Worker shortage hinders construction boom, historic Marconi telegraph site damaged, TSA malfunctions, long waits persist at Hilo airport, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Construction Boom Will Require Workers From The Mainland. The island state has too few homegrown construction workers to handle the coming surge in government projects, so labor must be imported. Civil Beat.

Housing panel makes first development decision. An almost 6-month-old state panel created to accelerate affordable-housing production has acted on its first housing project application, though only to approve a relatively small fee waiver. Star-Advertiser.

UH president won’t say if he was drinking before crash. David K. Lassner, 69, the 15th president of UH’s 10-campus system, was not administered a breathalyzer test after he veered right to avoid oncoming traffic and hit the parked car while on his way home from dinner. Star-Advertiser.

Increase in invasive species reports across Hawaii in 2023. Increase in invasive species reports across Hawaii in 2023. KITV4.

Oahu

Unauthorized Demolition Occurs At Historic Marconi Telegraph Site On North Shore. Civil Beat drone footage captured video of excavators discarding parts of the interior of the original 1914 power station, once the world's largest wireless communications center. Civil Beat.

Overdose drug now required at bars, nightclubs. As of Jan. 1, Honolulu became the first U.S. city to mandate that its roughly 869 alcohol-serving bars, nightclubs and restaurants keep naloxone nasal spray on hand to counteract opioid-related overdoses. Star-Advertiser.

Gunman killed by Honolulu police was free on bail. The 44-year-old felon who was fatally shot by Honolulu police after an islandwide manhunt that left two officers hospitalized with gunshot wounds was free on $75,000 bail after he was charged in November with six gun crimes. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Construction on Ka Haku by Hilton Club restarts. Construction on the Ka Haku by Hilton Club, a 32-story timeshare tower in the heart of Waikiki at the former King’s Village site, has started again after a lengthy COVID-19 hiatus. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hawaiʻi County Government Changes, Plans For 2024. Deanna Sako, previously serving as Finance Director, has been appointed as the Managing Director for the County of Hawaiʻi.  Following Sako’s transition, Diane Nakagawa was promoted to the position of Finance Director. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Mayor Roth looks back at 2023 successes, provides preview for 2024. Mayor Mitch Roth is taking a moment to look back on the accomplishments of 2023 and offering a glimpse into the exciting projects set to unfold in the coming year for the County of Hawaiʻi. Big Island Now.

TSA equipment down causing travel nightmare at Hilo Airport. What’s typically a one hour flight from Hilo to Oahu, turned out to be an hours long travel day for many. The lines snaked and wrapped around at Hilo International Airport Tuesday.  KHON2. Big Island Now.  KITV4.

Big Island Woman Killed Despite A Restraining Order Against Ex-Boyfriend. Elizabeth Fernandez was found dead at her South Kona home. The body of her ex-boyfriend was found outside after he apparently killed himself. Civil Beat. KITV4.

County seeks members for CDP Action Committees. Hawaii County is seeking civic-minded residents to join action committees around the island to help shape policy for most of the island’s districts. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Debate grows on where to dump Maui wildfire debris, many fear temporary Olowalu site may become permanent. Maui residents are divided on where to put the Lahaina wildfire debris. County council members held a meeting on Tuesday to get input from the public. Hawaii News Now.

Wailuku couple sees rise in need for housing. Senior Pastor Laki Ka‘ahumanu of the Church on the Go and his wife, Malie, who have been ministering to Maui’s homeless individuals and families for years, now are seeing the homeless crisis worsen due to the thousands of Maui residents who were displaced by the Aug. 8 wildfires. Star-Advertiser.

‘Laptop relief program’ gives over 640 devices to Maui fire survivors. A “laptop relief program” on Maui has distributed more than 640 computers to people who lost theirs to the August wildfires, and the nonprofit hub is planning another distribution in January. Star-Advertiser.

Progress update: 17 of 30 classrooms in place at temporary campus for King Kamehameha III elementary. US Army Corps of Engineers is reporting steady progress on construction of the temporary campus for students of King Kamehameha III Elementary School who were displaced by the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires that destroyed the school. Maui Now.

Helping Lahaina's art community is top of mind for these state lawmakers. Expanding access to an art therapy program and helping galleries in Lahaina may be on the state Legislature's agenda to aid Maui's recovery efforts. Hawaii Public Radio.

Proposals sought for axis deer control in Maui Nui. The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) announces the 2024 Axis Deer Control Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) for Maui Nui, through a competitive Request for Proposals for axis deer harvest from eligible private landowners and lessees.  Maui News.

Kauai

Visitor spending tops $200 million again. Visitor spending cracked the $200 million barrier for the 11th straight month in November, as tourists continued to funnel record sums of cash into the island of Kaua‘i economy in 2023. Garden Island.

Valve replacement for Coco Palms Sewage Pump Station scheduled for Jan. 10. The Coco Palms Sewage Pump Station will be shut down starting Jan. 10 to replace isolation valves inside the station’s dry well. Kauai Now. KHON2.

Hawaii schools not prepared to prevent violence, Green talks sustainability in UN keynote address, group sues over state plan to release bioengineered mosquitoes to save rare birds, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii’s public schools lag in violence prevention, experts say.  Hawaii’s public schools are lagging behind severely on student monitoring to prevent school shootings, with only one out of the state’s 295 public and public charter schools operating a “behavioral intervention threat-assessment team” that meets national best practices, some local and national experts said this week. Star-Advertiser.

5 More Bills Become Law Without Governor’s Signature.  The 5 new laws "are more beneficial than objectionable," the Office of the Governor says, and reflect strong stakeholder support. Big Island Video News.

Green highlights Hawaii’s sustainability plans in keynote address at UN meeting.  Gov. Josh Green delivered a keynote address in New York on Wednesday as he headed up a panel focusing on sustainable development at the United Nations. Hawaii News Now.

Review finds work still needed to reach Hawaiʻi’s 2030 sustainability goals. According to the state’s second Voluntary Local Review, the islands are on track to meet targets on renewable energy and energy efficiency, but not for clean transportation, with a goal of reducing petroleum usage to 165 million gallons per year. The most recent data shows 472 gallons per year were used. Big Island Now.

Plan to save native birds by targeting mosquitoes faces new legal challenge. After years of planning and studies, DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife is ramping up its program to reduce mosquitoes that harm native bird species. But now, a non-profit is asking a judge to halt the process. Hawaii News Now.

Report examines ‘long COVID’ in Hawaii. Reports of “long COVID-19” are rising throughout Hawaii, especially among Native Hawaiians and Filipinos, according to a new report from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, or UHERO. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Council votes to require overdose drug for Oahu bars.  Honolulu will mandate that about 850 bars, nightclubs and restaurants serving alcohol in the city be required to have naloxone nasal spray on hand to counteract opioid-­related overdoses. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Honolulu City Council Delays And Defers Liquor Commission Nominations.  Two nominees don't currently meet state residency requirements. Civil Beat.

Court Rules In Favor Of Hawaii Charter School In ‘Strip Search’ Lawsuit. A circuit court judge sided with Kapolei Charter School and its director Wanda Villareal who claimed a 2019 search of three students accused of smoking cannabis and vaping on a field trip was lawful. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.   Star-Advertiser.

HPD recruit hospitalized in serious condition after accidentally shooting himself. A Honolulu Police Department recruit accidentally shot himself at the academy on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Prominent Honolulu Condo Directors Pay $600,000 To Settle Retaliation Claim. The case pitted a retired Army colonel against executives with leading developers MacNaughton and the Kobayashi Group.The directors of a landmark Honolulu condominium have agreed to pay $600,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a fellow director who alleged he faced retaliation for raising concerns about the condo board. Civil Beat.

Residents say affordable housing is still out of reach. Hawaii’s housing crisis drummed up emotions during the Wednesday, July 12 Honolulu City Council Meeting. Many residents testified on plans for affordable housing and said those developments are still far beyond their reach.  KHON2.

Workers strike at Oahu nursing home. Staff at Oahu Care Facility, a Honolulu nursing home, went on strike Wednesday to demand higher wages and better working conditions. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

Hawaii Island

Female Inmate’s Case Raises Concern About Prolonged Pretrial Detainment At Hilo Jail. Henrietta Stone, 65, has been locked up since 2017 while the court determines if she is mentally fit. A woman accused in the death of her 9-year-old granddaughter has been held in the Hilo jail for six years without trial while her mental condition is evaluated, the second case of its kind to surface publicly in recent weeks. Civil Beat.

Wetter-than-normal trend continues for S. Kona, but in East Hawaii, June was abnormally dry.  The Kona coffee belt experiences its rainy season when most of the rest of the state experiences its dry season, starting in May and extending into the summertime. Tribune-Herald.

Rare sighting of a humpback whale off Kona. While Hawai‘i’s waters are home to a variety of whale species year round, including short-fin pilot whales and false killer whales, the more photographed humpback whales are almost never seen in Hawaiian waters this time of year.  Big Island Now. KHON2.

Maui

EV chargers coming to Maui under federal program. The Puunene Park and Ride is poised to be one of the first in the state to receive electric vehicle chargers through the multibillion-dollar National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, which is part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Maui News.

Maui County reopens Alelele Point access with limited hours.  The road has been closed since May 10 due to safety concerns from rockfall. It connects the communities of Kīpahulu and Kaupō. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui News.

Hawaiʻi Land Trust awarded $803,700 grant for Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes & Wetlands Refuge.  The funds will be used at the 277-acre Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge on Maui.  It will also fund restoration of taro fields and the fishpond at Kapoho, which is located within the refuge.  Maui Now.

Kauai

Only five ‘akikiki left on Kaua‘i and their chances of survival are slim. Only five of the native Hawaiian honeycreeper species, ʻakikiki, are left in the wild and chances of saving them are growing increasingly dire by the day, according to state officials.  Kauai Now. KHON2.

‘Stop it now’: Residents call for stricter review of $200M luxury development planned for Poipu. Kauai activists have been trying to stop a $200 million luxury condo development in Kiahuna for years. Separately, another home is being built nearby just feet from a heiau. Hawaii News Now.