Hawaii Business Magazine Newsletters

Former Gov. Abercrombie among interim UH regent appointees
Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Maui attorney Lauren Akitake and Big island business executive Alapaki Nahalea have been appointed by Gov. Josh Green to the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Big Island Now.

How a few Hawai‘i senators conspired to get rid of an agency board member who was in the way
Vassilis Syrmos’ position as a director of the quasi-independent Hawai‘i Technology Development Corp. was supposed to be free from politics. But that didn’t stop a clique of lawmakers led by Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz from mounting a secretive, 11th-hour campaign to get rid of Syrmos, a UH vice president who has openly questioned a project in Dela Cruz’s district. Civil Beat.

Lawmaker calls for audit of Hawai‘i film office amid local hiring feud
A state senator is calling for an audit of the Hawai‘i State Film Office in a feud over whether the office is doing enough to promote the hiring of local workers in film and television productions. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Free summer meals for keiki offered at 86 public schools
Eighty-six public schools across the state will offer free meals during part of the summer to children ages 18 years and younger, regardless of their public school enrollment status, the state Department of Education has announced. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.  KHON2.

Current cesspool conversion program still not enough to wipe out waste problem
The current pilot program only had $5 million available to homeowners. If the state were to expand it so that 3,000 cesspools could be upgraded each year, it would cost Hawai‘i $61 million every year for the next 27 years — or a total of more than $1.6 Billion for cesspool conversions. KITV4.

Teamsters to strike Hawai‘i Gas over contract impasse
Hawai‘i Teamsters and Allied Workers, Local 996, which represents 217 members across the state, said in a letter that a strike would begin at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and continue until an agreement between both parties is reached. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

O‘ahu rail system is ‘ready to go’ June 30
Rail trains are running, cracked “hammerhead” station supports are fixed and reinforced and passenger service is scheduled to begin June 30, including a four-hour window on that Friday when anyone can ride and experience the country’s first fully automated rail system for free. Star-Advertiser.

Navy wants to remove 3 pipelines at Red Hill fuel facility
The Navy submitted a supplement to the state Department of Health for the under-review Red Hill Tank Closure Plan that calls for the three pipelines to be removed as part of a three-year closure plan that will take place after the defueling of the tanks — a process the military now says is set to conclude in January. Star-Advertiser.

Bed bugs at Honolulu’s airport trigger deep cleaning, gate closures
State Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said his agency got reports of the bugs in one of the E Gates in Terminal 2 on Monday. Hawaii News Now.

Public outcry over crime heard in Mā‘ili meeting
A public meeting to address illegal game rooms and cockfighting on O‘ahu’s west side on Wednesday was marked by emotional public input, allegations of public corruption and pleas to end the proliferation of guns in the community. Star-Advertiser.

Lorrin Hirano is Senior Vice President and Legal Counsel for Title Guaranty of Hawaii, LLC. He is a seasoned legal expert in commercial real estate. Join us as he shares his expertise at our upcoming Need to Know: Transforming O’ahu event. Register today!

Funding pulled for Laupahoehoe project
At the time, $5 million in capital improvement funding had been lined up to repair and reopen the only boat launch between Hilo and Kawaihae. That funding is no longer available, county officials said. Tribune-Herald.

Mayor Roth’s town hall series begins in West Hawai‘i; issues include vacation rentals, homelessness, feral cats, pickleball
On Tuesday evening in South Kona, Hawai‘i County Mayor Mitch Roth heard an earful during his first town hall in a new series of community meetings across the island aimed at providing updates and fostering engagement with residents. Big Island Now.

A lauded summer food program has restarted but rural kids could miss out due to USDA rules
Demographic shifts mean that all of Maui County is excluded from a federal program meant to benefit kids in rural communities. Civil Beat.

Another potential roadblock for decade-long effort to safely open a new Kīhei high school
Kulanihakoi High School in Kīhei hopes to welcome its first students this fall – if it can get through all the red tape. Hawaii News Now.

Resident input sought on county parks and recreation facilities
Starting Thursday, Maui County households will be randomly offered an invitation to complete a survey, which will help guide the Department of Parks and Recreation in managing and developing parks, facilities and recreation programs, the county said.  Maui News.

Kaua‘i County Council passes resolution supporting public access of Coco Palms lands
The Kaua‘i County Council approved in a 4-2 vote on Wednesday a resolution urging the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to prioritize public access for disputed land surrounding the derelict Coco Palms Resort after nearly failing to come to a decision for the second time in two weeks. Garden Island.

Youth football equipment shed burns down in Kaua‘i, causes $200K in damage
Kaua‘i police are investigating after a storage shed containing youth football equipment went up in flames early Wednesday morning in Kapa‘a. Hawaii News Now.