$4 billion settlement for 2023 Maui wildfire lawsuits could come next week

Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the parties involved in the Lahaina wildfire lawsuits against Hawaiʻi, Maui County, and utility companies are nearing a global settlement of claims valued at just over $4 billion.

KITV4. Associated Press. 

German official stresses Indo-Pacific stability

This year is the first time the German navy and air force have taken part in RIMPAC. Their participation comes as Germany has been rolling out a new Pacific strategy as tensions along key trade routes in the region and China’s rising military might and influence have drawn the attention of leaders across Europe.

Star-Advertiser. 

Office of Hawaiian Affairs 2024 election: Here’s what to expect

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs grew out of organized efforts in the 1970s to remedy past wrongs suffered by Native Hawaiians. OHA is governed by a nine-member Board of Trustees elected by all Hawaiʻi residents, not just Native Hawaiians. Four seats on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees are up for election this year.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio. 

Hawaiʻi summer traffic fatalities surpassed last year’s

State officials have tallied 59 traffic-related deaths in roughly the first seven months of 2024, 10 more than the same time in 2023, according to preliminary statistics from the Hawaii Department of Transportation.

Star-Advertiser. 

O‘ahu Headlines

HPD releases body camera footage in only a fraction of deadly encounters

Body cameras are supposed to help hold police accountable, but many officers involved in critical incidents are part of specialized units that are exempt from wearing the devices.

Civil Beat. 

The possibility of offshore windfarms in Kaiwi Channel waters gets major pushback

The state set a goal of generating 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2045. But just the concept of using offshore wind turbines to generate some of that energy got major blowback in a Waimānalo town hall meeting with federal officials.

Hawaii News Now. 

Pacific Palisades residents fear single road, broken siren hinder fire evacuation

The neighborhood is nestled in Waimano Valley in Central Oʻahu. According to the federal Wildfire Risk to Communities map, it is classified as a “more likely” area to experience wildfires.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio. 

A fallen tree has been blocking Tantalus Drive for a month. Why hasn’t the city cleared it?

There’s only two ways up and down Tantalus, and one of them has been blocked for weeks by a landslide. Residents say it’s too much to clear on their own, but the city says private property owners need to take the lead. The situation has reached a point that some neighbors are worried about emergency access.

Civil Beat. 

Amazon vans are ready to roll from new distribution station

The world’s largest online retailer is about to open its own ground transportation operation for package delivery on O‘ahu.

Star-Advertiser. 

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

County homeless camp relocated: Former site in Hilo has been restored

The county dismantled the Ponahawai shelter and relocated its 15 remaining occupants to a new shelter on Kuawa Street — a short road connecting Manono Street and Māmalahoa  Highway just mauka of Kamehameha Avenue.

Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Final draft of Hawaiʻi County General Plan 2045 released

The comprehensive policy document will guide the physical, economic, environmental, and sociocultural development of Hawaiʻi County over the next 25 years.

Big Island Video News. 

Health Department issues high bacteria count notification at Kolekole Gulch; retesting site

Levels of 1652 per 100 mL were detected during routine beach monitoring – but the Department of Health is uncertain about the representativeness of the first sample. The Department of Health will update the notification based on the results of this retesting.

Big Island Now. 

Maui Headlines

There are so few doctors in Maui County that even medical workers struggle to get care

Two in three Maui County residents had trouble accessing health services in the past year. That marks a 21% increase from 2022, according to a recent report from the Hawaiʻi State Rural Health Association.

Civil Beat.

Lahainaluna graduates awarded financial support to further studies

In the outpouring of support after the 2023 wildfire, Lahaina­luna’s 215 seniors were all offered full scholarships to attend the University of Hawaiʻi.

Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. KITV4.

Lāna‘i residents face a question: Should a private company or Maui County run their ferry?

About 35 Pineapple Isle residents attended the first public meeting on the Maui County Ferry Feasibility Study, a Maui County Council-initiated report that is being conducted by the county Department of Transportation as it considers whether to develop a government-run intracounty ferry service from Maui to Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i.

Maui Now. 

Kaua‘i Headlines

First installment of Kaua‘i real property taxes coming due

Payments can be made online at https://kauairpt.ehawaii.gov, by mail, in person, or at the drop box located outside the Kapulē Building at the Līhu‘e Civic Center.

Kaua‘i Now. 

Shaping the future of Kīlauea Town

The small, charming community on North Shore, known for its history of sugar cane plantation, presented a blueprint for the beginning phases of the Kīlauea Town Expansion Project, which will shape the future of Kīlauea.

The Garden Island.