Governorʻs water board candidate withdraws, school food programs in jeopardy, Honolulu police seek $400M budget, HECO sells Hamakua power plant, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Governor’s Pick Withdraws From Consideration For Hawai‘i Water Rights Board. The move by Hinano Rodrigues follows months of criticism from Hawaiʻi’s conservation community plus a lawsuit over how the governor handled the process to select him for the Commission on Water Resource Management’s seat for a loea, or expert, in traditional stream rights and practices. Civil Beat.

Hawaii students face fallout from cuts to school food, education. President Donald Trump’s administration has abruptly canceled two federal programs that directly support local food purchases and school nutrition efforts in a budget-cutting move that is expected to hit Hawaii’s schools and families hard. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi residents have a new website to calculate state tax cut savings. The state has launched a new online resource to help residents calculate their estimated tax savings through 2031 and learn about the state’s income tax cut. Act 46 incrementally increased the standard deduction and adjusted tax brackets for tax years 2024 through 2031, eliminating the state’s lowest brackets and lowering the rates for all brackets. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi Tour Companies Losing Money To Chinese Social Media Scams. The scam involves tourists who buy what they think are discounted tickets to Hawaiʻi attractions, sold by scammers. In the end, the tourists take the tours but the companies don’t get paid. Civil Beat.

Disney didn’t copy ‘Moana’ from a man’s story of a surfer boy, a jury says. A  Los Angeles federal jury deliberated for only about 2 ½ hours before deciding that the creators of “Moana” never had access to writer and animator Buck Woodall’s outlines and script for “Bucky the Surfer Boy.”  Associated Press.

Oahu

HPD seeks nearly $400M budget. During the City Council’s Budget Committee hearing Tuesday, HPD Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan laid out budgetary changes his 2,100-person police force expects to face in the 2026 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The 6.5% jump — to a proposed budget of $390.46 million — is due in part to $11.86 million in IT upgrades for things like computers and similar hardware. Star-Advertiser.

Who’s going to pay for Oʻahu’s higher budget? City Council hopes it’s not residents. The Honolulu City Council is urging Mayor Rick Blangiardi's administration to find ways to generate funds without forcing residents to shoulder most of that burden. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu’s new Ocean Safety Department plans to bring major upgrades to lifeguard services. Big changes are coming to Oahu’s beaches, which were unveiled at City Budget hearings on March 11. Honolulu’s brand new Ocean Safety Department shared their plans for faster response times and better resources for lifeguards across the island. KHON2.

UH Manoa students and faculty push for support facing Trump’s executive orders. The UH community is calling for more tangible support and an action plan in light of statements released by UH President Wendy Hensel regarding these presidential orders that will impact the UH system. KITV4.

Seen These Oʻahu Donation Sites? Gifts Don’t Go Where You Think. GreenDrop is not a charity. It’s actually an arm of a for-profit, publicly traded, multinational thrift store operator with $1.5 billion in net sales and a chief executive officer who made $10.1 million in 2023, the most recent year available. Civil Beat.

New online publication is part of Hawaiʻi's changing journalism landscape. There's a new addition to the media landscape in Hawaiʻi: Aloha State Daily. The news outlet is exclusively online and aims to cover a range of topics from politics and arts to sports and the economy. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lawsuit alleges state social worker dismissed abuse reports prior to 10-year-old’s death. The new civil lawsuit alleges that a state social worker dismissed reported warnings of abuse before the death of 10-year-old Geanna Bradley in 2024. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.
 
Hawaii Island

Trump cuts target Mauna Loa Observatory. The Trump administration is considering canceling the lease of the support office for a renowned Hawaii climate research station, sources said, raising fears for the future of key work tracking the impact of carbon emissions on global warming. Reuters.

Hamakua Energy Plant sold. The parent company of Hawaiian Electric Co., Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., has sold the 60-megawatt Hamakua Energy Plant to a subsidiary of Harbert Management Corp. Tribune-Herald.

Fence plan for Hilo Municipal Golf Course miffs some neighbors. Hawaii County is in the process of erecting a 6-foot-tall continuous chain-link fence along the boundary of Hilo Municipal Golf Course to prevent access by those seeking to play without paying or to use the course for unauthorized purposes. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo Singing Bridge Needs Emergency Repairs, Traffic Altered. Emergency repairs are needed on the Wailuku Bridge, also known as the Singing Bridge, on Highway 19 in Hilo. Big Island Video News.

Maui

MPD chief denies allegations he was enforcer for ‘Diddy’.  Maui’s police chief denies allegations made by an alleged sexual assault victim of Sean “Diddy” Combs that he worked as an enforcer and facilitator for the rap mogul’s sex parties while working as a captain for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 2018. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

$100M proposed for Central Maui School in House draft of State Budget. State Rep. Justin H. Woodson (District 9, Kahului, Puʻunēnē, portion of Wailuku) announced that the House draft of the State Budget (HB300 HD1) includes a proposed $100 million appropriation to cover the remaining funds needed for the construction of Central Maui Elementary and Middle School.  Maui Now.

Maui Planning Commission begins Kīhei public hearing for Honuaʻula project. There was standing-room-only this morning at the Malcom Center in Kīhei as the Maui Planning Commission began a much-anticipated public hearing on the hotly contested Honuaʻula master-planned community. Maui Now.

Kauai

Garden Isle sees little rain in the month of February. Rainfall totals for the month of February were below average at most of the gages on Kauaʻi. Kauai Now.

Advocates seek more transparency with change of House leadership, child welfare, prison system need help, snake found in Christmas tree shipment, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

 

Advocacy groups seek to change how bills move through the House. The state House of Representatives has a new leadership team with Rep. Nadine Nakamura becoming the new speaker of the House. Because of the changes, advocacy groups are expanding efforts to change the rules in the House that they say will increase transparency. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii’s Child Welfare System Needs Major Reform, Report Says. A panel created to propose reforms to Hawaii’s child welfare system has described an array of troubling defects in the system, and its draft report calls for a surge in government support for disadvantaged families so fewer children will be removed from their homes. Civil Beat.

‘Inmates are running the facility’ prison sources warn public safety is at risk. The climate inside Hawaii’s correctional facilities is at a tipping point with inmates running the show and guards overworked and underpaid.  KHON2.

Top booster cuts university funding over athletics director Craig Angelos' ouster. Longtime UH supporter and businessman Mike Kawazoe founded the Rainbow Collective in April of last year as a way to raise funds for the department and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) money for student-athletes.  Hawaii News Now.

New Feral Cat Colony Map Could Save Hawaii’s Native Birds — But It’s Secret. The crowd-sourced map, which hasn't been made public yet, is bound to rankle many locals who regularly feed and care for free-roaming cats. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Appoints New Housing Director. Kevin Auger became the Honolulu Office of Housing’s executive director this week, stepping up from his prior role as deputy director to lead the city’s efforts to acquire, build and preserve more housing as many residents struggle with high prices. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Home Lands pursues Royal Kunia housing plan. The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands wants to buy 211 acres approved for housing in Kunia for about $60 million from developer Haseko (Hawaii) Inc. with a preliminary development agreement to produce 1,200 residential lots for beneficiaries, including 500 lots in an initial increment where infrastructure already exists. Star-Advertiser.

City considers task force to explore merger of fire, emergency services. Staff shortages at Honolulu Emergency Medical Services are once again bringing up the idea of a merger with the Honolulu Fire Department. A resolution to study and create a plan passed the Honolulu City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

West Side crackdown is reducing crime. Crime is down on the West Side during the three months since a spate of deadly shootings prompted county, state and federal officials to inundate the Waianae coast with law enforcement. Star-Advertiser.

911 outage caused by Hawaiian Telcom equipment issue. Hawaiian Telcom confirmed Wednesday that equipment failure caused Sunday’s 911 outage on Oahu. Most cell phones were blocked from reaching police dispatchers for about four hours. Hawaii News Now.

City plan to remove changing areas in Waimanalo Beach Park draws criticism. At Waimanalo Beach Park, the city plans to demolish two rundown comfort stations as part of a multimillion-dollar renovation project and install new prefabricated structures with individual, unisex bathroom stalls. The change would eliminate separate changing areas for men and women. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

New Mayor, Council To Be Sworn-In On December 2nd In Kona.  Mayor-elect Kimo Alameda, Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen, and the newly elected County Council will take part in the inauguration event. Big Island Video News.

Thumbs down for Kona Vistas. A 10-year extension for a controversial West Hawaii housing development to complete construction has once again been rejected, this time by the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

More than $1.2M in PONC funds awarded to nonprofits. The county’s Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission identifies lands around the county worthy of preservation and recommends grant funding to nonprofits to continue to steward those parcels. Tribune-Herald.

Live snake found in container of Christmas trees in Hilo.  State officials say a live snake was found in a container of Christmas trees as it was being unloaded for a store in Hilo over the weekend. HDOA has identified the 2-foot-long reptile as a non-venomous gopher snake. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

Maui

Federal Officials Pressed On Maui Recovery Efforts. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz took part in the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on national disaster needs. Big Island Video News.

Lawsuit filed to change Maui’s street lighting citing its effect on endangered birds. Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Honolulu against Maui County and Hawaiian Electric to change the kind of street lighting on the Valley Isle that allegedly impairs the navigation of three bird species. Maui News. KITV4.

Survey asks children’s preference for rebuilding King Kamehameha III Elementary while focusing on 2 sites. Civic engagement in Lahaina remained strong Tuesday evening, with about 100 community members and staff gathering to discuss potential sites for King Kamehameha III Elementary School’s permanent location. Maui News. Maui Now.

Maui Invitational Returns To Lahaina As Post-Fire Emotions Are Still Raw. Many residents are excited about the economic boost the tournament will bring. But concerns also are high that visitors might show disrespect. Associated Press.

Kauai

Kapa‘a Swimming Pool to be temporarily closed in December. The Kaua‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation announced that Kapa‘a Swimming Pool will be shuttered from Dec. 1-16 so contractor Pacific Concrete, Cutting & Coring can repair the pool’s concrete deck. Kauai Now.

Ige ties Hawaii reopening to vaccination rates, extends eviction moratorium; convicted murderer works in Child Welfare Services; new Honolulu radio system shuts out the public, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Gov. David Ige

Gov. Ige to further ease COVID-19 restrictions once Hawaii is 60% vaccinated. Gov. David Ige announced today that the state will ease restrictions on social gatherings and restaurants once 60% of Hawaii residents are fully vaccinated, adding to the growing list of incentives for people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Garden Island. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Gov. David Ige extends ban on evictions in Hawaii for 60 days. Isle residents who are past due on rent and mortgages will have another two months before Gov. David Ige plans to lift the state’s ban on evictions in early August. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Convicted murderer’s hiring in Child Welfare Services exposes background check gaps. Advocates for victims of domestic violence are calling for change in the way the state hires people with access to vulnerable victims after a man who was convicted of and served time for murder in another state is now an employee of Hawaii’s Child Welfare Services. Hawaii News Now.

Officials step up efforts to expand COVID-19 vaccine access to underserved communities. The data, released Monday by DOH, showed that respondents least likely to be vaccinated included Native Hawaiians, Filipinos and those living in lower-income households.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Garden Island. KHON2.

June 7, 2021 COVID-19 Update: 33 Cases. The confirmed cases included: 18 on O‘ahu (-1 probable); three on Hawai‘i Island; 12 Maui; -1 on Kaua‘i; and one in a Hawai‘i resident diagnosed while out of state (-1 probable). Maui Now.

Oahu

Public access to Honolulu police and fire scanners to end. The public’s long-standing access to routine radio communications by Honolulu police and firefighters is coming to an end as the city nears completion of a $15 million system overhaul that will encrypt the frequencies used by nine city departments, preventing objective monitoring of the transmissions. Star-Advertiser.

New special agent in charge steps into role at FBI’s Honolulu field office. Steven B. Merrill, the new special agent in charge of Honolulu’s FBI field office, said he learned early on in his career the incredible value of working with the community. Hawaii News Now.

Activists Hit New Roadblock In Efforts To Reroute Farrington Highway At Makaha Beach. Efforts by community activists to move Farrington Highway mauka of Makaha Beach park — in accordance with a decades-old plan — have hit a roadblock after an Oahu agency decided to halt a feasibility study and redirect the funding to a traffic study in Ala Moana instead. Civil Beat.

Audit calls for more data on domestic violence. Streamlined data collection on domestic violence cases was the center of a report released Monday by the Honolulu Office of the City Auditor. Star-Advertiser.

An Accountant Is The Latest To Be Charged In The Miske Case. The charges filed last week against Tricia Ann Castro were the first to target a professional accused of aiding the Honolulu business owner in concealing his alleged criminal activities. Civil Beat.

Honolulu's Rental Car Crisis Is Sending More Riders To Biki And TheBus. Honolulu also appears to be part of a nationwide trend in which the appetite for Uber and Lyft rides is growing but not enough drivers are returning to meet that demand. Civil Beat.

Median sales price of Oahu single-family homes close in on $1 million. Previously owned single- family houses on the island sold for $978,000 in May, according to a Honolulu Board of Realtors report released Monday. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Oversight Commissioner Concerned With Overcrowding as COVID-19 Cases at Hilo Jail Rise to 154. According to the latest data from the state Department of Public Safety, 137 inmates and 17 staff at the Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center have tested positive for the coronavirus since the outbreak began on May 24. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald.

Public asked to help prioritize federal transportation spending. The state has organized a survey for people to prioritize which federally funded road projects should be tackled over the next four years as part of the State Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP. West Hawaii Today.

Paauilo brush fire burns 1,400 acres. The fire, which was reported on Friday, took more than a day to be contained, despite occurring on the typically wet Hamakua Coast. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Public opinion weighed as search for Maui’s next police chief begins. Applications are being accepted for the Valley Isle’s next police chief. Island residents say values of honesty and transparency should be key in the search. Hawaii News Now.

Maui holds only in-person graduation in UH system. Class of 2021 endured full school year under pandemic. Maui News.

Two arrested for violating travel rules. A Massachusetts man was arrested for violating travel quarantine rules when he arrived from Los Angeles on Friday without an approved negative pre-travel COVID-19 test and without approved lodging for the mandatory 10-day quarantine, police said. Police also arrested a Virginia woman on Saturday for violating travel quarantine rules. Maui News.

Kauai

The pa‘u rider lives on; museum exhibit on with COVID-19 protocols. Pa‘u riders have always been integral to regal parades such as the King Kamehameha Day celebration, Aloha Week celebration and more. Garden Island.