Hotel occupancy stays low, Maui plastic takeout ban to commence, Big Island council bans glyphosate at county parks, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Quiet hotel lobby in Hawaii ©2021 All Hawaii News

November hotel occupancy in Hawaii stays below 60%. Occupancy at Hawaii hotels in November was still significantly below the 2019 pre-pandemic level. Star-Advertiser.

Inconsistencies In Data From U.S. Military May Hold Up Hawaii Redistricting. Hawaii’s redistricting process will move forward while a commission that redraws political boundaries awaits accurate data. Civil Beat.

Residents reject redrawn Hawaii district maps, call out lack of transparency. The effort to redraw state district maps for House of Representatives and Senate seats is drawing criticism from concerned residents and neighborhood boards and raising questions about transparency. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Commentary: A Memoir By A Former Hawaii AG Fills In Some Holes In Recent State History. David Louie has a lot to say about politics and government in the islands.  Civil Beat.

Commissioners With Hawaii Ties Named To Biden’s AANHPI Panel. The Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will help the president with policy recommendations. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i public schools consider test-to-stay COVID-19 policy. The feasibility of a test-to-stay model for Hawai‘i public schools is on the mind of administrators and officials. Test-to-stay programs allow students and staff members who have had a school associated close COVID-19 contact to continue to attend school in person if they test negative. Garden Island.

Omicron Is About To Become The Main Covid-19 Variant In Hawaii, Health Officials Say. Health officials say omicron is likely on the neighbor islands, not just Oahu, and every adult who is eligible for a booster should get one. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Local hospitals prepare for expected Omicron-fueled COVID case surge. With local medical facilities preparing for an influx of COVID patients, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii says it's in good shape in terms of oxygen supply, personal protective equipment and other supplies. But the association does expect to need additional health care workers. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii records 2 new coronavirus-related deaths, 961 additional infections. The new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 866 new cases on Oahu, 21 on Hawaii Island, 58 on Maui, seven on Kauai, one on Molokai, two on Lanai and six Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Plan that reimagines industrial area near airport’s rail station approved in unanimous vote.  The Honolulu Planning Commission Wednesday approved the airport transit-oriented development plan. The plan, approved by a 9-0 vote, could result in more residential development near rail project’s Lagoon Drive station but not at the expense of current industrial tenants. Hawaii News Now.

High-ranking Navy official downplays tainted water issue, saying it’s ‘not a crisis’. Dual investigations are ongoing into the Navy’s tainted water crisis. As the Pentagon’s Inspector General probes the safety of the Navy’s Red Hill fuel tanks, new details over past spilled have emerged from an internal Navy review. Hawaii News Now.

Climate Change Will Make It Harder To Protect The Environment Around Oahu’s Next Landfill. The effects of a warming planet are also expected to make it more expensive to safeguard land and water. Civil Beat.

City Attorney Kicked Off HPD Shooting Lawsuit For Creating A Conflict Of Interest. Corporation Counsel attorney Kyle Chang was disqualified after providing conflicting arguments in the case. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Council passes glyphosate ban at county parks. The County Council on Wednesday passed a bill banning the use of Round-Up or other glyphosate-based herbicides at county parks, sending it to Mayor Mitch Roth, who is expected to sign it. West Hawaii Today.

Hospitals prep for surge: ‘Don’t let your guard down over the holidays’. Big Island hospitals are preparing for a rough winter as all signs point to an omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge within the next month. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui plastic disposal foodware ban takes effect on New Year’s Day. Banned items include plastic disposable food service containers and utensils such forks, spoons and knives, and plates, trays, bowls, cups, hinged (plate lunch) containers and straws. Maui Now. KHON2.

More out-of-state residents buying Maui homes this year. The number of Maui County homes purchased by out-of-state buyers this year nearly doubled compared with last year, according to state data. Maui Now.

Average Rate for Maui County Hotels at $531 for Nov. 2021; Occupancy at 65%. Maui County hotels led the state in November 2021 with average daily rate of $531, revenue per available room at $347 and occupancy at 65%, according to the latest Hawaiʻi Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i begins to see new COVID-19 cases spike. The Hawai‘i State Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office announced 41 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Garden Island.

NTSB investigates deadly plane crash, Honolulu preps for vacation rental fines, police shortage hits home, TMT protesters fear sound cannon, pesticide foe tours state, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

NTSB investigator Eliott Simpson briefs NTSB Board Member Jennifer Homendy Sunday at the scene of the Hawaii skydiving crash. PC:NTSB

Federal investigators will review repair and inspection records on the skydiving plane that became inverted before crashing shortly after takeoff on Oahu’s North Shore, killing all 11 people on board in the deadliest civil aviation accident since 2011. Associated Press.

NTSB opens probe into Dillingham Airfield plane crash. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have arrived on Oahu to start their investigation into a plane crash that killed 11 people at Dillingham Airfield on Friday. Star-Advertiser.

NTSB: 'This is the deadliest accident involving a civil airplane in U.S. since 2011'. The NTSB has a team of 11 here on Oahu that are investigating the crash. KHON2.

Medical Examiner: 10 men, 1 woman died in Dillingham Airfield crash. Official identities of the victims may be released starting Monday, the medical examiner said through a city spokeman Sunday afternoon. Associated Press.

Families, friends mourn 11 victims killed in North Shore skydiving plane crash. The Medical Examiner’s Office may release the identities of some of the 11 victims killed in a skydiving plane crash at Dillingham Airfield as soon as Monday. But some families and friends of the victims are coming forward to talk about their loved ones. Hawaii News Now.

=====

Ige To Sign A Host Of Traffic Safety Bills Into Law. The signings on Tuesday come as Hawaii is ranked the third most dangerous state for pedestrians over 50. Civil Beat.

Gabbard will speak out on war during televised debate. If U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s somewhat obscure presidential campaign is ever going to catch fire, this week may be the time. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Fines for illegal vacation rentals may begin in August. Advertising of an illegal vacation rental on Oahu would become unlawful starting Aug. 1 under a bill that Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is expected to sign into law Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Legal expert: One witness stands out of the 70 in the Kealoha mailbox trial. In all, 70 people took the stand in the 16-day Kealoha corruption trial. Hawaii News Now.

How To Attract Good Police Officers In The Face Of A Nationwide Shortage. The Honolulu Police Department is trying some innovative ideas to fill hundreds of vacancies. Civil Beat.

Stairway to Heaven Could Be Removed By 2022. The Haiku Stairs have been closed to the public for years, but that hasn’t stopped hikers from trespassing and Instagramming the views. Civil Beat.

Developer wants to build homes on Enchanted Lake acres some call a wetland. Residential development around what was once a more than 200-acre fishpond in Kailua has been controversial since the first homes were built more than 50 years ago in what became Enchanted Lake.  Star-Advertiser.

Neighborhood board disputes Diamond Head homeowner’s plan to install a private beach-access tram. One homeowner on the craggy cliff between Diamond Head Road and the uncrowded beach below is causing a community stir with a plan to install a private passenger lift for easier access. Star-Advertiser.

The Only Way To Save This Popular Oahu Park May Be To Close It At Night. Oneula Beach Park in Ewa Beach, a popular spot for local fishermen, is the last park on the island that is still open all night. Civil Beat.

State re-files theft charge against former charter school director. The ousted director of the now-defunct Halau Lokahi Public Charter School has again been charged with one of four felony theft counts that had been dismissed because the state Attorney General took too long to take the case to trial. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Group fears state’s new ‘sound cannon’ could be used against TMT protesters. A Hawaiian and environmental group is asking the head of the state Land Department not to use a sound device that was developed by the military as the state and activists prepare for the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Hawaii News Now.

Food safety inspections find fewer violations thanks to ‘social pressure’. Tribune-Herald.

Charter proposals head to County Council. Land preservation advocate Debbie Hecht left the county Charter Commission meeting Friday vowing to launch a “just say no” campaign to a 2020 ballot amendment that would allow open space preservation money to be used to pay county staff. West Hawaii Today.

US Senate committee hears from official from PGV parent company. Ormat Technologies committed Thursday to continue its engagement with the Puna community and other Big Island stakeholders as the company proceeds to reopen Puna Geothermal Venture. Tribune-Herald.

The Leeward Planning Commission on Thursday voted to give its OK to proposed amendments to the Kona Community Development Plan, or CDP, sending the amendments on for consideration and approval by the Hawaii County Council. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Officials Meet Man Who Sued Round Up Manufacturer And Won. Claiming the herbicide Round Up caused his cancer, the man who took the manufacturer to court and won, Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, was in Hilo on Friday to talk to Hawaii County officials about the dangers of glyphosate. Big Island Video News.

Two Acres Provided For Kona Scenic Park. A County Council committee voted last week to advance a resolution accepting the dedication from the Hokulia developers. Big Island Video News.

Korean War Memorial dedicated at Wailoa State Recretion Area. A memorial was dedicated Saturday to 52 Hawaii Island military members killed in action in the Korean War and five others who died of non-combat causes during the bloody conflict. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County works to cut its pesticide use. Departments reduce use in public spaces; councilor plans to propose a wider ban. Maui News.

County Re-Evaluating Original Wailuku Civic Concept. The County of Maui, Department of Management presented the construction schedule for Wailuku Town improvement projects and detailed its efforts to minimize impacts on the surrounding neighborhood during a community meeting held Thursday night at the Iao Theater. Maui Now.

MECO increases renewable power, storage amounts sought in next procurement. RFP targets are 295 GWh of energy, 58 GWh of storage. Maui News.

Wailuku parking structure construction set to begin in August with roads, infrastructure. First phase moving forward; second phase civic center is being re-evaluated. Maui News.

Kauai

The county Planning Commission will hold a hearing June 25 that will begin the process of whether or not to grant Smoky Mountain Helicopters Inc. a class IV zoning permit, which would allow them the ability to make modifications to an existing helicopter tour facility at Port Allen Airport. Garden Island.

Parole administrator reassigned pending investigation, Kauai study shows glyphosate in honey, Maui school bus shortage reaches crisis, Big Island council members fly high on pCards, Ellison describes Lanai ag plans, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Wiki bikestand in Waikiki, courtesy U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz

You’ve seen the new Biki bikeshare stations around town but who are the people pedaling them? Hawaii Public Radio.

The state Department of Public Safety has temporarily reassigned longtime Paroles and Pardons Administrator Tommy Johnson pending the outcome of an internal investigation, according to Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Public Safety has temporarily reassigned longtime Paroles and Pardons Administrator Tommy Johnson pending the outcome of an internal investigation. Associated Press.

Robert K. Masuda has been appointed as First Deputy Director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources by Gov. David Y. Ige on Friday. Pacific Business News.

Gov. David Ige has joined 38 other governors in signing a cybersecurity compact in an effort to enhance state cybersecurity and develop the cyber workforce. Star-Advertiser.

As summer winds down, thousands of Hawaii students return to school. Hawaii News Now.

Nearly 40 Hawaii public school graduates have received the state’s first round of awards signifying they have mastered two languages. Star-Advertiser.

John H. Radcliffe, a retired Hawaii lobbyist who became, as he puts it, the “poster child” for legalizing medical aid in dying in Hawaii, got some astounding news last month. His inoperable cancer was deemed operable. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Former city Community Services Director Pam Witty-Oakland returns to the post effective Oct. 1, Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s office announced Friday. Star-Advertiser.

Junk Cars Are Piling Up On Oahu. As scrap yards close or start charging to take derelict vehicles, it’s often cheaper to ditch a worn-out car than legally dispose of it. Civil Beat.

Couple OK’d as foster parents despite marred past. Star-Advertiser.

A judge ruled Friday that statements an Army medic made to an investigator after his wife was found dead were coerced. Star-Advertiser.

Cleanup of Ala Wai has start in Manoa. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu condo prices climb: Previously owned Oahu condos sold for a median $425,000, increasing 6.3 percent from $400,000 in July 2016, according to resale figures released Sunday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Some County Council members are flying high on the taxpayers’ dime. The council spent $58,453 on travel during the first seven months of the two-year term, almost twice the monthly average of prior years, according to a West Hawaii Today analysis of purchasing card and travel records. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Harry Kim claims to be a “pretty dull guy,” and his purchasing card and travel expenses seem to reflect he’s no social butterfly. West Hawaii Today.

The Big Island Invasive Species Committee has declared victory in its effort to remove axis deer from Ka‘u, nearly eight years since they were introduced. Tribune-Herald.

It's official. Axis Deer are no more on Hawaii Island. Big Island Video News.

Lance Niimi, the Hawaii County's assistant housing administrator, has been sleeping among the homeless at the Hale Kikaha tent-city. Big Island Video News.

The Hilo Drag Strip is set to reopen by the end of 2017 after being closed nearly two years for renovations. Tribune-Herald.

It didn’t take long for a mishap to befall the beleaguered Mass Transit department’s new buses, which were just donated to the Big Island from the City and County of Honolulu. Big Island Video News.

A Hawaiian Paradise Park woman and her two young children were uninjured after being involved in a minor collision with a reportedly stolen Hele-On bus in Hilo Saturday afternoon. West Hawaii Today.

State emergency officials want public schools to be prepared for a possible North Korea missile attack, though Hawaii’s education leaders aren’t planning any drills specific to nuclear detonations just yet. Tribune-Herald.

The state land department is accepting proposals to move forward with a carbon credit system that will fund forest restoration on the Big Island. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, the Department of Education, and one of Hawaii’s largest school bus providers met Friday to try to fix the Valley Isle school bus crisis, but to no avail. KHON2.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa said the county's bus service can't accommodate the 250 students whose school bus service has been cut because of a driver shortage. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii State Department of Education advises parents and guardians of students at Lahainaluna High and Baldwin High who depend on school bus routes exclusively serving grades 9 to 12 to find alternate rides. Maui Now.

Power grid showing its age as more renewable energy produced. Maui News.

Community input is being sought on a proposed light industrial and commercial business park at Pulehunui in Central Maui, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced. Maui News.

The Iao Valley State Monument has reopened, at least temporarily, after sustaining severe damage from a massive flood in September. Associated Press.

Kauai

Another study looking at pesticides in beehives is underway in Hawaii. And results are showing a connection between agriculture-dense areas and an increase in the chemical glyphosate — the active ingredient in Roundup — in honey. Garden Island.

Taxes and establishing bus stops will be discussed at the Kauai County Council meeting Wednesday. Councilmembers are expected to approve two bills relating to taxes. Garden Island.

The project to eradicate the rats on Lehua Island won’t be starting on Tuesday, according to Scott Enright, director of the state’s Department of Agriculture. Garden Island.

Forum ends with consensus: Seek ways to preserve marine species. Garden Island.

Lanai

Tech billionaire Larry Ellison sees potential for agriculture on Lanai. Star-Advertiser.