Hawaii Business Magazine

It looked bad in the beginning, but Maui did not suck up all the money in the state budget
The state ended the last fiscal year on June 30, 2023, with an enormous budget surplus of more than $2.17 billion, which softened the fiscal shock from the disaster. Civil Beat.

House-Senate conference committee passes Hawai‘i vacation rentals bill
The full House and Senate will now consider the question of whether to allow each county to determine how — if at all — to regulate short-term vacation rentals on their islands, including the possibility of outlawing them. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Doctors urge lawmakers to get rid of general excise tax on health care
On top of the rising costs of medicine, providers said the general excise tax is killing their businesses and making it harder for patients to get care. Doctors currently aren’t allowed to charge GE taxes to patients on government insurance plans. KITV4.

State ranks among best for quality Pre-K programs; however, near bottom for access
A new national report has revealed that Hawaiʻi is one of just five states to meet 10 out of 10 research-based quality benchmarks for pre-kindergarten programs. However, it ranks 44th for enrollment of 4-year-olds and 31st for 3-year-olds. Maui Now.

Sea level rise could make tsunamis more destructive. Is Hawaiʻi prepared?
Certain agencies have already started to incorporate sea level rise into disaster planning. UH Mānoa researchers are working with the state Department of Transportation to build sea level rise into their tsunami modeling and preparation in their 2050 Honolulu Harbor Master Plan. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bee habitat destruction, albatross death could lead to $3 million in fines
Several North Shore property owners face more than $3 million in state fines for destroying a critical native bee habitat — pushing two of those bee species closer to extinction — and for installing an unpermitted fence that contributed to the killing of a nesting Laysan albatross. Civil Beat. Big Island Now.

Investigation of alleged beating by HPD officers is ongoing
An internal investigation is ongoing nearly five months after Honolulu police allegedly hit a man with a car before beating him and his son during a New Year’s Day manhunt and shootouts  with an attempted murder suspect. Star-Advertiser.

Neighborhood boards to get active shooter training after alarming incident at meeting 
Members of the Kalihi-Palama board said they were upset by what turned out to be a man breaking a glass window, sparking a conversation about safety. Civil Beat.

Repairs on 2 O‘ahu bridges begin next week
Construction on Rainbow Bridge over Anahulu Stream in Haleiwa will last for approximately one year, and work on the Dillingham Boulevard Bridge over Kapalama Canal in Iwilei will last for around four months. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

City seeks 500 employees to run its annual Summer Fun program
The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation is looking for approximately 500 staff members to accommodate 10,000 keiki for its summer program. Hawaii Public Radio.

From his Kalihi workshop, Dexter Freitas has sharpened blades for cooks, print shops, furniture makers and others since 1988… read more.

HECO’s call to conserve power on Hawaiʻi Island ends, generators back online
Three units with a combined generating capacity of up to 53 megawatts have been repaired ahead of schedule and are back online, Hawaiian Electric announced. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

State to pay more than $1.5m in two Big Island cases
The state, with legislative approval, is set to pay out more than $1.5 million in settlement money for two high-profile cases on the Big Island. West Hawaii Today.

HPP lot owner cross-examined in house snafu case
Attorneys for a developer and construction company that in 2022 built a house on the wrong lot in Hawaiian Paradise Park on Wednesday cross-examined the lot’s owner, who they’re suing for unjust enrichment. Tribune-Herald.

Kolekole park reopens
Kolekole Gulch Park closed in 2017 after extensive lead contamination was found in the park’s soil, stemming from lead paint used in the overspanning Kolekole Stream Bridge. Tribune-Herald.

Brittany Anderson to seek District 1 seat on Hawai‘i County Council
One of the owners of a family farm on the Big Island’s Hāmākua Coast is throwing her hat into this year’s race for Hawai‘i County Council. Big Island Now.

Maui News moves to print weekly, digital daily
The 124-year-old newspaper announced it will print only on Thursday, while ramping up digital output effective June 6. Maui News. Hawaii News Now.

Vacation rentals evicted from Kīhei Marketplace redevelopment plans
A redevelopment project to beautify the rundown Kīhei Marketplace ran into strong community opposition Tuesday before the Maui Planning Commission with dozens of testifiers irked about plans for 13 transient vacation rentals. Maui Now.

Will the Maui fires help or hurt candidates in this year’s election?
The county Elections Division partnered with the state Office of Elections in October to send out roughly 14,000 letters to voters who lived in West Maui’s House District 14 prior to the Lahaina fire asking them to update their mailing address. Displaced Lahaina voters can choose to have their ballots tied to their residential address before the fire, regardless of where they’re physically located now. Civil Beat.

State to create 450 interim units to house fire survivors ineligible for federal aid
Gov. Josh Green has announced a new partnership with HomeAid Hawai‘i to build 450 units for Maui wildfire survivors who were not eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui News.

Dozens of vehicles to be towed from Kahului harbor next month
An estimated 54 trucks and cars, many inoperable, will be towed from the state’s Kahului Harbor on May 6, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Maui News.