Hawaii Business Magazine Newsletters

Hawaii airports, airlines, and public transportation drop mask mandates.

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4.19.22

TOP STORIES

Hawai‘i airports, airlines and public transportation drop mask mandates
Travelers in the islands will no longer need to wear masks while flying, riding TheBus or transiting through Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and other transportation hubs. The announcements came quickly after a federal judge overturned the CDC’s decision to require masks on public transportation through May. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now.

Indoor masking to continue in Hawai‘i public schools through end of school year
The DOE says students will still have to wear masks in the classroom through May 27. That takes them through the academic year, but that means summer school classes will be mask-optional. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Local Covid modeling group projects new variant will not cause hospitalization surge
The Hawaiʻi Pandemic Applied Modeling Group, or HiPAM, is projecting that a new subvariant of Covid will not produce a surge in hospitalizations like other strains before it. This is because majority of the population has either been vaccinated and/or boosted, and also contracted the virus and recovered. Hawaii Public Radio.

Working class tax credit still alive
A bill making the Earned Income Tax Credit permanent and refundable has made it through both the House and the Senate, though disagreements over amendments mean that the bill will now go before a conference committee. The policy would boost incomes of 5,452 families by $420 on average while generating $2,840,179 in economic activity for Kaua‘i, the Hawai‘i Tax Fairness Coalition estimates. Garden Island.

Bill to ban use of drones for fishing moves forward
The growth of drone use, especially for catching ulua, is controversial within the local fishing community. Fishers can attach fishing lines to drones and fly them out hundreds of yards from shore — much farther than they can normally cast from shore without any aid. But lines cast by drones have created safety concerns for other ocean users. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i officials pursue stronger deterrents for illegal game rooms
A proposal before state lawmakers would elevate misdemeanor gambling offenses associated with game room activity to felonies. Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm supports the current version of the measure but suggests that the penalty for promoting gambling be (criminal) negligence, as in the original version of the bill. Star-Advertiser.

No one is raising money yet to run against Kahele, Case or Schatz
Contributions to Kahele fell off in the first quarter of 2022 while Case saw more donations to his campaign and Schatz continued to bring in significant sums. A number of other well-known politicians have pulled papers from the Hawai‘i Elections Office, signaling their intent to run for Kahele’s seat — but none have officially launched their campaigns in part because they’re waiting to see what Kahele decides. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters eyes run for Congress. Civil Beat.

HAWAII BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Island Maid: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Long-term Success
Most locals recognize the passion orange guava drink in the plastic cups with foil lids served on airline flights. But they might not know that Island Maid Inc. also supplies many flavors of syrups and drinks to 7-Eleven stores, Zippy’s, Highway Inn and dozens of other restaurants… read more.

OʻAHU

Mayor Rick Blangiardi to sign short-term rental bill
Mayor Rick Blangiardi plans to sign a measure that would tighten rules for short-term rentals on O‘ahu. The bill increases the minimum booking period for rentals in most areas of O‘ahu from 30 days to 90 days. Short-term stays would still be allowed in resort areas and in specific areas around resort zones. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. KHON2.

No salary increase this year for Council members, mayor and department heads
The mayor and City Council members will not get salary increases this year after a unanimous vote Monday by the Honolulu Salary Commission. In 2020, the Salary Commission considered granting a 3% increase for the mayor and Council members but ultimately did not because of the pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

Helicopters to drop citric acid solution over remote Waimānalo area to eradicate coqui frogs
Helicopters will spray a citric acid solution over a remote mountain area of Waimānalo on Wednesday in an attempt to eradicate invasive coqui frogs, according to the state Department of Agriculture. This citric acid solution is a formula that has been successful in controlling and eradicating coqui in Hawai‘i in the past, and should not physically impact the neighborhood. Star-Advertiser.

HAWAII BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Here’s How Affordable Housing Policies Have Impacted Hawai‘i’s Housing Supply

Everyone agrees that Hawaiʻi needs more affordable housing. What we don’t agree on is which government policies will best fill that need.This report on affordable housing policies by county governments and state agencies provides different perspectives on what works and what doesn’t – and what might work better… read more.

HAWAIʻI ISLAND

Council to propose tax breaks for drivers, homeowners and businesses
Resolutions lowering gas taxes by a dime a gallon and granting homeowners a $250 credit on their property taxes, as well a bill capping property values for other classes of property, will all be considered by the council today and Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Construction on Phase 2 of Bayfront Trails begins
Work on the second phase of the Hilo Bayfront Trails project began Monday after years of delay. The first phase of the project was completed in 2016, and connected Mooheau Park, Pauahi Street, the Bayfront canoe hale, and the Bayfront soccer fields. Tribune-Herald.

Closing arguments to begin in trial of prominent doctor accused of drug crimes
Closing arguments are set to begin Tuesday morning in the federal drug trial against prominent Big Island physician Rudy Puana. Puana’s attorneys will get one last chance to convince jurors he was not illegally dealing drugs. Hawaii News Now.

HAWAII BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Big Brothers Big Sisters Helps At-Risk Youth Achieve Their Full Potential
Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i aims to create meaningful one-to-one relationships between adults and at-risk children. Mike Hinkley was inspired to become a big brother as a way to serve his Kāne‘ohe community. He was paired with Vance four years ago and the two remain in contact weekly... read more.

MAUI COUNTY

Plans for warehouse in Maui Business Park move forward
Despite concerns over drainage and runoff, a 20,000-square-foot warehouse to be located near Costco in Kahului received approval of a special management area use permit on Tuesday. The Maui Planning Commission granted West Maui Construction Holdings LLC the permit to develop the warehouse building and conduct improvements on approximately 4.7 acres in the Maui Business Park at 72 Lauo Loop. Maui News.

Cat colony at the Grand Wailea resort may be eradicated amid lawsuit
At one time, over 300 cats lived at the Grand Wailea Maui, but today, only 31 felines are on the 40 acre property. All of the cats have been spayed, neutered, and vaccinated. But resort officials proposed plans to remove the cats, in response to a recent lawsuit. The nonprofit Earthjustice filed a lawsuit against the resort, sighting lighting problems for endangered seabirds at the Grand Wailea. KITV4.

KAUAʻI

Driver licensing, motor vehicle registration offices close early this week
The county Finance Department’s divisions of motor vehicle registration and driver licensing are closing at 3 p.m. all this week to accommodate staff training for a planned integration project. The integration project involves the combination of both the drivers licensing and motor vehicle registration divisions into one, full-service Department of Motor Vehicles. Garden Island.

APRIL 2022 ISSUE