Hawaii offers to pay TSA, FAA workers to keep planes flying, state SNAP money arriving earlier than expected, OHA to provide emergency relief to Native Hawaiians, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

State offers to pay TSA, FAA workers to spare Hawaii from air travel cuts. The state Department of Transportation has offered to advance the full salaries and benefits of Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration airport screeners assigned to Hawaii during the federal funding lapse in a bid to avoid a 10% cut to air traffic that could severely impact the state’s economy and public safety.  Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian, Southwest flights canceled for Friday due to FAA reduction requirements. Hawaiian Airlines has canceled four neighbor island flights scheduled for Friday, Nov. 7, due to flight reduction requirements by the Federal Aviation Administration. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Support via the Hawaiʻi Emergency Food Assistance Program is arriving to SNAP accounts ahead of schedule, officials say. An additional $250 in relief funds should be visible in SNAP accounts now, Governor Josh Green announced on Thursday. Big Island Video News. Hawaii News Now.

OHA outlines plan to administer $6.1M in emergency relief to Native Hawaiians. The office said that payments of up to $350 will go to kupuna (age 60 and holder), low-income adults, or disabled beneficiaries who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding but do not meet the criteria for the Hawaii relief program. Hawaii News Now.

Longtime OHA Leader Rowena Akana Has Died. Her tenure as a trustee was marked by a commitment to Native Hawaiians but also ethical challenges and board power struggles. A long-serving member of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees, Rowena Akana, has died. She was 82. Civil Beat.

Deep-sea mining risks disrupting the marine food web, study warns. Drilling for minerals deep in the ocean could have immense consequences for the tiny animals at the core of the vast marine food web — and ultimately affect fisheries and the food we find on our plates, according to a new study by University of Hawaii researchers. Associated Press.

Oahu

Should HART Be Allowed To Manage City Projects Beyond Honolulu Rail? Mayor Rick Blangiardi says he’s opposed to the idea but the rail authority has submitted a proposal to the Honolulu Charter Commission anyway. Civil Beat.

How parking spot mandates affect affordable housing in Honolulu. It’s been about five years since the City and County of Honolulu eliminated parking mandates for developers in the urban core, transit-oriented development districts, and areas within half a mile of a rail station. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu councilmembers shift gears to limit cycling on sidewalks. A new bill moving through the city council is trying to clean up the language in the city’s traffic code, which says that bikes are not allowed on sidewalks in business districts. Hawaii Public Radio.

Police make arrests, seize $13k and 48 gambling machines after raids. The Honolulu Police Department said it seized cash, gambling machines, and made an arrest after raiding three game rooms this week. Hawaii News Now.

Thousands line up for food at Aloha Stadium as shutdown drags on. A line of cars stretched through the Aloha Stadium parking lot Thursday morning as more than 2,000 households pulled up for a drive-thru food distribution — the Hawai‘i Foodbank’s largest yet since the start of the federal government shutdown. Star-Advertiser.

City and nonprofits partner to protect East Honolulu ridge. The city’s purchase of the final parcel to the last undeveloped ridgeline in East Honolulu was lauded Thursday by area preservation groups and Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration. Star-Advertiser.

Infrastructure around King Kamehameha Statue is crumbling. The King Kamehameha Celebration Commission is worried about the crumbling infrastructure surrounding the statue. Hawaii Public Radio.

City starts master plan process for botanical garden that’s rocketed in popularity. The city started the process of finding ways to manage the increasing popularity of Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, with a community workshop Thursday evening at Windward Community College. Hawaii News Now.

Prices jump 5.7% for Oahu home sales in October. The Honolulu Board of Realtors on Thursday reported that sale volume for previously owned homes on Oahu rose for condominiums but was flat for single- family houses last month compared with a year earlier, and that median sale prices were higher for both parts of the market. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Controversial Geothermal Firm Wants OHA To Invest $5 Million In A New Plant. Waikā Consulting said the agency’s involvement would lead to economic returns for Native Hawaiians, but it faced pushback from local communities on the Big Island. A geothermal consulting firm that came under fire earlier this year during taxpayer-funded outreach efforts on the Big Island is asking the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for a $5 million investment in exchange for a stake in a future $275 million geothermal plant. Civil Beat.

Nighttime military flight operations planned between Pōhakuloa, Kona airport, Hāwī. Pōhakuloa Training Area officials alert the public to scheduled nighttime military helicopter flight operations planned for tonight on Hawai‘i Island between the training camp in the saddle region between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport and Hāwī. Big Island Now.

Another Destructive Beetle Is Spreading, Killing Hawaiʻi’s Trees. Big Island farmers want the state to tackle the Queensland longhorn beetle before it spreads to the rest of the state and wreaks havoc like the coconut rhinoceros beetle.  Civil Beat.

Free Republican Party event features three speakers this Sunday. The West Hawaiʻi GOP is hosting an event in Kailua-Kona to grow membership and strengthen the conservative voice in West Hawaiʻi. Big Island Now.

Maui

Police officer reassigned after allegedly hitting handcuffed suspect. Officer under investigation for alleged misuse of force. A Maui Police officer is under investigation after the department reported a video surfaced on social media appearing to show the officer using unjustified force while taking a person into police custody. Maui News. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

County to clear area near Maui Lani Parkway and Waiale Road. With 13 fires in the area this year and calls for police up 174% over last year, the Maui County Emergency Management Agency plans to start removing dangerous debris and wildfire fuels from approximately 52 acres of county-owned land in Wailuku. Maui News.

Pulelehua zoning condition amendment gains Council committee approval, despite West Maui water scarcity concerns. A Maui County Council committee tried to breathe life Wednesday into the languishing 304-acre Pulelehua development in West Maui, a “shovel ready” housing project with the promise of hundreds of affordable units but long dying of thirst. Maui Now.

Residents detail water priorities for East Maui. Priorities include the county taking control of the East Maui water system and the creation of a new East Maui base yard, in addition to other infrastructure upgrades and watershed health initiatives. Maui News.

Kauai

West Kauaʻi highway becomes focus of new initiative to reduce nēnē deaths. A new conservation initiative is underway on Kauaʻi’s west side to address a troubling trend: frequent vehicle collisions with the endangered Hawaiian goose known across the islands as nēnē (Branta sandvicensis).  Kauai Now.

Kauai ICE raid leads to community concern, rumors. Council members and community organizers on Kauai are hoping to ease concerns on Thursday, Nov. 6, after an ICE raid led to dozens of arrests across the Garden Isle in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Nov. 5. KHON2.

Producers can now apply for compost reimbursement, including transportation costs. Hawai’i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity Plant Industry Division is now accepting applications for the Compost Reimbursement Program for fiscal year 2026. Kauai Now.

Lawmakers to award $50M to help offset federal cuts, Kapiolani Medical Center employees to strike, OHA may jump into military land dispute, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Small Group Of Lawmakers To Award $50M To Nonprofits Facing Federal Cuts. The money will be in addition to $30 million given to nonprofits and social service agencies last spring. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i Food Banks And Farmers Are In ‘Real Trouble’ With Federal Cuts. Funding for food stamp programs and food banks are under threat, grants to boost farming have been slashed and, now, the state might step up to help. Civil Beat.

Hawaii farmers, families feel strain from federal fallout. Hawaii’s farmers and ranchers are grappling with mounting uncertainty as federal policy shifts, the government shutdown, and delays in renewing the U.S. Farm Bill ripple across the state’s fragile agricultural and food security systems. Star-Advertiser.

Should OHA Play A Bigger Role In Military Lease Negotiations? Activists and prominent community leaders urged the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on Thursday to assert itself as the representative of the Hawaiian community in lease negotiations between the state and federal government for thousands of acres of land used for military training. Civil Beat.

Illnesses at Hawaii schools potentially linked to milk rise to 15. As of Thursday morning, the state Department of Health had received reports of approximately 15 individuals experiencing gastrointestinal illness potentially linked to recently recalled Meadow Gold chocolate milk. Star-Advertiser.

4 Hawaii sheriff deputies sue state after ‘illegal’ arrests. A lawsuit filed by four state sheriff deputies accuses the state and two former Department of Law Enforcement leaders of “illegally” arresting them to help counter accusations in a separate civil lawsuit brought by a commander. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Passengers begin riding extended lines on Honolulu’s Skyline rail system.  Skyline trains Thursday morning were running fuller than they typically have been, with Leeward residents expected to ride rail to the major employment centers at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the airport. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.  KHON2. 

Hundreds of Kapiolani Medical Center employees to strike.  Unionized workers at the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children will begin a strike at 7 a.m. Friday morning. The union represents about 300 of Kapiolani’s technicians, housekeeping, food service staff, and more.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

North Shore gondola project modified amid community concerns. North Shore residents are speaking out against changes to a proposed gondola up Mount Ka’ala. KHON2.

Warning from Board of Water Supply after residents encounter fake water tester. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is warning residents to be cautious after a man went door to door in Ewa Beach claiming he needed to test people’s tap water. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Lava Emerges At Kīlauea Summit, High Fountains Expected Soon. A series of lava overflows and drainbacks occurred from the south vent on Thursday, while spatter was seen at the north vent. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Day 3 of Kaiser strike in Hilo. About 15 picketers circled the entrance to the Hilo Kaiser Permanente clinic Thursday on the third day of a labor strike by employees represented by the Alliance of Health Care Unions. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Planning Commission backs higher Lahaina building limit, parking reform. The Maui Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend that the Maui County Council approve a bill that would increase the maximum allowable building heights for new construction in the post-disaster Lahaina National Historic Landmark District from 30 to 35 feet. Maui Now.

Grand opening celebrates 200 affordable housing units in Lahaina. Except for three managerial units, the project offers rent-restricted homes for 197 families who earn between 30% to 60% of Area Median Income, enabling residents to save an average of 53% annually in their rent payments compared to market-rate options.  Maui News. KITV4. 

House Finance Committee visits Maui. Members of the House Finance Committee visited Maui to see firsthand several projects and programs supported by the Legislature. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative bolsters after-hours, weekend customer support services. The cooperative as of Oct. 1 has partnered with Cooperative Response Center — a nationwide 24/7 contact center providing support to rural electric utilities — to accept after-hours and weekend customer service and emergency calls. Kauai Now.

Community rallies to protect trees threatened by Poipu Road safety project. The county said the trees were not on the original plans when engineers designed the improvements. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii airports good to go so far despite shutdown, growing OB-GYN shortage backlogs appointments, Skyline rail could reach airport this month, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii airports unaffected so far, but safety and morale concerns grow amid shutdown. As the federal government shutdown stretches on, travelers in Hawaii are wondering when the impacts will reach our airports. So far, the state Department of Transportation says operations remain stable. But there’s growing concern about how long that can last.  KHON2.

Chief justice vacancy short on qualified applicants. Filling the position of chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court may take some time despite the Hawaii State Judiciary initially announcing the anticipated vacancy nearly a year ago. Star-Advertiser.

State executive branch departments urged to expand use of Operation Hire Hawai‘i. Hawai’i Gov. Josh Green and Hawai‘i Department of Human Resources Development urge executive branch departments to expand use of Operation Hire Hawai‘i to help fill critical state government vacancies. Especially now as the federal government shutdown continues. Big Island Now.

Hawaii faces growing OB-GYN shortage, leaving many women waiting months for care. Across Hawaii, women say finding an OB-GYN is becoming increasingly difficult, with some waiting months for appointments or being told care is only available if they’re pregnant. KITV4.

New HIEMA machines bring water straight from the air. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency recently acquired two new trailers, which are each equipped with machines that can generate over 200 gallons of water straight from the humidity in the air. KHON2.

Mokulele Airlines gets reprieve as funding continues through November. Hawaii’s rural communities received welcome news Thursday as federal subsidies for essential air service were extended through Nov. 2, providing a temporary reprieve for residents who depend on flights to access medical care and travel between islands. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

All aboard! Skyline rail set to begin service for Kalihi, Honolulu airport and more. October is a big month for Skyline — the city’s rail system opens its second leg from the Aloha Stadium to Middle Street. The 5.2-mile segment will include key employment centers, the airport and Pearl Harbor.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Mayor dropped from key claims in former police chief’s wrongful termination lawsuit. A circuit court judge delivered a significant victory to Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Tuesday, ordering him dropped from two of the three counts in the wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Honolulu Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan. Hawaii News Now.

City seeks development partner for affordable housing in Royal Kunia. The city-owned property slated for development is located at the corner of Kupuohi Street and Kupuna Loop. Aloha State Daily.

Park building expansion project begins in Kalihi. A nearly $1.1 million improvement project to expand the interior space of the multipurpose building at Fern Community Park in Kalihi has begun, city Department of Parks and Recreation announced. Star-Advertiser.

HPD wants more surveillance cameras at popular attractions. Rampant crimes came to a sudden halt after HPD began using a surveillance camera at each location at the end of August, the department claims. Hawaii News Now.

One-on-one computer help now available at 5 Oʻahu libraries. The Digital Navigator program launched this week at the ʻEwa Beach Public and School Library, Kailua Public Library, Liliha Public Library, Waiʻanae Public Library and Waipahu Public Library. The program will be available at library branches statewide in the coming weeks. Hawaii Public Radio.

Quieting invasive coquí frogs to hear the heartbeat of Waimānalo. The calls of coquí frogs resound through the forest of Waimānalo, echoing off the nearby valley walls. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island 

Council members make numerous amendments to plastic foodware bill. A heavily amended bill aiming to reduce plastic and polystyrene waste in Hawaii County was discussed by a County Council committee Wednesday before members voted to forward the next draft to the Environmental Management Commission for review and postpone further action until later this month. Tribune-Herald.

Henneries measure advances with tweaks.  A County Council committee on Tuesday advanced amendments to a bill that would allow backyard henneries in residential zones across Hawaii Island, tightening the proposed rules to limit noise, odor and conflicts between neighbors. Tribune-Herald.

144 Units Planned For ʻĀinakō Subdivision In Hilo. A planned affordable housing project on 61-acres of land in Hilo is detailed in a draft environmental assessment published in the October 8th issue of The Environmental Notice.  Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui Planning Commission to review proposed building height limit changes for Lahaina. The Maui Planning Commission will consider on Tuesday its recommendations on a bill to amend the West Maui Community Plan, increasing allowable building heights from 30 to 35 feet for new construction in the Lahaina National Historic Landmark District. Maui Now.

‘We just have to start’: Nonprofit faces $40 million task of restoring 8 historic sites in Lahaina. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation shared its master plan to restore the historic sites: the Old Lahaina Courthouse, the Seamen’s Hospital, the Baldwin House, the Masters’ Reading Room, Hale Aloha, Old Lahaina Prison/Hale Pa‘ahao, the Plantation House and the Kindergarten Building. Maui Now.

MPD promotes first woman into role of assistant chief. The Maui Police Department is promoting Joy Medeiros to the rank of assistant chief, marking the first time in department history that a woman has held the role. Maui News.

Kauai

DOW Kuhio Highway project ready to go. Work on Phase I of the Kuhio Highway (Hardy-Oxford) Waterline Project is ready to start during the project blessing that was held on Oct. 3, hosted by the Department of Water, Contractor Alpha, Inc., and Construction Manager Bowers + Kubota. Garden Island. Kauai Now.

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.

Elections Commission seeks audit, return to same-day in-person voting; job cutbacks amid softening tourism; status unclear on federal parks in Hawaii, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Elections Commission Wants State Auditor To Examine Hawaiʻi’s 2024 Vote. The commission also asked the Legislature to consider returning to one-day, in-person voting, and narrowly rejected firing chief election officer Scott Nago. Civil Beat.

‘Closely monitoring’ shutdown: Green’s office issues statement in wake of federal funding uncertainty. With a partial federal government shutdown in place and the Trump administration freezing $26 billion in federal funding for Democrat-run states, including Hawaii, the office of Gov. Josh Green says it is “closely monitoring the impacts … on our residents, workers and critical programs.” Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Maui Now.  KHON2. 

Tourism softening prompts job cuts and reduced hours for Hawaii workers. The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism reported Tuesday that there were 806,776 total visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in August. The 2.6% decline from August 2024 was the second-worst arrivals drop of the year after July, when visitor arrivals dropped 4.4%. Star-Advertiser.

Trump freezes $26B in funding for Democratic-run states, including Hawaii. The targeted programs included $18 billion for transit projects in New York, home to Congress’s top two Democrats, and $8 billion for green-energy projects in 16 Democratic-run states, including Hawaii, California and Illinois.  Reuters.

Federal funding cuts trigger Hawaiʻi Resilience Fund activation. The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation announced it has activated its Hawaiʻi Resilience Fund in response to ongoing federal funding cuts to nonprofit organizations across the state. Maui Now.

Private funding keeps Hawaii’s historic sites open.  Despite a federal government shutdown that began Tuesday evening in Hawaii, the state’s most visited historic sites will remain open to the public. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Digital Navigator program launches at state libraries. Beginning this month, Hawaii residents will be able to sit down with trained “digital navigators” at public libraries for help with everyday technology skills, part of a new state initiative to expand digital literacy and bridge the digital divide.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. 

Eyeing rooftop solar? Options are slim for the rest of 2025. The deadline to claim a major federal tax credit for rooftop solar is three months away. But for some Hawaiʻi residents, the window may have already closed. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Convicted Officials May Be Innocent, Hawaiʻi Chief Justice Suggests. Honolulu’s former top city attorney Donna Leong, managing director Roy Amemiya and Honolulu Police Commission Chair Max Sword may have an opening to get their criminal records thrown out, one legal expert says.  Civil Beat.

Council OKs Downtown Business Improvement District. Downtown Honolulu property owners will soon pay into a revamped special improvement district to boost public safety and economic revitalization in an area long known for crime, homelessness and closed businesses. Star-Advertiser.

City completes Dillingham Boulevard Bridge rehabilitation project ahead of schedule. The city’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) said the $1.5 million project finished two months ahead of schedule. Hawaii News Now.

OHA May Have Found A Way To Build Housing In Kakaʻako Makai. After years of failing to get building approval, the office may look to another Hawaiʻi government agency to jumpstart construction. Civil Beat.

Concerns raised as state approves use of ‘camera car’ to enforce parking at Ala Wai harbor.  A vehicle with a license plate reader  goes though the lots and figures out who’s been parked for longer than the six-hour limit. Hawaii News Now.

The Fallout: Life After Aging Out Of An Abusive Foster Home. The former foster sons of John Teixeira were left to find their way in the world. Some made it. Some did not. Civil Beat.

Stuck On A Honolulu Rail Platform? Let A Book Take You Somewhere. The city wants livelier rail stations. The library system wants more access to their books. Can a vending machine pilot project satisfy both goals? Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Woman charged for making millions off ‘100% Kona Coffee’ that was not pure. Patricia Johnson, aka “Trish,” was charged in a 24-count indictment Sept. 25 after she allegedly made more than $5.2 million selling “100% Kona coffee” that was actually sourced from South American beans bought in California and Washington. Johnson’s Kona Coffee Cafe on Alii Drive opened in the 1990s and purportedly sold “100% Kona Coffee” in drinks, coffee beans, and chocolate-covered coffee beans. Kona Coffee Cafe’s physical location is closed but its online business remains open, according to the company website. Star-Advertiser. 

How does the federal government shutdown affect Hawaiʻi and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park? Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will remain accessible to the public during the federal government shutdown, but some services may be limited or unavailable, officials with the National Park announced on Wednesday. Big Island Now.

Young Brothers shipment originally slated to arrive Oct. 2 at Hilo port delayed. Cargo destined for Hilo will be loaded on another barge departing today, with Young Brothers reporting in its promised update that the backup barge is expected to arrive Oct. 3 at the Port of Hilo. Big Island Now.

Maui

Lahaina Strong and Housing Back Hui Coalition urge Maui County Council to pass Bill 9 ‘clean’. Bill 9, which passed out of the Maui County Council Housing and Land Use Committee on July 24, 2025, would transition short-term vacation rental (STR) units in apartment-zoned districts—once homes for local families—back into the long-term housing pool for residents. Maui Now.

Lahaina’s Front Street to remain two lanes. A Maui County government consulting firm looking at ways to rebuild Lahaina after the 2023 wildfire has narrowed the field of discussion about redesigning Lahaina’s commercial district and eliminated turning Front Street into a mall or into a one-way thoroughfare. Maui News.

New Pā‘ia siren expected in late 2026, as recent emergencies show they’re no longer a ‘last resort’. The use of the sirens in the Pā‘ia fire and during the tsunami warning in July showed just how much the approach to sounding them has changed since the 2023 Lahaina wildfire.  Maui Now.

State selects Ku‘ia property for new King Kamehameha III Elementary. Gov. Josh Green’s office announced Wednesday that state and county officials have landed on the Ku’ia site below the Lahaina Bypass as they move forward with plans to rebuild the school destroyed in the 2023 Maui wildfires. Maui News. KITV4.

Kauai

EPA fines Grove Farm, Hawaii Gas for illegal cesspools on Kauai. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined the Grove Farm Company Inc. and The Gas Company more than $104,500 for operating illegal large-capacity cesspools in Lihue, Kauai. Garden Island.