Convention Center $64M Repair Project in Limbo Amid Leadership Crisis

Just weeks after posting one of its most profitable months, the Hawaii Convention Center is now facing a new wave of uncertainty. A $64 million rooftop repair project is now in limbo, with no clear leadership in place.

KHON2.

Green Testifies in Defense of COVID Vaccines in Washington, D.C.

Gov. Green, a licensed physician, on Wednesday defended COVID-19 vaccines before a U.S. Senate subcommittee in D.C., saying they saved countless lives during the pandemic. But most of the testimony before the U.S. Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations alleged that federal agencies failed to adequately warn the public about the risk of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, from the mRNA vaccines.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Tax Collections Will Be Lower Than Expected Over Next 2 Years

Hawaiʻi may have to revisit its budget after a panel of economic experts projected the state will collect $550 million less than expected in taxes over the next couple of years. Here’s a bright spot: Lawmakers baked a $700 million cash balance into the budget, with $200 million of that to help offset any federal budget cuts that may be to come.

Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Opportunity to Pay Less for Electricity During Sunlight Hours Yields Mixed Results

Last year, Hawaiian Electric put a group of randomly selected Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island customers on an experimental rate scheme that made electricity cheaper during the day when solar energy was abundant and more expensive in the evening and nighttime.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Hawaiʻi Is Facing a Food Crisis. Can a State Plan Finally Help?

Lawmakers are pushing for a comprehensive plan to address Hawaiʻi’s overreliance on imported foods and the growing number of residents who can’t afford groceries. Their plan involves creating a permanent team to fix our food system by helping counties to work together while accounting for obstacles such as climate change and our fragile supply chain.

Civil Beat.

O‘ahu Headlines

ACLU Hawai‘i Prepares to Sue HPD Over ‘Concerning Trend’ of Sober Drivers Arrested for DUI

The American Civil Liberties Union Hawai‘i could pursue legal action against the Honolulu Police Department over a “pattern and practice of falsely arresting drivers in Honolulu without probable cause and without due process,” a letter sent to the police chief on Tuesday read.

Hawaii News Now.

Former BLNR Chair on the Army’s Use of Federal Land in Mākua Valley

William Aila served as the chair of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources from 2010 to 2014. He had also worked with Mālama Mākua in its early fight against the Army to halt bombing practices at Mākua Valley on Oʻahu. Now he represents Hui Mālama o Mākua, a group dedicated to protecting Mākua Valley’s cultural and spiritual resources.

Hawai‘i Public Radio.

Illegal Gambling Arrests on O‘ahu Increased in 2024

The Honolulu Police Department made 115 arrests for gambling equipment violations in 2024, up from 92 in 2023, according to HPD’s data dashboard. Officers also arrested 124 people for operating, promoting or assisting gambling in 2024, up from 109 arrests in 2023.

Star-Advertiser.

How UH Mānoa Is Trying to Hold Onto Hawaiʻi’s High School Grads

Hawaiʻi’s young people aren’t all that keen on staying home for college, believing that bigger and better experiences lie on the mainland. The University of Hawaiʻi has had a hard time hanging onto kamaʻāina, so it switched up the application process for locals in hopes of flipping the script. It just might be working.

Civil Beat.

Community Honors West Loch Disaster Anniversary

The West Loch disaster was a deadly — and often forgotten — World War II incident in Hawaiʻi that prompted major reforms in the U.S. military due to the disproportionate death toll of Black service members.

Star-Advertiser.

City Moves to Take Over Property Where Family Has Been Squatting for Decades

The city is moving to take back a derelict home next to Kapiolani Park. The rundown home on 3808 Paki Avenue has blue tarps, 55-gallon drums and a mix of household items outside.

Hawaii News Now.

Tariffs Are Making It Pricier to Bring Filipino Food to Hawaiʻi. One Importer Says It’s Absorbing the Cost, for Now

Filipino food importer Ramar Foods was shocked when President Donald Trump imposed a 17% tariff on Philippine goods, almost triple the previous tax.

Hawaii News Now.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Hawaiʻi Island Lawmakers Consider Proposal for ‘Household Henneries’

County law currently only allows chickens to be raised on agricultural land, but Bill 52 would let residents have “household henneries” for non-commercial egg production.

Hawai‘i Public Radio.

Summer Meal Program Set to Feed 6,000 Keiki Throughout Big Island

Kaukau 4 Keiki, a summer food program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will once again provide free weekly meal kits with a focus on reaching children under 18-years old in rural communities statewide.

Big Island Now.

Hōkūleʻa, Hikianalia Dock in Hilo Ahead of Pacific-Wide Voyage

After two days of travel, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are now docked in Hilo. The voyaging canoes were welcomed by the community and hula halau near the Grand Naniloa Hotel.

Hawaii News Now.

Maui Headlines

LCLT Report: Zero Homes Sold Within Typical Maui Residents’ Financial Reach in 2024

The Lahaina Community Land Trust’s “Keeping Lahaina Home,” authored in partnership with Native Hawaiian data scientist Matt Jachowski, seeks to shed light on “how despite our best intentions, most of the homes that we continue to build are not actually meant for our local families.”

Maui Now.

Applications Now Available for Hale O Piʻikea 1 Affordable Rental Housing Project in Kīhei

Applications are now being accepted for Hale O Piʻikea I, the first phase of a County-supported, three-phase affordable rental housing initiative by ʻIkenākea Development that will deliver 223 rental homes upon completion.

Maui Now.

Environmental Watchdogs Tell State Officials ‘Try Again’ for Lahaina Pollution Control Permit

A small, but determined, group testified at the Lahaina Civic Center Wednesday morning. Hawaiʻi Department of Health’s Clean Water Branch listened to their feedback about its revised permit proposal for the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility.

Hawaii News Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Water Conservation Measures Remain in Place for Hanalei Community and ʻAnini Beach Areas

Water conservation measures remain in place for Department of Water customers in the Hanalei community and ʻAnini Beach areas due to a downed water system pump station.

Kaua‘i Now.