Hawaii health care workers grateful for loan forgiveness. Coincidentally on Friday, Gov. Josh Green — age 53 — made his final loan payment on his own 30-year-old student loan, which ran up to $315,000 with interest. Star-Advertiser.
New Hawaii homeless coordinator Mizuno saw his unhoused brother die. Hawaii’s incoming homeless coordinator — state Rep. John Mizuno — knows the tragedy of homeless personally. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaii lags in preparing kids for kindergarten, state DOE report shows. In the Hawaii public schools’ first statewide assessment of children’s kindergarten readiness, less than one-third of children entering kindergarten this fall demonstrated “baseline readiness” for school, according to new state Department of Education data that evaluated basic language, math and social skills, and physical development. Star-Advertiser.
New report on cycle of poverty in Hawaii urges state lawmakers to find solutions. A new report shows Hawaiʻi's lack of economic mobility imposes a high cost on us all, but especially on our keiki. The report found kids pay the biggest price with poorer health outcomes, less education, and lose out on future economic productivity. KITV4.
U.S. Rep. Ed Case is pushing for legislation that would restrict international imports of protected ornamental reef fish and coral collected through destructive practices. The Hawaii Democrat introduced the legislation, known as the Saving Natural Ecosystems and Marine Organisms Act to the House on Nov. 17, after which it was referred to the House committees on Natural Resources, Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs. Star-Advertiser.
State Hospital Workers Who Witnessed A Nurse’s Murder Have Been Denied Workers Comp. A doctor treating four employees said the decision is "unconscionable" and will delay their ability to address the trauma they experienced. Civil Beat.
Oahu
University Of Hawaii Athletics Needs Your Money To Survive. Here’s How College Sports Finances Are Changing. UH's lack of the big revenue seen by other college athletic programs is hampering its ability to compete, especially in the high-finance sport of football. Civil Beat.
Newborn baby abandoned in trash bin rushed to hospital in serious condition. Honolulu police have opened a child abandonment case after a Kahala resident saved a newborn baby girl from a trash bin Saturday night, officials said. Hawaii News Now.
Overheated Leeward Park To Get Shade Trees — And Volunteers To Water Them. The pilot project near Maili Elementary School could be a model for more efforts to cool Oahu's hot spots. Civil Beat.
High bacteria levels found in Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant sample. The sample, which was taken at 8:08 a.m. Thursday, exceeded the single sample daily maximum limitation for enterococcus under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for the plant, according to a news release from the Honolulu Department of Environmental Services. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaii Island
Hefty raises for county execs. Mayor Mitch Roth’s pay will increase from $162,582 to $199,068 on Jan. 1 and $209,028 on July 1. Council members will receive raises to $85,728 on Jan. 1 and $90,024 on July 1, with the chair receiving hikes to $94,308 on Jan. 1 and to $99,024 on July 1. Tribune-Herald.
Council OKs Puna route study after initially rejecting bill. The Hawaii County Council voted Wednesday to reject $1.5 million for a study of possible alternate routes into Puna before immediately calling for a do-over and accepting the funds. Tribune-Herald.
PATH expands HIBIKE system and continues partnership with Mass Transit Agency, offering free HIBIKE Bikeshare to Hele-On Riders. People for Active Transportation Hawai‘i (PATH) has just completed the expansion of their HIBIKE bikeshare system with funds awarded from the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant through the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation and administered by the County Department of Public Works. Big Island Now.
Maui
New Database Tracks Millions In Donations And Government Funds For Maui. Readers have asked Civil Beat to follow where donated monies are going. Civil Beat.
Construction at Olowalu begins while officials still decide on final fire debris holding site. A temporary storage site for Lahaina fire debris is under construction in Olowalu on Maui. Hawaii Public Radio.
Aftereffect from Lahaina wildfire will create opportunities for some businesses. The Maui County Office of Economic Development is looking for options for businesses that are facing increased challenges due to the fires and the tightening commercial real estate market. Star-Advertiser.
Maui Police Department offers cash rewards for tips on illegal fireworks. Law enforcement agencies across Hawaii are employing various strategies to crack down on illegal fireworks as New Year’s Eve approaches. Star-Advertiser.
Kauai
Environmental lawsuit halts plans for West Kaua‘i Energy Project. Plans for a more than $250 million renewable energy project on the westside of Kaua‘i are in limbo, following lawsuits by two community groups that allege its environmental impact was not properly assessed. Garden Island.