Legislators advance bills limiting corporate money in elections, allowing automatic shipping rate hikes, paying UH student athletes; military members lose Red Hill case, Honolulu narrows police chief candidate pool to 3 finalists, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Legislators Advance Bill To Limit Corporate Money In Hawaiʻi Elections. The legislation would make Hawaiʻi one of the first states to sidestep the Citizens United U.S. Supreme Court case that allows unlimited corporate spending in local elections. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Shipping rate-hike bill advances to governor. Young Brothers, LLC asked for the automatic increases of up to 5% a year despite receiving a nearly 26% increase last year. Hawaii News Now.

Isle nonprofits face mounting challenges, new report finds. As Hawaii lawmakers finalize state budget priorities and uncertainty looms over federal funding, a new statewide report is raising concerns about the stability of the nonprofit sector, which employs more than 1 in 10 workers and plays a critical role in supporting communities across the islands. Star-Advertiser.

Legislature passes package of health-related bills to strengthen access, care statewide. The Hawaiʻi State Legislature passed a broad package of health-related measures that expand care for kūpuna, mental health access, cancer screening, and long-term care planning. Big Island Now.

Hawaiʻi expected to regulate AI being used by children. Hawaiʻi will likely put protections in place for children using artificial intelligence. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bill to help UH recruit student-athletes set to become law. Hawaiʻi is set to establish “name, image and likeness” rules to recruit and retain student-athletes at the University of Hawaiʻi. Last week,state lawmakers passed Senate Bill 3263, which would require UH to create its own NIL rules. It also agreed to send $2.5 million from the state's general funds to the university system to pay student-athletes. Hawaii Public Radio.

Attention Divers! Hawaiʻi’s Reefs Need Your Help After Destructive Storms. Early reports support fears of widespread damage, but without more monitoring the picture remains incomplete. Officials are calling on more volunteer divers from across the islands to help assess Hawaiʻi’s reefs once it’s safe by posting their photos and reports to the Eyes of the Reef Hawaiʻi website. Civil Beat.

Oahu

3 Finalists Announced For Honolulu Police Chief. The finalists include the director of the Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement, a police chief in Georgia and a retired assistant chief in San Francisco. Civil Beat. KHON2.  KITV4. Hawaii News Now.  Star-Advertiser.

Military members lose Red Hill case against the federal government. Despite calling it an “overly harsh and unjust outcome,” a federal judge ruled against military service members affected by the Red Hill fuel crisis and dismissed their case against the government Tuesday — a decision attorneys for the plaintiffs say they are ready to take to the Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

Health officials see fewer pathogens in follow-up tests of Kona-low mud samples. The results show a “general decrease” in concentrations of environmental pathogens associated with the storms compared with results from about a month ago, Hawaii Department of Health officials said in a news release. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu housing market lagged in April. The Honolulu Board of Realtors on Wednesday published data showing decreases under 5%, which were relatively small but still represented the first month this year where there were negative figures across sale volume and prices for single-family homes and condominiums. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A boon for Banyan Drive: State Legislature passes redevelopment bill. A Banyan Drive redevelopment bill is heading to Gov. Josh Green’s desk for his signature. Senate Bill 2001 was affirmed by a unanimous final Senate floor vote of 25-0 Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

Commission OK’s rezoning plan for Pahoa town. The Hawaii County Windward Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a legislation package that would rezone parts of downtown Pahoa. These bills would change zoning designations for a stretch of mainstreet Pahoa from Village Commercial and Single-Family Residential to a new category — Downtown Pahoa Commercial — and codify standards for the new district’s permitted land uses, building heights and architectural density. Tribune-Herald.

State to remove passing zone on Daniel K. Inouye Hwy. after deadly crash. HDOT Director Ed Sniffen said crews will remove the passing zone at mile marker 26 on the cross-island highway known as Saddle Road. KHON2.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi County Expands Kona Low Assistance Centers. Another assistance center will open at the Nā‘ālehu Public Library from May 26th through June 12th. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii Island Seed Bank helps build climate resilience. Containing mostly native plants and some food crops, the Hawaii Island Seed Bank was created to help preserve and protect the island’s native species. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Schatz congratulates Maui families awarded with federal funding to buy first home; Visits ʻĪao and Hālau of ʻŌiwi Art. US Sen. Brian Schatz conducted site visits on the Valley Isle on Wednesday, focus on the progress of recovery efforts on Maui, following the 2023 wildfires and recent Kona Low storms in March of this year.  Maui Now.

Despite A Death And Damage, Maui Stalls On Chronic Kīhei Flooding. Residents remain frustrated by the county’s lack of progress in addressing the decades-long problem facing the burgeoning South Maui town.  Civil Beat.

First neighbor island kauhale is changing lives on Maui. Six months after the largest kauhale in the state opened, residents are finding more than housing at Kīpūola Kauhale on Maui. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i County advances Wildfire Home Assessment Program. Kaua‘i County, in partnership with Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization, continues to advance a Wildfire Home Assessment Program to help residents reduce wildfire risk and strengthen community resilience. The program is scheduled to launch Aug. 1. Kauai Now.

Aging fair draws a crowd. More than 200 people surged through the doors of the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall on Wednesday when organizers opened the Kauai Senior Resource and Disabilities Fair. Garden Island.

Dozens of discarded needles scattered on Kauai shore discovered by Kauai comedian. What started as a normal walk along a Kapa'a shoreline Monday evening quickly turned into something much more alarming for local Kaua'i comedian Zavier Cummings. KITV4.

Young Brothers owes state $26M in past-due wharfage fees, state may sock $50M into rainy day fund, 'Peter Boy' lawsuit drags on, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Young Brothers Held On To $26M In State Money To Cover Its Costs. Hawaiʻi allowed the shipping company to keep the money while awaiting a rate increase but now wants millions more in penalties and interest. Interisland shipper Young Brothers diverted more than $26 million in wharfage fees it was supposed to remit to the state in 2024 and 2025 and instead used the money to help cover its own operating expenses, according to the company and state officials. Civil Beat.

$50M deposit proposed for Hawaii’s state ‘rainy day’ fund. Representatives of House and Senate committees overseeing state finances recently agreed to deposit $50 million into the state’s Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund, also known as the “rainy day” fund. Star-Advertiser.

Bill goes to vote to release $55M in overdue Public Land Trust funds for Native Hawaiians. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is supporting a measure approved by a state legislative conference committee that would release $55 million in Public Land Trust funds currently withheld under an annual payment cap. Kauai Now. KHON2. 

DHHL to hold public meetings on statewide geothermal energy exploration. Agency plans to explore 12 potential sites statewide. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will hold a series of public meetings this summer on plans to explore geothermal energy statewide. Hawaii News Now.

Here's the few culture and arts measures that made it through the Legislature. As Hawaiʻi lawmakers wrap up the legislative session, few measures related to culture and arts have made it through. Hawaii Public Radio.

Chief Justice Devens succeeds Recktenwald, vows to uphold rule of law. Associate Justice Vladimir P. Devens was sworn in as Chief Justice on Tuesday, May 5, officially becoming Hawaii’s administrative head of the State Judiciary, succeeding former Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald. KHON2.

Cost of travel between Hawaiian islands is rising with surging fuel prices. Fuel costs have nearly doubled over the past few months forcing Mokulele Airlines to raise ticket prices for all Hawaii routes. Prices are going up by $10 across the board, but that's on top of already high airfare, averaging about $250 roundtrip. KITV4. Hawaii News Now.

One Of Hawaiʻi’s Most Lucrative Crops Might Surprise You. Millions of pounds of Hawaiʻi-grown basil are exported to Canada and the U.S. mainland. The herb is now more profitable than some of the state’s most iconic crops. Hawaiʻi’s basil industry is bigger than it has ever been, three times larger than the local banana and papaya industries combined. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu proposal to allow mayor to choose police chief tabled temporarily. The Honolulu Charter Commission wants to work out the kinks in a proposal to give the mayor more ability to hire and fire the City and County of Honolulu’s chief of police. Hawaii Public Radio.

City’s Economic Revitalization Office faces defunding. A city agency tasked with leading Oahu’s economic development appears to be closer to having its funding cut and a majority of its positions slashed by the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Children Play At Their Own Risk In This Mililani Park. Sharp rusted holes and a broken railing aren’t typical playground features. But they’re the norm at the playground in Mililani’s Makaʻunulau Community Park, also known as 16 Acres, where for an unknown period of time keiki have played over the rusted holes and around a gap in the railing. Civil Beat.

Former Hawaiian Properties manager indicted for allegedly embezzling nearly $650K. On March 27, an Oahu Grand Jury indicted Russell Doane, 66, for allegedly using his position as a property manager at Hawaiian Properties to embezzle $647,061.09 from several homeowner associations. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

‘Peter Boy’ lawsuit drags on: ‘What the state did was terrible. The liability is obvious’. Eight years after filing a wrongful-death lawsuit, the siblings of Peter Kema Jr., also known as “Peter Boy,” are still trying to hold the state accountable for its role in the death of their brother, who was tortured and killed by their father in 1997. Tribune-Herald.

Agitated testifier disrupts County Council vote on Kapoho land. An irate testifier interrupted a Hawaii County Council meeting Tuesday while its members were preparing to vote on a resolution calling for the acquisition of nearly 2,000 acres of coastal land in Kapoho. Tribune-Herald.

Episode 46 lava fountains end after 9 hours in Halemaumau crater. Lava fountains in Halemaumau crater ended at 5:22 p.m. Tuesday, bringing Episode 46 of the on-again, off-again Kilauea volcano eruption to a close. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. 

Richard Henderson, businessman, GOP senator, dies. Richard “Scotchy” Henderson, a longtime business leader and former Republican state senator from Hilo, died April 25. He was 97. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Hawaiʻi Balks At Funding Maui Fire Victim Health Study. University of Hawai‘i researchers are scrambling to plug a $1.5 million gap to continue studying the long-term health and social effects of the 2023 Maui fires after state lawmakers quietly dropped a bill to fund it last week. Civil Beat.

Workshop set for May 7 on historic district hurdles for Lahaina commercial properties. A free workshop focused on the unique challenges of rebuilding within Lahaina’s historic districts is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Morgado Hall. Maui Now.

DPW revises hours for nighttime closure on section of County roadway in Kaupō. To accommodate area motorists, County of Maui Department of Public Works is revising the closure on a section of Piʻilani Highway in Kaupō to instead be from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. May 5 through May 8, 2026, for repairs project roadwork. Maui Now.

Kelly King to run for Maui County Council. Kelly King has announced her candidacy for Maui County Council, hoping to represent the South Maui seat she previously held for six years. Maui News.

Kauai

Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s new mobile truck offers lifeline on Kauaʻi’s remote North Shore. On the far North Shore of Kauaʻi — where winding roads, distance and even a passing storm can cut off access to basic necessities — a refrigerated box truck filled with fresh food is quietly becoming a lifeline. Kauai Now.

Todd Ozaki files papers for County Council. Todd R. Ozaki filed his nomination papers for the Kauai County Council on May 1. Working in the Mayor’s Office, Ozaki serves on the Finance and Budget team and oversees the county’s Capital Improvements Program, assisting in moving projects from planning through completion. Garden Island.

Interisland shipping rates hiked 25%, more families go hungry, Native Hawaiian telecom company loses operating licnse after fraud case, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Young Brothers Wins 25% Rate Hike But Faces Stricter Oversight. The increase is expected to generate an extra $26 million in revenue, which the interisland barge service says will still leave it operating at a loss next year. The cost of shipping food and other goods between the Hawaiian Islands is about to rocket up more than 25%, sparking dismay among some residents, farmers and business owners.  Civil Beat.  Tribune-Herald. Star-Advertiser.  Kauai Now.  Hawaii News Now. 

More Hawaii families go hungry. Hawaii’s second annual survey of “food insecurity” showed that almost half of island families (or 48%) are either food insecure or on the brink of choosing between food, housing or healthcare — even among households that earn $90,000 or more. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4. 

DHHL Severs Ties To Company That It Says Abandoned Homesteaders. Waimana Enterprises, founded by Al Hee, was hit with utility violations and previously got wrapped up in a fraud case. The telecommunications company that provided broadband internet and telephone service to thousands of rural Hawaiian homesteaders across the state since the mid-1990s was stripped of its operating license Monday after years of service disruptions and other violations, including a federal fraud case that sent the company’s founder to prison. Civil Beat.

2 unions fight to represent Alaska-Hawaiian aircraft technicians. As Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines move closer to completing their $1.9 billion merger, a behind-the-scenes union battle could influence how aircraft maintenance is managed — and shape the future of local jobs and operational efficiency. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

City Council bill aims to proactively identify possible lapsed funding. The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee will consider a bill  Tuesday that aims to bring more transparency to the city’s budget. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu police officers accused of dodging court service in DUI lawsuit. Three Honolulu police officers accused of wrongful DUI arrests are now facing allegations they deliberately avoided a process server in a class action lawsuit. Records show officers Ridge Newcom and Kelsey Messmer, along with recently retired officer Darren Cachola, have been evading service of legal papers. Hawaii News Now.

Massive Convention Center makeover to reshape events for two years starting 2026. The Hawaii Convention Center is moving forward with what will be its most complete renovation since it opened 26 years ago. KHON2. 

Approval process underway for new high-rise project in Ala Moana. Another luxury, high-rise project is being planned in Ala Moana – right on the shopping center’s property. It’ll be a condo and a hotel. KHON2.

USPS removes blue collection boxes around Oahu. The U.S. Postal Service is removing blue collection boxes across Oahu, prompting concerns from residents who rely on them. Removal notices have appeared on boxes in Foster Village, Mapunapuna, and Kapahulu, requiring residents to travel miles to alternative locations. Hawaii News Now.

Roberts bus packages expected to ease traffic to Hanauma Bay. The  City & County of Honolulu is offering visitors a quicker, easier way to get to there through a contract with Roberts Hawaii that offers a package deal including transportation on an electric motorcoach. Star-Advertiser.

Highway Inn sues state over tax on pandemic-era Restaurant Revitalization Fund. HPR sat down with Monica Toguchi Ryan, the third-generation owner of the longtime family restaurant Highway Inn, which has locations in Kakaʻako and Waipahu, plus a cafe at Bishop Museum. Hawaii Public Radio.

What’s A Playground Without A Slide? A Honolulu park slide was removed and its entrance boarded up earlier this year. It’s still unclear when it’ll be replaced.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Salary hikes for county officials questioned. At its meeting Monday in Hilo, the Hawaii County Salary Commission received some public pushback on a proposed 15.29% pay hike for the county’s top officials. Tribune-Herald.

New directors at Public Works, DEM. Daniel Girvan has been appointed director of the Department of Environmental Management, and Wesley Segawa, who served as DEM director since December 2024, has been appointed director of the Department of Public Works. Neil Azevedo, who has served as acting DPW Director since March 31, will continue with the department as deputy director. Tribune-Herald.

Public Hearing Set For Puna Geothermal Power Increase, December 8. The Noncovered Source Permit will grant conditional approval for PGV to increase from 41 megawatts (MW) to 46 MW.  Big Island Video News.

Coconut Island footbridge in Hilo collapses, repairs could take two years.  The pedestrian bridge leading to Mokuʻola, commonly known as Coconut Island, collapsed Friday morning as a county worker drove a mini-excavator across the structure, closing the popular Hilo park indefinitely. Hawaii News Now. Big Island Video News. 

DOT plans speed reductions on Highway 19. The Hawaii Department of Transportation announces the planned reduction of the speed limit in four different areas on Hawaii Belt Road (Highway 19), according to a press release. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. 

Maui

First reading of Bill 9 scheduled for Dec. 1. Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee announced on Monday there will be a special hearing next month for Bill 9, a proposal that would phase transient vacation rentals out of apartment districts on Maui. Maui News.

Temporary potable water use for Maui golf course contested. An environmental law firm is objecting to state condoned use of potable water for irrigating the Maui Kapalua golf course that recently reopened after a two-month closure and loss of an economically valuable January PGA tournament. Star-Advertiser.

Trace levels of selenium detected in Lahaina’s water system. Trace levels of selenium have been detected for the first time in water samples collected from the County of Maui Department of Water Supply’s Lahaina water system. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

New Kauaʻi charter school fills a void for North Shore community. For decades, Kauaʻi’s North Shore has been a learning desert. The Namahana School aims to change that.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Thanksgiving turkeys go out. There were at least 500 turkeys being given to Kauai families on Saturday during the big Hawaii Foodbank Kauai drive-through food distribution at the Kauai Community College. Garden Island.

Supreme Court to consider overturning Hawaii gun ban, FEMA scales back housing for Maui fire victims, $126M for nonprofits at risk, arguments conclude over proposed shipping increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Supreme Court will consider overturning Hawaii’s strict ban on guns on private property. The Supreme Court said on Friday that it will take up its latest gun rights case and consider striking down strict regulations on where people can carry firearms in Hawaii.  The court will consider Hawaii’s restriction banning guns on private property unless the owner has specifically allowed them.  Associated Press.

Arguments wrap up over steep increase in regulated interisland shipping rates. A quasi-judicial hearing over a proposed 27% hike for regulated interisland ocean cargo rates ended Thursday after four days of witness testimony, tough questions and sometimes contentious arguments. The state Public Utilities Commission will render a decision, anticipated by the end of the year, on how much of an increase should be granted Young Brothers LLC. Star-Advertiser.

Investigation Clears State Utility Official In Toxic Workplace Case. The state agency announcing the findings provided few details about the case, saying only that 5 of 20 issues related to the allegations against the PUC’s chief of policy and research Randy Baldemor had been partially substantiated but were not “considered to be determinative of the overall claim or issue.” Civil Beat.

$126M for Hawaii’s nonprofits at risk. A new analysis released Thursday by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization and the Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF) lays out the risks in stark terms: 74 federal grants to 59 Hawaii nonprofits — totaling $126 million in unpaid balances — are politically vulnerable. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now. Aloha State Daily. 

Threat to federal workforce 'unlike anything we've seen before,' Rep. Tokuda says. About 24,000 civilian federal employees and 47,000 active duty military servicemembers in Hawaiʻi have been impacted by the federal government shutdown. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi air travel expected to continue with minimal disruption despite federal shutdown. Despite the federal government shutdown, travelers heading to the Hawaiian Islands are advised not to cancel or postpone their plans, as most tourism-related services will continue operating with little to no disruption. Big Island Now.

Unionized Kaiser workers prepare for possible strike after contract expires. UNITE HERE Local 5 members voted overwhelmingly last week to authorize a strike, meaning union leaders now have the ability to call a strike at any time. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu police shoot, kill felon, 50, who pointed revolver at officers. A 50-year-old felon was shot and killed by police Thursday morning after he pulled a revolver out of his waistband and pointed it at two Honolulu Police Department officers on Punchbowl Street, according to Interim Police Chief Rade K. Vanic. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. KITV4. 

Waiʻanae Goes All In With New $17M Facility To Boost Food Security. A 15-acre campus is expected to include a food bank, fruit trees, community kitchen, wastewater treatment center and more. Civil Beat.

Foster Home Abuses Were Secret For Years. A Lawsuit Exposed Them. The foster sons of John Teixeira had told almost no one about the abuse they suffered in his household. Then they started to talk. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island 

Kona woman pleads not guilty to coffee fraud. Patricia Johnson pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal criminal charges accusing her of making more than $5.2 million selling “100% Kona coffee” that was actually from foreign countries and bought in California and Washington. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii real estate investor denies improper use of Shohei Ohtani’s likeness in lawsuit. Ohtani and Nez Balelo of CAA Baseball were sued Aug. 8 in Hawaii Circuit Court for the First Circuit by developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr., real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto, West Point Investment Corp. and Hapuna Estates Property Owners over a $240 million luxury housing development on the Big Island’s coveted Hapuna Coast.  Associated Press.

Funding released to expand E.B. DeSilva school. The release of over $2 million in construction funding for Hilo’s Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School will allow it to build more classrooms to better accommodate students. Tribune-Herald.

UH Hilo Opens Veterans Student Services Resource Center. The new space, dedicated to veterans for networking and accessing support, was recently blessed at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Big Island Video News.

Maui

FEMA Scales Back Direct Lease Housing For Maui Fire Survivors. Citing no more unmet needs, the agency canceled $2 million worth of contracts with a company managing residential units leased from property owners.  Civil Beat.

Urban Design Review Board set to review Kahului Civic Center project Oct. 7. The Maui County Urban Design Review Board is scheduled Oct. 7 to review design plans for the proposed Kahului Civic Center mixed-use complex, a project that pairs more than 300 affordable rental apartments with a civic center featuring a wave-inspired roof design. Maui Now.

Kauai

Both Kaua‘i County Division of Motor Vehicles locations to close 1 day next week. The main Līhu‘e office and Kapa‘a satellite office will be shuttered Oct. 8 to accommodate staff training. Kauai Now.

‘Think pink’: Kaua‘i community urged to come together in solidarity during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Kaua‘i Committee on the Status of Women encourages survivors, supporters and the community to come together in solidarity during Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2025, which began Oct. 1. Kauai Now.

Police to get hefty raises, bonuses, perks; Green and Driscoll ink preliminary military land agreement; Waikiki bank robbery injures 18, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Arbitrator awards police officers their largest pay raise in 17 years. Police officers in Hawaii secured the increase after an independent arbitrator issued a decision on a new four-year contract that was lauded by union leadership. Police officer pay will increase 40% between 2021 and 2028. The  total compensation package will provide most members an increase of more than 27.5%. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. 

Green signs ‘statement of principles’ with Army on land negotiations. Governor Josh Green and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll have established a non-binding Statement of Principles as land lease talks continue.  Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. 

Young Brothers warns interisland shipping is at risk. A state commission began a multiday hearing Monday to determine whether the distressed company transporting most goods between the main Hawaiian islands deserves a big rate hike plus automated inflationary annual increases. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. KHON2.

The search is on for a new Hawaii Chief Justice. Longtime Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald is retiring this week, and there aren’t yet enough qualified applicants interested in taking his place. KHON2. Hawaii News Now. 

Shutdown would add to Hawaii’s economic woes. Federal workers in Hawaii who are worried about a shutdown of the federal government that could begin at 6:01 p.m. today (12:01 a.m EDT Wednesday) are likely already cutting back on local spending, adding to Hawaii’s already sluggish economy, according to the head of the University of Hawaii’s Economic Research Organization. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Chemical dispersed during Waikiki bank robbery. Police search for suspect in Waikiki bank robbery; 18 patients treated at scene. Officers were called to the First Hawaiian Bank’s Waikiki branch on Kalakaua Avenue and Lewers Street just after 2 p.m. KHON2. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

Skyline stations transform into community food hubs. Honolulu Skyline passengers may notice something different on their morning rail commute: more than half-a-dozen planter boxes full of growing tomatoes, eggplants, scallions and sweet potatoes, among other edible plants. Civil Beat. KHON2.

‘Lord Of The Flies’: How Hawaiʻi’s Model Foster Dad Preyed On Boys. John Teixeira answered a desperate need for the state: Where to put boys no one else would take. He’d eventually take in almost 60. But there would be a cost. Civil Beat.

Community vows to protect Oahu’s water amid Red Hill contamination concerns. Community leaders, advocates and students gathered at Honolulu Hale on Monday afternoon to launch the “Pledge to Our Wai, Pledge to Our Keiki,” a public commitment to protect Oahu’s aquifer from ongoing contamination tied to the U.S. Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.  Star-Advertiser.

Forum on political history of Native Hawaiians seeks to help navigate the future. In a nod to Hawaiian History Month, a forum sponsored by the Honolulu mayor's office and the city council is to take place on Tuesday to highlight the changing political climate and the concern that programs to help Native Hawaiians are being targeted. Hawaii Public Radio.

Blaisdell Center has completed new state-of-the-art parking system. While the upgrade work started on Sept. 22, additional operational adjustments are still being finalized, and the Department of Enterprise Services is asking commuters and visitors to be patient during this transition period. Hawaii News Now.

Ala Wai Golf Course gets major upgrades, including solar and LED lighting. These improvements align with the City's wider initiatives to decrease energy consumption, lower expenses, and advance the objectives of the City's Climate Action Plan. Concurrently, they aim to maintain and enhance the distinguished golf course, which accommodates over 12,000 rounds of golf annually. KITV4.

Hawaii Business Magazine's new editor-in-chief talks next generation, media landscape. Jennifer Ablan returned home from New York after three decades to take the job. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Teen Arrested For Alleged Terroristic Threatening At Kona High School. A 14-year-old female from Ocean View was arrested after the Konawaena High School student allegedly threatened to shoot three fellow students on campus. Big Island Video News.

Construction of county’s Kukuiola project begins. The Kukuiola Emergency Shelter and Assessment Center in Kailua-Kona will include 16 emergency shelter units for the homeless, a manager’s unit, a 2,000-square-foot assessment center, community restroom facilities with showers, a 1,400-square-foot community center and a shared kitchen. Tribune-Herald.

Next Lava Episode In Kilauea Eruption Is About To Begin. Precursory activity in Episode 34 of the Kīlauea eruption got underway overnight at the summit.  Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Sunshine Interview: Maui Mayor Richard Bissen And Recovery Chief John Smith. The county’s chief executive and head of the Maui Office of Recovery discuss federal funding for the rebuilding of Lahaina and Upcountry. Civil Beat.

Pāʻia Elementary School to remain closed through Friday; asynchronous distance learning to begin Wednesday.  While the campus did not sustain direct fire damage, soot continues to impact parts of the campus. Maui Now.

Maui County Fair returns this week. The Maui County Fair is returning to the War Memorial Special Complex this week, featuring dozens of food booths, rides, live entertainment, livestock and poultry exhibits, a petting zoo and much more. Maui News. Maui Now. 

Kauai

Kauaʻi Water Utility Hawks $1.3B Plan To Overhaul Century-Old System. The repairs are needed to protect the island’s drinking water and ensure sufficient supply to face the growing wildfire risk, officials said. Civil Beat.

Kauaʻi-based conservationists sound alarm over mass killing of native birds. At Ninini Point near the Līhuʻe airport, Archipelago Research and Conservation recently discovered 125 dead birds. The group said all the birds had been killed by cats. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauaʻi County’s Housing Agency to open applications for community development block grants. Online applications will be available beginning Friday on the Housing Agency’s CDBG webpage. The deadline to submit applications is Nov. 13, by 4:30 p.m. Kauai Now.

Green pushes national agenda, hearings start today on Young Brothers' 27% shipping rate increase, Hanabusa quits HART board, Chief Justice Recktenwald forced to retire, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

'There Can Be Peace': Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green Wants To Heal The Country. In a wide-ranging conversation, the governor makes it pretty clear where his head is at when it comes to combining his ongoing efforts for Hawaiʻi with his future national ambitions. Civil Beat.

Retiring chief justice led with kindness, compassion, wisdom. Mark E. Recktenwald, who turns 70 on Oct. 8, will retire Tuesday due to the state’s mandatory retirement age of 70 for justices and judges. Star-Advertiser.

Choy fired while suing Hawai‘i Tourism Authority for retaliation. Isaac Choy, a former state tax director and state legislator, was terminated from his job at the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority effective Sept. 15, according to a motion to file an amended complaint in his whistle-blower lawsuit. Star-Advertiser. KITV4. 

Young Brothers shipping company proposes a rate increase to shore up finances. The state Public Utilities Commission is holding a weeklong hearing starting today on Young Brothers’ request to raise its rates. The shipping company asked the commission to approve a 27% rate increase last year.  Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now. 

State Tries To Seal Foster Care Files To Protect Info It Already Revealed. When Civil Beat sought exhibits in the trial of an abusive Hawaiʻi foster dad, the Attorney General’s Office intervened to prevent “family trauma” from becoming public. It already had. Civil Beat.

Hawaii consumers hit by higher prices brace for more. Last week, UHERO forecast a bleak economic future for Hawaii for the rest of the year and into 2026 with more job losses expected as federal immigration agents continue to deport immigrants and more federal workers are expected to end their job extensions on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Keeping Hawai‘i Convention Center repairs on track is vital to stemming tourism losses, officials say. The modified closure of the Hawai‘i Convention Center over at least the next two years will cost the visitor industry hundreds of millions in lost revenue, and a lack of confidence in the state-run project’s timeline is putting future bookings at risk. Star-Advertiser.

Developers seeking to build affordable housing reach new heights. Demand for affordable housing in Hawaiʻi is rising, and so is the number of developers seeking to meet that demand. And now federal changes could mean more housing built.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii schools are climbing back from pandemic slump. The 2025 Strive HI report shows that math proficiency climbed to 41% in the 2024-2025 academic year, science to 43% and language arts proficiency saw a slight increase to 53%, meaning they met benchmarks set by the state Department of Education. Star-Advertiser.

Health care student loans to be paid by year-end. The fourth and final student loan payments for the first 780 Hawaii health care workers has been delayed but are now expected by the end of October, or at least the end of the year, according to the doctor in charge of overseeing the two-year program designed to keep and recruit workers. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Colleen Hanabusa resigns from HART board. Colleen Hanabusa, chairperson of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board of directors, is resigning from the body that governs construction of the more than $10 billion Skyline rail project, officials announced at Friday’s HART meeting. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Affordable apartments in Makiki billed as first of many by partnership. The partnership between Tradewind Capital Group and Stanford Carr Development recently received state financing commitments to fund nearly all of the estimated $148 million cost to build their initial tower. Star-Advertiser.

Nonprofits anticipate hunger to worsen in Hawaii. Thousands of people filled the Hawai‘i Convention Center on Saturday for the return of the Empty Bowl fundraiser, where guests selected handmade bowls crafted by local potters and enjoyed soups donated by more than a dozen restaurants. Star-Advertiser.

This Kāneʻohe Road Is Overdue For Repair. Kea’ahala Road connects Kāneʻohe town to major state facilities, but it’s been 20 years since it was properly repaved, and sidewalks are impassable for many.  Civil Beat.

State looks for lessee to revamp and operate Mālaekahana campground. The 36-acre recreation spot in Kahuku closed in 2023 for infrastructure upgrades. Hawaii Public Radio.

Residents reeling after being told to vacate Honolulu apartment building within days. A letter from the owner of Union Plaza posted on Saturday night said residents had until Tuesday to get out.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Housing Scandal Stalls Plans For Apartments. The affordable rentals in Kailua-Kona were supposed to be ready in 2024 and cost $50 million. The developer now hopes to finish in 2027 at a cost of $81 million. Civil Beat.

Keauhou Bay development clears another hurdle. Kamehameha Schools is advancing plans for a resort development on lands above Keauhou Bay, following the county Planning Department’s acceptance of the project’s final environmental impact statement. Tribune-Herald.

Monterey Bay Aquarium granted permit to collect marine life off Kona coast. The Board of Land and Natural Resources has approved a special activity permit allowing George Peterson, director of Marine Operations at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, to collect, possess and transport various regulated and nonregulated marine organisms off the coast of West Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Tokuda discusses shutdown threat, health care cuts during Hilo visit. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda met with the Tribune-Herald on Wednesday during a visit to Hilo, where she discussed the potential for a federal government shutdown, ongoing attacks on Congress, the fight to preserve health care funding and efforts by states to shift the balance of power ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Tribune-Herald.

AG, county reach agreement over HPD internal records. The Hawaii Police Department and the state attorney general have come to an agreement regarding statements made by four HPD officers in an internal affairs investigation of alleged misconduct regarding events in May 2023. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

State mulls rescue help for parched Maui water system. Over 30 years ago, state leaders saw a need to take over Hawaii plantation-era water systems and fallow farmland to support diversified agriculture, and now one such water system that’s become a drain on Maui’s economy is for sale. Star-Advertiser.

Paia Elementary cleans up from nearby brush fire; school to remain closed Monday. The school has now been closed for four school days since Tuesday’s Holomua wildfire burned 400 acres and led to the evacuation of 1,600 Paia residents.  Star-Advertiser. Maui News.  Maui Now. 

Petition calls for Holomua Road closure after 380-acre fire; houseless community says it’s not to blame. Tania Kawa‘akoa shakes her head at the notion that one of the roughly 25 people who live in their cars, tents and temporary shelters along Holomua Road had anything to do with the 380-acre blaze that broke out Tuesday in the open fields above Pā‘ia and Kū‘au. Maui Now.

105 Hawaiian Homes agricultural leases on Maui mark first such awards in over 20 years. It was a day of celebration and anticipation for Maui ʻohana as they received their agricultural lot awards in two homestead projects. Some were on the Hawaiian Homes waitlist for nearly 50 years. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawai‘i Agribusiness Development Corp. to hold first board meeting on Maui, Oct. 16. The Hawai‘i Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) will hold its next board of directors meeting on Maui, marking the first time the state agency has convened on the island. Maui Now.

Kauai

High Enterococcus fecal indicating bacteria measured at Morgan’s Pond in September. This month 12 of the 29 sites tested had bacteria concentrations higher than the Hawaii state standard (130 mpn) and 14 of the 29 had geometric means high enough to put them on the chronically polluted list. Garden Island.

Scheduled Kaua‘i lane closures on state roadways for Sept. 29 to Oct. 3. Hawai‘i Department of Transportation announces the following lane closures and road work projects for state roadways on the Garden Isle during the week of Sept. 29 to Oct. 3. Kauai Now.

Coral monitoring plan develops, Green signs bill allowing HECO to borrow against rates, federal detention center to house immigrants, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tracking Coral Disease Attacking Hawaiʻi’s Reefs Is All-Hands-On-Deck Job. Hawaiian reefs account for 85% of coral reefs in the United States, stretching over 1,200 miles around the state’s shoreline — a vast territory for any individual group to monitor.  Creating a way for tourists and casual oceangoers to flag diseased coral is underway as white syndrome threatens reefs around Hawaiʻi. Civil Beat.

Governor enacts HECO securitization measure. Gov. Josh Green quietly signed into law a major piece of legislation dealing with Hawaiian Electric's finances on Tuesday night. Act 258 authorizes securitization, which allows the utility to issue ratepayer-backed bonds for certain costs. Hawaii Public Radio.

Here's how the state is moving forward to stabilize the condo insurance crisis. The state has started to accept applications for hurricane insurance from condominium and townhouse associations that have been unable to secure full coverage on the regulated market. Last August, Gov. Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation to stabilize the insurance market after condominium buildings were unable to secure full insurance coverage from one of the three companies operating in Hawaiʻi. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu’s Federal Detention Center to house ICE detainees. The Federal Detention Center in Honolulu is one of three prisons that joined the list of five approved facilities that will hold detained immigrants. McClatchy News.

Rep. Case confirms ICE detainees coming to Honolulu facility. U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D- Hawaii, said his office was recently notified of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to house its detainees in additional prison facilities, including the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu.  Star-Advertiser.

With No Federal Halfway House in Hawaiʻi, Inmates Remain Far From Home. The state’s only halfway house for people convicted of federal crimes closed six years ago so those who qualify for supervised release must stay on the mainland. Civil Beat.

Only Half Of Hawaiʻi High School Seniors Apply For Financial Aid. The state has seen a boost recently in the application rate for federal financial aid, but it still falls short of its pre-pandemic level. Civil Beat.

Young Brothers announces leadership transition: Jay Ana stepping down, Frank Almaraz selected as Interim President. The inter island freight company, Young Brothers, LLC, has announced a leadership transition. Jeremiah “Jay” Ana is stepping down as President after leading the company since 2020 and will assume an advisory role through the end of the year to support a seamless transition. Frank Almaraz has been appointed Interim President. Maui Now.

Oahu

Maili wildfire prompts mass evacuation on Leeward Coast. Honolulu firefighters had a 95-acre wildfire in Maili 75% contained Sunday night after it led to the mass evacuation of Leeward Coast residents, resulted in a 94-year-old woman being treated for smoke inhalation and burned two homes. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. 

Traffic fatalities skyrocket on Oahu. More than half of the states 70 traffic-­related fatalities were on Oahu, with a current count of 41, more than double the 15 reported at the same time last year. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu housing market slows at midpoint of 2025. While homebuyers are seeing more single-family home options at the midpoint of 2025, year-to-date sales for both single-family homes and condominiums in June lagged slightly behind the same time last year, according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors’ monthly report. Star-Advertiser.

Schofield Barracks soldiers turn to drones as battlefields change. Soldiers at Oahu’s Schofield Barracks have been making drones a more central part of how they operate, both in Hawaii and in operations across the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Police chief to face commission on Thursday. The Hawaii County Police Commission has scheduled a special meeting for 10 a.m. Thursday, with the only agenda items relating to the fate of Hawaii Police Department Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz as the Big Island’s top cop. Tribune-Herald.

Pāhala Wastewater Collection System Construction Starts Monday, July 7. The $30.9 million contract for the Pāhala Wastewater Collection System was awarded to Goodfellow Bros., and includes exploratory excavation and potholing, sewer and water line installation, lateral connections to the 109 existing LCC-served properties, and roadway restoration and paving. Big Island Video News.

Cessna Aircraft Crash Lands On Kona Beach Road.  An airplane crash landed in North Kona on Thursday, and the pilot was able to walk away from the plane with only minor injuries. Big Island Video News.

Tree trimming, removal maintenance project scheduled this week at Liliʻuokalani Gardens. Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation notifies the public that a tree trimming and removal maintenance project is planned this week at Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui County Gears Up For Legal Challenges From Former Employees. Maui is poised to spend more than $800,000 in taxpayer dollars to hire outside counsel to defend the county against various legal challenges and to pay legal settlements. The cases include allegations from the mayor’s former chief of staff and a gender discrimination lawsuit against the Maui Police Department. Civil Beat.

Over 400 building permits have been issued for Lahaina rebuilds so far. As of Wednesday, more than 30 homes have been issued their certificate of occupancy, marking completion. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

12 projects receive Agriculture Farm Expansion Grants from Office of Economic Development. This is the second year the office offered funding through the grant program aimed at advancing Kaua‘i’s agricultural industry through targeted investments in the expansion of farming and/or production around the island. Kauai Now.

Water conservation request lifted for Kauai residents. After three months Kauai residents in Hanalei and Anini Beach are no longer asked to conserve water. This comes after repairs to a pump that failed at the Maka Ridge Well in Hanalei back in April. Hawaii News Now.

PUC approves 18.1% hike on interisland shipping, Land Board rejects Army's Oahu lease plans, Hawaii County commission seeks pause in plastic recycling plant plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

PUC approves 18.1% temporary rate hike for Young Brothers. The state Public Utilities Commission approved Friday an 18.1% temporary rate increase for Young Brothers LLC, effective Tuesday. The move comes in response to the company’s claims of financial distress that it says threatens its ability to maintain essential interisland shipping services. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. 

Governor seeks clean slate to appoint new Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board. Gov. Josh Green asked for courtesy resignations from the entire Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board following its first meeting as an advisory board Thursday — leaving the agency to process through its biggest leadership shake-up since it was created by the Legislature in 1998. Star-Advertiser.

OHA Staff Baffled By Spending Plan Filled With Dramatic Cuts, Changes. A vote comes Monday for the new budget, which some fear could undermine the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ mission. Civil Beat.

State Watchdogs Are Keeping The Pressure On For Government Reform. It includes a plan to revive a major pay-to-play bill snuffed out in the Hawaiʻi Legislature this year. Fired up by the fate of a major pay-to-play bill that died in April at the Legislature, the heads of the Campaign Spending Commission and Hawaiʻi State Ethics Commission are stepping up their efforts to lobby for reform in the 2026 session that beings in January. Civil Beat.

Governor signs measures aimed at protecting agriculture in Hawaii. A pilot program to fight agriculture-related crimes in Hawaii will go into effect July 1 on the Big Island and Oahu. The program within the state Department of Law Enforcement is intended to strengthen laws relating to agriculture theft — including cattle rustling — plus trespassing and hunting without permission on private ag land. Tribune-Herald. Maui Now.  KITV4.

Students Learn To Farm Fish, Seaweed. But Where Are The Jobs? Aquaculture is projected to become Hawaiʻi’s strongest food industry, but the state may not be doing enough to ensure there are good jobs in the future for local teens already preparing for the field.  Civil Beat.

Army land retention efforts stalled again. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources voted 5-1 Friday to reject the Army’s final environmental impact statement on potential renewal of leases on state land on Oahu. The action came after the board voted 5-1 in May to reject the Army’s FEIS on plans to retain land at the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island. Star-Advertiser.

Culture and fish at center of debate in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Shortline fishers as well as Hawaii’s longliners, now have a shot at resuming fishing within the monument, which is comparable in size to the Gulf of Mexico. Star-Advertiser.

What Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship could mean for Hawaii residents. Birthright citizenship has been guaranteed under the 14th Amendment, which says any person born in the United States is automatically a citizen, regardless of their parents’ citizenship or immigration, except children of foreign diplomats. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Land board rejects Army’s final EIS. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources voted Friday 5-1 to reject the Army’s final environmental impact statement on plans to retain state land on Oahu after leases expire in 2029. Star-Advertiser.  Civil Beat.

Connors takes over East-West Center among budget concerns. Celeste Connors, who takes over Tuesday as the new president of the East-West Center, continues to receive emails from across Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific region about what the East-West Center has meant professionally and personally. Star-Advertiser.

Proposed Haleiwa development draws community ire. A planned housing and commercial development in Haleiwa town is being rejected by many nearby residents who say it poses a significant threat to the North Shore area’s agricultural history, rural environment and overall community. Star-Advertiser.

Dozens rally against proposed gondola ride on Oahu’s North Shore.  Dozens protested plans for a gondola spanning a portion of Mount Kaala in the Waianae mountain range. The movement to stop the proposed construction of a tramway along the mountainside has been gaining momentum for years. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

New paradigm put forth to protect ancient Hawaiian burials. The beachside town of Kailua could be designated a burial ground, affording more protection to a roughly estimated 3,000 unmarked ancient Hawaiian graves located in the community built largely on sand. Star-Advertiser.

Dog owners seek increased access to parks for furry family members. Youth sports teams say they are struggling to find available fields for their practices and games, while dog owners — knowingly or unknowingly — are ending up at de facto parks because they have nowhere else to bring their four-legged friends to play. Star-Advertiser.

Queen’s shutters clinic specializing in long COVID patients. The long COVID clinic at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu is closing today after a five-year run treating more than 500 patients. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Plan For Plastic Recycling Plant Alarms Big Island Officials, Residents. A Hawaiʻi County commission calls for a pause in the project until the state establishes rules regulating discharge of micro- and nanoplastics. A plan to launch Hawaiʻi’s first bulk recycling plant for plastic is running into determined pushback from Big Island critics who worry the recycling operation could release contaminants into the environment. Civil Beat.

UH to decommission third Maunakea telescope. The University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy is officially initiating the decommissioning process for the UH-owned UKIRT telescope, formerly known as the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

University of Hawaiʻi’s telescope dedicated in 1970 now honored for enduring impact on space exploration. University of Hawaiʻi’s 2.2-meter (88 inch) telescope on Maunakea was recognized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Milestone program for its role in shaping astronomical research worldwide.  Big Island Now.

Trump administration’s actions rattle foreign students at UH Hilo, could hurt enrollment. International students at the University of Hawaii at Hilo are grappling with anxiety about their visas, travel and social media as the university braces for a potential loss of enrollment because of those concerns. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Residents encouraged to attend in-person Lahaina Community Meeting, July 2. Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Lahaina Community Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, at the Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria. Maui Now.

Pair honored for nearly 40 years of work at Maui homeless center. James Worley and John Decker have helped people facing homelessness find housing on Maui through their volunteer work as board members for the nonprofit Ka Hale A Ke Ola Resource Center. The two were honored Thursday for their longtime contribution to the community. Maui News.

Kauai

Kaua’i conservation leaders hope Hawaiʻi’s new Green Fee will prioritize environmental initiatives, not tourism. Kauaʻi nonprofit Malama Hule’ia planned to use a $750,000 federal grant to purchase an aquatic excavator to remove invasive red mangrove around the Hule’ia river watershed in Lihu’e. Kauai Now.

Kauaʻi’s Embattled Drug Addiction Treatment Center For Youth Is No Longer Empty. A new treatment option for drug-dependent youth on Kauaʻi is breathing life into the island’s troubled $7 million adolescent treatment center, a taxpayer-funded facility that fell into disrepair over the four years that it stood vacant.  Civil Beat.

Community encouraged to complete Waimea 400 Affordable Housing Survey by today. The County of Kauai Housing Agency is encouraging community members to provide their input on the Waimea 400 Affordable Housing Master Plan by completing an online survey by today.  Garden Island.
 

Legislature plans special sessions, Honolulu fails to collect $100M in vacation rental fines, state may buy 1k acres of farmland from Kauai billionaire Steve Case, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiʻi lawmakers plan special sessions to address federal funding cuts. The Legislature has about three weeks left of its regular session. But the magnitude of federal cuts and what it means for the state’s budget is still unknown. The budget overhaul being considered by Congress threatens about 75% of the state budget’s $4.6 billion in federal funds. Hawaii Public Radio.

State Legislature poised to pass sweeping weapons ban. Senate Bill 401 proposes to ban the purchase or sale of “assault rifles” and “assault shotguns” in the state after July 8. While such weapons purchased and registered before July 8 would remain legal, those guns could not be again sold within the state. Aloha State Daily.

Geothermal power exploration building up steam. Three state agencies have big ambitions to expand geothermal power production in Hawaii, and two somewhat competing bids for more funding are at a final stage of potential legislative approval. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers take up the issue of midwifery, possibly affecting Native Hawaiian practices. Midwifery and the Native Hawaiian cultural practices that blur the boundaries of statutory definitions are again at the center of a fierce legislative debate that harkens back to the 2019 legislative session, when lawmakers passed what became Act 32 in recognition of “the potential for harm to public health and safety posed by the unregulated practice of midwifery.” Star-Advertiser.

Bills would require youths to wear skateboard helmets. Minors would be required to wear helmets when riding skateboards on public property under two bills that continue to move through the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

New Zealand’s deputy prime minister visits Hawaii, amid heightened tensions in Asia-Pacific. New Zealand’s deputy prime minister, who also serves as the foreign minister, was set to visit Hawaii over the weekend, leading a high-level, cross-party delegation for key meetings across the Pacific. Hawaii News Now.

Neighbor Island businesses worry of shipping rate hike, tariffs. The state Public Utility Commission has been holding public hearings on Young Brothers’ request for a 27% rate increase for interisland cargo. KHON2.

Board of Education promotes financial literacy for Hawaii students. The state Board of Education has begun discussions to develop a formal policy that would embed financial literacy education throughout the state’s public school system, responding to growing interest from students, educators and the broader community. Star-Advertiser.

Famed war correspondent to be honored at final resting place. Legendary newsman Ernie Pyle, whose vivid reporting from the front lines of World War II won him a Pulitzer Prize and the admiration of readers and the soldiers whose stories he told, will be honored at a ceremony Friday marking the 80th anniversary of his death during the Battle of Okinawa. Star-Advertiser.

Federal Judge Won’t Make Bribery Investigations Public. A federal judge has ruled against Civil Beat in its efforts to obtain the FBI’s investigative files on two Hawaiʻi lawmakers who took tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from a Honolulu businessman in exchange for swaying legislation the way he wanted it to go. Civil Beat.

Oahu

City fails to collect millions in rental fines. The city has issued over $100 million worth of fines for short-term rental violations over the past three fiscal years but has collected less than $2 million — or barely 2% — even after hiring a collection agency in 2023 that was tasked with bringing in every dollar owed to the city. Star-Advertiser.

Speedier Reviews, Quicker Honolulu Building Permits? Not So Fast. The county says it’s doing its job faster, but that’s not yet translating to faster permits for property owners.  Civil Beat.

Navy seeks to reactivate wells closed during Red Hill crisis. More than three years after the Navy shut down two of its Oahu water wells in response to the Red Hill water crisis, the service is now looking to reopen them. Star-Advertiser.

Transit-oriented development forum is set for Kapolei. The city Department of Planning and Permitting announced it will hold a community meeting Wednesday to address proposed land use changes that could allow for TOD development around three city rail stations in the East Ka­polei area. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu residents turn in over 367 firearms in gun buyback program. The guns were exchanged for $37,900 in Foodland gift cards contributed by the Department of Law Enforcement. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu’s traffic fatalities nearly tripled in deadly start to 2025. Oahu, the most populated isle, usually has the greatest share, and so far this year has 22 fatalities, nearly triple the eight fatalities at the same time last year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers advance bills banning landfills over aquifers. Opponents to plans by Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration to site the city’s next solid-waste landfill on active pineapple fields above Central Oahu’s freshwater aquifer claimed a tentative victory this week. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Vacation Rental Registration Process Subject Of Online Briefing. An upcoming, online informational briefing will be held about a potential registration process for hosted Transient Vacation Rentals (TVR) and hosting platforms in Hawai‘i County. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Hawaiʻi County Council goes round and round on bus budget.  Hawaiʻi Island's mass transit budget has increased by 400% since 2018. At a budget hearing on Thursday, Hawaiʻi County council members questioned whether that fourfold investment has been worth it. Hawaii Public Radio.

Waikoloa Village wildfire preparedness in the spotlight. The public is invited until April 30 to give input to Hawaii County to help identify potential wildfire risks and opportunities for preparation and prevention in the Waikoloa Village area. Tribune-Herald.

Opposition to fence grows: Some neighbors of muni golf course cite safety concerns. Hawaii County is following through on its plans to fence off the Hilo Municipal Golf Course from nearby residents, to the displeasure of at least some of the neighbors. Tribune-Herald.

Aging Kona Inn Shopping Village struggling to sell despite property’s century history as tourist mecca. Nearly 100 years ago, the opening of Kona Inn along the coastline marked the beginning of commercial tourism for the once sleepy fishing village of Kailua-Kona. Big Island Now.

Maui

Dozens of Maui County officials to get hefty raises after vote by salary commission. More than 40 top county officials, including Maui’s mayor, police and fire chief, will see substantial raises following a vote by the salary commission. Hawaii News Now.

Maui wedding and events industry seeks help. The Maui Wedding and Event Association is asking for $300,000 from Maui County to help to support Maui’s wedding and events industry. Maui News.

Worries About Climate Change Spiked On Maui After 2023 Fires. More than three-quarters of Maui residents said they were concerned about global warming in 2024, according to a national climate survey conducted annually by Yale University — a six percentage point increase from 2022. Civil Beat.

Landscape fire recovery work progresses in Upcountry, Kīhei gulches. More than 20,000 cubic yards of excess sedimentation have been moved, and over 9,200 linear feet of gulches have been cleared of burnt debris and dead or dying trees as part of a major undertaking to address substantial landscape damage caused by the Maui wildfires of 2023, and to protect communities and ecosystems downslope of the burned areas. Maui Now.

Modular homes for wildfire survivors to be in transit next week. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation notifies highway users of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are transported from Kahului to the state’s Ka Laʻi Ola housing site in Lahaina. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua’i Billionaire Wants To Sell Prime Ag Land. The State Might Buy It. More than 1,000 acres of former Kauaʻi plantation land owned by a billionaire tech entrepreneur Steve Case  are in the sights of the state’s Agribusiness Development Corp. as part of the effort to help Hawaiʻi achieve its local food production goals. Civil Beat.

Kaua‘i County reviewing, updating Multi-hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan. The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires a community to review and update its Multi-Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan at least every 5 years to remain eligible for a range of the agency’s programs, including the agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant program and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant program. Kauai Now.