Budget Delay Puts HTA’s Community Grants in Limbo

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s community program applicants are in limbo because the agency’s budget was not approved in time to meet the award schedule and the delay is bumping up against the program’s fiscal-year start.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Board’s Fate Up in the Air as Lawmakers Call for Briefing

The state legislators in charge of tourism are holding a post-session informational briefing Monday on the beleaguered Hawai‘i Tourism Authority that could play out more like an exit interview.

Star-Advertiser.

State Senator Didn’t Disclose Possible Conflict of Interest Before Voting

Senator Donovan Dela Cruz is an owner of Kilani Brew, a company that specializes in māmaki tea. Dela Cruz appears to have violated Senate rules by voting in favor of House Bill 496, which seeks to protect māmaki tea by requiring that only packages containing ingredients grown in Hawai’i are allowed to use the word “māmaki.”

Civil Beat.

University of Hawai‘i Puts $7.4M Into Student Success Platform

The UH Board of Regents approved a $7.4 million, five-year contract for two integrated platforms — EAB Navigate360 and Edify — that will track student behavior and performance in real time, allowing advisers and support staff to proactively intervene before problems escalate.

Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

Machine to Turn Local Meat and Produce Into Fancy Food Is Tangled in Red Tape

The new state-owned Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center was built around a new high-pressure pasteurization machine that can extend the shelf life of Hawaiʻi-grown products without using added preservatives. But the $21.6 million machine hasn’t been used in more than a year since the center opened because it requires users to navigate a web of regulatory hurdles.

Civil Beat.

O‘ahu Headlines

Honolulu Wants to Put More Cameras in Public Parks to Reduce Crime

Many more of Honolulu’s parks would be subject to video surveillance under a one-year pilot program recently approved by the City Council. The council hasn’t come up with funding yet for the program and research shows cameras alone may not be effective.

Civil Beat.

Waikīkī’s Latest Wedding Chapel Hopes to Boost Romance Travel

A partnership between Tsukaki Lognote Hawaii Ltd., and Outrigger Hospitality Group has produced Waikīkī’s newest wedding venue.

Star-Advertiser.

Former Honolulu Attorney Indicted in Alleged $1.5M Probate Fraud

The charges against Robert Earl Chapman appear to mirror those detailed in a 2022 case brought by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel in which he admitted to the misconduct, ending his legal career.

Civil Beat.

Renovated Blaisdell Concert Hall a Hit for Performers and Economy

The Blaisdell Concert Hall has grossed nearly $1 million for the city since its reopening some four months ago, which has allowed lucrative Broadway productions and other shows to return to Honolulu, including “Six,” a rock concert musical about the six wives of Henry VIII that is making its first run in the state.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Close Call for Police Chief: Commission Sets Meeting to Let Moszkowicz Answer ‘Tough Questions’

Hawai‘i Police Department Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz came within a single vote Friday of losing his job as the Big Island’s top cop at the Hawai‘i County Police Commission meeting in Hilo.

Tribune-Herald.

Big Island Facilities Struggle to Keep Up With Popularity of Pickleball

Since the sport’s popularity exploded in the wake of the pandemic, courts meant for tennis, volleyball and badminton have been taped or re-painted with new lines to suit the needs of pickleball. Despite these adaptations, the available options still struggle to meet the intense demand from players, many of whom wish to play multiple times daily.

Tribune-Herald.

Paving Work to Begin at Onekahakaha Park

A paving project at Onekahakaha Beach Park will begin Monday to address concerns raised at a recent community meeting in Keaukaha. According to a Hawai‘i County press release, the project includes the repaving of the upper parking lot as well as the main entry road to the park.

Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Maui Headlines

Maui Council to Continue Hearing Testimonies on Short-Term Rental Conversion Bill

Maui County councilmembers will head into day three of public testimony regarding a controversial bill to phase out thousands of short-term rentals on June 23, with the community divided on the cause as Lahaina fire survivors and short-term rental owners bring heated testimony to the hearings.

KHON2.

Samples Indicate Pollution in Some Maui Waters

A nonprofit group that has done tests for the presence of potential pollution on Maui says its latest results are enough to raise concern for some beachgoers in North and South Maui.

Maui News.

Long Before Last Week’s 330-Acre Blaze, Kahikinui Community Spent Years Preparing for Fires

On the steep slopes of the remote Hawaiian homesteading community of Kahikinui, a red house with a salmon-colored roof can be seen surrounded on all sides by blackened landscape in an aerial shot posted last week on social media by Maui County.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Navy, NASA Complete Draft EIS on Land Use

The U.S. Department of the Navy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on Friday the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, for the proposed, continued use of state lands on Kaua‘i for the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility and NASA’s Kōkeʻe Park Geophysical Observatory.

Garden Island. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Ben Osorno Named Interim Chief Executive Officer at Kaua‘i Humane Society

Kaua‘i Humane Society announced that Ben Osorno is now the organization’s interim chief executive officer, effective immediately. Osorno brings almost 14 years of service to Kaua‘i Humane Society.

Kaua‘i Now.