Hawaii Business Magazine

“Alaska-Hawaii deal: DOJ may decide within 90 days.”

Views expressed in this Hawaii State News summary are those of the reporters and correspondents. Accessed on 09 May 2024, 2159 UTC.

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Russ Roberts (https://hawaiinewsdigestonline.com).

Locally Owned, Locally Committed Since 1955

5.9.2024

TOP STORIES

Deadline effectively set for Justice Department to decide on Alaska-Hawaiian deal
The DOJ said it would decide within 90 days of the two airlines declaring substantial compliance with the DOJ’s second and presumably final document request. Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
Attorney General Anne Lopez serving as acting governor

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, currently serving as acting Governor of Hawaiʻi, will travel out of state on May 7 to attend her son’s college graduation, followed by a trip to Washington, D.C. Governor Josh Green, is currently in California since May 4 to attend the Milken Institute Global Conference.
Maui News.

Federal witnesses defend Navy’s Red Hill response
Government witnesses are taking the stand this week to defend the Navy’s response to the Red Hill water crisis and sow doubts about the severity of the contamination as a federal mass tort lawsuit on behalf of affected families continues. Star-Advertiser.

Campaign Spending Commission fines Kaniela Ing another $18,000
The Campaign Spending Commission fined former state Rep. Kaniela Ing $18,000 Wednesday for failing to make records available to the commission and falsifying nearly two dozen campaign finance reports during his time as a state representative from 2012 to 2018. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

FEMA is still spending millions on hundreds of empty housing units for Maui fire survivors
The agency has found available housing but is struggling to get people to move in. On Friday, it ends its support for the emergency hotel program. Civil Beat.

‘Follow the money’ witness wraps up government’s case in Kaneshiro trial
After 22 days of testimony, the government rested its case in the federal bribery trial against ex-city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro and his co-defendants. The prosecution’s final witness Laurice Otsuka, told the jury about bank records, campaign spending reports and finding questionable deposits to political candidates by employees of Mitsunaga and Associates. Hawaii News Now.

HAWAII BUSINESS MAGAZINE
East West Marketing Imports Filipino Food Products with the “Taste of Home”
2024 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award winner: Melody Calisay started selling dry foods from her car to support her doctoral studies. It’s now a $4 million business… read more.

OʻAHU

Will Honolulu reach its goal to drop emissions by 45% in the next year
Ben Sullivan, the deputy director for the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, said that Honolulu is on track to achieve closer to a 15% reduction, which is well below the stated goal. Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

City outlines wildfire preparations on Oʻahu
The City and County of Honolulu says it’s begun efforts to better respond to future wildfire threats. Those efforts include better communication between the Honolulu Fire Department and other city and state agencies, and getting the public on board with fire mitigation efforts, such as clearing weeds away from homes, businesses and neighborhoods prone to wildfires. Star-Advertiser.

Residential development planned for former St. Francis School campus
The 11.2 acre campus on the east side of Mānoa Valley is already zoned for residential use. The Avalon Group purchased it for $23.5 million and wants to turn it into Aria Lane Mānoa, with 76 single-family homes and 26 townhomes. Prices haven’t been set yet. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Growing demand puts pressure on Honolulu’s sports fields
Sports leagues are proliferating while the number of fields remains stagnant. One solution: Letting leagues play on school fields during off-hours. Civil Beat.

Plans to redo Paradise Cove at Ko ʻOlina revived
New development partners are advancing a previously delayed plan to revitalize one of Hawaiʻi’s oldest and most popular tourist attractions, Paradise Cove Luau. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

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SPONSORED BY FIRST HAWAIIAN BANK

First Hawaiian Bank 2023 Donations Total Over $5 Million

Annual ESG Report highlights ongoing stewardship efforts and cybersecurity measures from Hawai’i’s top bank… read more.

HAWAIʻI ISLAND

Public clashes with Army over PTA lease
During a public comment meeting at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo on Wednesday, Big Islanders continued to urge the U.S. Army to abandon the Pohakuloa Training Area instead of extending its lease of state land. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. KITV4.

Visitor spending on Hawaiʻi Island leaps to $854.2 million in the first quarter
Visitor spending was up from $741.1 million in the first quarter of 2023 and from $646.4 in the first quarter of 2019, according to a monthly report from the state of Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development &Tourism. Tribune-Herald.

HAWAII BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Commentary: Why Is It So Hard to Get a Good Night’s Sleep?
Sleep has recently joined good nutrition and exercise among the broadly accepted foundations of physical and mental well-being. You’ve probably heard that lack of sleep is the new smoking,.. read more.

MAUI COUNTY

County issues RFP for After-Action Report
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announced the County of Maui has issued a Request for Proposals to conduct an After-Action Report assessing the coordination of Maui County Emergency Management Agency’s response to the Maui Wildfires that occurred in August 2023. Maui Now.

Residents invited to offer feedback on draft South Maui Community Plan
The Maui Planning Commission will review the latest draft for the South Maui Community Plan during a public meeting from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Testimony will be accepted. Maui Now.

New Maui Ethics Board member instructed not to participate due to legal dispute
The short-handed panel desperately needs more members, but a lawsuit is pending over the county’s selection process. Civil Beat.

KAUAʻI

US Navy, NASA seek continued use of lands at Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kōkeʻe park
The U.S. Navy and NASA want to continue using more than 8,000 acres of state land on Kaua‘i after existing real estate agreements expire in 2027 and 2030. Kauai Now.

Visitor spending tops $700 million in first quarter on Kaua‘i
Total visitor spending surged to $719.4 million in the three-month period ended March 31, compared with $660.9 million in the three-month period ended March 31, 2023, and $481.9 million in the three-month period ended March 31, 2019. Garden Island.