to increase exports from the state. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui Council panel advances license plate reader bill, delays facial recognition technology measure. Maui County Council members voted 7-1 in committee Thursday to put safeguards on how local law enforcement uses automated license plate reader technology, but they deferred action on a second bill addressing facial recognition technology that is not yet deployed by the Maui Police Department. Maui Now.

Questions persist about flood rescue training after Maui firefighter’s death. As fire departments across Hawaii expand their preparation for flooding and severe storms, the 2023 death of Maui firefighter Tre’ Evans-Dumaran continues to shape discussions about how firefighters are trained and equipped to respond to fast-moving floodwaters. Star-Advertiser.

Why Maui police don’t always name people who are arrested, including their own officers. When a 12-year veteran of the Maui Police Department was arrested on sexual assault charges this week, he was not identified by name and his mug shot was not included in a department news release. In September 2024, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Hawai‘i and the West Coast, ruled that the publication of mug shots on government websites was unconstitutional and essentially amounted to “pretrial punishment.” Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauaʻi residents, visitors, officials and nēnē prepare for Hurricane Lowell. On Sunday it was the calm before the storm, with Kauaʻi County officials urging residents to brace for severe weather starting to arrive Monday by stocking supplies, securing homes, and considering refuge areas as a last resort. Kauai Now.

Navy, NASA get more time for environmental review. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said Saturday it has granted a request from the Department of the Navy and National Aeronautics and Space Administration for a 15-day extension to their Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Pacific Missile Range Facility and Kokeʻe Park Geophysical Observatory. Star-Advertiser.

This Hawaiian Man Became The Face Of An Anti-Homelands Campaign. David Kalahiki and a neighbor turned to the Pacific Legal Foundation to stay in their homes. Now they are the face of a broader push by conservatives to upend programs serving Native Hawaiians. Civil Beat.

Hawaii tourism falters, Hawaii County loses Punaluu beach park lease, Lahaina post office faces closure, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Shorter Hawaii vacations erase 1 million visitor days despite higher arrivals. Preliminary data released Thursday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism showed visitor days fell 13.1% to 6.71 million in July from 7.72 million a year earlier. The decline came as the average visitor stay dropped 14.1% to 7.59 days, the shortest July stay since 2011. That was down nearly 21% from the peak July stay of 9.6 days in 2010. Star-Advertiser.

Financial Literacy Is Required For Hawai‘i Grads. Are Schools Ready? The education department is requiring financial literacy lessons after two decades of advocacy from lawmakers and educators. Implementation — and effectiveness — may vary. Civil Beat.

State to receive $18.5M for electric grid projects. The Hawaii State Energy Office in partnership with Hawaiian Electric and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said the money will support $25 million of investments for projects on Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Hawaii Vital Records Office moving to downtown Honolulu. Health officials said the move to Suite 100 at the City Financial Tower, 201 Merchant St., will begin Sept. 21 and is expected to be complete by Oct. 1. The Office of Health Status Monitoring issues about 300,000 certified copies of birth, death and marriage records each year. It also maintains Hawaii’s official vital records dating back to the mid-1800s. Star-Advertiser.

Cyclosporiasis case on Oahu raises questions about possible local source. A new cyclosporiasis case is raising questions about whether the illness could have been acquired in Hawaii. While health officials investigate where the patient may have been exposed, local farmers say there is no evidence linking the case to Hawaii-grown produce. (video only). KITV4.

Nearly a century of watercress: Sumida family business shows unique model of running a community farm . In the middle of a busy urban center, right off Kamehameha Highway, sits a fourth-generation, family-run farm tucked between the two phases of Pearlridge Mall in Central Oʻahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

This Form Of Japanese Buddhism In Hawaiʻi Could Disappear. Jikoen Hongwanji, a Japanese Shin Buddhist temple on Oʻahu, is losing popularity. The elders and old friends who once filled it, many of them Japanese immigrants or their children, have died. The temple is now facing an existential question.  Civil Beat.

Feral chickens are a common headache for some residents across Oahu, and trapping them is now turning into its own debacle. Some of the traps are being destroyed, and taxpayers are footing the bill. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

County’s loss of lease for Punalu‘u park sparks concerns. Since at least 1954, the county has leased the 6.8-acre site from successive private landowners to provide recreational opportunities and shoreline access for residents and visitors. The attorney for the property owner said Thursday that a statement in a press release from Mayor Kimo Alameda’s office that Black Sand Beach LLC — whose principal is Eva Liu — “declined the county’s offer and chose to terminate the existing lease agreement as of June 30” is false. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.  KHON2.  Hawaii News Now. 

Hawaiʻi Island Water Restoration Update for Thursday, August 27. The Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply reported that power has been restored to key infrastructure in Mountain View and Pāhala, and that normal water use may resume in those locations. Big Island Video News.

Power restored to Ka‘ū Hospital 11 days after Hurricane Lala struck Big Island. Power was restored at Kaʻū Hospital on Thursday after 11 days of being forced to run on generators due to damage caused by Hurricane Lala. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui Council votes 8-1 to authorize county acquisition of private water systems in Launiupoko and Olowalu. Maui County Council members authorized the Department of Water Supply Tuesday to spend up to $6 million to acquire two privately owned West Maui water systems. Maui Now.

Tokuda and Paltin speak out against the proposed permanent closure of Lahaina Downtown Post Office. In a letter dated Aug. 20, 2026 to postal customers in Lahaina, the USPS reported that it intends to permanently close the Lahaina Downtown Station, located at 132 Papalaua Street because of irreparable damage to the facility as a result of the August 2023 wildfire.  Maui Now.

Kauai

Vandalism forces closure of Kauaʻi preschool as new owner works to reopen under new name. Little Wonders Preschool, formerly A Room to Grow Preschool, is on a mission to restore its vibrant learning environment after acts of vandalism forced its closure. Kauai Now.

KIUC seeks to purchase headquarters property. Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative is seeking approval from the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission to purchase the Hana Kukui property on Pahe‘e Street in Lihu‘e. The cooperative has rented this property for its headquarters for well over 20 years.  Garden Island.

National Science Foundation defunds Thirty Meter Telescope, Hawaii congressional delegation pushes for details on bombing island, Kaiser Permanente buys Maui News site, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

National Science Foundation defunds long-stalled Thirty Meter Telescope. The National Science Foundation will no longer fund the Thirty Meter Telescope planned for construction atop Mauna Kea, instead choosing to back its international competitor, the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile. The decision, revealed Friday in the NSF’s fiscal year 2026 budget request under the Trump administration, could be the death knell for the controversial $3 billion TMT project and its future viability. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. 

Visitor deportations from Hawaii spark concerns about entry rules. Ever-tightening U.S. entry policies and accounts from international visitors who are denied entry could weaken international arrivals, which are an important base of business for Hawaii’s visitor industry. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii delegation pushes Navy for information on Kaula training plan. Hawaii’s congressional delegation is pushing the Navy to provide more information on its plan to more than double bombardment training on a small Hawaiian Island that the state and conservation groups consider a critical bird sanctuary. Star-Advertiser.

Military sued over details of proposed rocket testing site on Johnston Atoll. The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the military for details on a proposal to build a rocket test site in a remote wildlife refuge less than 900 miles from Hawaiʻi Island. Hawaii Public Radio.

Green signs bills to bolster schoolchildren. Gov. Josh Green signed three bills Friday afternoon to support healthier keiki through better access to food, transportation and surfing programs in schools. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s rural nonprofits stay afloat amid federal funding insecurity. A Kauai and a Hana-based nonprofit are using grants from Newman’s Own Foundation to promote indigenous food justice by keeping Hawaiian youth connected to the traditions, regenerative farming techniques and culture of their communities. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu Police Can’t Spend Entire Budget Because It Can’t Fill Positions. The City Council will consider a resolution aimed at reducing vacancies and encouraging more hires and fewer retirements. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. 

Affordable housing project breaks ground in Ala Moana. An affordable housing project that will bring 64 new rental units to the heart of Honolulu broke ground Friday. Hawaii News Now.

New changes coming to UH Mānoa campus roads.  Roadwork near the University of Hawaii at Mānoa campus begins on June 2, and people heading to campus in the fall will see quite a few changes including a driving lane reduction, new bike lanes and more crosswalks. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Punalu‘u Village developers avoid foreclosure. A foreclosure lawsuit against developers of a controversial proposed commercial development near a popular black sand beach in Ka‘u has been withdrawn by the mortgage lender. Tribune-Herald. Civil Beat.

Keaau health center funded. The state has allocated $25 million for construction of the Keaau Benioff Medical Center in Puna. Tribune-Herald. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now. 

Maui

Fully funded Olowalu fire station on hold over ‘iwi kupuna discovered 2 years ago in subdivision. A planned new fire station in West Maui was going nowhere for years until the deadly and destructive August 2023 wildfire highlighted the need for the facility just south of Lahaina. Maui Now.

Kaiser Permanente purchases Maui News site. The purchase agreement allows The Maui News to continue operating at the site for up to a year. General Manager Jenni DeFouw said the newspaper is working to identify new office space and move quickly.  Maui News.

Kula has been hit hard by summer wildfires, so residents are getting better prepared. Summer wildfires have hit the Upcountry Maui community of Kula the past two years, fueling community efforts to ensure area residents are better equipped for the worst-case scenarios. Hawaii Public Radio.

MPD officer arrested for sex assault allegations identified as Devin Schoeppner. The Maui Police Department confirmed the name of the 11-year veteran officer who was arrested on Thursday over sexual assault accusations. KITV4.

Kauai

HDOT declares traffic emergency zone. The Wailua Bridge is scheduled to undergo emergency repairs and will be closed overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. Garden Island. Kauai Now.  KHON2. 

Hawaii trails up for review, Army proposes downsizing Oahu training grounds, Trump cuts threaten broadband access, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

State seeks public input on Nā Ala Hele Trail program. The program, part of the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, manages hundreds of miles of trails and access roads across the state. Nā Ala Hele is updating its program plan, originally created in 1991, and seeks community input. Big Island Now.

Hawaii hopes to restore ‘racist’ broadband access grant canceled by president. Hawaii’s lieutenant governor is scrambling to find money to replace a broadband access grant that President Donald Trump terminated — a grant he called “racist” and a “woke giveaway.” Hawaii News Now.

In Hawaiʻi, Drowning Leading Cause Of Death For Tourists, Children Under 15. The Department of Health says data shows Hawaiʻi’s resident drowning rate is the second highest in the nation, and most drowned in swimming pools. Big Island Video News.

Bill To Guard Against Imitation Hawaiian Tea Could End Up Hurting Industry. Māmaki producers say they support efforts to protect Hawaiʻi-grown products but fear this bill could put companies out of business. Civil Beat.

Movies And TV Shows Left Hawaiʻi. The Workers Followed. With the loss of productions came a decline in film jobs and spending in the state. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Loyal travelers with Hawaiian Airlines are being told not to worry as their HawaiianMiles are safe. The program will eventually be phased out because of the merger with Alaska Airlines.  KHON2.

Oahu

Army Proposes Downsizing Its Training Grounds On Oʻahu. Those include parts of the Kahuku Training Area that aren’t used for ground maneuvers as well as all 4,390 acres in the Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area that for the last decade have almost exclusively been used for aviation training, according to the Army’s final environmental impact statement posted online Thursday night. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

City Council approves $40K Liquor Commission settlement. Litigation involving the Honolulu Liquor Commission and one of its former investigators who claimed discrimination, harassment and a hostile work environment based on his sexual orientation while working for the agency has advanced toward a settlement. Star-Advertiser.

EMS director says ‘ambulances are safe’ after recent fire sparks concerns.  Investigators with the Honolulu Fire Department are looking into what sparked an ambulance fire over the weekend. Hawaii News Now.

Gondola development project proposed for North Shore. Mt. Kaala is the tallest peak on Oahu, and the owner of Adventure Group in Canada owns 2,300 acres in Waialua and plans to develop it. KHON2.

West Loch Disaster remembrance planned. The Obama Hawaiian Africana Museum and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency will host a remembrance ceremony Wednesday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl honoring the anniversary of the deadly 1944 West Loch Disaster. Star-Advertiser.

Waikīkī restaurant worries tariff on Japan will affect Wagyu beef prices. Jack Sinanaj, the owner of Empire Steak House Hawaii in Waikīkī, is concerned about a 24% tariff on A-5 Wagyu beef from Japan — a small but real way the Trump administration's tariffs could impact local businesses. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Punaluu Village project thwarted. Black Sand Beach LLC had plans to develop Punalu‘u Village on 147 acres inland of Punaluu Bay in Kaʻu, where endangered hawksbill and green sea turtles nest. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiʻi County not accepting permit applications May 23-25 due to system update. The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works will update its Electronic Process Information System for permit applications on May 23 to improve the site’s performance and change the service fees. Big Island Now.

Maui

Reef-Friendly Landscaping Summit launches to protect Kāʻanapali’s shoreline. The Pilikahakai Foundation, a nonprofit rooted in Native Hawaiian values and dedicated to preserving Kāʻanapali Beach, hosted its inaugural Reef-Friendly Landscaping Summit over the weekend, aimed at advancing sustainable land care practices that protect West Maui’s coastline.  Maui Now.

Planned Parenthood to offer vasectomy services on Maui. Planned Parenthood expects to start offering vasectomy services at its Honolulu and Kahului Health Centers with procedures beginning June 12 and 13. Maui News.

National award recognizes Molokaʻi's efforts to improve the health of its land and people. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Prize celebrates communities across the U.S. that highlight locally-led solutions to healthier futures. Molokaʻi was one of nine communities awarded this year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Petroleum company on Kaua‘i cited for hazardous waste violations. The Hawai‘i Department of Health issued a Notice of Violation and Order against IES Downstream, a limited liability company, for violating the state’s hazardous waste management laws at its ‘Ele‘ele storage terminal on Kaua‘i. Kauai Now.

SurfRider Foundation Kaua‘i releases monthly water quality tests for beaches, streams. Water quality in several Kaua‘i streams had overwhelming levels of bacteria recorded during the SurfRider Foundation’s monthly testing in May. Kauai Now.

Hawaii Tourism Authority sued over snorkeling dangers after long flights, temporary restraining order halts destruction of Haiku stairs, contested case hearing slows Punaluu black sand beach development, Civil Beat a Pulitzer finalist for Maui fire coverage, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Michigan family files lawsuit against Hawaii tourism authority over snorkeling dangers after long flights. A Michigan family filed a lawsuit against the Hawaii's Tourism Authority, and other visitor groups, because they don't warn tourists about potential dangers of snorkeling soon after flying. KITV4.

Hawaii Pushes To Ensure High Schoolers Learn About Money Management. The Department of Education wants to include financial literacy in students' individual transition plans for career planning. Civil Beat.

Hawaii county mayors crack down on short-term rentals, pledging neighborhood restoration. Now with the power to revoke permits, county mayors are moving aggressively to shut many of them down. KITV4.

Woman charged for alleged theft of more than $44,000 in IBEW union members’ dues. Attorney General Anne Lopez announced criminal charges against a woman for the alleged embezzlement of approximately $44,367 in union dues from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 1186. Maui Now. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Corruption Defendant Dennis Mitsunaga Injured In Jailhouse Fall, Delaying Trial. A high-profile bribery trial involving businessman Dennis Mitsunaga and former Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro was delayed on Monday after Mitsunaga sustained an injury in custody, his attorney said.  Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Settlement over Liquor Commission lawsuit is rejected. An offer by the city to settle a 2021 federal lawsuit alleging anti-gay discrimination by investigators working for the Honolulu Liquor Commission has been rejected. Star-Advertiser.

Friends of Haiku Stairs halt removal of popular, but prohibited, hiking trail. A temporary restraining order has been filed by the Friends of Haiku Stairs in an attempt to keep the city from their removal. KHON2.

Oahu housing market improves with year-over-year gains. The single-family home market had bigger gains, with a 26% jump in sales to 262 in April from 208 a year earlier, and a 10% rise in the median sale price to $1,100,000 from $999,995. Star-Advertiser.

Man who received $12.5M settlement from HPD arrested for gun crimes. Officers booked Jonaven Perkins-Sinapati Saturday afternoon for allegedly firing a gun out of a moving vehicle in Kaneohe. Hawaii News Now.

Biki’s Balancing Act: The Bike Share Company Is Raising Rates While Trying To Attract More Riders. Biki's Honolulu ridership has been steadily declining over the past few years, and its leadership wants to reinvest in the system to draw in more riders and start adding e-bikes. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Punalu‘u project stalled: Proposed Black Sand Beach Development On Big Island Hits Rocky Shores. The Windward Planning Commission granted petitions for a contested case hearing over a developer's plans to build 225 units along a remote strip of coastline. Civil Beat. Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.

Star Alameda, wife of mayoral candidate dies. Star Alameda, wife of Hawaii County mayoral candidate Kimo Alameda and a career educator, died Friday. She was 54. Tribune-Herald.

National Science Foundation to decide on billions in funding for Thirty Meter Telescope. The National Science Foundation has until September to decide on advancing the Thirty Meter Telescope to the final design stage. The TMT is competing against a telescope project in Chile for limited NSF funding.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Name Given To New Astronomy Instrument On Maunakea.  ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo have named a new instrument that will be used at the Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope on Maunakea. Wenaokeao, meaning “earliest glow of light,” was given after extensive research by high school students. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Notices of Maui homeless sweep lacking information cited by state Supreme Court. Notices of an ongoing homeless sweep at Maui’s Kahului Boat Harbor by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources lack the same information that was cited by the Hawaii Supreme Court in a challenge to Maui County’s homeless sweeps. Star-Advertiser.

A judge is forcing Hawaiʻi to give wildfire investigation documents to lawyers handling lawsuits. A judge on Friday forced the Hawaiʻi attorney general's office to turn over to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over last summer's Maui wildfires all documents, interviews and data collected by the outside team hired to investigate the disaster. Associated Press.

Candidates file nomination papers, aim to help with Maui’s housing crisis. Two candidates for public office are testing political waters and saying they aim to help address Maui’s housing crisis, especially in the wake of the August wildfires. Maui Now.

Expeditions Maui-Lānaʻi Ferry expands to three round trips per day; continues to adjust following wildfires. The Expeditions Maui-Lānaʻi Ferry is expanding service with three round trips per day, seven days a week, starting the week of June 3, 2024. Maui Now.

Civil Beat Named Pulitzer Finalist For Maui Fire Coverage. Civil Beat’s reporting exposed critical flaws in the state and county’s emergency preparedness and response, including the absence of Maui’s top emergency management official, the county’s lack of transparency overall and the history of failures in ecological management that laid the foundation for the disaster.  Civil Beat.

Kauai

County and hotel developer respond to recent wastewater spills at Coco Palms. Two recent wastewater spills at the Wailua Coco Palms sewer pump station, expected to accommodate a 350-room hotel currently under construction, have added to public opposition to the development. However, county officials and the hotel developer assert that the sewer issues are not linked to the hotelʻs construction.  Kauai Now.

Niumalu Bridge on Kaua‘i closed till further notice. Following the flooding event in April, Kaua‘i County consultants inspected county bridges across the island and determined that the Niumalu Bridge was unsafe for motorists, prompting an immediate shutdown. Kauai Now.

Byzantine government regulations endanger the already endangered sea turtles -- commentary

Visitors pose with sea turtles at Punaluu Black Sand Beach (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Sea turtles -- by land or by sea?

You would think it's a distinction without a difference. Not so in the byzantine world that is our federal government.

In fact, oversight of protection of these endangered creatures is split between two federal agencies -- the National Marine Fisheries Service when the turtles are in the water, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when they're on land.

Visitor photos honu (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

In theory, the two agencies coordinate protection of six species of sea turtles found in U.S. waters and nesting on U.S. shores -- all of which are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The species, the green, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, leatherback, loggerhead and olive ridley, have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since the 1970s.

The agencies are charged with creating recovery plans for each species, setting goals and recovery strategies. They're also charged with enforcing laws against harassing or killing these endangered animals.

Snoozing honu (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

That coordination could be improved, according to Jan. 31 study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Or, in government-speak, "To improve the effectiveness of the services’ sea turtle protection and recovery efforts, that the Secretary of Commerce should direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, and that the Secretary of the Interior should direct the Director of FWS, to revise the existing memorandum of understanding to clarify what specific steps the services will take to coordinate ..."

Hawksbill heads to sea, courtesy National Parks Service

Our precious turtles, known as "honu" in Hawaii, freely make use of both environments, of course. Swimmers and snorkelers easily spot green sea turtles in the ocean, and the curious creatures frequently will swim up to check out the people swimming nearby.

The Big Island's Punaluu Black Sand Beach is a favorite stop on the tour bus circuit, where hordes of tourists come to pose for photos with the massive honu sunning on the warm black sand. Some of the sightseers get too close, and arguments ensue, sometimes culminating in pushing and shoving matches.

We on Hawaii Island value our endangered species and aren't shy about making the scofflaws toe the line. In Hawaiian mythology, the green sea turtle, Kauila, could change herself into a girl who watched over the children playing at Punaluu Beach. Sea turtles also were thought to help guide early voyagers to Hawaii's shores and were an important food source in the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Honu grazing (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The folks at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park also help coordinate protection efforts, especially of the hawksbill turtle that frequent their shores.

The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should also, according to the GAO -- get this -- share their data. The very idea!

And who's in charge when that bugger is half in, half out of the water?

Perhaps, and you may call me a heretic, there is an easier solution. Why not simply pick one agency to oversee the turtles? Simple solution, cutting unnecessary duplication in government agencies and allowing one agency take full responsibility, thus creating more accountability. Too simple, perhaps?