Money for small farms, university system as new year begins, illegal fireworks spark anger, new Maui Mayor Bissen pledges fiscal restraint, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Small-scale Hawaii agriculture receives $2.7M boost. The state Department of Agriculture  last week announced distribution of grants under the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program. Star-Advertiser. Maui News.

UH to receive big funding boost from 2023 federal budget. The University of Hawaii will get a big boost from the federal government through the omnibus budget bill for fiscal 2023 that was recently signed into law by President Joe Biden, according to U.S. Rep. Ed Case.  Star-Advertiser.

Departing Land Board chair sought ‘balance.’ Instead, some saw bias.  There is more conflict ahead for the Department of Land and Natural Resources — with a controversial new appointee taking over this week. Outgoing Chair Suzanne Case’s eight-year tenure included many battles, which now await her successor. Hawaii News Now.

Hold on to those balloons! Raft of new laws kick in Sunday. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated,” and the state Legislature is attempting to do just that with a bevy of new laws focused on ethics and other issues. West Hawaii Today. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.  Kauai Now. KITV4.

Data Shows Hawaii Shippers Are Regularly Breaking Speed Limits In Sensitive Whale Zones. Matson and Pasha Hawaii are ignoring calls to slow down. But other major shippers have heeded requests to protect endangered whales. Civil Beat.

Kai Kahele to return to full-time job at Hawaiian Airlines. Former state Sen. Jill Tokuda will replace Kahele when the Congress begins its 2023 session on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Big Island Video News.

Abigail Kawananakoa to lie in state at Iolani Palace.  The late Abigail Kawananakoa, the Campbell Estate heiress who was considered by many a princess for her royal heritage, will lie in state Jan. 22 at Iolani Palace. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Oahu residents reeling from steep property value increases. The increased assessments come as the City and County of Honolulu looks to come up with more cash for public service employees and after residential buying surged, city officials said. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council on Tuesday to take oaths for new year. Councilmember Tommy Waters of District IV was re-elected and will renew his oath. Meanwhile, Councilmembers-elect Matt Weyer of District II, Tyler Dos Santos-Tam of District VI and Val Okimoto of District VIII will take their initial oath of office to begin their terms. KHON2.

Everyone agrees Oahu’s fireworks ban isn’t working, but there’s little agreement on a fix. After a loud and dangerous start to the new year, lawmakers and residents are calling for changes to fireworks laws. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu EMS reports long list of fireworks-related injuries in ‘brutal’ start to new year. Oahu first responders reported one of the busiest starts to the new year in recent memory, with at least eight people seriously injured by illegal fireworks. Hawaii News Now.

Lawsuit: State Failed To Help Severely Disabled Boy. A Kaneohe family is suing state education and health officials for failing to place their son, who has serious behavioral issues, in intensive treatment.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

The Big Island Is Confronting A Big Problem With Fentanyl. One person dies every 11 days on the island from a drug overdose. A growing majority of those deaths involve the powerful, synthetic opioid fentanyl. Civil Beat. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island Attempts To Curb Short-Term Rentals. Two County Council members say their proposed legislation is aimed at helping to ease Hawaii island’s housing crisis for residents. Civil Beat.

Council to consider excess, unspent gas taxes. The Finance Committee is set to vote on appropriating $859,913 in excess fuel tax revenues collected over the past two years and reappropriating $1.519 million in lapsed fuel tax funds. West Hawaii Today.

Smoother travels ahead: Resurfacing planned for Hina Lani Street; work starts Jan. 18. Some 1.9 miles of the 3.6-mile roadway that connects Queen Kaahumanu and Mamalahoa highways is set to be resurfaced as part of the project that recently got the green light from the Hawaii County Department of Public Works with the issuance of a notice to proceed on Dec. 5, 2022, to contractor Grace Pacific. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Bissen’s inaugural address calls for sensible spending, embraces traditional knowledge.  Maui’s new Mayor Richard Bissen called for sensible spending, explained his stance as a nonpartisan, and embraced traditional knowledge in his inaugural address on Monday evening at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Inauguration Day In Maui County: ‘Ready To Go To Work’. The County Council is down a member while the Hawaii Supreme Court considers an election challenge. Maui County’s new mayor and council formally took office on Monday in front of a packed audience of local residents and state dignitaries who turned out on the New Year’s Day holiday for the ceremonies. Civil Beat. Maui News. Maui Now.

Hawaiʻi Department of Health gives Maui food truck Green Placard following cleanup.  The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Food Safety Branch has issued a green placard to Thai Mee Up Kula 2 food truck and has allowed the food truck to reopen to the public after a followup inspection on Friday. Maui Now.

Kauai

Visitor spending surges in November. The allure of the Garden Island in the post-pandemic era can be measured in a lot of ways, but none more telling than the number of people who flocked to Kauai and the money spent during their visits through November of 2022. Garden Island. Kauai Now.

Jerry Jona is new KCCC warden. Jerry Jona will be the new warden at the Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center, effective Jan. 3, the state Department of Public Safety announced on Friday afternoon. Garden Island.

Tourists want to eat fresh, UH lifts mask requirement, Native Hawaiian protesters added to Mauna Kea board, GOP support increasing, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii farmers market ©2022 All Hawaii News

Tourists willing to pay more for locally sourced food. Most U.S. visitors to Hawaii said they would pay more to have the food they buy locally sourced while on vacation, a recent study has found, bolstering research in support of increased local agriculture. Star-Advertiser.

Tight job market and supply constraints interfering with Hawaii’s economic recovery. While economists at the Hawaii Economic Association’s 2022 Annual Conference did not reach consensus on whether the U.S. is headed toward recession, they were certain that Hawaii’s tight labor market and supply-side constraints could hamper economic growth. Star-Advertiser.

Firing of top investigator from Attorney General’s Office ignites retaliation claims. State Attorney General Holly Shikada is drawing criticism for her plans to fire a top white-collar crime and public corruption investigator who has been critical of the office. Clean government advocates said the move is in retaliation to Daniel Hanagami’s criticisms of Shikada — and they worry it will hamper the state’s efforts to crack down on public corruption. Hawaii News Now.

GOP Geography: In Hawaii, Support For Republicans Has Grown In Ewa And Kona. The Aug. 13 primary saw Republican turnout rise significantly, especially in rural areas. Civil Beat.

The University Of Hawaii Lifts Its Indoor Mask Mandate. Masks will no longer be required indoors at UH campuses starting Friday after the university sought advice from health experts. Civil Beat. KHON2. KITV4.

Hawaii High School Students To Get Free Rides On Public Transportation. The state-funded pilot program is aimed at helping families amid a school bus driver shortage that has dragged on for more than a year. Civil Beat. The Department of Education said Monday that it is missing about 14% of the drivers needed for a full staff, making it impossible to serve all of the islands' children. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Hawaii’s Longline Fleet Certified For Sustainable Practices. The fleet’s seafood can be sold with a special label that indicates it was caught in a sustainable manner. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Weyer, Rothman Debate In Race To Represent North Shore On Oahu. It’s a tight competition to replace council member Heidi Tsuneyoshi, who unsuccessfully ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Civil Beat.

HFD, EMS outfit first responders with body armor amid increase in active threat calls. Honolulu firefighters were issued bulletproof vests and other protective gear last month so they can move in during active threat situations sooner to treat the wounded. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu DPP resignations are concerning for construction industry, City Council chair. Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting enforces zoning laws and oversees planning on Oʻahu. However, changes to the permitting process at DPP have led to further delays and a backlog of commercial and residential projects. Hawaii Public Radio.

As Red Hill crisis drags on, Board of Water Supply races to drill new wells. Nearly a year after the Red Hill crisis began, three of Oahu’s most vital water sources remain shut down in a bid to prevent contamination from spreading. Now, the Board of Water Supply is racing to find land and drill new wells outside the contamination zone. Hawaii News Now.

Energy storage for Oahu taking shape in Kapolei. Energy storage for Oahu taking shape in Kapolei. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Prominent Native Hawaiians Named To Mauna Kea Authority. The eight nominations must be confirmed by the state Senate. Gov. David Ige on Monday appointed several people, including some prominent Native Hawaiian activists, to a new board charged with managing Mauna Kea summit lands underneath some of the world’s most advanced astronomical observatories. Associated Press. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Maunakea plan appealed to Supreme Court. A contested case between Native Hawaiian activists and the Board of Land and Natural Resources has been appealed to the state Supreme Court. Tribune-Herald.

Police raises approved: New contract gives 20% pay increase over four years. An approximately 20% bump in pay over four years plus bonuses could help incentivize more people to join the county police department and stay at the job longer, officials hope. West Hawaii Today.

Ige releases $2 million for deep monitor well in Waimea. This is part of a Commission on Water Resource Management ongoing effort to monitor the health of aquifers statewide. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Big Island pain doctor gets 7-1/2 years in federal prison. Hawaii island physician Rudy Puana, who was convicted of running a prescription drug ring that his former prosecutor sister, Katherine Kealoha, tried to conceal, is headed to prison for 7 1/2 years, a federal judge ruled Monday. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

Five land parcels on Moloka’i purchased for conservation and restoration. The Hawai’i State Department of Land and Natural Resources made the purchase with a $1.8 million grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service through the Endangered Species Act and more than $600,000 in private donations to The Nature Conservancy. Maui Now.

Nonprofit envisions center, farm for therapeutic programs. Na No’eau O Lokelani aims to serve individuals with developmental disabilities. Maui News.

Kauai

Kaua‘i Police Chief still has final say on public carry firearm permits. In a move that could have a big impact on gun ownership on the island, the Kaua‘i Police Department released a revised permit application last week for a license to carry concealed and unconcealed firearms. Garden Island.

Lihu‘e Airport meeting tonight. A public information meeting on the Lihu‘e Airport Optimization Plan is today from 6 to 8 p.m. at in the cafeteria of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School. Garden Island.

Farms and farmers may get government help, doctor shortage looms, residents buy sex online, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii farmers market ©2018 All Hawaii News

More than 45,000 acres on Oahu should be designated as important agricultural lands and required to stay that way in perpetuity under a new plan submitted by Mayor Kirk Caldwell to the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers seek federal aid to help local farmers in wake of natural disasters. Hawaii’s congressional delegation is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to Hawaii farmers affected by the Kilauea Volcano eruption on Hawaii island, flooding from heavy rains in April and Hurricane/Tropical Storm Lane last month. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Congressional Delegation is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide direct assistance to Hawaii farmers affected by recent natural disasters. Big Island Video News.

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Hawaii facing doctor shortage. Hawaii lost 51 full-time doctors from 2017 to 2018, the first loss since 2014 when 92 left the workforce, according to the latest physician workforce survey by the University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Mental Health Care Crisis. The lack of psychiatrists is a particular problem for people who rely on the state’s public health insurance for low-income residents. Civil Beat.

Hawaii residents dominate in buying sex online, study says. A new study that shines a light on a hidden corner of Hawaii’s illicit sex trade estimates that 1 in 11 adult males here buys sex online. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Transportation says pedestrian fatalities have increased by 84 percent from the same time last year. Associated Press.

The state’s film industry is on pace for a record year. Film and television production in Hawaii could generate in excess of $400 million this year, topping the record mark set in 2010. Star-Advertiser.

UH Wants $600 Million In 2019 To Modernize Its Crumbling Campuses. And that’s just the beginning. The university has a six-year, $1.6 billion plan in the works. Civil Beat.

St. Francis Medical Center Tries To Stop $80M Settlement For Abuse Victims. The center employed the psychiatrist accused of sexually abusing dozens of students at Kamehameha Schools, which reached the settlement with victims. Civil Beat.

Are Hawaii Residents Experiencing Disaster Fatigue? It has been a stressful year for residents of Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Airlines announced late Thursday night that it will be the only carrier to offer nonstop flights between Honolulu and Boston when it begins the service in April. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The board of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is nearing a pivotal decision on whether to solicit new partners in the development, operation and maintenance of the city’s 20-mile rail line, a proposal that could eventually involve billions of taxpayer dollars. Star-Advertiser.

The owner of Hawaiian Memorial Park has filed a new draft environmental impact study in a bid to add 30,000 more burial sites to the Kaneohe cemetery nearly a decade after a similar effort was rejected by a state commission. Star-Advertiser.

Estate formerly owned by King Kamehameha III up for auction. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom house sits on two acres of land off Nuuanu Pali Drive. KHON2.

UH Manoa gets $1M for microbe research in Waimea Valley. With $1 million from the W.M. Keck Foundation, which funds pioneering research, the UH faculty members will map the microbial communities that underpin the valley’s varied ecosystems and explore how they function. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii Manoa professor H. Annamalai is leading a project to improve weather forecasts for US-affiliated Pacific Islands like the state of Hawaii. Maui Now.

Hundreds of volunteers helped Malama the Aina at a cleanup Sunday morning at Ala Moana Beach Park. Volunteers removed trash, plastics, and other debris from the beach and park areas and enjoyed music, snacks, and giveaways.  KITV.

Launch of Hawaii Five-0, Magnum P.I. celebrated by adoring fans in Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

The National Park Service has produced a new map prior to the reopening of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on National Public Lands Day on September 22. Big Island Video News.

With Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on track to reopen later this month, Volcano businesses are cautiously optimistic about a return to pre-eruption visitors. Tribune-Herald.

The recent purchase of the “Great Crack Property” in Ka'u by the National Park Service concludes a plan 50 years in the making. Tribune-Herald.

Some vacation rental condos, by a quirk of zoning, are being swept up into a vacation rental bill while those just across Alii Drive are not, an issue that has a crowd ready to speak out at the Leeward Planning Commission meeting. West Hawaii Today.

Roadblocks to relicensing push some drivers to illegal behavior. A bureaucratic barrier, a lack of adequate state statutes and the sluggish pace at which county Departments of Motor Vehicles process road tests have created a glitch in the driver’s re-licensing process that’s incentivizing thousands of Hawaii residents to break the law every year. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County will float a $109 million general obligation bond to refund outstanding bonds and loans and to refund the county general fund about $45 million for money already spent on new projects, according to an announcement. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa announced that three major bond rating agencies awarded Maui County the highest bond ratings in the state last week. Maui Now.

The state Campaign Spending Commission levied a $2,700 fine Wednesday on Maui County Council Member Alika Atay, his campaign and its treasurer for violating Hawaii campaign finance laws, commission General Counsel Gary Kam reported. Maui News.

One in 10 Maui County residents lives below the poverty line, which is lower than the national poverty rate of 12.3 percent for 2017, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. Maui News.

Kauai

Controversial sister city? Last Monday, Sara Duterte, the mayor of Davao, a city on Mindanao Island in the Philippines, was on Kauai signing a sister-city partnership with Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. She’s the daughter of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, whose administration has been criticized by Amnesty International and other groups for committing multiple human rights violations. Garden Island.

Shearwaters in the skies. Lights will go on this week for Friday night football on Kauai, marking the season’s first football game within the endangered Newell’s shearwater fledgling season. Garden Island.