Elections Commission Panel Calls for a Shakeup In How Hawaiʻi Votes

The subcommittee wants to end all-mail elections and fire Elections Chief Scott Nago, but it’s unclear whether it has the votes to do either.

Civil Beat.

Tariffs Tap the Brakes on Hawaiʻi Auto Sales, Report Shows

Rising tariffs and trade policy uncertainty have shaken Hawaiʻi’s auto market, contributing to a 3.3% drop in new car and light truck registrations in the state during the first half of 2025 compared to a year earlier, according to a recent report from the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Council Program Seeks to Lower Energy Costs for DHHL Households

A new initiative from the Hawaiian Council — formerly the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement — wants to help local households reduce their energy costs, which are already some of the highest in the nation.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

O‘ahu Headlines

Oʻahu Residents Push for Better Tourism Management

The overwhelming majority of Oʻahu community members attending a virtual community input session held Wednesday by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority as part of its tourism management planning efforts said the island’s top economic driver is negatively affecting their daily lives.

Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Offers $7,500 For Firefighters Covid Hazard Pay. They Want More

More than three years after the last pandemic emergency order, firefighters are still negotiating their hazard payments with the city.

Civil Beat.

Ex-HPD Officer Gets 23 Years in Underage Sex Case

A former Honolulu police officer who used his ex­-girlfriend’s daughters to make child pornography and recruit underage prostitutes will spend 23 years in federal prison.

Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Man, 70, Charged With Arson in Connection With Kunia Wildfire

Antonio Vierra, 70, was charged on suspicion of second-degree arson in connection with a fire that sparked Aug. 23 near the area of Kunia Road and Leia Street.

Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Recent Safety Enhancements and Current Needs Remain Large Focus After Fireworks Tragedy

Approaching September, local officials continue working on enhancing community safety. Preventing future fireworks disasters is among the largest priorities.

KITV4.

Shortage of Swim Lessons Leaves Honolulu Parents Scrambling

Nonprofits are expanding efforts to reach more low-income kids, but a shortage of funding and pool space means not enough swim classes to meet the demand — even for families with money and time to spare.

Civil Beat.

Struggling And Lost On Oʻahu’s Streets, Woman Says Yes to Help

A psychiatrist set out to find a 33-year-old Hilo woman who battles homelessness and addiction after a failed medical intervention.

Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Draft Ordinance Proposes Special District for Pāhoa Town

Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz will introduce a draft ordinance that would establish a new Downtown Pāhoa Commercial District, with goals to support economic development, preserve cultural heritage, and update land use regulations in the area.

Tribune-Herald.

Longtime Big Isle Judge Greg Nakamura Dies at 72

After serving as a clerk to retired Hilo Circuit Judge Ernest Kubota, Nakamura was a civil litigator before devoting nearly three decades to the bench.

Tribune-Herald.

Measles Detected in West Hawaiʻi Wastewater, Health Officials Say

Health officials said in a news release today that the sample was collected Aug. 11 from a site in West Hawaiʻi County and is the first wastewater detection of measles in the state.

Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Keāhole Ag Park Green Waste Fumigated For CRB

A multi-agency response to detections of coconut rhinoceros beetles (CRB) included the mass fumigation and removal of suspected breeding sites.

Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi Island Mother Stirs Up Discussion Over Long-Standing Classroom Practice

A Hawaiʻi Island mother is revisiting the debate over a long-standing practice in public school classrooms: the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem.

Hawaii News Now.

Maui Headlines

Kapalua Golf Courses to Temporarily Close to Restore Grass in Attempt to Save the Sentry Tournament on Maui

Right now, the Maui golf course that hosts the PGA Tour’s prestigious season opener every January for the past 27 years is unplayable at the elite level. Severe water restrictions in West Maui have resulted in brown fairways and dying grass on the greens.

Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Council Postpones Vote on Waiehu Housing Project After Debate Over Public Input

After a lengthy debate over process and public input, the Maui County Council delayed action Tuesday on a resolution that would grant exemptions and modifications to the Hale Mahaolu Ke Kahua affordable housing project in Waiehu.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Rules Against State Land Board in Case Involving Seed Research Operations on Kauaʻi

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court has ruled that the state Board of Land and Natural Resources must complete a full environmental assessment before allowing seed research operations to proceed on conservation land in Kekaha.

Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now.

Wailua Marina Back to Normal After Spill

Smith’s Kauaʻi employees on Wednesday utilized a crane and scoop nets to remove vegetative debris contaminated with oil from an oil spill.

Garden Island.