Hawaii Supreme Court rules against short-term vacation rentals on ag land, court to decide fate of $4B wildfire settlement, Honolulu advances empty homes tax, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Vacation rentals not OK in Hawaii’s agricultural land district. Poorly regulated use of homes on farmland around the state has been somewhat reined in by a unanimous Hawaii Supreme Court decision Tuesday. The court ruled against 17 owners of ag land on Hawaii island who objected to a 2019 Hawaii County ordinance that aimed to regulate short-term vacation rental use of dwellings built after the creation of the state’s land-use law in 1976.  Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Now.

Hawaii Supreme Court To Decide Fate Of $4 Billion Wildfire Settlement. A decision about whether insurers can pursue their own lawsuits could come by year's end. The state of Hawaii, Maui County, Hawaiian Electric Co., Hawaiian Telcom, Kamehameha Schools and other defendants have agreed to pay $4.04 billion to settle the claims of hundreds of individual fire victims. Civil Beat. KHON2.  KITV4.

Hawaiian Electric Industries has added to its take from selling newly issued shares of stock. The company said today that an option for stock sale underwriters to buy up to $75 million in new shares has been fully exercised. Star-Advertiser.

Transportation experts say more steps are ahead to curb rising pedestrian deaths. So far this year, there have been 71 traffic fatalities in Hawaii, according to the state Department of Transportation. Out of those, 26 were pedestrians. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu Empty Homes Tax Proposal Advances. A plan to increases taxes on homes that sit empty on Oahu moved forward Wednesday when a Honolulu City Council committee agreed to send it on to the council budget committee. Bill 46 passed out of the Housing, Sustainability and Health Committee on a 3-2 vote. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council advances lawsuit for 2021 police-involved shooting. The Honolulu City Council's Executive Matters & Legal Affairs Committee voted Wednesday to advance the request to settle the lawsuit against the city filed by the widow of Lindani Myeni. KITV4.

Ewa community developer Haseko facing $27M judgement again after appeal. About 1,800 homeowners at Ocean Pointe and Hoakalei Resort are entitled to $27 million in damages under a 2013 class-action lawsuit against the developer of the Ewa community, according to an appellate court. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu’s west side violence a ‘public health crisis’.  Waianae health care officials are launching a “comprehensive public health response” focused on addressing the deteriorating mental health of a community plagued by the high cost of living and deadly gun violence. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. KHON2.

Pupukea home that erodes into ocean spurs legal action. The state Department of the Attorney General took legal action Wednesday against a North Shore property owner after part of a beachfront home collapsed onto state land and into the ocean. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Expansion completed at Women’s Community Correctional Center. A multi-million dollar expansion project at the Women’s Community Correctional Center, Hawaii’s only women’s prison, has officially been completed. KHON2.

DLNR to deploy drones to eradicate coqui frogs at Kuliouou. A new colony of invasive coqui frogs has been discovered in Kuliouou in East Honolulu — just about 200 meters below the summit of the Kuliouou Ridge Trail, according to Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

UH Starts Raising Marine Animals In Manoa To Grow Hawaii’s Aquaculture Industry. A new facility researches how to make sea creatures more resilient in Native Hawaiian fishponds. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

New affordable housing project slated for Waikoloa Village. Na Hale Makoa will feature 139 one-, two- and three-bedroom units serving households earning up to 140% of area median income, as well as one resident manager’s unit. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

5,000 Tires Tossed On Hawaiʻi Island. Hawaiʻi County officials say the recent "Toss Your Tires" recycling event held on September 21 was a success. Big Island Video News.

One of its greatest strengths: UH-Hilo continues to be one of most diverse universities in nation. The Hilo campus earned a diversity index score of 0.76, ranking as one of the most diverse universities in the country and coming in just behind prestigious institutions such as Stanford and Johns Hopkins. Big Island Now.

UH Hilo lab develops AI to analyze forest bird soundscapes. Biology Professor Patrick Hart and his team have been recording forest soundscapes for months at a time and uploading the files to a computer. He said they've developed ways to teach a computer, using AI, how to detect every bird's song. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui Fire Department receives ATF report; public release set for next week. The County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety received the Lahaina Fire Summary of Findings and Conclusions report from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. Maui Now. KHON2.

Wildfire debris removed from all Lahaina homes and 64% of commercial properties. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with other organizations, have completed debris removal for all homes and for 64% of commercial properties affected by the Lahaina wildfires. KITV4.

Council resolution urges prioritized recycled wastewater use for new housing. A lack of fresh water resources has long held back housing development on Maui. And now that there’s a post-disaster housing shortage, the Maui County Council will consider Friday a resolution calling for increased production and expansion of recycled wastewater use to make more potable water available for human consumption. Maui Now.

County’s West Maui Business Center providing assistance to local businesses. The County of Maui Office of Economic Development in collaboration with local partners and nonprofits, has launched the West Maui Business Center and online business portal www.WestMauiBusinessCenter.org to aid local businesses directly and indirectly impacted by the August 2023 wildfires. Maui News.

Coral damaged by grounded yacht ready to return to Honolua Bay after recovering in nursery. In a saltwater aquarium at the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute’s facilities, a cluster of tiny corals are building up their strength for a big journey back home.  Maui Now.

Brush fire near Molokai Airport 100% contained after burning 80 acres. A brush fire that sparked near Molokai Airport on Tuesday is now 100% contained, according to the latest update from the Maui Fire Department. KITV4.

Kauai

Home sales surge in August on Kauai. Single-family home sales soared 115.79 percent to 41 in August from 19 in August 2023, according to monthly data pooled from multiple sources by Hawai‘i Realtors in Honolulu.  Garden Island.

Queen’s Bath on Kaua‘i closed for winter due to hazardous ocean conditions. The access gate to Queen’s Bath in Princeville is closed through winter, effective immediately. Kauai Now.

Legislature passes almost 200 bills, including income tax cut, vacation rental regulation, official shaka gesture, coffee labeling; Maui sues cell phone carriers for Lahaina fire outages, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lawmakers Give Final Approval To A ‘Historic’ Income Tax Cut In Long Day Of Voting. The tax bill along with nearly 200 other measures, including one that gives counties the authority to regulate short-term vacation rentals, now go to Gov. Josh Green for his consideration. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Bill aimed at short-term vacation rentals passes. Legislation that would give Hawaii’s counties the authority to fully regulate and to phase out short-term vacation rentals cleared its final floor vote Wednesday in the state Senate. Tribune-Herald.

Legislature passes bill to exempt certain medical services from General Excise Tax. Senate Bill 1035 SD2 HD1 CD1, introduced by Sen. Lorraine R. Inouye (Senate District 1, Hilo, Paukaʻa, Papaikou, Pepeʻekeo), exempts hospitals, infirmaries, medical clinics, health care facilities, pharmacies, and medical and dental providers from General Excise Tax (GET) on goods or services that are reimbursed through Medicaid, Medicare, or TRICARE. Maui Now.

Coffee labeling standards bill gets final approval from Hawaiʻi Legislature. House Bill 2298, introduced by Big Island state Rep. Nicole Lowen, mandates that as of July 1, 2027, any coffee labeled or advertised with a Hawaiʻi geographic origin must consist of at least 51% coffee, by weight, from that region. Kauai Now.

Shaka bill passed. A proposal making the “Shaka” Hawaii’s official state gesture received final approval Wednesday. KHON2.

Department of the attorney general releases annual firearm registration statistics. Statewide, a total of 23,528 personal/private firearm permit applications were processed during 2023, marking a 7.5% increase from 21,881 applications processed in 2022. Kauai Now.

Volunteer Firefighters Are Big On The Mainland. Not So Much In Hawaii. The ability of fire departments to muster extra help during major wildfires is a critical issue for the state as it grapples with how to prevent another disaster like Lahaina.  Civil Beat.

These energy bills failed to pass this Legislative session, puzzling proponents. Popular measures on energy efficiency and solar permitting died abruptly in their last committees, leading some energy stakeholders to label this session as a letdown.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Kupuna lost nearly $28M to fraud in 2023, FBI reports. Seniors in Hawaii over 60 years of age lost nearly $28 million last year to fraud schemes targeting older Americans’ money or cryptocurrency, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Star-Advertiser.

Union hotel workers rally to kick-start bargaining. More than 1,500 Unite Here Local 5 union members Rallied Wednesday as they prepare for the possibility of widespread labor disputes with 17 Hawaii hotel contracts covering over 7,000 hotel workers over three islands  set to expire at the end of next month.  Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Oahu

Developers And Labor Unions Are Contributing To Blangiardi’s Reelection Campaign. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi has collected about $90,000 in campaign contributions since the start of the year, bringing his available spending money to about $750,000 as he pursues reelection. Civil Beat.

DOH takes 'unusual step' to reject Navy's Red Hill groundwater sampling plan. The Hawaiʻi Department of Health has rejected the Navy’s Red Hill Consolidated Groundwater Sampling Program and ordered a modified version to be implemented instead. Hawaii Public Radio.

Ocean safety lifeguards want their own department, but don’t want the mayor to appoint their leader. Lifeguards told a Honolulu City Council committee that they want a commission to pick the leader for a new department -- and that’s something that has to go before voters. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Red light cameras at intersections on Oahu could soon also enforce speeding. For the first time since 2002, speed limits in Hawaii could soon be enforced by automated cameras — thanks to a bill easily approved by both House and Senate on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian monk seal Kaiwi gives birth at Kaimana Beach again. This is the third time Kaiwi has given birth at the popular beach in Waikiki, and federal, state and county agencies are urging the public to maintain a distance from mom and pup as they nurse along the shoreline. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

County Council takes up 2 measures supporting project to mitigate wildfire risk in North Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i County Council on Wednesday during a regular session meeting took up two measures in support of mitigating the risk of wildfires in North Hawai‘i, specifically in and around communities that were affected by the Māna Road Fire. Big Island Now.

Council bill could change make-up of planning commissions. A county bill under consideration by a council committee over the last two weeks would require that the Windward and Leeward planning commissions include at least one member with experience or expertise in Native Hawaiian traditions, customary practices, land usage and law. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo woman cited for feeding cats in park where nēnē gosling was found dead. Doreen Torres, 66, was issued two citations for violating state endangered and threatened species laws, which prohibit the feeding of protected wildlife, since nēnē may eat the cat food. Big Island Now.

Harsher fines proposed for owners of barking dogs.  The proposed increases would raise the fine for a first offense from $25 to $50; from $75 to $100 for a second violation; from $100 to $200 for a third; and from $200 to $400 for any subsequent offense. Tribune-Herald.

North Kona Water Restriction Downgraded After Well Repair. The Hualālai Deepwell has been repaired and returned to service, which means certain Kona customers are back to a voluntary 10% Water Conservation Notice. Big Island Video News.

Permitting process to harvest Kapāpala koa trees for canoes gets approval. More than 30 years ago, the state set aside about 1,200 acres on the southeastern slopes of Maunaloa to serve as a sustainable source of koa for constructing canoes. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui County Sues Cell Phone Carriers For Lahaina Fire Outages. Maui County filed a lawsuit against four telecommunications giants Wednesday alleging that the companies failed to notify 911 dispatchers about a cell phone service blackout that hampered the government’s wildfire response in Lahaina’s hardest-hit neighborhoods last year. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  Maui Now.  KHON2.

Maui County files eminent domain complaint against Komar Maui Properties for landfill expansion. The Maui County Department of Environmental Management filed a complaint Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court for condemnation of nearly 20 acres of former quarry land next to the Central Maui Landfill in Puʻunēnē. Maui Now.

Maui United Way approves $150K in emergency funding to address unmet food needs for wildfire impacted families. Maui United Way has stepped in to provide emergency stop-gap funding to a hui of organizations led by Common Ground Collective (CGC) dedicated to feeding vulnerable fire-impacted families on Maui’s West Side while also providing a boost to local farmers. Maui Now.

Air Force offers first interview on proposal to build up to 7 telescopes on Haleakala. As a plan to build up to seven new telescopes on Haleakala faces mounting opposition, the Department of the Air Force on Wednesday offered its first interview to discuss the controversial proposal. KITV4.

New Kaiser Permanente Lahaina Clinic marks official opening with Ho‘ola. Kaiser Permanente physicians, nurses, staff, Maui community partners stakeholders, and local dignitaries gathered on the grounds of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort to celebrate the new 5,200-square-foot Lahaina Clinic.  Maui News.

Kauai

State investigating amid reports cruise ship sailed too close to Kauai’s Na Pali Coast. Kauai community advocates said the ship appeared to be in very shallow water and about 1,000 feet offshore. Hawaii News Now.

Wastewater spill reported following failure of Coco Palms sewer pump station. A failure of a critical pump controller at the Wailua Coco Palms sewer pump station on Tuesday resulted in a wastewater spill of about 6,000 gallons. Kauai Now.

New North Shore school getting closer to opening. The school purchased a permanent site in Kilauea last year, and is currently is in the initial phase of its campus development. Garden Island.

Biodiesel sunflowers are coming to Kaumakani. The project is a multi-year agreement between Pacific Biodiesel and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory that will demonstrate renewable biofuel produced in Hawai‘i from multiple locally grown oilseed cover crops, and the effort will strengthen Hawai‘i’s food security, energy security and supply chain resiliency. Garden Island.

Uncertain future for vacation rental bill, first trial date set in Lahaina wildfire lawsuit cases, university gets onslaught of emails from one state senator, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Emails Reveal A State Senator’s Unrelenting Demands On The University Of Hawaii. Donna Mercado Kim continually sends requests for detailed responses about a range of issues, from anonymous complaints to spending concerns. Civil Beat.

Vacation rental bill is headed to uncertainty.  SB 2919 wold ensure that each county has the power to regulate short-term rentals — including banning them. The Senate on Thursday disagreed with changes made in the House, meaning the bill likely will head to an end-of-session conference committee where anything can happen, including killing it if no compromise can be reached in the remaining three weeks. Star-Advertiser.

Regulation of vacation rentals varies among counties. Here's how. Star-Advertiser.

Cockfighting bill dies in Senate. While cockfighting already is illegal in Hawaii, House Bill 1980 would increase the severity of the offense from a misdemeanor to a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000. Tribune-Herald.

Macadamia nut labeling legislation in limbo. Consumers don’t know whether many macadamia nut snacks identified with Hawaii contain any Hawaii-­grown macadamia nuts, and an effort to change that through state law may be doomed this year. Star-Advertiser.

Needs are high in the state for people to donate their time. Hawaii is ranked low, 45th out of 50 states, for volunteerism in the latest United Health Foundation America’s Health Ranking analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.  Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu’s Short-Term Rental Owners Will Pay Higher Property Taxes Soon. Short-term rental owners in Honolulu will start paying higher property taxes next fiscal year, but it’s up to the City Council to decide how much. Civil Beat.

About 2,200 Hawaii Kai and East Honolulu customers face loss of power for most of Monday.  The company said the outage was caused by damage to one of the main transmission lines that bring power across the Koolau mountains into the Hawaii Kai/East Honolulu area.  Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

Kamehameha Highway Just Got $5M To Guard Against Rising Seas. It Will Need Much More. There are tough decisions ahead when it comes to planning for the future of the critical road connecting Windward communities. Civil Beat.

Working Group Will Address Lead Contamination At Marine Shooting Range. Hawaii lawmakers have ordered the formation of a new working group to discuss lead contamination in the air and water around a Marine Corps’ shooting range in Ewa Beach.  Civil Beat.

Chief lifeguard ‘stoked’ over potential new department. As chief of Honolulu’s 277-member Ocean Safety Division, John Titchen says his agency’s possible transformation into a full-fledged city department is a long time coming. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Humane Society sees unprecedented number of shelter dogs due to families leaving Hawaii. More than 250 dogs are currently available for adoption at Hawaiian Humane Society due to a shelter space crisis that has been increasing overcrowded kennels. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Slow spring for real estate? Interest rates continue to put pressure on home sales. According to multiple listing service data, 477 homes have been sold on the island this year as of the end of March, a 10% increase from the first three months of 2023. Tribune-Herald.

Generator shortfall results in rolling blackouts on Hawai‘i Island. Hawaiian Electric is conducting rolling outages that will last between 30 minutes to an hour due to a generator shortfall. Big Island Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Resistance to roundabout: Draft EA released for proposed Waikoloa Village project. The public comment period addressing the draft environmental assessment for the Waikoloa Road/Paniolo Avenue roundabout concluded Monday, with community members expressing concern over the finding of no significant impact recommended in the report. West Hawaii Today.

Third Hawaiʻi Sustainability Summit Set For Kona, May 3-4. Hawai‘i County is calling community leaders to attend the Third Hawaiʻi Sustainability Summit.  Big Island Video News.

Former Big Island Lawmaker Wayne Metcalf Dead At 71. He was a former Hawaii State Insurance Commissioner during the Cayetano administration who also served as Hilo’s state representative from 1984-1992 and as senator from 1997-1998. Civil Beat.

Maui

Lahaina wildfire cases could get a trial date as soon as Nov. 18. Parties to cases involving the Lahaina wildfire disaster could see their first trial date as soon as Nov. 18, 2024 before Judge Peter Cahill. The date was set during a status conference held Friday before a room full of attorneys representing various interests in the case.  Maui Now.

BLNR successful in its appeal in East Maui water case. The Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources, as represented by the Department of the Attorney General, prevailed on appeal in a case regarding the continuation of revocable permits for the diversion of water from streams in East Maui to Central and Upcountry Maui. Maui Now.

Maui’s Recent Wildfires Convinced The County Council That The Emergency Budget Needs Beefing Up. The Maui County Council signaled last week that it wants more resources for Maui’s fire and emergency management agencies in the aftermath of last year’s devastating fires.  Civil Beat.

Maui County Has Been So Slow To Come Up With A Plan To Help People Rebuild In Lahaina That A State Lawmaker Is Doing It Instead. Hearing continual frustration from Lahaina constituents about what they call a lack of clear direction from Maui County government on when they can rebuild their homes, Maui Rep. Elle Cochran is creating a coalition of contractors, architects, suppliers and other building professionals to guide people who have questions.  Civil Beat.

Maui wildfire relief resources: Federal assistance surpasses $347M. Since wildfires swept over the Island of Maui Aug. 8, more than $347.8 million in federal assistance has been approved for 7,090 households. Maui Now.

Coastal waters off Lahaina are now confirmed safe for recreational use. The Surfrider Foundation Maui chapter just released a report from its Post-Fires Water Quality Monitoring Program — and results indicate no cause for concern. Hawaii Public Radio.

Mobile ministry takes its support directly to the unsheltered.  Church volunteers on Maui who have operated a van since 2014 to distribute food and supplies to the homeless have seen the number of unsheltered people more than double since the catastrophic wildfires. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

County assesses damage in aftermath of thunderstorm. A second storm moved through the island of Kaua‘i on Sunday, adding to the mess created from an earlier hydrological event that wreaked havoc on local roads and properties. Garden Island.

Storm brings damages to Kaua‘i including a drill rig on the mauka Wailua River Bridge rail. State crews continue their work to remove a drill rig after it fell onto the mauka Wailua River Bridge rail following heavy rains that brought flooding to several parts of Kaua‘i. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now.