How Far Will $500M Go to Clean Up Army Bombs Left in Hawaiʻi?

Gov. Josh Green has requested a $10 billion investment for the military to continue training on state lands, including funds for cleaning military waste.

Civil Beat.

Holiday Discounts, Vacancies Signal Hawai‘i Tourism Downturn

Hawai‘i’s visitor industry is confronting one of its weakest holiday seasons in recent memory, with hoteliers reporting rare availability during the traditionally sold‑out festive period and industry leaders warning of mounting economic pressures.

Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawai‘i Seeks Funding for Student Athletes

UH officials say that staying competitive in the NCAA’s Mountain West Conference of mid-major schools will take $5 million in annual public funding on top of private funding, and that the new landscape has already negatively affected recruiting.

Star-Advertiser.

Trans Community Hits New Barriers to Gender-Affirming Care in Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi has one of the highest per-capita populations of transgender people in the nation and māhū, which means “dual spirit” or “third gender,” is deeply rooted in Native Hawaiian culture. According to the Williams Institute at UCLA, 3.6% of Hawaiʻi youth and 0.7% of adults identify as transgender.

Civil Beat.

O‘ahu Headlines

Council’s ‘Constitutional Rights’ Resolution Advances

An attempt to forge trust between local government and all O‘ahu residents is the aim of new Honolulu City Council legislation. Council’s Resolution 301 urges Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration to affirm the constitutional rights of all City and County of Honolulu residents regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

Star-Advertiser.

State Laying Foundation to Boost Central O‘ahu Food Production

Two state agencies recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what they are calling the Central O‘ahu Agriculture and Food Hub on a site that was once an operations base of sugarcane and pineapple producer Dole Food Co. in Whitmore Village.

Star-Advertiser.

Rail Work Is Causing Pedestrian Hazards and Headaches on Dillingham

Construction crews have torn up not just the streets but also the sidewalks, leading to potential ADA violations.

Civil Beat.

Panel Picks 3 Finalists for City’s Ocean Safety Chief

John Titchen, the City and County of Honolulu’s former top lifeguard, who was terminated from his job in 2024 over claims of insubordination following an alleged row inside the Mayor’s Office, is now a finalist for his prior post. Besides Titchen, the commission is considering Ron Bregman, a retired city lifeguard lieutenant who now works as aquatics director and chief lifeguard for Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe; and Kurt Lager, currently the designated director of the Ocean Safety Department.

Star-Advertiser.

Schofield Soldiers Developing Drones for Pacific Operations

25th Infantry Division’s “Lightning Lab” at Schofield Barracks is the division’s “innovation and development” section, meant to look at how new technology can help support the division’s soldiers and leaders.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Overhaul of County’s Affordable Housing Rules Eyed

Hawai‘i County officials are inviting a limited number of residents to weigh in on proposed changes to the county’s affordable housing rules at a second public housing summit on Monday from 1 to 4 p.m. in Hilo.

Tribune-Herald.

Fire Razes Four Buildings in Downtown Hilo

Sunday’s fire occurred just a day after an early morning fire killed two people and displaced 28 others at the old Puueo Poi factory apartments just off Kekuanaoa Street in midtown Hilo.

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

Festival Inspired by ‘Burning Man’ Ignites Big Island Debate

The events on private property outside of Hilo were held without permits, and critics say they should not be allowed to continue, especially on agricultural land.

Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi Island Chosen to Host Prestigious International Indigenous Conference in 2028

The largest and most influential Indigenous Peoples’ conference will be coming to the Big Island.

Maui Now.

Monk Seal Hospital Begins Vaccine Trial for Bird Flu in Pups

The Marine Mammal Center of California is taking a proactive step by running a trial on the effectiveness of H5N1 vaccines on two monk seal pups at its specialized hospital in Kona.

Star-Advertiser.

Maui Headlines

Limited Commercial Boat Operations to Return to Lahaina Harbor for First Time Since Destructive Wildfire of 2023

 On Dec. 15, following the difficult removal of the sunken boats, restoration of the fueling station and repairs of the bathrooms, the state-run harbor will begin to slowly allow commercial marine operations to return with loading and unloading permitted at the dock during daytime hours.

Maui Now.

State Clarifies Central Maui Pumping Data; Groundwater Aquifer Limits Are Under Review

State water regulators have clarified data regarding groundwater pumping in Central Maui, acknowledging that while current withdrawals exceed official sustainable yield limits, those limits are conservative estimates that are now under re-evaluation.

Maui Now.

Brown Grass Cost a Famed Golf Course a Big Tournament and Highlighted Hawai‘i Water Problems

High up on the slopes of the west Maui mountains, the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort provides golfers with expansive ocean views. The course is so renowned that The Sentry, a $20 million signature event for the PGA Tour, had been held there nearly every year for more than a quarter-century.

Associated Press.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Permanent Striping of the Kīlauea Roundabout Begins Monday

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) will close the Kolo Road access from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday until Dec. 12. During these hours, Kīlauea Town can be accessed through Pūʻeli Road and Hoʻokūʻi Road.

Kauai Now.

Small Business Strong

Tucked between the shopping frenzy of the Black Friday weekend, Small Business Saturday capitalized on the adaptability and flexibility of small businesses to get a share of the shopping pie.

Garden Island.