Sen. Keith-Agaran resigning amid ethical questions over Maui lawsuit representation, Mayor Bissen criticized for fire response, Biden pledges $95M for electric grid hardening, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Maui Senator To Resign Amid Questions Over Possible Conflict Of Interest. Hawaii Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran, who has faced public criticism about his role as a private attorney in connection with litigation over the Lahaina wildfire disaster, announced plans to resign from the Senate effective Oct. 31. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  Maui News.  Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Maui mayor had to recuse himself from HECO suit because his daughter works for utility. Mayor Rick Bissen was not involved in Maui County’s decision to sue Hawaiian Electric because his daughter, Sayble Bissen, works for the utility on the island. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen faces calls to resign as questions about county’s wildfire response.
More than three weeks after a raging inferno gutted historic Lahaina town, leaving at least 115 people dead, not one state or county leader has taken responsibility for the failures that led to the deaths of what’s likely hundreds of people. Hawaii News Now.

Rep. Tokuda: “We’re going to fight like hell” to ensure FEMA is funded for Maui recovery. US Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) announced a shared legislative priority for Congress to approve funding for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund as Maui continues recovery from the Aug. 8 deadly wildfire in Lahaina. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Biden pledges $95M to harden Hawaii electric grids. Nearly $100 million is “on the way” from the federal government to upgrade Hawaii’s electric grid to better withstand extreme weather events, but it’s unclear how many improvements the money can pay for as well as where and when. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Biden to nominate Hawaii attorney for federal judgeship. Micah W.J. Smith has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii since 2018. He is a nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Exec’s cooperation leads to reduction of sentence. Honolulu wastewater executive Milton Choy’s sentence following his involvement in a bribery scheme was reduced because of his “extraordinary cooperation” with prosecutors, which has led to the arrests and convictions of state legislators and Maui County employees. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A North Shore Shooting That Left Two Men Dead Has An Intriguing Link To The Miske Case. A 20-year-old man who shot and killed two others in an exchange of gunfire in the parking lot of Haleiwa Joe’s Seafood Grill on Aug. 31, 2018, was an FBI confidential source in the investigation leading to the indictment of Honolulu businessman and alleged racketeering gang leader, Michael J. Miske Jr. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Most of Kapapala Ranch transfered to ag department. The Kapapala Ranch, which encompasses about 31,000 acres in Ka‘u just north of Pahala, was mostly transferred from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to the state Department of Agriculture in order to fulfill the terms of a 2003 law. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council Gets An Earful From Angry Residents Over Housing Proposal. The state's chief housing officer says her team is identifying land where new housing can be built and assessing needs. Civil Beat.

Lahaina Parents Criticize DOE Plan To Temporarily Relocate Students. Lahaina Parents Criticize DOE Plan To Temporarily Relocate Students.  Families from Lahaina used a public meeting in Napili Wednesday to vent their frustration with the Hawaii Department of Education over communication since the Aug. 8 fire that damaged one school and closed three.  Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Lahaina District Courthouse to reopen Sept. 5. The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary announced the Lahaina District Courthouse will reopen and resume normal operations on Sept. 5, 2023.  Maui Now.

Ocean water testing begins off Lahaina. Preliminary water testing in the nearshore waters off Lahaina is showing that physical parameters, like temperature, PH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, are currently in normal ranges.  Maui Now. Garden Island.

Visitors urged to not cancel trips. Tourists were initially urged to stay away from Maui in the immediate wake of a wildfire that killed at least 115 people and devastated the historic town of Lahaina.But now, more than three weeks after the catastrophic wildfire, officials and some residents are urging visitors to not cancel upcoming trips to other parts of the island, saying the tourism dollars are needed to keep locals employed. Los Angeles Times. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Kauai utility to cut power to some customers amid red flag conditions. Select power lines on Kauai will be de-energized due to red flag warning currently impacting leeward parts of the islands, according to Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4.

Hawai‘i homelessness coordinator, Kaua‘i County Council debate root cause of homelessness crisis.  James Koshiba, Gov. Josh Green’s coordinator on homelessness, met with the Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday to discuss solutions for Hawai‘i’s growing homelessness crisis, emphasizing the administration’s focus on countering the continuing unaffordability of homes in the state. Garden Island.

Landfill expansion meeting Aug. 31. A public meeting to discuss the Kekaha Landfill vertical expansion is at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center on Thursday, Aug. 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Garden Island.

Wastewater exec sentenced in legislators' bribery case, federal probe launched into Biden's Lahaina spending, Maui mayor not sure who was in charge, sirens may become SOP, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Wastewater Exec Milton Choy Gets 3 1/2 Years In Prison In Bribery Case. Choy’s cooperation led to two former state legislators, J. Kalani English and Ty Cullen, pleading guilty to honest services wire fraud in February last year. English was sentenced to 40 months in prison while Cullen got two years.  Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

House Oversight Committee Will Launch Federal Probe Into Maui Fire Response. The Republican-led House Oversight and Accountability Committee announced Tuesday that it will launch an investigation into the federal government’s response to the wildfires in Maui that so far have left 115 dead and hundreds more missing. The chairman confirmed the investigation just days before Speaker Kevin McCarthy is expected to visit Hawaii. Civil Beat. Bloomberg.

Lawmaker’s potential role as lawyer for fire victims described as ethical ‘gray area’. The lawsuits over the deadly Lahaina inferno are piling up and more are expected, and now state Sen. Gilbert Keith-Agaran's participation in the legal challenges is raising eyebrows. Hawaii News Now.

Sounding sirens for wildfires in Hawaiʻi may soon be standard emergency protocol. Darryl Oliveira, the new interim administrator of Maui Emergency Management Agency said he was in talks Tuesday morning with officials from the Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency and all four counties about codifying a new emergency response protocol to use sirens during wildfires everywhere in the state. Maui Now.

Response timeline will not be released, Maui County officials say. Maui County officials Tuesday again declined to release a timeline of their response and disclose when they knew that people had died in the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire, which took at least 115 lives and gutted the historic heart of Lahaina town. Star-Advertiser.

Maui’s mayor ‘not sure’ who was in charge at emergency management center as Lahaina burned. Three weeks after a wall of fire claimed at least 115 lives and turned historic Lahaina to ash, Maui County’s highest-ranking official said he didn’t know who was calling the shots at the county’s Emergency Management Center the day the town burned. Hawaii News Now.

Will The Maui Wildfires Cause Insurance Companies To Rethink Coverage In Hawaii? The concern aligns with a national trend of increasing rates and limited coverage in areas at a high risk of the effects of climate change. Civil Beat.

The Lahaina Blaze Is Rekindling An Old Debate Over Using Water To Fight Fires. The fight centers on how much power owners of private water systems should have to divert streams to fill their plantation-era reservoirs with water to control wildfires. Civil Beat.

Maui County, HECO vow to work together as Hawaii faces fire weather watch. Maui County and Hawaiian Electric Co., at odds over the cause of the deadly Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire, issued a joint statement Tuesday night to assure the public that they will work together, along with state officials, as high winds and dry conditions once again threaten leeward areas of all Hawaiian islands. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Native Hawaiian leaders, others plan statewide vigil for Maui. Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners will lead a one-day, statewide vigil Friday to aid the emotional and spiritual healing of those on Maui who suffered devastating loss from wildfires that swept through Lahaina and other areas of the island. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Hawaiʻi House Republicans to hold weekly community meetings to hear from constituents firsthand. The Hawaiʻi Republican Caucus is rolling out what it calls a “listening tour” of weekly community meetings on Oʻahu. This allows politicians to hear constituent concerns firsthand, and act on them when drafting bills for the next year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Contract worth $2.5M awarded to remove Haiku Stairs. The Nakoa Companies, Inc., specializes in “complex infrastructure projects” and will be working on the removal of the Haiku Stairs and the Moanalua Saddle Stairs, the city’s Department of Design and Construction announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Joint Task Force Red Hill begins repacking facility lines with fuel on way to defueling. Defueling of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility starts in mid-October, but before that, the pipes need to be prepped.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Experts debate legalizing recreational marijuana in Hawaii . Experts gathered in Waikiki to discuss the ramifications of legalizing recreational marijuana on Tuesday, Aug. 29. KHON2. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

Fire Watch for leeward portions of Hawai‘i Island extended through Thursday. Hawai‘i Fire Department is watching for blazes from Pāhala in the Ka‘ū District all the way up to Hawī in North Kohala. Deputy Fire Chief Eric Moller anticipates the Fire Watch to rise to a Warning. Big Island Now.

New boat and trailer parking signs posted at Hōnaunau ramp. Less than a week ago, Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation Department posted “boat and trailer parking only” signs at Hōnaunau boat ramp in South Kona. But it appears beach goers are not adhering to the parking restrictions. Big Island Now.

Maui

‘Return To Lahaina Phase’ Begins After Removal Of Hazardous Materials. The search for bodies of fire victims in Lahaina has come to a close as environmental regulators begin to remove toxic chemicals dislodged during the Aug. 8 disaster from the ash-covered landscape. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.  Garden Island.

Lahaina public schools expected to open after fall break, pending environmental clearances. Hawai‘i State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi announced today that the Department has set a tentative goal of welcoming students back to the three West Maui campuses after fall break in mid-October.  Maui Now. KHON2.

US Sen. Brian Schatz focused on supplemental appropriations to help in the wake of Lahaina wildfire recovery. Congressional leaders are focusing on supplemental appropriations needed to help rebuild Lahaina Town, according to US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi) who is visiting Maui for assessments in the wake of the Aug. 8 wildfire disaster.  Maui Now.

Green’s emergency housing panel hears concerns over Lahaina rebuilding. A new state emergency housing development approval panel didn’t have anything to consider for approval at its first working meeting Tuesday, but got an earful from community members opposed to the panel’s existence, power or process. Star-Advertiser.

The Great Lahaina Fire Of 1919 Has Eerie Parallels To The Recent Blaze. This isn’t the first time that much of Lahaina was destroyed in a blaze. About 100 years ago, a group of buildings in the town’s commercial center went up in flames in what is known as the Great Lahaina Fire of 1919. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Fire Watch for leeward portions of Kaua‘i extended through Thursday. According to the National Weather Service, Trade winds of 15 to 30 mph are expected with gusts of 40 to 45 mph. Kauai Now.

Kilauea’s North Shore Medical Center accepting new patients. The clinic manager at Kilauea’s North Shore Medical Center says people incorrectly believe the center is closing, following the recent announcement that the nearby Kaua‘i Community Health Alliance (KCHA) is shutting down. Garden Island.

Frustrations, lawsuits mount in Lahaina fire aftermath, state senator's personal litigation role questioned, FBI seeks familial DNA samples to ID remains, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Dozens of Maui residents express their frustration. The County Council heard sometimes conflicting recommendations about how quickly to move to rebuild Lahaina and what issues should be prioritized. The consensus was that community members should be consulted, but how soon remained unclear because many remain traumatized. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

A Key Maui Lawmaker’s Likely Role In Wildfire Litigation Raises Questions. State Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran said he sees no conflict between his role as a lawyer and his role as a lawmaker. Keith-Agaran, who represents Wailuku, Kalului and Waihee, appeared Friday in an online “Maui Wildfire Impact Community Discussion,” an event hosted by his law firm and a major mainland firm, Morgan & Morgan. Civil Beat.

Maui fire victims pursue tactic that led to $13.5B California settlement. Hawaii property owners are seizing on a legal shortcut used by fire victims in California to secure compensation from Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. for damages following the fires that ravaged Maui. Bloomberg.

Moody’s estimates Hawaiian wildfires caused up to $6 billion in economic losses. The losses could range from $4 billion to $6 billion, Moody’s said Tuesday. About 75% of the losses will be covered by insurance because of the island’s high insurance penetration rates, according to the risk modeling agency. CNN.

Hawaiian Electric engages Guggenheim amid Maui fire suits. Numerous lawsuits have been filed alleging that the utility’s power lines ignited the fires which destroyed much of Lahaina, Hawaii earlier this month. The potential liabilities could reach almost $4 billion if the utility is deemed negligent, according to investment research firm Capstone LLC. Bloomberg.

Lahaina Was A Wakeup Call, But Forecasters Say Above Normal Fire Risk Remains. Self-preservation backed up by stringent building codes can significantly limit the potential for fire damage. Civil Beat.

As Maui burned, Hawaii’s top emergency management officials were at a Waikiki conference. As the wildfire in Lahaina spread, the Pacific’s top disaster management leaders were together with many of Hawaii’s emergency officials at a meeting on Oahu educating them about how to respond in crisis situations. Hawaii News Now.

Cancellations outpace bookings for Maui hotels. Gov. Josh Green used the opportunity of President Joe Biden’s visit Monday to strongly encourage visitors to travel to the unaffected parts of Maui and the rest of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Oahu

UH Law School Instructor Says He Was Banned For Criticizing ‘Nice Racism’. A prominent instructor at the University of Hawaii’s law school has sued the school, alleging the dean, unnamed faculty and a university provost retaliated against him by banning him from the law school campus after he criticized and organized a boycott against a Black History Month event that did not include any Black person as a panelist, facilitator or organizer. Civil Beat.

Redevelopment to begin on Varona Village. The Ewa plain community — once filled with 93 homes rented by employees of the long-defunct Oahu Sugar’s Ewa Plantation — is being redeveloped by the city in partnership with the Savio Group of Companies and Hawaii  Habitat for Humanity Association. Star-Advertiser.

TheHandi-Van use recovers from COVID with less reliable service. Ridership on TheHandi-­Van has nearly recovered from a drop that began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are concerns about the government’s ability to keep up with the growing demand for its services. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hilo jail expansion should be complete in December.  The $20.7 million project will add 48 new beds to the jail and will increase its total operational capacity from 226 inmates to 274. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island Farmers Held Back A Fire Until Help Arrived: ‘It Could Have Been Another Lahaina’. That same fateful day, a couple of farmers, a troop of cowboys and fire crews were all that stood between a Waimea wildfire and potential catastrophe. Civil Beat.

Staffing, maintenance woes continue to limit use of county pools. Frequent and random closures at Hawaii County pools are causing frustration for swimmers across the island. Tribune-Herald.

Once home to Keauhou Beach Hotel and Kona Lagoon, Kamehameha Schools continues work to rehabilitate historic land. At the southern end of Ali’i Drive on the way to Keauhou Bay is a grassy 22 acres that may look like a park, but holds generations of history of the Hawaiian culture including some of the 53 heiau (temples) along its Kona coastline. Big Island Now.

Maui

FBI says over 1,000 unaccounted for in Lahaina. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Maui police have made a public plea for DNA samples and specific identifying information as they work through a list of 1,000 to 1,100 people who are unaccounted for after the wildfires that leveled Lahaina and killed at least 115. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Associated Press.  Maui Now.  KITV4.

8 added to list of wildfire victims. The official death toll from the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire remained at 115 Tuesday, but the Maui Police Department released the names of eight more victims who died. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

Maui fire relief housing program showing results. Nearly 80 households displaced by the fire that destroyed nearly all of Lahaina have found single-family homes, condominiums and other more residential temporary accommodations rented from owners under the Hawaii Fire Relief Housing program. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Kauai

Water service shutdown on Lauoho Road and Kaumuali’i Highway scheduled Aug. 24. A water service shutdown has been scheduled on a portion of Lauoho Road and a portion of Kaumuali’i Highway on Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting to allow contractor, Earthworks Pacific, Inc. to tie-in new service laterals to the existing waterline. Kauai Now.