Commercial fishing reopened in Pacific national marine monuments, Kauai tour helicopter crash kills 3, statewide regular gas price average now $5.33, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Final action taken on commercial fishing access in Pacific Marine National Monuments. After a full discussion and hearing approximately 70 written and oral public comments at its recent meeting, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council took final action to restore commercial fishing in parts of the Pacific Islands Heritage, Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments. Maui Now.

Gas prices surge 93 cents statewide in March: AAA Hawaii. Hawaii gas prices continued to rise in March — a total increase of 93 cents from last month, according to the American Automobile Association Hawaii. The statewide average for regular is $5.33, AAA said as of March 26. KHON2.

Bill to levy GET on rental car companies stalls at the Legislature. State senators took up House Bill 2575 that would require car rental companies to pay a 4.5% tax, based on the general excise tax, on imported or purchased cars — a steep hike up from the 0.5% rate companies currently pay. Hawaii Public Radio.

State budget may need to adjust for storm recovery as governor seeks FEMA funds. The first damage assessment to understand the full impacts of the storms is expected within the next several days. Gov. Josh Green estimated it will likely be over a billion dollars. This comes as state lawmakers are more than halfway through the budgeting process. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi’s Corals Were Struggling To Survive. Then Came The Mud Floods. Coral reefs already face a litany of threats. Experts say storm runoff from the recent Kona lows will only make matters worse. Civil Beat.

Recent Rains Decrease Drought Across Hawaiʻi. As farmers recover from devastating floods and historic rainfall, drought-stricken areas are soaking in the moisture. Civil Beat.

Health Safety Guidance Issued For Hawaiʻi Flooding Cleanup. The Hawai‘i Department of Health is urging residents to take precautions during cleanup and recovery efforts. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. 

Oahu

Council advances measure to enhance TOD communities. Private builders who seek zoning incentives like density and height bonuses or financial incentives like monetary grants from the city to construct transit- oriented development projects near Skyline stations will first need to give more back to surrounding communities, new city-initiated legislation dictates. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Wants Next Police Chief To Be Anti-ICE, Pro-Transparency. As the Honolulu Police Commission prepares to select a new police chief by the end of May, residents are making clear what they want: someone who is transparent, communicative and refuses to cooperate with ICE. Civil Beat.

Storm debris at Central Oahu Regional Park grows to over 5,200 tons.  Debris left from the destructive Kona-low storm that hit Oahu’s North Shore especially hard late last week continued to pile up in rows Thursday that varied in height from 6 to 12 feet in a section of Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park in Waipio. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii National Guard helps with debris removal. Teams of National Guard troops were on the North Shore on March 20 as floodwaters rose, but say they were spread thin and overwhelmed by the severity of the storm. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu North Shore businesses struggle with flood damage, visitors staying away. Although most of Haleiwa town has been spared the most serious flood damage, spring break business has plummeted with visitors staying away. Hawaii News Now.

State collects 300+ firearms at buyback event. Of the 303 firearms turned in, officials said 17 were assault rifles, nine were ghost guns, and two were stolen guns. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Progress made on Banyan Drive redevelopment bill. Hilo’s state lawmakers, all Democrats, are in agreement that Banyan Drive needs to be redeveloped — and it appears that differences in approaches are to be ironed out when a bill reaches a House-Senate conference committee. Tribune-Herald.

Largest survey of exoplanets with Mauna Kea observatory confirms new spin on planet formation. The largest survey of exoplanets using an observatory atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island confirms a long-predicted relationship between planetary mass and rotation — putting a new spin on planet formation. Big Island Now.

Maui

Economist warns council of vulnerable economy ahead of budget deliberations. University of Hawaiʻi economist Carl Bonham warned Maui County Council members Wednesday that a stagnant job market and a precarious reliance on wealthy tourists leave the county vulnerable as it begins annual budget deliberations. Maui Now.

Target Maui reopens March 30; Donates $25K to Maui Food Bank after historic floods. After closing due to flooding from the kona low storm, Target’s Maui store in Kahului is set to reopen Monday, March 30, as recovery efforts continue across the island. Maui Now.

Kauai

3 dead, 2 injured in tour helicopter crash on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast. Three people are dead and two injured after a tour helicopter crashed off Kalalau Beach on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast Thursday afternoon, county officials said. This is the second fatal tour helicopter crash off the Na Pali Coast in less than two years. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Associated Press. Garden Island. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. KHON2.

Regulators vote for commercial fishing at marine monuments, Canadians boycott Hawaii, PGA cancels season opener at Kapalua, school enrollment down, salaries up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Federal regulators vote in favor of President Trump’s push for commercial fishing in marine monuments. On Tuesday, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council voted to advance President Donald Trump’s executive order to allow commercial fishing inside the Papahanaumokuakea and Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monuments. The decision came after dozens of Native Hawaiians, fishers and scientists voiced opposition. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Canadian Tourists are Boycotting the U.S. Here’s What That Means for Hawai‘i. The amount of money spent by Canadian visitors in the first seven months of 2025 is down 4.9%, from $668.3 million in the same period of 2024, and 7.5% lower, from $686.1 million, in 2019. Hawaii Business magazine.

Hawaiʻi School Superintendents Could See Big Increases In Pay Ranges. Hawaiʻi’s top educational leaders could see some of their biggest pay raises in years under a proposal scheduled to be heard by the state Board of Education Human Resources Committee on Thursday.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii public school enrollment falls 17k since pandemic. New data from the Department of Education shows 150,280 students enrolled in the 2025-2026 school year — that is about 2,000 fewer than the previous school year and more than 17,000 less than before the pandemic. KHON2.

DOE Aims To Avoid School Closures Through Redistricting. The Hawaiʻi Department of Education has changed its course and plans to consider redistricting schools instead of pursuing campus closures. Civil Beat.

State Hospital Overloaded By Law To Offer Mental Health Care In Lieu Of Jail. The goal was to get help faster to non-violent offenders with mental illness. Instead, they are showing up again and again at the state hospital. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi is racing to install rooftop solar before the tax credit sunsets. Hawaiian Electric received over 1,100 applications in July for new residential solar and battery-storage systems, which is almost twice as many applications as customers filed in June. Hawaii Public Radio.

Gov. Josh Green proclaims Sept. 17 as Constitution and Citizenship Day in Hawaiʻi. The special day commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and highlights the enduring importance of constitutional governance throughout Hawaiʻi’s history. Big Island Now.

Oahu

Yearlong work added to Kapiolani Boulevard improvement project. A project to replace the existing street lighting system on Kapiolani, from Ward Avenue to Piikoi Street, began Monday. The work is expected to last a year, city officials say. Star-Advertiser.

UH, Army sign environmental agreement. The new Intergovernmental Support Agreement was signed at the Schofield Barracks Seed Lab, where the Army keeps seeds from native plants the service has been working to cultivate and spread across land it controls in the islands. Star-Advertiser.

Coast Guard awards $69M contract for new hangars. The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a nearly $69 million contract to design and build new hangars and “associated facilities” at Air Station Barbers Point. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

COVID outbreak ends at Hilo  Benioff Medical Center nursing home.  The assisted-living facility, which is home to 55 residents, saw 16 residents and 10 staff testing positive for the virus during the outbreak last month. Tribune-Herald.

Emergency exercise scheduled to take place at Hilo International Airport. The exercise is a triennial requirement by the Federal Aviation Administration to test emergency response protocols, according to a news release from HDOT. Big Island Now.

BJ Penn arrested, charged with violating protective order filed by his mother. Retired UFC champion Jay Dee “BJ” Penn of Hilo was has been arrested and charged with violating a court order for protection that was extended last month by a Hilo judge at the request of his 79-year-old mother. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

Maui

Kapalua won’t host PGA Tour’s season opener as it copes with drought and Hawaii water dispute. The PGA Tour said Tuesday it is leaving Kapalua Resort in Hawaii for its season opener after determining the drought and a water dispute that has left the golf course baked and brown from lack of irrigation cannot be ready to host The Sentry in January.  Associated Press.  Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

Desperate West Maui residents want action from state water commission to help drought. The land where the water comes from is owned by Maui Land & Pineapple. But water distribution is regulated, so MLP follows guidelines set by the Commission on Water Resource Management. KHON2.

Council approves Waiʻehu housing project exemptions in narrow 5-4 vote. In a split decision, the Maui County Council voted 5-4 last week to grant key procedural exemptions and loan flexibility for the 119-unit Hale Mahaolu Ke Kahua affordable housing project in Waiʻehu, a move developers say is critical for the project to secure competitive financing. Maui Now.

Maui condo prices down 35 percent. The median price of single-family homes was down 3.6% ($1.27 million) and condominium prices by 35% ($650,000) compared to the same month last year, according to the Realtors Association of Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

Kaua‘i Liquor Control Commission to hear testimony on new rule changes. Proposed amendments to the Kauaʻi Liquor Control Commission rules and regulations will be open to public testimony during a hearing next week.  Kauai Now.

New MRI suite coming to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital. The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust granted more than $10.6 million to help the Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital expand and develop its MRI suite. Garden Island.

Hawaii Supreme Court nixes back pay for substitute teachers, marijuana dispensaries lose insurer, Don Quijote Group buying Times Supermarket, House committee saves Kauai missile testing, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Supreme Court

The Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled that several thousand public school substitute teachers are not entitled to millions of dollars in back wages and interest that a lower court had previously awarded. Star-Advertiser.

In a unanimous decision, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that substitute and part-time teachers who worked in Hawaii between 2000 and 2012 were not entitled to the $56 million in back pay and interest that they were seeking. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that public school substitute and part-time teachers are not entitled to back wages or interest on back wages for alleged underpayment by the state over a 12-year period. Pacific Business News.

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Hawaii’s medical marijuana dispensaries are facing another hurdle after the state’s largest workers’ compensation provider decided to drop their insurance policies. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Employers’ Mutual Insurance Co., the state's largest workers' compensation insurer, said Wednesday that it sent a 30-day policy cancellation notice to seven medical marijuana dispensaries following a “thorough legal evaluation of state and federal law regarding the production and sale of medical marijuana in the state of Hawaii.” Pacific Business News.

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Hawaii-based Times Supermarkets is being sold to the Don Quijote Group for an undisclosed price. The 24 supermarkets include 17 Times Supermarket stores on Oahu, Maui and Kauai; five Big Save Markets on Kauai, and Shima’s Supermarket and Fujioka’s Wine Times on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Don Quijote Holdings Co. Ltd on Wednesday said that an affiliate has executed a stock purchase agreement to acquire Hawaii-based Times Supermarkets. Pacific Business News.

The Don Quijote Group will buy Times Supermarkets and its affiliated grocery stores in Hawaii, the companies announced Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

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Hawaii managed to hold onto one of the two at-large seats it has historically held on the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council thanks to the governor of the Northern Mariana Islands nominating someone from the Aloha State. Civil Beat.

AARP Hawaii is conducting Caregiver Workshops throughout the state this summer. Hawaii Public Radio.

Malaysian carrier AirAsia X began its maiden U.S. service between Kuala Lumpur and Honolulu on Wednesday, ushering in a connection between Hawaii and Southeast Asia that has the potential to add millions of dollars to Hawaii’s tourism economy. Star-Advertiser.

Scientists, including Tina Weatherby with the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, published a study wherein they reconstructed the skin of endangered green turtles, marking the first time that skin of a non-mammal was successfully engineered in a laboratory. Garden Island.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed into law a bill that will increase the vehicle weight tax from 5 cents a pound, to 6 cents next year, and 7 cents in 2019. KHON2.

City officials said they hope the computer problems that have shut down motor vehicle registration and driver’s licensing operations in all four Hawaii counties since Monday can be fixed by Friday. Star-Advertiser.

Experts advise major changes for TheHandi-Van with demand, costs both soaring. KHON2.

A California development firm’s newest attempt at subdividing Oahu’s historic Dillingham Ranch ran into community resistance at a North Shore Neighborhood Board meeting Tuesday night, but the board didn’t end up with enough votes to oppose the project. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation plans to spend up to $30 million to outfit two gates at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to serve the world’s largest commercial jumbo jet. Civil Beat.

There's been a long-standing homeless population along the Pearl City bike path. But some say the numbers have been increasing in the past few weeks, with some bikers and joggers saying they're now avoiding the path. Hawaii News Now.

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Honolulu’s long-anticipated bike-share rental system went live Wednesday, starting with a blessing at the state Capitol for the distinctive turquoise bicycles. Star-Advertiser.

Bicycle-Sharing Program Hits The Streets Of Honolulu. Biki features 1,000 bicycles at 100 stations from downtown to Diamond Head. Civil Beat.

Honolulu’s bike share program was five years in the making. It's reality now. The next step is shaking out the bugs. KITV.

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The proposed redevelopment of Hawaii's Aloha Stadium could be pushed back before it even starts following Gov. David Ige's notice that he intends to veto legislation that would allow public-private partnerships. Pacific Business News.

Embattled ship 'Falls of Clyde' one step closer to returning home to Scotland. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Dairy was sued Wednesday by the Hawaii Center for Food Safety and Kupale Ookala, a group of local residents, who claim the company is polluting nearby waters with animal waste. Civil Beat.

A group of Ookala residents is moving forward with a lawsuit against Big Island Dairy for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Tribune-Herald.

Pohakuloa Training Area sewer, storm water collection system project just 1st phase of multiple improvements.  Tribune-Herald.

Several weeks of logging in a small Waimea neighborhood has appeared to come to a halt after an injunction was granted by the 3rd Circuit Court and a citation was issued from the Department of Public Works. West Hawaii Today.

State Senator Russell Ruderman, the Democrat serving district 2 (Puna), offered constituents a frank look at the 2017 state legislative session during his talk story on Tuesday. Big Island Video News.

Community reacts to homelessness initiatives at forum. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Installing new grass, reviewing high administrative costs and assessing employee duties at the Waiehu Municipal Golf Course are some of the areas a Maui County Council committee will explore to help the island’s only public course increase revenue and decrease financial losses. Maui News.

A $12 million expansion of the state’s harbormaster building and various improvements around the Lahaina Harbor received unanimous approval Tuesday from the Maui Planning Commission. Maui News.

The owner of the South Maui Gardens Nursery is withdrawing his application for a commercial and residential development in Kihei, a surprise move after the project got the early go-ahead from the Maui Planning Commission Tuesday. Maui News.

A Maui police sergeant says he took part in a scheme with another officer and a third person to bribe a witness who accused the other officer of stealing $1,800 from him. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

The House Armed Services Committee approved a defense amendment Wednesday that would safeguard continued missile testing on Kauai and assess the effectiveness of a new medium-range radar before taking additional steps to protect Hawaii from North Korean threats such as activating the Aegis Ashore facility. Star-Advertiser.

Hoola Lahui Hawaii on Kauai will receive $2.4 million as one of five grants awarded to the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems programs totaling $10.6 million. Garden Island.

July isn’t just the month that celebrates America’s independence. It’s also the month that celebrates Hawaiian sovereignty. Garden Island.