Hawaii Supreme Court to hear habeas corpus case for zoo elephants, financial help for families hosting hurricane victims, landfill concerns on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiʻi Supreme Court to hear case on habeas corpus and the Honolulu Zoo. It’s time to talk about the elephants in the room. On Nov. 9th, an argument will be heard by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court on the legality of  confinement of the Honolulu's two elephants. It’s the first time a state supreme court has considered a case like this. Hawaii Public Radio.

DLE plans new license plate recognition cameras amid privacy concerns. The state of Hawaii is preparing to install potentially hundreds of surveillance cameras on several islands, raising privacy concerns over how the technology could be used. The cameras will use automated license plate recognition, or ALPR, technology, according to Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement Director Jared Redulla. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

2nd District candidates agree: military should provide more housing in Hawaii. Republican state Sen. Brenton Awa and Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda are running for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District. They have different strategies for getting help from Washington for housing, but agree on one big target: the military. Hawaii News Now.

New program provides financial help to Hawaiʻi families hosting storm-displaced residents. Hawaiian Council has launched a statewide program to provide financial assistance to Hawaiʻi households hosting friends, relatives, and neighbors displaced by recent storms, including Hurricanes Lala and Lowell. Big Island Now. Hawaii Public Radio. 

Hawaii health officials urge flu shots amid rising cases. Hawaii’s flu cases are on the rise, prompting health officials to remind residents to get vaccinated during fall respiratory virus season. The Hawaii Department of Health said 20.3% of specimens tested positive for influenza in the last week of September compared with 11% in mid-September. Star-Advertiser.

What soaring travel costs means for Hawaiʻi's teetering tourist industry. The state just released its most recent visitor numbers, and the data shows a decline in both overall visitor numbers and total spending by visitors since 2025. Hawaii Public Radio.

UH holds first hearing on proposed new tuition schedule. Tuition needs to be raised to keep up with inflation. That was the message at the University of Hawaii’s first public hearing on the proposed new tuition schedule for the ten-campus system. KHON2.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council to review Ala Moana development plan. A conceptual plan for a proposed 400-foot luxury hotel tower, a 200-foot residential tower and 69 affordable rental units at Ala Moana Center is up for possible Honolulu City Council adoption today. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu single-family home price weakened in September. The median resale price for Oahu single-family homes dipped in September to its lowest point for any month this year amid more demand from buyers as average interest rates rose above 7%. Previously owned single-family homes on the island sold for a median $1,110,000 last month, down 3.9% from $1,155,000 a year earlier, according to a Honolulu Board of Realtors report released Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

City says work on controversial zip line in Laie began without a permit. A tour company that started building a zip line in Laie without the city’s permission is trying again to win over its critics. The Department of Planning and Permitting confirmed CLIMB Works did not have a grading permit and building violations needed to be corrected.  Hawaii News Now.

Aloha Tower centennial celebration planned, observation deck to reopen. The Aloha Tower observation deck will reopen after a major upgrade that includes both interior and exterior renovations. KHON2.

Concerns over extended hours for some Oahu bars. Numerous fights are documented on social media in the early-morning hours on Lewers Street, where some bars are open until 4 a.m. That's the fear some, including the Honolulu Police Department, has with the Honolulu Liquor Commission's pilot program now allowing bars to apply for a special license to close at 4 a.m. instead of 2 a.m. on special occasions. KITV4.

Hawaii Island 

Hilo judge overrules planning commission, grants permit for Keaukaha apartment complex. A court has overturned a 2024 Windward Planning Commission decision denying a Special Management Area Use Permit to a Houston developer for a proposed 17-unit affordable workforce apartment complex in Hilo. The project proposal is a for a four-story, 41,000-square-foot apartment building in Keaukaha containing 17 rental units on a 0.445-acre parcel sandwiched between Kalaniana‘ole Street and Apapane Road, with entry on Kalaniana‘ole about 350 feet southwest of Onekahakaha Road. Tribune-Herald.

Bill 147 returns, gets negative recommendation from council committee. After several months and multiple deferrals, Hawaii County Council Bill 147 has advanced, albeit with an unfavorable recommendation from the council’s Policy Committee on Planning, Land Use and Economic Development, which discussed the measure at its meeting Tuesday. Introduced by Hamakua Councilwoman Heather Kimball, the bill would refine and make changes to regulations for vacation rentals on the island. Tribune-Herald.

Back to school: Nāʻālehu Elementary campus to reopen next week. It's been nearly 2 months since the school was extensively flooded and damaged by Hurricane Lala; now, with repairs complete and having to temporarily relocate to Ka‘ū District Gym in Pāhala, teachers and administration 'cannot wait to be back at school.' Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

Maui

Reconstruction begins on 60 homes on Front Street in Lahaina. A groundbreaking ceremony Friday marked the start of construction of Lahaina Residential on Front Street, where 60 homes destroyed in the August 2023 wildfire will be rebuilt. Maui News.

Community meeting on Nāʻālehu Interim Disaster Housing to assist those displaced by Hurricane Lala. The project will provide 12 two-bedroom, one-bath homes on a site next to the library. After the disaster recovery period, the homes will be used as interim workforce housing for educators and clinicians. Maui Now.

King Kamehameha III School rebuild on Lahaina meeting agenda. Updates on efforts to rebuild King Kamehameha III Elementary School are on the agenda for the next Lahaina Community Meeting on Oct. 7. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauaʻi could ban the construction of a new landfill in Kekaha area. The Kauaʻi County Council could ensure that communities on the island share the burden of hosting their landfill. The island’s Kekaha Landfill is expected to reach capacity in 2030, and the search for a new landfill site is underway. A proposed county bill would not allow new landfills within a six-mile radius of one that has accepted waste in the last 30 years. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauaʻi County accepts $100,000 IT services donation to repair damage caused by Kapule Building fire. Kauaʻi County Council has embraced a pivotal $100,000 donation from Constructive Construction Management LLC to rejuvenate county computer systems impaired by the Kapule Building fire. Kauai Now.

Hotel tax hike still on the table, economists predict 2k+ local layoffs in Trump plan, warn of possible recession; Aloha Stadium price tag rises to $650M, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lawmakers eye tourism industry to help fund $1.4B reportedly needed for climate resiliency. Three measures still alive at the Legislature would collect funds for climate resilience – two of which would again increase the tax levied on hotels. Hawaii Public Radio.

Trump Job Cuts In Hawaiʻi: Economists Predict 2,200+ Layoffs. The estimate does not include up to 1,200 jobs potentially lost at the University of Hawaiʻi or layoffs expected related to future downsizing of government and grants. Hawaiʻi’s workforce of some 637,700 included 35,500 federal employees as of December, data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics shows. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii launched a new federal policy and resource information website on Monday. The webpage makes it easier for students and faculty to track the impact President Trump’s federal policies have on the 10-campus system.  Hawaii News Now.

Economic report offers sobering forecast for Hawaii amid federal shakeup. The 2025 first-quarter economic forecast by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization paints a somber outlook of the state economy, warning of the potential for a recession depending on how policy shake-ups by President Donald Trump and his new administration ultimately take shape. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

House advances bill to speed up projects requiring historic preservation review. Under the bill, if the state Department of Land and Natural Resources cannot complete a project review within 60 days, the project would be passed onto a third party chosen by the State Historic Preservation Division. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii hospitals inundated with patients as flu cases soar.  Health  care officials have this urgent message: If you need to see a doctor and it’s not an emergency, consider going to an urgent care or trying to get in with your primary care physician. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu managing director is reconfirmed. Honolulu’s Managing Director Mike Formby and 11 others will continue in their roles as the city’s top appointed officials. The City Council voted unanimously Wednesday on separate but related resolutions to confirm many of those comprising Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s next executive Cabinet. Star-Advertiser.

The Cost Of A New Aloha Stadium Is Now Up To $650 Million. Utilities and infrastructure are expected to add millions more but stadium developers would be expected to pay for those costs. Civil Beat.

Newest shelter targets homeless trauma, mental health. The first of 24 homeless patients are scheduled to move into the newest joint state-city homeless shelter of its kind focused on treating mental health, memory and brain injuries. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Fire prevention project halted in Waikōloa Village by Trump Administration. A $75,000 fire mitigation project on the Big Island was abruptly halted after the U.S. Department of Energy rescinded its grant funding as part of the Trump Administration’s slashing of federal spending. Big Island Now.

Visitors to the Big Island up 10% in January. According to data released Thursday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the more than 158,000 visitors to the Big Island in January was 10% more than those who came to the island in January 2024. Tribune-Herald.

Replacement of Waiaka Bridge could start late this year. Efforts to replace the 93-year-old Waiaka Stream Bridge in South Kohala are still in motion, but construction is not expected to begin until late this year, state officials said.  West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Lahaina land trust granted $5M in county funds to keep shoreline in community hands.  The Maui County Council has granted the organization pre-authorization to use $5 million from the county’s Managed Retreat Revolving Fund. Hawaii Public Radio.

Toxic Maui Wildfire Debris Heading Soon To Permanent Home. It took nearly a year and a half to remove the ash and wreckage from commercial lots and residential properties and move it to the Olowalu landfill. Now that debris is headed to Central Maui. Civil Beat.

FEMA to collect rents from some wildfire survivors. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Maui wildfire survivors participating in the agency’s Direct Housing Program should be getting their first rental bill on March 1 and they will have 30 days to pay it. Maui News.

Software upgrade planned for Maui’s Automated Planning and Permitting System. After the upgrade, MAPPS will offer enhanced security features, as well as a new web address and link, which will be published on the MAPPS website https://www.mauicounty.gov/MAPPSUpgrade0325 on March 10. Maui Now.

Kauai

Housing Agency announces first families moved in to Lima Ola Workforce Housing Development. Four families will be moving into 3-bedroom homes in late February. Lima Ola is a Kaua‘i County master planned community with about 550 new affordable housing units comprised of single-family homes and multi-family rental units. Kauai Now.

53-year-old man dies after reported disorderly incident at Līhu‘e Airport. Officers with Kaua‘i Police Department responded to a request for assistance from airport law enforcement officers, arriving at about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday to help with a man who was reported to be disorderly. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

Federal money for homeless, Takai campaign spending money long after his death, Honolulu license backlog, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Homeless man in Honolulu ©2018 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s legislative leaders said Thursday that $11.7 million in federal grants to support 35 homeless assistance programs in the state will help meet a critical need. Garden Island.

The congressional campaign for the late U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has paid out nearly $90,000 for consulting services to a Honolulu firm run by the committee’s treasurer in the 18 months since Takai’s death, with a payment issued as recently as four months ago, federal campaign records show. Star-Advertiser.

Will The HPD Scandal Jump-Start Police Reform In The Legislature? So far, lawmakers have failed to establish a standards and training board and lift the secrecy in police misconduct cases. Civil Beat.

Report Skims Surface on Hawaii Cesspool Mess. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hurricane damage thousands of miles away triggers shortage of key medical treatment in Hawaii. Saline solution in an IV bag is one of the more common sights in hospital rooms. KHON2.

A Department of Health survey released in 2016 confirmed Hawaii’s children have the highest prevalence of tooth decay in the nation. Garden Island.

Hundreds marched at the State Capitol to end human trafficking in Hawaii.  KITV.

Randy Baldemor, chief operating officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, has notified the state agency that he will be resigning his position on March 2. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A group of concerned citizens filled the Honolulu Liquor Commission hearing room to capacity Thursday in their quest to stop a liquor application for the Denny’s under construction at 2538 Kuhio Ave. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Army National Guard dedicated a new $38 million aviation support facility hangar at Kalaeloa on Thursday that will help support its more than two dozen Chinook, Black Hawk and Lakota helicopters. Star-Advertiser.

City officials are urging the thousands of Oahu motorists who need to renew their driver’s licenses this year to plan ahead to know what documents they need to bring to the Driver Licensing Office to help speed up the process. Projections show renewals are expected to jump to an estimated 9,000 a month islandwide in 2018, up from what has been an average of 3,000 a month, city officials said. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. military officials posted a warning letter to all Hawaii-based service members last month, alerting them that several areas in Waikiki have been flagged for high levels of "violent crime" and "illegal activity." Hawaii News Now.

Less than two months after the state completed a $500,000 clean-up under the Nimitz viaduct, squatters are moving back in. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu Fire Department released two new videos from the Marco Polo Fire. KITV.

Hawaiian to use tax savings for Honolulu airport renovations. Hawaiian Airlines said Thursday that if the new federal corporate tax rate for 2018 were in place in 2016, the airline would have paid $38 million less in taxes. Star-Advertiser.

A California real estate investment firm is making a new case to Hawaii regulators for carving up Oahu’s historic Dillingham Ranch and selling pieces to buyers who could build homes on 70 lots zoned for agriculture. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii appears to be seeing the worst flu season in years with patients inundating medical clinics and emergency rooms across Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Former Jefferson Elementary teacher found guilty of sexually assaulting girl. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Mayor Harry Kim testified at an informational briefing on homeless solutions before the State House of Representatives Health & Human Services Committee on Tuesday. Big Island Video News.

Drafting the future of Pahoa. What’s your idea for Pahoa’s future? That’s a question residents might be asked later this year as Hawaii County begins developing a Pahoa village master plan. Tribune-Herald.

The public comment period for arsenic cleanup plans at a Hilo commercial property has ended. The property, at the intersection of Kekuanaoa and Mililani streets near Waiakea Villas condominiums, is the site of a former building materials production plant. Tribune-Herald.

The Edwin C. Olson Trust No. 2 faces a fine of up to $64,960 from the state land board for unpermitted work that allegedly impacted Amauulu Camp Cemetery. Big Island Video News.

The Graying Of The Big Island. More than one in four Big Islanders – 27.4 percent – is 60 or older, according to the latest population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s higher than Kauai (26.1 percent), Maui County (23.6 percent) and Honolulu (22.4 percent). Civil Beat.

Keauhou restaurant Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai was cited by the state Department of Health for removing a food safety placard, and other major food code violations. West Hawaii Today.

The state health department has fined Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai restaurant in Kailua-Kona for several violations, including the intentional removal of a yellow placard and replacing it with a green one. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The state Department of Transportation today responded to criticism over proposed adjustments to the Lahaina Bypass Phase 1B2 and work at the Keawe Street interim northern terminus in West Maui. Maui Now.

The state Department of Transportation on Thursday took issue with West Maui Rep. Angus McKelvey’s criticisms of the department’s plans for the newest phase of the Lahaina bypass and the adjustments made at the northern end of the bypass as traffic flows to Honoapiilani Highway at Keawe Street. Maui News.

The Pacific Cancer Institute’s medical director Thursday accused Hawaii Health Systems Corp. of using public “scare” tactics last month to pressure the institute that provides cancer radiation therapy into accepting new and “unfair” lease terms at its Maui Memorial Medical Center facility. Maui News.

Teledentistry Pilot Project Expands to Maui. Maui Now.

Local real estate brokerage and management firm Hawaii Life has acquired Maui property management company Island Oasis Realty. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Church helps feed the community. A couple from Canada dropped off food, intact and packaged items that were remaining following their stay on Kauai Thursday morning at the Kauai Independent Food Bank. Garden Island.

Economy beats expectations, appeals court agrees with Hawaii on Trump travel ban, flu program curtailed, foam food container ban advances, Ige confident against Hanabusa, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki shoppers © 2017 All Hawaii News

Economic experts tasked with forecasting Hawaii’s tax collections say the state’s revenue will grow at a slightly higher rate over the next two years, bringing in roughly $40 million more than previously expected. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s attorney general cheered a federal appeals court decision Thursday rejecting the Trump administration’s limited view of who is allowed into the United States under the president’s travel ban. Star-Advertiser.

A federal appeals court on Thursday rejected the Trump administration's limited view of who is allowed into the United States under the president's travel ban, saying grandparents, cousins and similarly close relations of people in the U.S. should not be prevented from coming to the country. Associated Press.

Governor Ige: I Have More Experience Running the State Than Congresswoman Hanabusa. Hawaii Public Radio.

Multiple federal agencies and state regulators have built cases around investment adviser and former head of the Hawaii Republican Party, David Chang, sources tell Hawaii News Now.

Mazie Hirono is happy, healthy and feeling great, ready to take on the Trump Administration and re-election. KITV.

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A lack of funding is forcing the state to scale back its annual school vaccination program. Hawaii News Now.

Stop Flu at School, the state’s free annual vaccination program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, will be offered at only about 90 public schools on Oahu this year, according to the Department of Health. In addition, the free flu shots will no longer be offered in private schools. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Health will not provide free vaccinations against influenza at private schools this year. Tribune-Herald.

‘Stop Flu at School’ Annual vaccination program limited to selected public schools. Garden Island.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States could be short more than 100,000 doctors by 2030. But Hawaii may have a solution. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

A more than $100 million public-private partnership to add new low-income rental homes to the state’s largest public housing project has unraveled, and a state agency and a private developer are blaming each other for it. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Commission whittled its list of 34 police chief candidates to nine Wednesday after ranking their scores from a written exam that was administered by an independent contractor helping evaluate the applicants. Civil Beat.

Earlier this month, the Honolulu Police Department told us it was finally ready to begin testing body cameras. Now, we’ve learned that’s no longer the case. KHON2.

A contract dispute between the state and Queen's Medical Center forced some young patients with mental illnesses to scramble for new services last week. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council granted special permits Wednesday for a 400-foot-tall, 444-unit condo-hotel near Ala Moana Center, waiving some zoning restrictions because of its location along the future rail line. Civil Beat.

Family demands answers for child’s second-degree burns from spilled hot school lunch. KHON2.

Three years after the city removed a filthy water fountain from Chinatown’s Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park and promised other improvements, a nearby business owner hopes to call out city officials Saturday by painting a community mural over a massive and useless 11-by-10-foot pump house that remains in the park. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A polystyrene food container ban took a big leap forward Thursday, when the County Council moved a bill to its final reading. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council voted to pass Bill 13, the polystyrene foam reduction bill, on first reading during Thursday’s meeting in Hilo. Big Island Video News.

A Hawaii tour operator has been fined for repeatedly dropping swimmers in front of dolphins and encircling the animals with his tour boat, officials said. Associated Press.

County Finance Director Collins Tomei has turned in his resignation. He’s the second department head to resign since Mayor Harry Kim took office in December. West Hawaii Today.

The final touches are being made to a new Hawaii Fire Department station on Haihai Street in Hilo. Star-Advertiser.

Two Big Island school bus drivers have been placed on leave, after two school buses filled with children crashed into one another on Wednesday. KITV

A federal judge in California ruled at the beginning of this month that a lawsuit alleging violations of consumer protection laws and misrepresentation by the owner of Kona Brewing Co. could move forward. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Knowing that 1 million to 2 million gallons of drinking water every day irrigates Wailea and Makena landscapes, Maui County administrators and County Council members have begun exploring ways to find alternatives. Maui News.

The Department of Land Natural Resources plans to close Iao Valley State Monument again, this time for two months beginning on Monday, Oct. 16. Maui Now.

Anna Foust has resigned as head of the Maui County Emergency Management Agency to move with her family to Dayton, Ohio. Maui News.

Kauai

The Real Property Tax Assessment office announces that property owners who were previously denied the 3 percent Assessment Cap for Home Exemption due to a transfer of title may now retroactively adjust their 2017 assessments pursuant to Kauai County Ordinance 1015. Garden Island.


Molokai

Nearly 10 years after shutting down operations at Hawaii’s Molokai Ranch, the property’s Singapore-based owner has put the 55,575 acres, or 35 percent of the island of Molokai, on the market for sale with an asking price of $260 million. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu Zoo loses another director, panhandler civil rights lawsuit settlement nears, Ige names more top staff, Maui harbor drains $7M from state budget, lava follows new path, state arts foundation audited, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Zoo © 2015 All Hawaii News

Jeffrey Wilkinson, director of the Honolulu Zoo since April, announced his resignation to zoo staff Sunday. Wilkinson is the fourth zoo director to resign in the past five years, and the third since March 2013. Star-Advertiser.

Elizabeth Kim, part of a senior leadership team that advises the U.S. secretary of labor, has been named state labor director, Gov. David Ige's office announced Monday. The governor also announced the hiring of Hono­lulu public relations professional Cindy McMillan as his administration's director of communications. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige has chosen Elizabeth Kim to head the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Cindy McMillan to be his communications director. Civil Beat.

The state agency responsible for helping the public access government-controlled information and ensure public meetings remain as open as possible has been mired in a backlog so big its rulings are often irrelevant by the time they’re issued. Yet relief appears nowhere in sight for the Hawaii Office of Information Practices as Gov. David Ige’s term begins and the Legislature gets set to work on his proposed biennium budget, which despite a modest increase only gives the agency half the resources it had 20 years ago. Civil Beat.

The Hawai‘i Health Connector — beset by delays, computer malfunctions and low enrollment since its inception in late 2013 — expects to be self-sufficient by 2022. Star-Advertiser.

On the eve of the 2015 legislative session, Hawaii Public Radio’s Noe Tanigawa takes a look at a recent auditor’s report on the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Oahu

State regulators have approved a wind farm planned for Kahuku despite objections from members of the North Shore community and concerns from Hawaii’s consumer advocate that the developer should have completed its environmental review of the project first. Civil Beat.

A Honolulu city councilman is looking for ways to boost regulation on vacation rentals on Hawaii’s most populous island. Associated Press.

For years, Kapaa Quarry Road has been used as an illegal dump site by people getting rid of trash, equipment, even furniture. Residents and lawmakers say it’s long been a problem with no clear solution and it sits right next to the Kawainui Marsh. KHON2.

The lei sellers at the Honolulu International Airport say their daily struggle to stay in business would be eased if they had 15-year leases like they did in the past, and more respect. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A settlement is in the works in a civil rights lawsuit filed against the county by a Kailua-Kona man cited for panhandling last year. West Hawaii Today.

The June 27 lava flow could begin following a new path as breakouts upslope of the stalled front advance to the north. Darryl Oliveira, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, said the most active breakout was located about 1.5 miles from Pahoa Marketplace as of Monday morning. It had advanced about 200 yards to the north in 24 hours. Tribune-Herald.

Daily nonstop flights between Kona and Haneda, Japan, could begin as early as June 1, if Hawaiian Airlines Inc. is successful in its application with the U.S. Department of Transportation. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island health care providers are seeing a recent spike in cases of the flu. Hilo Medical Center reports that in the last month its influenza rate has risen about four times higher than normal, and Kona Community Hospital said Monday it has already confirmed 24 cases of the flu since New Year’s Day. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

It was supposed to be a part of the state's plan to revitalize the Maalaea Harbor on Maui. But for the past 20 years, the 1.1-acre dirt lot has remained undeveloped with Hawaii taxpayers footing the bill. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has paid more than $7 million -- or about $1,000 a day -- to lease the property that's used only to store old boats, buoys and other ocean equipment. Hawaii News Now.

The new year brought entirely new Maui County Council leadership–exactly what was predicted shortly after the November 2014 election. Mike White is the new Council Chairman and Don Guzman is the new Vice Chairman. Maui Time.

Kauai

Ulupono Initiative, the same investment company backing Hawaii Dairy Farms’ proposed dairy in Mahaulepu Valley on Kauai’s south side, has its sights on purchasing the last locally owned and operated large-scale dairy in the state. Garden Island.