Tropical Storm Calvin sparks closures, fizzles as it passes south of Hawaii, feds propose massive honu green sea turtle habitat protection zones, Honolulu pushes back against governor's emergency housing proclamation, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Feds propose over 428,000 sq. mi. of honu habitat protections surrounding Hawai‘i, Florida.  In an effort to protect the endangered green sea turtle, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday a proposal to designate over 8,500 acres of beaches and nearly 428,000 square miles of coastal waters as protected critical habitat. For more information on the critical habitat proposal, visit the FWS site. Garden Island.

As nationwide school meal demands decline, Hawaiʻi sees similar trends.  The Hawaiʻi Department of Education has seen a 20% decline in kids getting school breakfast and a 17% drop in school lunch, according to the Food Research and Action Center’s June survey.  Hawai‘i is one of few states that allow students to be denied food if their parents fail to pay the lunch bills.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Governor’s Housing Proclamation Draws Skeptical Response From Oahu Officials. Council members and neighborhood board chairs are voicing concerns over the lack of public input in the process. Civil Beat.

Full text of governor's emergency proclamation on housing can be found here.

Calvin past Hilo, makes way south of other islands.  Tropical Storm Calvin is 179 southwest of Hilo and 250 miles south southeast of Honolulu.Wind speeds are 45 mph as it makes its way south of the rest of the islands at 20 mph. KHON2. KITV4.

 Under a new law, state’s fuel tax will be phased out.  At a Tuesday meeting of the Hawaii County Council’s Communications, Reports and Council Oversight Committee, representatives of the state Department of Transportation briefed council members about a proposed new fee that would charge drivers based on how much they use state and county roads. Tribune-Herald.

Hollywood strike rallies Hawaii talent.  About 100 members of Hawaii’s chapters of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Writers Guild of America, rallied Tuesday afternoon at the state Capitol to vocalize their support for Hollywood’s first industrywide strike in 63 years, shutting down television and film productions around the globe. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

No Safety Check, No Problem: Honolulu Clerks Helped Car Dealers Cheat System. Three Honolulu motor vehicle employees were caught last year fraudulently modifying safety check records – a scheme that allowed used car dealers to save money on repairs and potentially put drivers at risk.  Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council bill targets lying to get ‘monster home’ permit.  A measure meant to prohibit giving false statements to city planners as a means of cracking down on “monster homes” has drawn sharp criticism from some who say the language in the draft bill is too vague, too punitive and will lead to more waste in local government. Star-Advertiser.

Civil settlement in sex assault case against former high school football stars on hold. The Saint Louis School and players were sued for an alleged rape that happened in October 2018, in the parking garage of the campus after the Saint Louis Crusaders won the ILH championship. Hawaii News Now.

HPD investigation launched after dead newborn discovered in trash can. Honolulu police confirm a newborn baby was found dead at the Kuhio Park Terrace public housing complex on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

State investigators leading probe of OCCC killing. The state Department of the Attorney General assumed control of the homicide investigation started by Honolulu police after a 36-year-old Oahu Community Correctional Center inmate was found dead in his cell July 6. Star-Advertiser.

Nonprofits financially impacted by COVID-19 have another chance at relief.  The City and County of Honolulu has reopened its Nonprofit Relief Program application. Nonprofits that have been financially impacted by COVID-19 can apply for the $15 million available through the program. Hawaii Public Radio.

Photo Shoot At Iolani Palace Blurs Line Between Hawaiian Royalty And Real Estate. The use of Iolani Palace as a backdrop for an advertisement in Modern Luxury Hawaii magazine has exposed a loophole in the state’s film permit system for culturally sensitive locations.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Schools, government offices, parks closed Wednesday.  Hawaii County officials, meanwhile, said they have expanded emergency shelters.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Green issues emergency proclamation for former Uncle Billy’s hotel in Hilo.  The proclamation said the condition of the property and hotel has attracted trespassers, enabled drug use, fighting and other illegal activities, and has experienced numerous fires.  Big Island Now.

Maui

Jonathan Likeke Scheuer Is On The East Maui Water Board. The Maui County Council has confirmed Jonathan Likeke Scheuer to represent the Hawaiian Homes Commission on the board steering the new East Maui Community Water Authority, marking the council’s final action in a heated monthslong process to get it up and running. Civil Beat.

Maui ocean water quality monitoring program celebrates 100th sampling session.  Maui’s volunteer-based ocean water quality monitoring program Hui O Ka Wai Ola has been evaluating water quality in Maui since 2016. This week, the program celebrated a special milestone: its 100th sampling week in South Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i County accepting proposals for grants-in-aid program.  The County of Kaua‘i Office of the Mayor is accepting proposals from nonprofit organizations for its fiscal year 2023-24 grants-in-aid program. Eligible nonprofit organizations can now apply for varying amounts up to $10,000 of funding. Kauai Now.

Shark sighted at Kekaha Beach Park. A shark sighting at Kekaha Beach Park on Monday afternoon prompted a no swimming advisory until further notice from the County of Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau. Garden Island. Kauai Now.

Keiki Bike Safety Day on Saturday in Lihu‘e.  Hawai‘i Pacific Health announced the annual Keiki Bike Safety Day is at Wilcox Medical Center on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. Garden Island.

Green signs emergency proclamation to speed home construction, Tropical Storm Calvin expected to pass Big Island tonight, Kunia Village given OK to drink the water, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Josh Green signs Hawaii housing emergency proclamation.  An emergency proclamation signed Monday by Gov. Josh Green kick-starts a one-year revolution in how homes are built across the islands with the ambitious goals of quickly getting 50,000 new units up, cutting prices and keeping Hawaii residents from leaving one of the most expensive states in the country while bringing expats home. Critics question the decision to suspend laws to streamline the approval process for development. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4. 

Full text of governor's emergency proclamation on housing can be found here.

Tropical Storm Calvin churns toward island chain. At 5 a.m. Tuesday, Tropical Storm Calvin had sustained winds of 45 mph with higher gusts and was situated about 395 miles east of Hilo, tracking westward near 22 mph. Calvin is forecast to gradually weaken during the next few days. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.  Star-Advertiser.  KHON2.

Campaign Cash Slows To A Trickle For Hawaii Delegation In The Absence Of Competition. The latest filings with the FEC show Hirono, who is on the ballot in 2024, collected several hundred thousand dollars for her campaign. Civil Beat.

Plea deal eyed for top Public Safety trainer accused of lying on resume to get promoted. A plea deal is in the works for the state Public Safety Department’s top trainer, who is facing felony perjury charges and other counts. Hawaii News Now.

Global defense firm founder on leave due to probe.  Christopher Mailani Dawson, founder of global government contractor Hawaiian Native Corp. and its 11 DAWSON subsidiaries placed himself on administrative leave pending the outcome of a federal investigation into potential financial and tax crimes. Star-Advertiser.
 
Oahu

Kunia Village given OK to drink tap water again.  Hundreds of residents of Kunia Village have finally been given the all-clear to resume drinking their tap water after two wells that supplied their potable water tested positive for chemicals called PFAS earlier this year. Star-Advertiser.

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi shared its stance on the Honolulu rail following Skyline's grand opening.  The  Institute's analysis points to the low ridership numbers. It says for every $3 ride, taxpayers will be subsiding the costs by $51. Hawaii Public Radio.

Four HPD recruits hospitalized after suffering exhaustion from self-defense exercises.  Four Honolulu Police recruits were taken to a hospital Monday after suffering from exhaustion during self-defense exercises at the police training academy on Waipahu Depot Street. This incident comes five days after another HPD recruit was hospitalized in serious condition after accidentally shooting himself. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu Jail Search Turns Up Drugs, Paraphernalia And Illicit Cellphones. The "shakedown" was partly prompted by unconfirmed reports that the beating death of an inmate was recorded on a cellphone, according to staff. Civil Beat.

Oahu’s Waianae Coast most vulnerable to natural disasters. The  Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center  is working on a slew of projects to improve emergency preparedness and overall food security on the Waianae Coast, such as the construction of a resilience hub to shelter displaced residents, and a “food system campus” at the health center that will support agricultural learning, native crop production, a food bank and other food-related endeavors. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Tropical storm warning issued for Hawaii County. Tropical Storm Calvin on Monday was slowly weakening as it headed toward the Big Island, but it was moving rapidly to the west at 22 mph and was expected to hit the island tonight or Wednesday morning. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

Two emergency shelters being prepped ahead of Tropical Storm Calvin. Two emergency shelters are being readied in the Ka‘ū District ahead of Tropical Storm Calvin, which is expected to make landfall late Tuesday afternoon. Big Island Now.

Group pulls plug on Hilo bottling plant. A second attempt to build a bottling plant in Hilo has been abandoned after community opposition. The 1893 Beverage and Kanaka Cafe was a proposed facility that would extract and bottle water from an aquifer beneath Hilo, the second such project in five years planned for the same site. Tribune-Herald.

Work on NAS Swimming Pool 50% complete.  Long-delayed court-ordered construction to bring the closed NAS Swimming Pool up to Americans With Disabilities Act standards is going “full steam ahead,” according to Parks and Recreation Director Maurice Messina. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Island Water Use and Development Plan approved by state.  The state has adopted the Maui Island Water Use and Development Plan, providing policies for the protection, management and use of water resources over a 20-year period, Councilmember Shane M. Sinenci announced Monday. Maui Now.

Maui Dept. of Agriculture marks one-year anniversary with open house, July 20. The County of Maui Department of Agriculture is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a public open house from 2 to 6 p.m., July 20 at the department office at 2154 Kaohu St. in Wailuku. The event is weather permitting. Maui Now.

Public talk story session July 20, on the sustainable development of tourism.  The Hulihia Center for Sustainable Systems seeks community input as they launch their new project focused on advancing the sustainable development of the tourism industry across Maui Nui.  Maui Now.

Kauai

A ‘Complete Rebuild’ Is Underway For Kauai’s Hobbled Water Utility. The county water department has fallen woefully behind while shuffling through six managers in eight years. Civil Beat.

New Kilauea preschool opens in August.  A new public preschool classroom at Kilauea School is one of 10 others across the state set to open next month, as part of a more than $200 million plan to expand preschool and child care options in Hawai‘i. Garden Island.

Tropical Storm Calvin weakens as it heads toward Hawaii, panel recommends firing Honolulu police in high-speed chase, another hearing on tap for Thirty Meter Telescope, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Weakening Tropical Storm Calvin remains on track toward Hawaii, bringing threat of flooding rains. A Flood Watch has been issued by the National Weather Service from Tuesday evening through Wednesday afternoon for Maui and Hawaii Island counties. Before 5 a.m. today, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center on Oahu said Tropical Storm Calvin, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph was about 920 miles east of Hilo and 1,120 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, moving west at 18 mph. Hawaii News Now. Star-Advertiser.

Most in Hawaii not prepared for natural disaster, study finds. Most Hawaii households do not have enough water, food or medicine in the event of a natural disaster, despite what they might think, a recent study by University of Hawaii researchers has found. Star-Advertiser.

Congressional delegation tours Hawaii and Pacific allies. Hawaii’s first-term U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda joined a contingent of lawmakers in June for a tour of Oahu, Guam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan and Okinawa as Congress prepares to lay out its priorities amid geopolitical tensions. Star-Advertiser.

This Group Is Betting On Shared Housing As A Path Forward For Hawaii Seniors. Programs matching senior homeowners with roommates are growing in popularity across the country. Can a similar effort succeed in Hawaii? Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i Gov. Green touts successes to United Nations despite missing most state targets. Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green spoke at the United Nations headquarters this week to highlight the state’s successes in environmental and housing goals. The newly released report he referenced, however, tells a far bleaker story. Garden Island.

Nonnative invasives poised to dominate Hawaii forests. It’s widely known that nonnative trees are a growing presence in Hawaii’s forests. A new study, however, suggests that the invasion has progressed much further than previously believed. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii cesspools exist in wealthy as well as rural neighborhoods.  The new, online Hawaii Cesspool Prioritization Tool, launched by the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, in collaboration with the state Health Department, shows a detailed, interactive map of where the state’s highest-priority cesspools are to help plan conversions. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

HPD Officers Charged In Makaha Crash Should Be Fired, Review Board Concludes. The officers can still appeal and go to arbitration. Honolulu police officers facing criminal charges over an alleged chase in Makaha that resulted in serious injuries to civilians should be fired. That’s the recommendation from a review board made up of assistant and deputy chief. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Auditor: City Hiring Is Still Falling Short Despite Improvements. A new audit found shortcomings in data collection but Honolulu HR chief says things are getting better. Civil Beat.

Now running, Honolulu Skyline’s operating finances are in doubt. Questions continue over the newly opened rail system’s ability to generate enough paying customers and fare revenue to cover current and future operations and maintenance costs — and the financial ramifications if it doesn’t and who will make up the deficit. Star-Advertiser.

Defueling at Pearl Harbor-Hickam set to commence for remainder of July.  The Hawaii State Department of Health approved Joint Task Force Red Hill’s plan to defuel four fuel-containing surge tanks, Sunday. Hawaii News Now.

Overtourism, illegal moorings a growing concern for popular turtle viewing area off Waikiki. Turtle Canyon is right off Fort DeRussy Beach, which is a popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving. But a boater says overtourism is keeping many marine animals away. Hawaii News Now.

Pending demolition raises residents’ ire. Unionized hotel workers, tenants’ rights advocates and residents facing eviction from a Moiliili rental complex slated for demolition all appeared last week at Honolulu Hale to object to the lack of truly affordable housing on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Complaints swirl at Kakaako state affordable-housing project. A state agency that faltered two years ago paying maintenance fees on a Kakaako affordable-housing complex it partly owns has been barraged with complaints from residents over living conditions. Star-Advertiser.

Stakes are high in deal for high-hazard Oahu dam. A recently enacted Hawaii law prompting the state to acquire an Oahu dam and reservoir has been described as a gift to the state, but the state also may be giving a gift to the property’s multibillion-dollar primary owner that has profited from local land sales in recent years. Star-Advertiser.

DHHL holds groundbreaking for 127 Ewa homes. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands held a groundbreaking ceremony last week to mark the beginning of construction on Increment II-C of its Ka‘uluokaha‘i housing development in Ewa. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Another TMT dispute gets a hearing. Is the stalled Thirty Meter Telescope really under construction? Two years ago, former state Board of Land and Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case signed off on a request by permit holder University of Hawaii at Hilo allowing the TMT to comply with conservation district use permit general condition No. 4, which required construction to start within two years. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island’s New County Budget Invests In Upgraded Sewage System, Parks And Prosecutors. Officials direct millions of dollars toward deferred maintenance projects and longstanding community concerns. Civil Beat.

A mother’s mission: Lifeguards to be stationed at Kohanaiki following accident that claimed teen’s life. A popular surf spot in West Hawaii will soon be seeing lifeguards thanks in part to a mother who has advocated for them since the death of her teenage daughter last November. West Hawaii Today.

State study aims to boost Banyan Drive.  Banyan Drive may see new life after the state conducts a study of how to improve the ailing area over the next several months. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

 A Maui Rancher Prepares To Lose 3,400 Acres To Conservation. For the state, the purchase was a "huge victory" for the environment. For Brendan Balthazar, it was a devastating loss of agricultural land. Civil Beat.

$22M to help fund two-story TSA checkpoint for Kahului. Second-busiest airport in state has been working to reduce long waits. A $22 million federal grant will help build a new TSA checkpoint at the Kahului Airport that could add as many as six security screening lanes to the second-busiest airport in the state.  Maui News.

Draft permit to reduce ocean pollution from Maui treated wastewater up for review. Environmental groups on Maui are studying a draft permit by Maui County that proposes using more treated water from its Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant for irrigation, which would reduce ocean pollution. Maui Now.

Kauai

PMRF hosts ceremony to reinter Native Hawaiian remains. The lineal descendants of iwi kupuna discovered on the grounds of the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) were joined by leadership of the facility during the two-day Ka Mauiki‘iki‘i O Ke Kauwela, or celebration of the summer solstice. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i environmentalists call for Wailua wetland restoration. Environmental activists on Wednesday reiterated their call to revert the lands surrounding the long-dilapidated Coco Palms Resort into wetlands, arguing that natural restoration could help Kaua‘i better combat climate change and its impacts. Garden Island. Kauai Now.