Federal uncertainty lowers state's economic forecast, Honolulu may sell naming rights for rail transit stations, Green describes conversation with Trump, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii’s tax revenue collection outlook is gloomy. The state Council on Revenues on Wednesday unanimously decided to drop its general fund tax revenue growth forecast to 5% from a prior 6.4% in the current fiscal year ending June 30 and expects such revenue to contract 2.25% in the fiscal year beginning July 1. A 2.25% revenue decline would shave $226 million from what is expected to be $10 billion in general fund tax revenue this fiscal year, influencing a $21 billion state budget bill that the House of Representatives sent Wednesday to the Senate.  Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii governor says President Trump told him of criticism: ‘Have at it as long as you’re leaving me out of it’.  Gov. Josh Green said of his conversation with Trump, “He said, and it was quite interesting, as long as I’m not being rude to him, I should do whatever I think is best regarding his secretaries. To which I said, well, you know, there are some fundamental differences of opinion that I have on health matters, at least, with the secretary of health, and he laughed and he said, have at it as long as you’re leaving me out of it. I’m basically summarizing.” Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi School Libraries Are Shrinking When Students May Need Them Most. The number of school librarians in Hawaiʻi has declined dramatically over the past 20 years, despite an increased need to help students navigate misinformation and digital learning. Civil Beat.

Smaller vehicles could solve Hawaii’s school bus shortage. House Bill 862, which crossed over to the Senate and remains alive, would allow motor coaches, small buses and vans to take children to and from school. The legislation was prompted by the abrupt cancellation of bus routes just before the start of the past two schools years, sending thousands of children and their families scrambling. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Foodbank expecting cuts from federal funding as need continues to grow. The Hawaii Foodbank is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst if it takes a hit from federal budget cuts possibly affecting thousands of residents. KHON2.

Lawmakers consider program to help low-income seniors navigate health insurance. Kūpuna with lower incomes may not realize that they can qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare, because it can be difficult to navigate through the application process. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii extends bird transport pause to June over avian flu. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture today said it is extending a voluntary pause on the interisland transport of poultry and other bird species to help prevent the spread of H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

Oahu

$76M COVID-19 hazard pay settlement finalized with 2 city unions. At a special meeting Wednesday, the City Council unanimously voted to authorize and resolve temporary hazard pay, or THP, claims for affected employees and members of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and United Public Workers of Hawaii, who performed essential government functions during the pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

City considers selling rail station naming rights to offset costs. Currently, laws against outdoor advertising limit how much advertising the rail and bus systems can sell. However, officials note, transportation systems around the world often sell advertising. Hawaii News Now.

New Honolulu Director of Homeless Solutions shares ideas to help residents get off the streets. The City and County of Honolulu has hired Roy Miyahira as the new director of homeless solutions. KITV4.

Danger on the road as speed cameras capture alarming number of speeders. It’s full speed ahead for the speed camera program now in the second week of its warning period. Transportation officials said the numbers are staggering, some 80,000 warnings a month. Hawaii News Now.

Community effort to eradicate little fire ants in Lanikai could be a model for others. The University of Hawaiʻi this week announced that a recent survey of the area turned up just one ant — only a year after dozens of houses in the Lanikai loop and beach areas were found to be harboring the invasive pest. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Immigration enforcement hits Kona with parents and young children recently deported. Immigration Customs Enforcement agents have been on the Big Island recently conducting what the federal agency says is an operation to locate undocumented children who are in the United States without their parents. Big Island Now.

Life of influential Hawaiʻi politician Heléne Hale showcased in new children's book. Longtime educator and author Barbara Hilyer has a new children's book out that examines the life of Heléne Hale, a fixture in Hawaiʻi politics for half a century.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen highlights fire recovery efforts, lays out priorities in State of the County. In his third State of the County address, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen described the county as “determined.” Maui News.

While drawing praise, Mayor Bissen’s speech also raises questions about funding, open positions. Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen’s State of the County address Friday received praise for delivering a positive message and remembering those who died in the 2023 Lahaina wildfire as well as those who risked their lives to help others, but the mayor’s remarks also raised questions among some Maui County Council members. Maui News.

Maui Council Acts To Fill Vacancies Paralyzing County Boards. Empty seats have hamstrung the volunteer boards that handle everything from homelessness and government ethics to planning and police accountability. Civil Beat.

Maui Police Commission to meet March 19 to discuss whether to put Chief Pelletier on leave due to Diddy lawsuit allegations. The Maui Police Commission faces a major decision of whether to place Maui Police Chief John Pelletier on leave based on allegations in a lawsuit that he was involved in the conspiracy of a gang rape orchestrated by rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs in California in 2018. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Planning Commission holds off decision-making on Honuaʻula; public testimony nearly 9-1 opposed. Maui Planning Commission members heard nearly six hours of public testimony Tuesday in Kīhei, with 58 of 66 testifiers opposed to developer requests for land-use amendments for the Honuaʻula master-planned community, a hotly debated 670-acre development south of Maui Meadows and mauka of Piʻilani Highway in South Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Some Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex courts to be closed for resurfacing. Kaua‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation is notifying the public that the dual-use tennis and pickleball courts as well as basketball court at Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a will be closed from March 17 through September, weather permitting, for resurfacing work. Kauai Now.

Waimea Canyon Middle School shines at leadership summit. Waimea Canyon Middle School leadership students made an impact through their participation in the State Middle-Level Student Leadership Summit, which was recently held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu. Garden Island.

Hawaii Legislature gears up for opening day, secret cameras irk Maui council, Princeville Resort closing for renovations, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Capitol ©2020 All Hawaii News

‘Big ideas’ finished at Legislature, critics say. While previous generations of Democrats were determined to pursue dramatic goals such as employer- funded health care or a temporary disability insurance system, a more cautious cadre of lawmakers seems to be aiming lower today, according to the critics. Star-Advertiser.

Legislature 2020: Making Hawaii Livable Again. State lawmakers will consider raising the minimum wage, paid leave programs and ways to keep residents from leaving the islands while grappling with climate change. Civil Beat.

Hawaii looks to boost construction to offset industry slowdown. Construction work in Hawaii is likely to slow next year, but state lawmakers seem inclined to go along with Gov. David Ige’s plan to budget extra money to boost state construction spending and give a lift to the industry. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi’s Future Liabilities are Expected to Cost $88 Billion. Hawai‘i is in a deep financial pit. Projects to mitigate climate change, improve infrastructure and meet public employee pension and retiree health care obligations are expected to cost the state and four county governments over $88 billion over the next 30 years, according to a report called “Troubled Waters: Charting a New Fiscal Course for Hawaii,” produced for the Hawai‘i Executive Conference. Hawaii Business Magazine.

30 years later, it’s the last session for Rep. Cynthia Thielen. At the age of 86, state Rep. Cynthia Thielen has just begun her 30th — and final — consecutive year representing Kailua and Kaneohe as one of the few Republicans in the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Mandatory Report On Hawaii Trash Disposal Hasn’t Been Filed In 4 Years. The state health department hasn’t been updating the Legislature on recycling programs, landfill diversion efforts or imported fuel reliance as required. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Foodbank says hunger is a chronic problem in Hawaii. One in eight people in the islands regularly do not have enough food. KITV4.

=====

Space Force unit coming to Hawaii Air National Guard. The Hawaii Air National Guard, picked to have one of four offensive space control squadrons nationally in the Air Guard, expects to start selecting candidates in April. Star-Advertiser.

The flash flood watch issued for the state ahead of a stormy weekend has been extended through to the early start of the work week. The National Weather service extended the watch until Monday evening at 6 p.m. Hawaii News Now.

One lettuce head at a time, farming program rooted at women’s prison changes lives. The farm program is called Learning to Grow. It’s run in partnership with the Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle. The relationship started in 1999. Hawaii News Now.

Restriction on aquarium fishing being sidestepped, conservation group says. A coalition of conservation groups led by Earthjustice said the state has been shirking its duties in cracking down on the illegal collection of aquarium fish from Hawaii ocean waters. Star-Advertiser.

UH researcher documents impact of stainless-steel hooks on sharks. A newly published eight-year tiger shark study has found a significant number of sharks with stainless-steel fishing hooks lodged in their jaws. Star-Advertiser.

UH professor’s research shows marine life impacted long after being cut from fishing lines. A study shows how marine life is impacted after being cut from fishing lines. KHON2.

Oahu

Oahu Is Overhauling How It Counts The Homeless. Administrators of Oahu’s annual homeless count have struggled with inaccuracy and undercounting. Civil Beat.

Facing backlash, Land Board scuttles parking plan for Ala Wai Boat Harbor. The state Land Board on Friday shot down a controversial plan to eliminate 125 free parking stalls at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. Hawaii News Now.

Kakaako Waterfront Park upgrades set to begin at a cost of $450K. The parking lot at the Kakaako Waterfront Park will soon be temporarily closing for upgrades. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu office vacancy rate down to 9.9% in 2019. Renters of office space on Oahu no longer have the upper hand against landlords after a decade of having the dominant position. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

‘Health-care collapse’ Kim’s top legislative priority. Legislation tackling health-care costs, homelessness and cesspools are among six priorities identified by Mayor Harry Kim as the four county mayors head to Honolulu Wednesday to address legislative money committees. West Hawaii Today.

Removal of observatory on schedule. The decommissioning process for one of five Maunakea telescopes to be removed in the coming decade remains on schedule after the approval last month of several environmental assessments. Tribune-Herald.

Community speaks out against jail expansion. Officials from the state Departments of Public Safety and Accounting and General Services came to Hilo Thursday night to brief the public about the planned new housing module at Hawaii Community Correctional Center’s Punahele Street site. Tribune-Herald.

New multi-hazard mitigation plan to help lower risks on Big Island. Multiple public meetings planned around the Big Island this month will introduce the results of a risk assessment conducted for a required update of the county’s multi-hazard mitigation plan. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Covert cameras secretly installed, briefly active inside Council Chambers. An $8,000 project to install covert security cameras in the Council Chambers of the county building in order to monitor an active shooter or hostage situation was kept secret from most council members and the public, county officials said. Maui News.

Report: Health center failed requirements, denied access to DOH. Molokai Health Center not under direction of full-time physician. Maui News.

Maili residents sue to block affordable housing project. Some neighbors of the largely state-financed project called Hale Makana O Maili have sued the developer in hopes of stopping construction on the two-story apartment complex they consider out of place and not rightly permitted. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Program aims to spark EV charging stations. The Electric Vehicle Charging Station incentives program will supply rebates for the installation of shared-use EV charging stations, and is available to businesses, residences and institutions. Garden Island.

Closing for renovations. The Princeville Resort will shut down completely on May 1 “for many months” as it undergoes a major renovation, according to reservations staff members who were asked Sunday to explain why the hotel’s website was no longer accepting bookings for July. Garden Island.

Hurricane Hector to pass south of Hawaii today, $550M price tag for volcano recovery, super PAC criticisms intensify as election nears, fish return after tourists fled Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hurricane Hector Wednesday morning, NOAA

Hurricane Hector, a major storm in the Central Pacific, has maintained its strength as it continues churning closer to the islands. At 5 a.m. Wednesday, the storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour, with occasional higher gusts. Hawaii News Now.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 125 mph this morning, the still-powerful Category 3 Hurricane Hector is well south of the islands and expected to stay on a westward track away from Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Northern fringes of Hector expected to ‘brush the Big Island’. A state of emergency was declared late Tuesday by Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe due to the threat of Hurricane Hector. Tribune-Herald.

Fringes of Hector to Brush Big Island, 73 mph Winds. Maui Now.

Hector may have weakened to a Category Three hurricane, but with maximum sustained near 125 mph, it is still a powerful storm. Big Island Video News.

=====

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Avoids Public Debate/Forum in Primary Election Race. Hawaii’s Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has made it through two election cycles without facing any of her challengers in a public debate or forum. Hawaii Public Radio.

Four days before the primary election, some candidates are pushing back against a slew of ads paid for by Super PACs. Hawaii News Now.

Super PAC donations draw criticism. Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho raised concerns about the influx of super PAC money in the race to be Hawaii’s next lieutenant governor during remarks in the rotunda of the state Capitol on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

It may be a few days before Hawaii’s primary election, but for Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., that doesn’t mean he’s slowing his campaign for the lieutenant governor’s seat. Garden Island.

How Martin Hamburger Became A Staple Of Hawaii Politics. A Washington advertising consultant made headway in the islands by helping big-name clients who were willing to poke fun at themselves. Civil Beat.

RIMPAC glitches adjusted on the fly. There’s an old military adage that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy — and the need to adapt on the fly applies to military exercises such as Rim of the Pacific as well. Star-Advertiser.

After several disasters, Hawaii Foodbank sees its stockpile dwindle. Every day, the Hawaii Foodbank distributes up to 50,000 pounds of food to member agencies who get it to the hungry. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Foodbank in 'urgent need' of supplies following recent natural disasters. The Hawaii Foodbank said it is in “urgent need” of emergency food and monetary donations, following a decrease in summer donations. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Lawsuit over Kakaako condo tower ‘defects’ dismissed. A federal judge in Honolulu has dismissed a lawsuit in which a developer sought more than $75 million in damages from a contractor for alleged construction defects in the ultraluxury Waiea condominium tower in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

Settlement talks set to begin in civil rights suit over huge gambling case that failed twice. City attorneys are heading to the bargaining table to try and settle a civil lawsuit over a gambling case that failed twice in court and resulted in state judges scolding deputy prosecutors. Hawaii News Now.

Forensic lab in Hawaii begins long process to identify Korean War remains. Inside a government forensic lab on Oahu are the remains of what are believed to be American soldiers killed in the Korean war. KITV.

The U.S. Army has agreed to restore access to a valley considered sacred on Oahu in a settlement with a Native Hawaiian cultural group. Associated Press.

As thousands of students return to school this month, the Hawaii Department of Transportation announced it will suspend one week of morning road closures as part of its “Beat the School Jam” initiative. Star-Advertiser.

After more than 40 years of creating some of Hawaii's favorite desserts, today is the last day for Saint-Germain and Dee Lite Bakery. KHON2.

Solar permits issued on Oahu fell in July for the second month in a row but are still ahead of the year-earlier period. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Mayor Harry Kim plans to ask the state Legislature for $550 million for disaster recovery following three months of destructive lava flows and earthquakes in the wake of the May 3 eruption of Kilauea volcano. West Hawaii Today.

County spending for lava response tops $5 million. Hawaii County has spent $5.1 million responding to the Kilauea eruption in the past three months. Tribune-Herald.

The County of Hawaii Clerk's Office will close absentee walk-in voting sites at the Pahoa Community Center and the Pahala Community Center on Wednesday, August 8, due to the threat posed by Hurricane Hector. KHON2.

Respected cultural practitioners spoke during Tuesday council committee meeting in support of an appropriate process to name the volcanic Fissure 8 on Kilauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone. Big Island Video News.

News of a slowdown in the 3-month-old Kilauea volcanic eruption has brought a glimmer of relief to the Big Island’s tourism industry. Star-Advertiser.

Lava flow’s impacts hit Kona and Kohala Coast. While Hawaii island tourism is still up year over year, it experienced a 5 percent drop in visitor arrivals in June. Hotel occupancy also dropped in June by its largest amount in almost five years. Star-Advertiser.

A district on Hawaii’s Big Island is among the top 10 markets where homebuyers look to buy vacation rental properties, according to a report from Vacasa. North Kona, which includes Kailua-Kona, was ranked No. 9 on Vacasa’s list of the top 25 markets for buying a vacation rental. Pacific Business News.

Array of tests zero in on disease afflicting wild horses in Waipio Valley. Around a dozen wild horses in Waipio Valley have died inexplicably and in similar fashion over the last two months. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui re-launching Junk Vehicles Disposal Assistance Program. Under this program, residents will be able to dispose of one vehicle per year at no charge. KHON2.

Along with seat belt, cellphone and speeding violations, police are watching for adults smoking in vehicles occupied by children, as students go back to school this week. Maui News.

Maui’s largest private landowner, Alexander & Baldwin, is selling 313 acres adjacent to Kahului Airport to the state for $8.6 million and the Lahaina Square Shopping Center and adjacent parcels to an unnamed buyer for $11.3 million, the company said in announcing its second-quarter results last week. Maui News.

Kealii Reichel hopes to break ground on his halau’s permanent home in Piiholo next year, the kumu hula said Monday.  Maui News.

Kumu hula plans construction of permanent halau home on Maui next year. Associated Press.

Kauai

Holy Mackerel, With No Tourists In Sight The Fish Are Returning To Kauai’s North Shore. Local fishermen say the impact of the April storm on tourism has been a boon to the fish population. Civil Beat.

Ishihara opens under new ownership. The common concern among shoppers was the poke, and bento lunches, Tuesday when Ishihara Market reopened under the ownership of the Kalama Beach Corporation. Garden Island.

The median price of a single-family home on Kauai rose 11 percent last month, compared to a year ago, while the median price of a condominium in July jumped by more than 30 percent, according to statistics from Hawaii Information Service on behalf of the Kauai Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.