Hawaii Business Magazine Newsletters

Lucrative Hawai‘i tourism marketing contract rescinded again
Mike McCartney, whose term heading the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism ended at noon Monday, said he is confident the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority will solicit new bids that split the desired work in two pieces. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

81 years since Pearl Harbor attack, thousands to remember the ‘everlasting legacy’
Thousands will gather Wednesday to mark another year since the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor and honor all those who sacrificed their lives. At the same time, many will celebrate the future that came after — when once bitter enemies became loyal friends and allies. Hawaii News Now.

Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct submits 31 proposals for change
The recommendations include proposals to limit legislators’ terms in office to 16 years, strengthening investigation and prosecution of fraud, including prohibiting those convicted from seeking public office for 10 years and giving the Campaign Spending Commission more power. West Hawaii Today.

Hawai‘i government workers can switch insurance providers
State and county government workers can now switch out their Kaiser Permanente health insurance for a Hawaii Medical Service Association plan — with no questions asked — if they are struggling to access behavioral health services due to a prolonged strike of Kaiser’s mental health clinicians that has entered its fourth month. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

City to end free Covid-19 testing program on O‘ahu after Dec. 30
Officials said the decision was made in consultation with the state Department of Health, and that it is in line with the statewide Covid-19 Transition Plan, which calls for shifting testing operations away from community sites to traditional health care settings and home tests. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Military refuses to release video of toxic spill at Red Hill, sowing new suspicion
The military says it won’t release the closed circuit video because it “may impact the integrity of the investigation.” Instead, military officials say they’ll allow the state Health Department regulators to see the video without sharing a copy. Hawaii News Now.

O‘ahu home sales plunge amid rising interest rates
Sales of single-family homes nose-dived 48.2% in November to 192 from 371 in the year-earlier period while condominium sales tumbled 43.4% to 340 from 601, according to data released Tuesday from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Star-Advertiser.

Wahiawā’s new ‘ad hoc mayor’ has the vision and the power to help his hometown
Wahiawā, once a global agricultural center and now a down-on-its-heels urban hub in the middle of O‘ahu, has an important benefactor: Hawai‘i Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, the often controversial chairman of the state’s powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee. Civil Beat.

Although community service is woven into its culture, in its centennial year Cades Schutte renews its dedication to giving back….. read more.

Mauna Loa lava flow edges closer to Saddle Road
Lava from the Mauna Loa eruption closed the distance to Daniel K. Inouye Highway to just 1.5 miles, Hawai‘i County Civil Defense reported Tuesday afternoon. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.

Pōhakuloa Training Area munitions raise concerns as Mauna Loa lava creeps closer
A day after an unexploded training ordinance was found on Old Saddle Road by a civilian visitor, the press peppered county and military officials with questions about what other possible munitions remain on the terrain of the training area. KITV4.

‘We feel so lucky’: Crowds flock to Maunakea VIS to see Mauna Loa eruption
Thousands of residents and tourists braved the cold and the possibility of altitude sickness last weekend to see one of the best views of the Mauna Loa eruption — from its sister volcano, Maunakea. Tribune-Herald.

Access and air quality are top of mind for Hilo High during Maunaloa eruption
Public schools on Hawaiʻi Island remain open despite the Maunaloa eruption. While there is a degree of excitement among some teachers and students — there’s also a level of anxiety. Hawai‘i Public Radio.

Input sought on mosquito suppression efforts to address avian malaria on Maui
Haleakalā National Park is seeking public input on an environmental assessment for the “Suppression of Non-native Mosquito Populations to Address the Impacts of Avian Malaria on Threatened and Endangered Forest Birds on Maui.”  Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Liquor investigators checking Kaua‘i businesses
Department of Liquor Control investigators will be conducting compliance checks at Kaua‘i businesses this holiday season. Investigators will also work directly with business owners to identify minors using false identification to buy alcohol, the County of Kaua‘i announced Tuesday. Kauai Now. Garden Island.