National Science Foundation Defunds Long-Stalled Thirty Meter Telescope

The National Science Foundation will no longer fund the Thirty Meter Telescope planned for construction atop Mauna Kea, instead choosing to back its international competitor, the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile.

Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Visitor Deportations From Hawaiʻi Spark Concerns About Entry Rules

Ever-tightening U.S. entry policies and accounts from international visitors who are denied entry could weaken international arrivals, which are an important base of business for Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Delegation Pushes Navy for Information on Kaula Training Plan

Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation is pushing the Navy to provide more information on its plan to more than double bombardment training on a small Hawaiian Island that the state and conservation groups consider a critical bird sanctuary.

Star-Advertiser. 

Military Sued Over Details of Proposed Rocket Testing Site on Johnston Atoll

The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the military for details on a proposal to build a rocket test site in a remote wildlife refuge less than 900 miles from Hawaiʻi Island.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Green Signs Bills to Bolster Schoolchildren

Gov. Josh Green signed three bills Friday afternoon to support healthier keiki through better access to food, transportation and surfing programs in schools.

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

O‘ahu Headlines

Honolulu Police Can’t Spend Entire Budget Because It Can’t Fill Positions

The police department left about $45 million of its $345 million budget unspent for the fiscal year that ended last June. That’s up from $18 million unspent in 2021, when the budget was $283 million.

Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Affordable Housing Project Breaks Ground in Ala Moana

Amana Lofts, located at 765 Amana Street, will convert a five-story former office building with ground-floor parking into studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments.

Hawaii News Now.

New Changes Coming to Uh Mānoa Campus Roads

Roadwork near the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus begins on June 2, and people heading to campus in the fall will see quite a few changes including a driving lane reduction, new bike lanes and more crosswalks.

KHON2. 

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Punalu‘u Village Developers Avoid Foreclosure

A foreclosure lawsuit against developers of a controversial proposed commercial development near a popular black sand beach in Ka‘u has been withdrawn by the mortgage lender.

Tribune-Herald. Civil Beat.

Keaau Health Center Funded

The state has allocated $25 million for construction of the Keaau Benioff Medical Center in Puna.

Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Maui Headlines

Fully Funded Olowalu Fire Station on Hold Over ‘Iwi Kupuna Discovered 2 Years Ago in Subdivision

A planned new fire station in West Maui was going nowhere for years until the deadly and destructive August 2023 wildfire highlighted the need for the facility just south of Lahaina.

Maui Now.

Kaiser Permanente Purchases Maui News Site

The purchase agreement allows The Maui News to continue operating at the site for up to a year. General Manager Jenni DeFouw said the newspaper is working to identify new office space and move quickly.

Maui News.

Kula Has Been Hit Hard by Summer Wildfires, so Residents Are Getting Better Prepared

Summer wildfires have hit the Upcountry Maui community of Kula the past two years, fueling community efforts to ensure area residents are better equipped for the worst-case scenarios.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Kaua‘i Headlines

HDOT Declares Traffic Emergency Zone

The Wailua Bridge is scheduled to undergo emergency repairs and will be closed overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Garden Island. Kauai Now. KHON2.