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.

Case gains popularity, COVID-19 strains Hawaii workforce, feral pig contraceptive controversial, state imports hundreds of baby birds for hunting, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

How US Rep. Ed Case Went From Political Outcast To Perennial Frontrunner. The Hawaii congressman was on the outs with the Democratic Party establishment, but now he appears set to win a third consecutive term in Congress. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Senators Collected Big Bucks From Energy Interests At June Fundraiser. The event was hosted by the chief lobbyist for Big Island energy company Hu Honua, Hawaii Gas and other energy clients. Civil Beat.

Taxpayers funded millions in contracts for troubled engineering firm at center of federal probe. Mitsunaga and associates was paid millions in taxpayer dollars for government contracts that were awarded even after the firm was the target of a federal investigation. Hawaii News Now.

Glitches in state’s victims notification network leaves rape survivor in the dark. The Department of Public Safety apologized for the problem. It said it recently migrated its victim’s notification database to a new technology platform, resulting in glitches which are now being addressed. Hawaii News Now.

Public input sought for new University of Hawaii strategic plan. All Hawaii residents are invited to participate in a short online survey that will help the University of Hawaii set priorities as it builds a new strategic plan for 2023 to 2029. The survey is available online until 11:59 p.m. Friday and takes about five minutes to complete. Star-Advertiser.

High levels of COVID-19 continue to strain the workforce. Thousands of employers are facing a harsh reality -- a ton of workers calling in sick every few months as more and more people abandon COVID-19 precautions. KITV4.

Hawaii COVID-19 trends reverse upward ahead of possible rise to come due to BA.5. The state’s average positivity rate increased to 15.1%, up from 13.8% reported the previous week — the first increase following five weeks of decreases, matching the positivity rate on July 6. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii reports 13 additional COVID deaths, over 4,000 new cases in past week. The state’s COVID figures don’t include positive from at-home tests, so the real number is likely far higher. But health officials did say they’re watching the trends ― and they’re worried about where cases are headed. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu Police are investigating a series of 55 smash and grab burglaries on Oahu since March. Honolulu police are investigating a series of 55 smash-and-grab burglaries on Oahu since March — working to learn how many of the crimes are attributed to a loosely organized group of individuals, several of whom have been arrested recently. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. KITV4.

The state just shipped in hundreds of baby birds to be hunted. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said the chukars and pheasants aren’t likely to survive at the Kuaokala Game Management Area so the chicks are brought to a brooder house before heading to state-managed flight pens. Hawaii News Now.

‘Death Trap’: Here’s What Happened When A Diamond Head Mom Bought A Street. The City and County of Honolulu is preparing to take over Leahi Avenue after a two-year tug of war that left neighbors fuming. Civil Beat.

Honolulu high-rises guzzle electricity. A new law is aimed at changing that. In a significant step to attack climate change, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed a measure into law Wednesday that’s aimed at making high-rises more accountable. Under the Better Buildings Benchmarking program, buildings larger than 100,000-square feet will need to track and report their consumption of energy, water and gas starting next year. Hawaii News Now.

Makiki man, 39, sentenced to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking underage girls. An Oahu Circuit Court judge sentenced today a 39-year-old Makiki man, convicted of sex trafficking two teenage girls in 2013 and sexually assaulting one of them, to 40 years in prison. Star-Advertiser.

Ballot for state House seat includes familiar Cullen name. The race for state House District 39 — which covers West Loch, some of Waipahu and Royal Kunia where Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen held office for more than a decade until he resigned in February after being charged with bribery — includes five candidates, one of which is Cullen’s sister-in-law Jamaica “Mai” Cullen, who worked for the former lawmaker as a committee clerk during the past four legislative sessions. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Game Commission seeks to stop HogStop: Public takes a dim view of contraceptive for boar hogs. A new contraceptive to control feral pig populations is raising the hackles of hunters and cultural practitioners, who’re demanding the product HogStop be banned in the islands until more is known about it. West Hawaii Today.

Another water bottling plant proposed for parcel in Hilo. A few years after an attempt to develop a water bottling facility in Hilo was shot down, a similar proposal is being made for the same location. Tribune-Herald.

Finance Committee Gives Favorable Recommendation to Extension of Free Bus Fares. It looks like a bus ride on the Big Island will continue to be free of charge for at least another two and a half years. Big Island Now.

Fledgling pilot training program at UH-Hilo poised to ascend. Students enrolled in the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Aeronautical Science Program are ready to take off inside new virtual flight simulators that arrived on campus this year. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

UH-Maui College receives accreditation for next eight years. The University of Hawai’i Maui College has received accreditation for the next eight years from the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Maui News.

$10,000 grant to provide 175 kūpuna with coupons for fresh produce on Maui. The grant extends benefits from the annual Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, which provides $50 coupons to qualifying seniors. The grant will provide coupons to the 25 seniors on the Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program wait list as well as new applicants. Maui Now.

Kauai

Streamlined permit process helps Alakoko. The Alakoko Fishpond, also known as the Menehune Fishpond, is a loko i‘a on the Hule‘ia River, approximately 3,280 feet upstream from the Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor. Garden Island.

English and Cullen get to keep half their pension even if convicted, House investigating bills for pay-to-play, Brian De Lima dies at 66, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Speaker Scott Saiki

Hawaii House speaker favors tough penalties to deter bribery. The speaker of Hawaii’s House of Representatives said Wednesday he supports stronger ethics laws and penalties to prevent bribery at the Legislature after federal prosecutors this week alleged two former lawmakers took bribes in exchange for shaping legislation while in office. Associated Press. Hawaii News Now.

Former Hawaii lawmakers J. Kalani English and Ty J.K. Cullen stand to lose half of their pensions if convicted of bribery. Former state Sen. J. Kalani English and former state Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen could lose half of their state pensions if convicted of federal bribery charges under a new law — and a review of Cullen’s voting record and introduction of bills this legislative session is now underway. Star-Advertiser.

Upset About The Corruption Charges? What Are You Going To Do About It? Democrats have such a complete lock on power in Hawaii — and Republicans are so marginalized —  that there may be little political fallout from even these egregious cases. Civil Beat.

Bribery allegations against two former legislators could affect mid-term election turnout. The seats of the entire Hawaii Legislature will be up for a vote on this year’s election ballot and party leaders said they are doing what they can to have a strong voter turnout, despite bribery allegations against two former legislators. KHON2.

Expanded ethics training up for hearing in wake of Capitol corruption. Momentum is building to widely expand mandatory ethics training and further crackdown on influence-peddling in the wake of high-profile corruption cases. KHON2.

Hawaii House considers bill to relax gift rule as watchdog group calls for culture shift. Common Cause Hawaii plans to submit testimony in strong opposition to House Bill 1871 bill, which aims to relax the rules when it comes to legislators accepting gifts by allowing things like gifts of aloha and foreign protocol gifts. KITV4.

Company at center of legislative bribery scandal a big political donor. State campaign spending records show that since 2014, company employees and officers, its owner and his relatives and related businesses and their workers have donated nearly $300,000 to more than 50 political candidates in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Bribery scandal could focus discussion on closing cesspools, environmentalists say. The bribery allegations against former lawmakers Kalani English and Ty Cullen are also shining a spotlight on the legislation they allegedly derailed regarding cesspools. Environmental groups say the sewage sites are an environmental crisis, but also see the scandal as an opportunity to fix it. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers consider bill to fund an emergency sex trafficking shelter for minors. HB1700 would provide funding for nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations to operate sex trafficking emergency shelter for children during the next fiscal year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kahele Hints Strongly At 2022 Run For Hawaii Governor. U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, the Democrat  has represented Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District for barely a year, indicated on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser “Spotlight” program Wednesday that he is seriously considering entering the contest. Civil Beat.

Rising harassment of public school employees sparks bill to make it a misdemeanor. Harassment of Hawaii public school employees is on the rise, the state schools superintendent says, and that is why his department wants the state Legislature to classify it as a misdemeanor crime. Star-Advertiser.

More cruise ships scheduled to arrive at Hawaii ports as COVID-19 cases continue to trend down. In a sign that Hawaii has reopened its economy, dozens of cruise ships have been scheduled to arrive at Hawaii ports this year and through the summer of next year, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii records 7 new coronavirus-related deaths, 519 additional infections. The new confirmed and probable infection count includes 323 new cases on Oahu, 54 on Hawaii Island, 53 on Maui, 33 on Kauai, four on Molokai, three on Lanai and 49 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Cameras positioned to record Red Hill fuel leaks inoperable, Hawaii Congressman Kai Kahele says. Hawaii Congressman Kai Kahele says that the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility is lined with surveillance cameras, two of which were perfectly positioned to record the May and November fuel spills that are believed to have led to jet fuel contaminating residents’ tap water. Star-Advertiser.

Experts Say HPD Report Fails To Review Tactics Used In Deadly 2020 Standoff. HPD increased training following the Hibiscus Drive shooting but did not update its policies. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers progress 4 measures aimed at preventing another Red Hill fuel contamination crisis. The House committees on Health, Human Services and Homelessness, and Energy and Environmental Protection held a joint hearing on four bills related to the Red Hill water crisis. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Homeless earmark bill advances. Most of an extra tax property owners already pay on their multimillion-dollar residential homes would be earmarked for homeless projects, under a bill advanced Wednesday by the County Council Finance Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Puna access road bill advances for ‘ongoing discussion’. The state House Transportation Committee on Wednesday passed, with amendments, a bill that would require site surveys to identify the most suitable location for a Puna Makai Access Road to relieve traffic congestion on Highway 130. Tribune-Herald.

Officials: Hilo’s sewage plant in danger of failure that could trigger environmental disaster. Officials at Hilo’s Wastewater Treatment Plant warn the facility is in danger of complete failure, saying if the plant goes down it could trigger an environmental disaster. Hawaii County says it urgently needs $100 million to replace the facility. Hawaii News Now.

HPD seeks $2M for animal control. The Hawaii Police Department has requested $2 million from the county to purchase a new animal shelter in Puna in order to improve its animal control capabilities. Tribune-Herald.

Brian De Lima, ‘a pillar of our community,’ dead at 66. Hilo attorney and community leader Brian De Lima died Tuesday, according to his older daughter. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Maui

New Kaupō center took ʻlots of alohaʻ to build; E. Maui project gains approvals. Saying it took many years and “lots of aloha,” Kaupō community leaders highlighted the significance of their new community resource center on remote, historic East Maui grounds, which gained approvals Tuesday at Maui Planning Commission. Maui Now.

Tree Poaching reported at Lelekea Beach in Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park. The National Park Service is requesting assistance in identifying anyone responsible for poaching trees at Lelekea Beach in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park. Maui Now.

Kauai

Public pushes Kaua‘i County Council to pass feral cat feeding ban. Speakers from throughout the island, state and mainland urged Kaua‘i lawmakers to ban the feeding of feral cats on county property, at Wednesday’s County Council meeting. Garden Island.

State, Kauai face suit over alleged pollution discharge into ocean. Environmentalists are threatening to sue the state and Kauai County over claims they are discharging untreated drainage water into the ocean in Kekaha. Hawaii News Now.

State tax bill could have major impact on Kaua‘i. A bill in the state Legislature could potentially mean more money in the pockets of working families on Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

Former Senate majority leader, House Finance Committee vice chairman accused of taking bribes, Ige won't mandate booster for Safe Travels, delegation goes to Germany to retrieve ancestral remains, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Former state Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English and state Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen, vice chairman of the House Committee on Finance. PC: Official legislative portraits

J. Kalani English and state Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen are accused of taking thousands of dollars in bribes to benefit an industrial services company. The state Legislature was shaken Tuesday by U.S. Department of Justice charges accusing a former state Senate majority leader and the vice chairman of the House Committee on Finance with taking thousands of dollars in bribes to promote and kill legislation related to cesspool and wastewater policy to benefit a Hawaii industrial services company and its affiliated businesses. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. Associated Press. Big Island Now. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii GOP says indictments show ‘system is rigged’. The federal indictments of two lawmakers who held powerful posts in the state House and Senate drew immediate condemnation from the Hawaii Republican Party and silence, for the most part, from leading Democrats on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

A bribery scandal rocks the state Capitol and spurs new questions about legislative transparency. Political onlookers expressed shock Tuesday as federal prosecutors accused two former state lawmakers of taking money to influence legislation. The bribery scandal is also spurring calls for more transparency and public involvement at the state Capitol. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Bribery stymies efforts to fix Hawaii’s massive cesspool problem. Those affected by the alleged bribery schemes described in federal charges against Kalani English and Ty Cullen include people working in good faith to solve one of Hawaii’s most pressing environmental threats: cesspools and their 53 million gallons-a-day of untreated sewage. KHON2.

Governor to appoint representative to fill House District 39 seat following bribe allegations. Work begins to fill the seat that once belonged for former House Representative Ty Cullen. This comes as the legislative session is underway, causing concern for some residents. KHON2.

Hawaii governor, citing drop in COVID-19 cases, will not mandate booster for travelers. Following weeks of anticipation, Gov. David Ige on Tuesday announced that the Safe Travels Hawaii program will not require booster shots for travelers to bypass the state’s mandatory quarantine. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Associated Press. Maui Now. Garden Island. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii voters split on limiting tourism, support fees for visitors. Hawaii voters are divided over whether they want to cap tourism arrivals, but overwhelmingly want to charge visitor fees at certain state parks, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Hawaii Poll. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii residents strongly back minimum wage increase, poll finds. Hawaii voters overwhelmingly want to see the state’s minimum wage increased, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Hawaii Poll, whose results could influence whether local lawmakers make such a change this year. Star-Advertiser.

Supporting surfing: Bill proposes funding for DOE to make surfing a statewide interscholastic sport. Lawmakers are considering a measure to provide the Department of Education with a wave of funding to make surfing a prep sport across the state. West Hawaii Today. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Inmate Deaths Are The Highest In 10 Years. But The State Can’t Say Why. Corrections officials still aren’t providing a cause of death for 20 of the 23 prisoners who died in Hawaii prisons and jails last year. Civil Beat.

OHA delegation travels to Germany to bring ancestral remains back to Hawaii. The body overseeing Berlin’s museums this week began the process of handing over over Hawaiian ancestral remains collected by a German naturalist in the 19th century to authorities in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Big Island Video News. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Hawaii sees 533 new coronavirus cases, bringing statewide total to 227,817. The new confirmed and probable infection count includes 357 new cases on Oahu, 72 on Hawaii Island, 52 on Maui, 38 on Kauai two on Lanai and 12 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Bills To Shut Down Red Hill Fuel Facility Move Forward At Hawaii Legislature. As the federal government fights the state’s shutdown order in court, city and state lawmakers are making moves to close the facility through legislation. Civil Beat.

Chronic water pollution found in Honolulu, Kāneʻohe, and Haleʻiwa. The Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force found high concentrations of bacteria in fresh water sources and beaches around Honolulu, Kāneʻohe, and Haleʻiwa. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

County officials provide council panel update on testing contract. Hawaii County officials said Tuesday they are satisfied with the performance of TrueCare24 Inc., the company contracted for county-sponsored COVID testing, despite reports of lost tests and late results. West Hawaii Today.

Roth, Magno explain response to tsunami threat. Hawaii County Civil Defense and Mayor Mitch Roth on Tuesday defended the county’s response last month to a tsunami threat triggered by the eruption of a volcano in Tonga. Tribune-Herald.

County Rolls Out New COVID Testing Program for Businesses. Hawaiʻi County is now offering a new COVID testing program for businesses to help prevent workplace spread of the illness. Big Island Now.

Maui

Rep. Kai Kahele visits Maui, giving ‘serious thought’ to run for governor. Democratic US Represenative Kaialiʻi Kahele (HI-02) continues making his rounds on Maui today as he updates various government and community organizations on issues pending before Congress. Maui Now.

Maui saw nearly 2.3 million visitors in 2021. Arrivals still lag behind pre-pandemic levels of 3 million in 2019. Maui saw nearly 2.3 million visitors last year who spent a total of $4 billion, closer to pre-pandemic numbers but still lagging behind 2019, according to a recent report of preliminary visitor statistics by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Maui News.

Kauai

County of Kaua‘i ‘troubled’ by lessee’s pollution on Waimea 400 land. The County of Kaua‘i was unaware that a lessee on its Waimea 400 land was polluting state waters. Garden Island.

First Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death reported on Kauaiʻi’s Alakaʻi Plateau; beetle repellant may help. The first case of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in the Alakaʻi Plateau forest on Kauaʻi was found in a dead tree during a helicopter survey by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Maui Now. Garden Island. Hawaii News Now.