Hawaii Business Magazine Newsletters

“I worked very hard”: Gov. David Ige looks back at eight years leading the state
The Hawai‘i governor gets mixed reviews from other top state officials on how well he governed. Ige thinks he did just fine. Civil Beat.

Gov.-elect Green’s staff has diverse skill sets
Josh Green has staffed his office with a diverse group of women with backgrounds in government and the private sector, including a new Cabinet-­level position focused on workforce and affordable housing, homelessness and social service policies. Star-Advertiser.

Optimism high for progress with affordable housing
The political will and millions of dollars of funding are in place, leading to high hopes for the upcoming legislative session that Hawai‘i will see progress in developing badly needed affordable housing. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i farmers struggle as worldwide macadamia market goes nuts
Hawai‘i’s most iconic macadamia nut brands are significantly scaling back their purchases of locally grown nuts. Instead, shipping records indicate, South Africa and Kenya have become big suppliers. Ad campaigns and DNA testing seek to drive buyers toward real Hawaiian macadamias. Civil Beat.

GET petition effort finds support
A petition urging the state Legislature to exempt medical services from the state’s general excise tax, or GET, has collected more than 1,100 signatures, according to the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Hawai‘i gun permit ruling sides with “homesick” Navy officer
A U.S. Navy officer stationed in Hawai‘i cannot be denied a firearms permit solely because he sought counseling for feeling depressed and homesick, a federal judge ruled. Civil Beat.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi to move forward with historic preservation panel
Blangiardi announced his intent to staff the O‘ahu Historic Preservation Commission, three decades after the City Council created it without filling its ranks. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawai‘i Public Radio.

Prosecutors roll the dice on new enforcement measures targeting illegal gambling rooms
Increased criminal penalties are intended to help investigators in their efforts to stifle the operations and the anti-social activity that can accompany them. Civil Beat.

Two O‘ahu schools fight for survival as enrollment shrinks
Both Waiāhole and Ka‘a‘awa are just over one-fifth the size of the average Hawai‘i elementary school of about 485 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Star-Advertiser.

Homeward bound: Hawai‘i program flies homeless people to the mainland
The Institute for Human Services’ relocation program has served nearly 600 people experiencing homelessness on O‘ahu since 2015. Civil Beat.

Customer demands have increased and clients want more than just a broker. Here are five areas to consider when choosing an agency….. read more.

Hilo man sentenced to federal prison for defrauding Covid-19 relief programs
Carey Mills is the first person sentenced for Covid-19 fraud in Hawai‘i and must pay $957,575 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. Civil Beat.

Native Hawaiians are still waiting for the military to remove unexploded bombs
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is leading the remediation effort on the Big Island, has been plagued by shoddy work and multiple regulatory disputes. Star-Advertiser.

$14.4 million bond funding approved for Kaloko Heights affordable housing
The county could be posting the paperwork as early as this week to sell $14.4 million in bonds to provide sewer service to a 100-unit affordable housing project. West Hawaii Today.

Maui has the largest vacation rental supply in Hawaiʻi
In October, Maui County had 211,900 available unit nights. That’s up 2.9% from 2021, but down 34.5% from 2019. Maui Now. Maui News.

Public is invited to attend inauguration of mayor, council
The inauguration of Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and the Kaua‘i County Council will take place at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall at 1 p.m. on Dec. 1. Kaua‘i Now.