$11B Ala Wai flood control project stalls, interim Kauai police chief named, Maui council tepid on vacation rental conversion plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Concerns raised over Ala Wai flood control project’s $11.1B price tag. A decades-old plan to protect Waikiki and neighboring communities against a potential flooding disaster appears to have stalled yet again. This time the issue, in part, is related to the project’s persistently escalating price tag. Star-Advertiser.

State Salary Commissioners Defend The Big Pay Raises They're Recommending. Unless the Legislature rejects them, salary increases are on the way for top elected and appointed officials in Hawaiʻi. Civil Beat.

Key Hawaii Republicans, voters mixed on Trump. Key Hawaii Republicans offered differing views of President Donald Trump three months into his second term, with some continuing their full support while others are hearing from constituents who regret voting for him. Star-Advertiser.

Native Hawaiians developing sovereign AI data. House Bill 546 would establish an “aloha intelligence institute” at the University of Hawaii that would “develop, support and advance artificial intelligence initiatives statewide.” Star-Advertiser.

Deep-Sea Mining Threatens Sea Life In A Way No One Is Thinking About. The extraction process involves dumping debris into the thriving midwater zone. Civil Beat.

Researchers say state funding is crucial to climate data collection. The House Finance Committee has advanced a bill to fund a new climate center within the University of Hawaiʻi's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, which researchers say is critical to the continued collection of climate data. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii jobless rate steady as federal layoffs loom. The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate in February held at 3.0% for the eighth straight month after six consecutive months at 2.9%, according to data released Friday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Interview: Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. The city and county’s chief executive talks about the landfill, homelessness, the police commission and more. Civil Beat.

Center tackles homelessness at root levels. The Behavioral Health Crisis Center opened in 2024 across the street from the Institute for Human Services’ men’s shelter in Iwilei and has seen 1,182 people ever since to address issues including substance abuse and mental health, which are considered critical underlying reasons why people end up and remain homeless. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu looks to add more affordable housing in ‘Ewa Beach. Although the project is still in the development phase, city officials say they're nearing a "major milestone" with the financing. Aloha State Daily.

Protestor arrested at Tesla rally in Waikiki. Maximo Ramos Arango was arrested Sunday at a Tesla showroom in Waikiki during a rally against Tesla that drew a crowd of around 200 people. Star-Advertiser.

Two men cited for picking opihi at protected site. State conservation officers cited two men Wednesday for illegally collecting opihi from the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District on Oahu’s North Shore. Spectrum News.

Hawaii Island

Hawaiʻi County Public Works Director Hugh Ono To Retire. After a few months in the position, Hawaiʻi County Public Works Director Hugh Ono will again retire on March 31. Deputy Director Neil Azevedo will serve as acting director until a permanent replacement is found. Big Island Video News.

Community health center eyes expansion. A bill that would provide funding for Hawaii Island Community Health Center to expand the reach of its services to about 55,000 patients yearly is making its way through the state Legislature. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Won’t Be Converting Vacation Rentals To Long-Term Housing Anytime Soon. A phased-in approach was to begin July 1 but the council has yet to take up the mayor’s proposal. Civil Beat.

Maui County Council to address proposed budget, property assessments. Real property tax assessments and Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposed $1.5 billion budget are expected to be discussed during a series of upcoming public meetings. Maui News.

As property values climb, Maui County eyes lower tax rates for resident homeowners. Each of the three tax tiers for owner-occupied properties would see a decrease under the mayor’s budget, which proposes going from $1.80 to $1.70 per $1,000 of assessed value in the lowest tier, $2 to $1.90 in the second-highest tier and $3.25 to $3.10 in the highest tier.  Maui Now.

Maui Fire Settlements Could Shrink If Health Insurers Take A Bite. As settlement money begins to flow to Maui wildfire victims, a state law that allows health insurers to recoup their costs becomes a concern. Civil Beat.

Firefighters have high levels of PFAS in aftermath of Maui fires. Maui firefighters who responded to the August 2023 Maui wildfires had the highest levels of “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in their bloodstream when compared with other first responders a month later. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers still weighing temporary exemption for tour boat environmental reviews. Senate Bill 1074 could allow dozens of tour boat operators to return to the waters off West Maui’s Kā‘anapali, a tourism hotspot.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Interim chief selected following announcement of embattled Kaua‘i police chief’s retirement. The Kaua‘i Police Commission appointed Assistant Chief Elliott Kalani Ke as interim chief following the announcement of Chief Todd Raybuck’s announcement to retire last year. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Green set to pick 3rd justice for 5-member Supreme Court, Kauai police chief suspended for 3 days, Mayor-Elect Alameda builds his cabinet, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Is Looking For Its Next Supreme Court Justice. The Judicial Selection Commission is seeking applicants to succeed Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, who must retire next year. Gov. Josh Green is likely to appoint a new Hawaii Supreme Court chief justice next year, his third pick for the five-member court. Civil Beat.

Peaks and valleys will mark Hawaii holiday travel. Honolulu is among the top domestic leisure destinations for Thanksgiving, which travel membership organization AAA expects will set travel records this year. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now.

Oahu

Kakaako pedestrian bridge nears completion after much delay. If no further setbacks occur, the elevated walkway across six-lane Ala Moana Boulevard midblock between Ward Avenue and Kamakee Street will have taken a little over 2-1/2 years to build, or 31 months instead of an originally anticipated 17 months. Star-Advertiser.

Uncertainty over demand lingers for rental tower for Native Hawaiians. Stanford Carr Development, a local firm developing the 23-story Hale Moiliili project with 278 units in Oahu’s urban core, is highly confident that more than enough demand will exist for the project featuring studios to three-bedroom units where monthly rent is estimated to range from $675 to $3,461 and will be reserved for households with very low to moderate incomes. Star-Advertiser.

Department of Planning and Permitting has decrease in permitting backlog. The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting’s new technology has allowed the code review process to decrease to just nine days for residential permits. Six months ago, the code review process for a residential permit took half a year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu home prices remained stable in October. Only resales of single-family homes increased, with a 22.5% gain as 261 exchanged hands compared with 213 a year earlier. Single- family homes remained unchanged at $1.1 million from a year earlier, condominium prices inched up 1.9% to $525,000 from $515,000 and condo sales edged up 1.5% to 405 from 399. Star-Advertiser.

Merging of Honolulu ambulance services with fire department under consideration. The Honolulu City Council is considering a task force that would look into merging the Honolulu Emergency Services Department with the Honolulu Fire Department. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Mayor-Elect Alameda Names More Department Heads.  Names familiar to County government have been chosen to lead the departments of Planning, Finance, and Parks and Recreation. Big Island Video News. KITV4.

General Plan process continues: Climate change garners attention at recent meetings. Proposed updates to the Hawaii County General Plan promise many months of public debate as a series of public meetings roll out into next year. Tribune-Herald.

Potential threats to Big Island ranked during meeting. Invasive species and earthquakes topped Big Island residents’ concerns during a community discussion last Monday about a planned update to Hawaii County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. Tribune-Herald.

DHHL makes largest agricultural lot offering since the late 1980s. Hawaiian beneficiaries of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands have been awarded 68 agricultural lots on Hawaii island — the department’s largest agricultural lot offering since the late 1980s. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.  KHON2.

Beware Wailuku River: Effort underway to post more ominous warning signs. Councilwoman Jenn Kagiwada is hosting a town hall meeting on Zoom to discuss enhanced signage intended to keep would-be swimmers out of the waters of the state parks along the Wailuku River in Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Below-market rentals, awards program support Lahaina educators. Gov. Josh Green and DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi on Friday announced two new teacher resiliency programs, including a $20 million workforce housing program and an initiative that rewards DOE employees in West Maui who played a critical role in keeping Lahaina schools open following the deadly disaster. Star-Advertiser. Maui News.

First Families Move Into Temporary FEMA Housing For Maui Fire Survivors. The rent will be covered for the first few months by continued emergency assistance, but tenants must begin paying in February. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Bridging Maui’s housing gap: Mass timber is fast, durable and fire-resistant option. A pre-fabricated, fire-resistant building material known as mass timber can be shipped to Maui from the Pacific Northwest and reduce on-site construction by at least half, compared with traditional stick-built homes, according to Haʻikū architect David Sellers. Maui Now.

Kula residents plant native species where invasives fueled last year's Maui wildfire.  Now, the area that was covered in ash just over a year ago, is blanketed with wood chips to prevent erosion.  It’s also home to native seedlings, thriving in the burn scar. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui Health names new administrator for critical access hospitals. Penny Koval has been selected to be the Maui Health system’s new administrator of Critical Access Hospitals, effective Nov. 1. Maui News.

Kauai

Retiring Kauai police chief suspended for 3 days. The Kauai Police Commission on Friday suspended Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck for three days for leaving his department-issued Glock handgun in an employee restroom in March, but declined to pursue further action on two related complaints accusing the chief of retaliating against the officers who found the weapon. Star-Advertiser. Garden Island.  Hawaii News Now.

Surfrider raises concerns about issuing new pollutant discharge permit to Kauaʻi Shrimp. Environmental activists testified during a public meeting last week in Kekaha that Kauaʻi Shrimp, the island’s only shrimp farm, should not be issued a new pollutant discharge permit due to concerns about its effluent polluting waters and killing fish. Kauai Now.

Kūhiō Highway near Waikoko hairpin reopens after emergency slope stabilization work. The makai (oceanside) lane of Kūhiō Highway near the Waikoko hairpin turn has reopened after it was closed for a month for emergency slope stabilization. Kauai Now.

State OKs Spectrum’s Kauai application. The state’s Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs on Monday approved the Spectrum Oceanic LLC Application for Renewal of Cable Franchise for the County of Kauai. Garden Island.

Tulsi Gabbard faces rocky Senate confirmation as national intelligence director, Benioff funds Keaau medical center, teachers' school projects, embattled Kauai police chief announces retirement, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gabbard’s Past Could Complicate US Senate Confirmation. Trump’s nomination of former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be national intelligence director is likely to renew questions about her beliefs and background. Gabbard, 43, also has significant baggage, notably her support for autocratic leaders like Vladimir Putin of Russia and Bashar al-Assad of Syria. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. National Public Radio.  KHON2. KITV4.

Hawaii Schools Superintendent could receive pay raise, contract extension. A Board of Education committee suggested a 4% salary increase for Keith Hayashi, which would raise his annual salary to $249,600, effective July 1, 2024. KHON2.

Lynne and Marc Benioff fund $2.5M for Hawaii public school teachers’ projects. The Hawaii Department of Education said the $2.5 million is part of a fall campaign that will go to more than 3,500 teachers at 268 campuses in Hawaii, including 251 public schools and 17 charter schools. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

This Remote Hawaiian Island Had Vanished. In early October 2018, a Category 3 storm ripped through this stretch of the Pacific Ocean, erasing East Island, battering nearby Tern Island and obliterating part of the unique and thriving reef system. Here’s Why Its Comeback Is Crucial. The storm destroyed a primary nesting site for endangered sea turtles and monk seals. East Island’s reemergence in this remote atoll has become an unexpected sign of resilience against climate change. Civil Beat.

Oahu

ACLU prepares to file suit against HPD, city over arrests of sober drivers at DUI checkpoints. The American Civil Liberties Union is demanding the Honolulu Police Department change arrest policies at DUI checkpoints or face a lawsuit. Hawaii News Now.

UH Cancer Center leader Dr. Naoto Uenoʻs own medical history drives his quest for expanded access. The UH Cancer Center recently renewed its National Cancer Institute designation, which it has maintained since 1996. Hawaii Public Radio.

How Kaimuki’s Queen Theater Went From Playhouse To Porn Hub. The former movie palace has languished for almost 40 years, prompting the Honolulu City Council to take steps toward condemning the valuable property. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Bill regarding home repairs passes. Small-scale home repairs could become easier to make if Mayor Mitch Roth signs a bill that exempts repair projects below a certain cost from needing a building permit. Tribune-Herald.

Kea‘au to get $60M health center. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and wife Lynne, Big Island residents, recently pledged $25 million toward the project, and Gov. Josh Green, a physician, has pledged to work to secure a matching $25 million for construction. Tribune-Herald.

Skyrocketing parking costs in downtown Kona keeping residents away, hurting businesses. Over the past few years, the patchwork of parking lots along and around Kailua-Kona’s touristy Aliʻi Drive from King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort to Coconut Grove have drastically increased their parking rates, with some previously free places to park transitioning to pay lots. Big Island Now.

Hawaii appeals court hears case on State’s responsibility on Peter Boy’s death. Three years ago, Peter Boy’s surviving siblings and estate won a partial judgement in their wrongful death lawsuit, alleging the state failed to act on clear signs of abuse. A failure they believe led to his death.  KHON2.

Fire Weather Watch For Hawaiʻi, Power Shutoffs Possible. Dry fuels, low relative humidity and strong trade winds could result in critical fire weather conditions for leeward areas on Friday. Big Island Video News.

Maui

FEMA extends assistance to Maui survivors; Schatz asks for further aid. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Hawaii’s request to extend Financial Assistance and Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for an additional year, now through Feb. 10, 2026. Star-Advertiser.

Kupuna who survived Maui wildfires offered affordable housing. The non-profit, J. Walter Cameron Center, is launching Na Hale Kupuna (NHK), an affordable housing project funded by Maui County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the federal CARES Act. NHK offers seven long-term condominium units in West, Central, and South Maui. Hawaii News Now.

Unplugging the Puʻunēnē Avenue bottleneck; relief ahead for Central Maui motorists. State Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen called the $25.5 million widening of the remaining portion of Puʻunēnē Avenue from two to four lanes a “capacity completion” project. Maui Now.

Some wish Lahaina’s 225-foot-high smokestack would be torn down. A preservation group is pushing to repair a near-century old relic of West Maui’s sugar plantation. Meanwhile, some critics wish the landmark would be torn down. Hawaii News Now.

Test plot growth at Maui Gold Pineapple ‘better than anticipated,’ sources say. About a year and a half ago, new owner Todd Domeck of Maui Gold Pineapple Company committed to completely eliminate fumigants from its practice and focus more on regenerative farming. Maui Now.

Kauai

Embattled Kauai police chief announces retirement. Faced with disciplinary proceedings and an investigation over alleged retaliation, the head of the Kauai Police Department is retiring next year. Chief Todd Raybuck announced his decision in an internal memo sent to the full department Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Fire weather watch in effect Friday for all leeward portions of state, including Kaua‘i, Ni‘ihau. The combination of dry fuels, low relative humidity and strong trade winds could spark critical fire weather conditions for leeward sections of the state at the end of this week. Kauai Now.

Corteva sees the faces of hunger in Lihue. The group of representatives from Corteva Agriscience, including Yael Claussen, Kristen Ma and Archie Acoba were silent on Wednesday morning when they rolled into the Kauai Independent Food Bank loading area. Garden Island.

HART seeks $1B from state, more than 100 modular homes headed to Lahaina, $12M grant for health care reform, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

HART requests $1 billion appropriation from state. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has petitioned the state Department of Budget and Finance to appropriate that sizable sum for the agency’s next two budget cycles. The $1 billion would come from the mass transit special fund, created under a 2017 state law known as Act 1. Star-Advertiser.

Insurance Companies Are Still Trying To Block The $4 Billion Maui Fire Settlement. Insurance companies hoping to recoup billions of dollars they’ve already paid in claims to Maui fire victims are asking a federal judge to get in the middle of a legal squabble that has been playing out in state court. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s tourism goals unlikely to keep up with inflation. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board on Thursday approved a goal for Hawai‘i Tourism USA, the global marketing team responsible for driving travel demand to Hawaii from its core U.S. market, to grow visitor spending by just 1.4%. Star-Advertiser.

UH Foundation raises over $115M for students, programs, research. The University of Hawaii Foundation raised $115.2 million in fiscal year 2024, exceeding its $100 million annual goal by 15%, marking the fourth consecutive year of surpassing the $100 million milestone. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Hawaiʻi receives $12M federal grant to establish health care reform. Hawaiʻi is one of only six states chosen to participate in this program, making it a rare opportunity. Hawaii Public Radio.

Report: Deaths associated with with hepatitis C happening at earlier age in Hawaiʻi than elsewhere in the United States.  The Hawaiʻi Department of Health released “Premature Deaths and Disparities Associated with Hepatitis C: The Hawaiʻi Hepatitis C Mortality Report” as part of Liver Cancer Awareness Month, which is observed in October. Big Island Now.

Here are the changes to SNAP benefits starting this month. Several changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, start Tuesday. This year, the USDA has increased maximum allotments but also changed eligibility requirements for SNAP benefits, but exact amounts vary based on where you live and the size of your household. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu Voters To Decide Whether Lifeguards Need Oversight Commission. Whether to create a volunteer commission that would oversee the Department of Ocean Safety and have the power to appoint and remote its chief will be up to voters in November. The commission would be analogous to those that oversee the city’s police and fire departments. Civil Beat.

Could a vacant home tax end the housing crisis? That means, in addition to paying Hawaii real property taxes annually, anyone with a home that is vacant six months out of the year, would have to pay taxes on 1% of its assessed value the first year, 2% the next year and 3% after that. KHON2.

Catholic church sells land to senior living complex. The nonprofit operator of the Kahala Nui senior living complex is buying the land under the project built in 2005 on a parcel leased from the Roman Catholic Church of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Homeless kauhale units still without power, city says. Over the summer, the Aala Respite facility was set up as part of a joint effort between the city and state to provide shelter and medical care for vulnerable, medically fragile people who’ve experienced long-term homelessness on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Increased Hawaii park surveillance without public approval. City officials plan to more than double the video surveillance at Ala Moana Regional Park. KHON2.

Kapi‘olani nurses set to return to work Sunday morning. With a new contract in place, union nurses are scheduled to return to work Sunday at the Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children. Star-Advertiser.

Tensions rising after ten days of a workers strike at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Striking workers at the Hilton Hawaiian Village aren’t happy that after ten days of striking, they’re still not any closer to getting a new contract, or even an offer to return to the bargaining table. Also unhappy are guests, some surfers and neighbors around the resort. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

A 76-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a brush fire that happened in Haleiwa on Tuesday, Honolulu police said. Police arrested the man Thursday afternoon for fourth-degree arson. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Ex-Miske Associate Sentenced To More Than 10 Years In Prison. Jake Smith emerged as a key witness against the convicted Honolulu crime boss after agreeing to a plea deal with prosecutors. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

OHA Grant Supports Hale Mua Cultural Group Efforts In Waipiʻo Valley. The $145,000 grant will assist the ʻAi Me Ka Iʻa Waipiʻo: Perpetuating ʻOhana Connection to Loʻi Kalo and Loko Wai Program. A program reinforcing cultural practices and freshwater fishpond preservation in Waipiʻo Valley is getting support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Opening of residential areas off Lahainaluna Road set for today. With residential debris removal 100 percent complete, opening of residential areas off Lahainaluna Road is set for Friday, Oct. 4, at 6 a.m. This is Phase 4 of the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) zone reopening plan and marks one of the final large residential zones to be reopened. Maui News. Maui Now.

Traffic Alert: Caravans to carry over 100 modular homes for Maui wildfire survivors. The Hawaii Department of Transportation is alerting drivers of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are being transported from Kahului to Lahaina starting on Friday. Hawaii News Now.

Timeline shows Maui Electric inspection missed damage before power started fire. MPD commanders and the federal ATF did say that the fire was caused when damaged electric lines were re-energized. But the detailed timeline shows a key inspection failed to find the damaged equipment - and led to a decision to throw the switches that sparks the flames. Hawaii News Now.

Kahului man pleads guilty in Maui explosives case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Robert Francis Dumaran, 47, entered a plea agreement in federal court in Honolulu Wednesday, pleading guilty to possessing explosive powders as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered destructive device. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

This Lahaina Fire Survivor Tends The Memorial Every Day. Susie Richter hauls up jugs of water for the plants amid the crosses and portraits of Maui fire victims. She often has company. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Disciplinary proceedings being initiated for Kauaʻi police chief who left gun in bathroom. The Kauaʻi Police Commission is considering disciplinary measures for Police Chief Todd Raybuck after he left his gun unattended in a bathroom earlier this year.  Kauai Now.

Kapa‘a transfer station to be closed nearly 1 year beginning in early November. The renovations are part of the county’s islandwide Refuse Transfer Station Improvements project. Kauai Now.

'It needs to get better' | Calls continue for change to search and rescue operations on Kauai. Nearly two months after a Kauai man was found dead in Wailua, calls are growing for change to the way official search and rescue efforts are conducted. KITV4.

Padraic Gallagher named executive director Kauai Humane Society.  Gallagher, the former disaster program manager at the American Red Cross in Lihue, will be the new executive director. Garden Island.