Taiwan’s President Visits East-West Think Tank as China Criticizes His 2-Day Visit to Hawaiʻi

Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te visited a U.S. State Department-funded think tank and educational institution Sunday on the second day of a two-day visit to Hawaiʻi that’s part of a Pacific island tour that has already triggered criticism from Beijing.

Associated Press. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Cannabis Caregivers and Large Grow Sites Will Soon Be Illegal in Hawaiʻi, Impacting Thousands

Thousands of Hawaiʻi medical cannabis patients depend on caregivers to grow and process marijuana for them as medicine. But those caregivers will be illegal in just a few weeks, along with the large community grow sites many of them depend on. Lawmakers say that was a mistake that they will try and fix as soon as possible, according to House Public Safety Chair Rep. Della Belatti.

Hawaii News Now. 

New Hawaiʻi Legislators, Leadership Hold Fate of Legal Recreational Marijuana

State legislators expect to take another run at legalizing adult recreational marijuana use and impose new, unspecified fees on tourists — all while figuring out how to pay for historic tax cuts passed earlier this year.

Star-Advertiser.

Southwest Airlines Shifting Strategy, Reducing Hawaiʻi Flights in 2025

Southwest Airlines plans some major changes to its Hawaiʻi services starting next spring, shifting its strategy and reducing interisland flights by as much as 30%.

Big Island Now

Jury Awards More Than $2 Million to Family of Disabled Homeless Man Killed by Deputy

A jury awarded $2.27 million Friday to the family of a man killed outside the Capitol in 2019 by a deputy sheriff and found the state liable for failing to properly train and supervise the law enforcement officer.

Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

O‘ahu Headlines

Hawaiʻi Crime Boss Miske Found Dead In Federal Prison

Honolulu businessman Michael J. Miske Jr., 50, was found dead Sunday at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, where he had been held since his arrest in 2020 and was awaiting sentencing in January. Miske, convicted of racketeering conspiracy, murder and 11 other felony charges, was scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 30, facing mandatory life sentences on two counts.

Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Expediting Japanese Travel Part of Bigger Push for Visitors

Eligible visitors from Japan can now apply for expedited entry to fly into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry program, which eliminates hours of standing in processing lines and provides faster, TSA pre-check screening, among other benefits designed to make it easier for foreign travel to American destinations that now include Honolulu.

Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Council Wants Study Uniting Paramedics With Fire Department

City Council member Val Okimoto introduced Resolution 272, which asks the city administration to establish a task force to explore whether the paramedic program — now operating under the city Emergency Services Department — should be integrated into the Honolulu Fire Department.

Star-Advertiser.

Close Hawaiʻi House Election Goes to Court After Recount

The result of the contest has been appealed to the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court by Corey Rosenlee, a James Campbell High School teacher and Democrat who lost by 11 votes to Republican incumbent Rep. Elijah Pierick to represent communities including Royal Kunia, Village Park, Hoʻopili, Honouliuli and part of Waipahu in House District 39.

Star-Advertiser.

Should the Planned Ala Wai Canal Bridge Be a New City Icon?

The City and County of Honolulu plans to put out a bid for design and construction of a bridge over the Ala Wai canal connecting University Avenue to Waikīkī early next year, with an estimated completion date around 2028. Opinions on the bridge run the gamut: some want a towering new icon, others oppose any bridge at all. Mōʻiliʻili and Waikīkī residents evaluated 19 design options last week.

Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Alameda Announces Additional Appointments

Hawaiʻi County Mayor-elect Kimo Alameda, who will be sworn-in at noon Monday, announced Friday the selection of administrators to lead four additional departments and offices.

Tribune-Herald.

Takeaway, Not Throwaway: Under Pilot Program, Eateries Would Serve Take-Out Meals in Reusable Containers

A pilot project that would develop a system for distributing and collecting reusable food containers at participating Hilo establishments is expected to launch by mid-2025 as Hawaiʻi County looks for a distribution partner.

Tribune-Herald.

Proposed Zoo Rules Criticized

At an evening public meeting, about a dozen Big Island residents urged the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation to reconsider a plan to impose admission fees at the Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens, as well as hike stall deposit fees at the Panaʻewa Equestrian Center.

Tribune-Herald.

Travel Advisory Issued for Hilo International Airport Due to Reduced Checkpoint Capacity

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation on Sunday evening issued a rare travel advisory for travelers departing from Hilo International Airport for Monday, December 2nd.

Big Island Video News. KHON2.

Servco Pacific Finalizes Deal for Two Big Island Toyota Dealerships

Honolulu-based Servco Pacific Inc., one of the top 15 automotive dealer groups in the U.S., finalized a deal today to acquire Big Island Toyota’s Hilo and Kona locations.

Star-Advertiser.

Maui Headlines

Lahaina Merchants Want to Rebuild Town as It Was Before Fire

Talks have been ongoing between merchants and Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen’s administration, with some planning officials worried about climate change and rising sea levels. However, the merchants note that it was a fire that destroyed the town, not the ocean. Town merchants said they were upset when, at one of the meetings, the administration offered to relocate businesses seaside of Front Street to an industrial area near the Pioneer Mill smokestack a quarter mile away.

Maui News.

Maui United Way Allocated Over $12.7M to Individuals and Organizations Across Maui County as Resilience and Recovery Continues

Response and recovery efforts included the distribution of $7.8 million in emergency financial assistance to nearly 8,000 residents; the funding of 42 nonprofit initiatives with grants totaling $417,000 to provide vital services such as transportation, crisis counseling, childcare, healthcare, and more; and a $1.2 million allocation to programs addressing food insecurity by ensuring access to nutritious, locally sourced meals for the community.

Maui Now.

Maui’s No-Kill Animal Rescue Organization to Close at the End of the Year

Since its founding in 2011, HARF has saved thousands of animals, provided humane education programs, and facilitated low-cost spay and neuter services to promote a sustainable future for Hawaiʻi’s animals. After 13 years, the Maui-based private, nonprofit Hawaiʻi Animal Rescue Foundation (HARF) will be closing its doors at the end of the year. Dawn Pfendler, CEO of HARF, explained that the decision was not made lightly, but financial and staffing challenges have made it impossible to continue to fulfill the organization’s mission.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Kauaʻi Holiday Events Include Parades, New Festival in Memory of West Side Historian

Parades on the East and West sides of the Garden Isle will bookend the month full of festivities, starting on Dec. 6 with the Lights on Rice, the annual Christmas parade in downtown Līhu‘e.

Kauaʻi Now.