HART committee seeks to expand rail to Ala Moana Center, OHA reconsiders Apo after public outcry, Volpe tapped for Big Island fire chief, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

New Plan Aims To Extend Honolulu Rail Line For An Extra $4 Billion. A subcommittee of HART tentatively endorses extending the Skyline system to Ala Moana Center and to Ka Makani Aliʻi shopping center in Kapolei. The new report by the subcommittee of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board mentions a half-dozen ways the city might raise the billions of dollars needed to build the rail extensions. Civil Beat.

OHA postpones CEO choice after public outcry. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs had voted 5-to-4 on Wednesday to select Todd Apo but by Thursday they were not so sure. Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs declined to move forward on Todd Apo’s nomination as the agency’s next CEO after hearing more than two hours of testimony from the public on Thursday, most of it in opposition to Apo. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. KHON2. 

Prison director wants mentally ill suspects diverted from jail. Prison officials and lawmakers say millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent incarcerating people who need mental health care instead.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Green Fee program seeks new ideas before Nov. 1 deadline. More than a $100 million was generated by the additional transient accommodations tax but is limited to being spent on three different areas: environmental stewardship, climate and hazard resilience and sustainable tourism. KITV4.

State jobless rate hits 2-year high of 2.8%. The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose in September for the sixth time this year and hit 2.8% — up from 2.7% in August and up from 2.2% in January, according to data released Monday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Ex-Army official charged in federal bribery case. A 49-year-old ex-U.S. Army official is scheduled to make his initial appearance after he was accused by federal prosecutors of taking $1.25 million in bribes over five years to steer contracts to companies from the military’s Hawaii-­Pacific Innovation Campus. Star-Advertiser.

10-tower redevelopment project takes shape in Kalihi. In about 2-1/2 years, the initial phase of a more than $1 billion plan to replace the 73-year-old Mayor Wright Homes complex in Kalihi-Palama with eight times as many new homes in a high-rise setting featuring more amenities should be done. Star-Advertiser. Aloha State Daily. KITV4. 

HPD seizes more than $21,000, loaded gun in Wahiawa gambling raid. Officers took 36 gambling machines, $21,639 in cash, illegal drugs and a loaded firearm from an illegal gambling operation in Wahiawa. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Big Island’s Next Fire Chief Is Daniel Volpe. The fire commission voted 5-1 to hire the chief after receiving more than 30 applications. Volpe, who stepped in as interim chief in January, has served in the department for over 20 years as a firefighter, fire medical specialist, battalion chief and deputy chief.  Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now. 

Rezoning decision about land for controversial Waikōloa Village development postponed until 2027. A Hawaiʻi County Council bill that would have rezoned a parcel of land in Waikōloa Village to allow for the development of an affordable home project with 400 apartments and 300 single-family homes has been postponed until July of 2027. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui Council committee questions temporary site plan for people living in vehicles. The Maui County Council is scheduled to take a final vote Friday on a bill that would let the county open a temporary site for people living in their vehicles, and officials hope to begin relocating people from Pūlehu Road as early as next week. Maui Now.

Maui wastewater overflow causes park closure, stench in Kihei. A wastewater spill in Kihei flooded parts of Kalama Park and the fire station parking lot on Thursday, Oct. 22. KHON2.

ʻAlalā reach milestones on Maui: Released Hawaiian crows show encouraging signs of recovery. Nearly two years after release into the forests of Haleakalā, five ʻalalā (Hawaiian crows) continue making their way in the wild and demonstrating encouraging natural behaviors. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauaʻi Police Department launching automated license plate readers. Kauaʻi Police Chief Rudy Tai said data collected by this technology "will be restricted to authorized KPD personnel and governed by departmental policies and applicable laws.” Kauai Now.

Federal defense agency grants $1.3 million to improve Kekaha-Waimea water system on Kauaʻi. The water system is critical infrastructure for the U.S. Navyʻs Pacific Missile Range Facility that relies on it for its own operations and workforce. Kauai Now. Garden Island. 

Dead Pigs, Stripped Cars: Kauaʻi’s Scary Public Housing Conditions. Kawailehua residents say they’re tired of the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority ignoring their complaints and are organizing to improve the situation. Civil Beat.

Conservation group working to clear Kauai storm damage.  Kupu, a Honolulu nonprofit, has been working with the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Kauai County, sending crews with chainsaws and other tools into the wilderness to clear debris and reopen trails, as well as look for potential hazards that could pose future dangers — such as invasive grasses that fuel wildfires. Star-Advertiser.

Vegas leaders offer Hawaii gambling tips, Todd Apo named OHA CEO, scary candy prices for Halloween, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Las Vegas leaders offer expertise as Hawaii weighs gambling legalization. That topic was one of the many as leaders from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce hosted a business exchange summit in Waikiki. The goal – share insight about the “fun economy” – sports, tourism, entertainment and gaming – with their counterparts here. KHON2.

Looks Like OHA Has A New CEO. A vote finalizing Todd Apo’s appointment to head the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is expected Thursday. Todd Apo is the top pick to be the next chief executive for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs following a 5-to-4 vote by the office’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday afternoon. Civil Beat. KITV4.

Alaska Air Group says Hawaii market remained a drag in 2026, but sees conditions improving in 2027. awaii has been a drag on Alaska Air Group’s performance so far this year, but executives told investors Wednesday they are increasingly optimistic about the market in 2027 as industry capacity growth slows and temporary headwinds begin to ease. Star-Advertiser.

So What’s With All These Charter And Constitutional Amendments? Here’s what you need to know about charter amendments for Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, Maui and Kauaʻi counties, plus state constitutional amendments. Civil Beat.

Candy prices in Hawaii could see a spike as Halloween draws closer. Halloween is 10 days away, and candy is usually flying off the shelves, but candy is seeing a noticeable rise in price in Hawaii. KHON2.

Oahu

HPD staffing reassignments come amid 453 officer vacancies. The Honolulu Police Department’s evolving reassignment of officers to patrol districts comes as the department is working to fill 453 uniformed and 182 civilian vacancies as of Oct. 1. Star-Advertiser.

Public transit as billboards? Honolulu weighs new ad laws. The City’s transit system costs more than $475 million per year, but brings in only about $50 million. Bill 59 would let the City sell ad space on the outside of TheBus to help address the shortfall. KHON2.

80+ Oahu farms still struggling after months of repeated storms. Dozens of Oʻahu farms and homes hit by three different storms are still struggling to recover. Hawaiʻi groups and a national network called Extreme Weather Survivors are coming together to help them rebuild. Hawaii News Now.

Court restores $14M in McKinley sex abuse case. A mother whose daughter 15 years ago was repeatedly sexually abused by about a dozen male students at McKinley High School says the state Department of Education has never apologized or taken responsibility for its failure to protect her daughter, even after the Hawaii Supreme Court restored a $14.17 million judgment against the state. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Busy day for the County Council. Homelessness and housing funding, vacation rental regulations, and a proposed development in Waikoloa were all hot topics on the Hawaii County Council meeting agenda Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

Commission interviews 6 fire chief hopefuls; final decision expected today. The Hawaii County Fire Commission on Wednesday publicly interviewed all six candidates vying to become the island’s next fire chief. Three of the candidates are current members of the department: Daniel Volpe, and battalion chiefs Stacy Domingo and Melanie Keolanui. The other three are: Garrett Kim, a retired HFD captain; Michael Fine, a retired fire captain from the Ventura County Fire Department north of Los Angeles; and Cole Thompson, a former battalion chief in the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District in San Diego County. Tribune-Herald.

Hurricane Lala prompts Hawai‘i County Council to explore ways to proactively manage vegetation. The County Council is urging the governor and mayor to prioritize and fund proactive vegetation management to mitigate trees falling over power lines and roadways during natural disasters. Big Island Now.

Sadistic’ Cult: Hilo High Schooler Preyed On Girls Online. Kalana Limkin targeted vulnerable young girls, including a 12-year-old in Waiʻanae, amid a rise in what federal investigators call online nihilistic violent extremism.  Civil Beat.

With Their Taps Dry For 9 Weeks And Counting, They Want To Take Over. There’s no projected timeline for repairs to a private water system in Punalu‘u that Hurricane Lala damaged in August, an attorney for Eva Liu, the absentee developer who owns the system, told state regulators this week. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi County revitalization project met with hesitation. Some historic places and common public areas across Hawaiʻi Island could be getting a facelift through a measure introduced in the Hawaiʻi County Council. The new piece of legislation would appropriate up to $1 million annually to establish and fund a Town Revitalization Program. The money would go to commercial districts, downtowns, historic areas, and town centers. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Meet the contenders in the unusual 3-party race for West Maui's House seat. There are three candidates on the ballot for West Maui's House District 14 State Representative seat. That's unusual because one candidate is running under the Green Party. There's only been one other Green candidate for the seat since 1992, which is when the State Elections Office's online available records end. Hawaii Public Radio.

Council committee backs temporary sewer deal for new Central Maui school. A Maui County Council committee voted 9-0 on Monday to recommend passage of a bill that would let the county provide temporary wastewater service to the new Central Maui school in Waikapū if the school opens before the county’s planned Central Maui wastewater plant is completed. Maui Now.

New program offers working Maui households up to $800 monthly.  Applications opened Monday for Maui United Way’s Kamaʻāina Credit for ALICE Households Pilot Program, which will provide monthly financial assistance to approximately 910 eligible households across Maui County for one year. Maui News.

County homebuyer program issues 100th shopping letter. Eighteen households displaced by the 2023 Maui wildfires received shopping letters Tuesday through a county homebuyer assistance program, bringing the total number of letters issued to 100. The Ho'okumu Hou First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program offers qualified households up to $600,000 to bridge the gap between what they can finance through a mortgage and the cost of purchasing an eligible home within Maui County. Maui News. Maui Now. 

Kauai

Circuit Court approves agreement with Hilario that imposes 20-year sentence in 16-year-old Kaua‘i murder case. The Fifth Circuit Court on Wednesday approved a stipulated agreement that imposes a 20-year sentence on Vincente Hilario for a murder that took place 16 years ago on Kauaʻi. Kauai Now.

Organizations address ongoing housing, rebuilding needs for long term recovery. After distributing $364,000 in relief, Kauaʻi organizations prepare to transition to long-term recovery with emergency assistance applications closing on Oct. 24. Kauai Now.

Honolulu airport near bottom of national survey, rail contractor gets notice to proceed on final leg, first humpback of whale season spotted, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The Honolulu airport moves up in passenger satisfaction, but is still fourth worst. Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, the largest in the state, moved up in a ranking of large airports, but it’s still fourth from the bottom, according to the latest J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Star-Advertiser.

UH President Candidate Targeted Black Law Professor For Speaking Out, Review Found. As the search for a new University of Hawaii president nears the end, documents show one finalist, Wendy Hensel, was involved in retaliating against a law professor who questioned her. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Prison System Confronts ‘A Huge Mental Health Crisis’. Licensed psychologists have been leaving correctional facilities in the state at an alarming rate, which is creating gaps in care. Civil Beat.

Todd Apo Appointed To Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority Board. The CEO of a Kohala-based nonprofit has been appointed to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board. Big Island Video News.

First humpback sighting reported for 2024 whale season. The sighting was at approximately 10 a.m. Sunday by Capt. Matt Talbot and the crew of Teralani during a snorkel sail off the coast of Ka’anapali. Maui Now.

Oahu

HART officially proceeds on final Skyline segment. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has issued a “notice to proceed” to its chosen contractor that is tasked with finishing the nearly $10 billion Skyline project by the start of the next decade. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Fence returning to Diamond Head seawall amid increased erosion. Fencing is going back up at the Leahi Beach Park seawall on the edge of Diamond Head, according to the city Department of Parks and Recreation. Hawaii News Now.

Homeless hotspot transforming into $155M high-rise for Native Hawaiians. After numerous delays, a 23-floor, $155 million “high-rise hale” to house Native Hawaiians is set to break ground by the end of 2024. The Old Bowl-O-Drome in Moiliili has been closed for more than two decades. Hawaii News Now.

City attorneys reach $1.5M settlement with family of Black man killed by police. City attorneys are proposing to pay $1.5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the widow of a 29-year-old citizen of South Africa who was shot and killed by Honolulu police officers after a bloody fight at a Nuuanu home on April 14, 2021. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Roth signs bill to expand housing availability. The bill — co-drafted by council Chair Heather Kimball, Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz, Planning Director Zendo Kern and Deputy Director Jeff Darrow — allows homeowners to build up to three accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, with a size limit of 1,250 square feet on their properties. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Voting explainer: 2024 Hawaiʻi Island charter amendment ballot questions. The questions are related to councilmember vacancies, department head appointments, and the Cost of Government Commission. Hawaii Public Radio.

Pahoa bus hub/library could break ground in 2025.  A 9.5-acre parcel between the Pahoa Marketplace and the Puna Kai Shopping Center will be developed as a nexus for a “hub and spoke” public transportation network in Puna. Tribune-Herald.

Demolition of Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel underway. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said the wooden lobby and restaurant were demolished weeks ago, while work began Monday morning to knock down the first of two, concrete hotel wings. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.  KHON2.

Maui

New survey tracks recovery of households affected by Maui fires. The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization reported Tuesday that 29% of fire-affected households now live below the poverty line, up from 14% before the fires that destroyed most of Lahaina and claimed 19 homes in Upcountry Maui on Aug. 8, 2023. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press. Maui News.  Maui Now.  KITV4.

Mishandling of human remains: Local forensic company breaks silence on Lahaina disaster response. The owner of a forensic morgue team hired by the Maui Police Department claims that many protocols for the respectful and accurate recovery of victims were not followed. Hawaii News Now.

Proposed resolution aims to increase use of Maui’s recycled water, stretches into Lahaina rebuild. A new resolution making its way through the Maui County Council discusses the use of recycled water on Maui but mixes in language regarding Lahaina rebuild, sparking concerns amongst residents and council members. Maui News.

State postpones Upcountry overnight road closure for lane striping work. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation has postponed roadway striping work on Makawao Avenue heading mauka onto Haleakalā Highway. Maui Now.

Blessing marks Maui County’s acquisition of Kula Community Center property. A blessing Monday at the Kula community center marked Maui Countyʻs acquisition of the 7-acre property that includes the center, ensuring the area is held for public use in perpetuity.  Maui Now.

‘It’s the rebirth of Kaho‘olawe’: Native species documented on former bombing range. Native life has returned to the island of Kaho’olawe after decades of work to restore the former military bombing range. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Should Kauai County Spend Money To Save Money?  Cost Control Commission proposed a county charter amendment would require the county to pay for initiatives that could lead to savings in the future. Civil Beat.