Plastic Paradise looks to make difference with plastic consumption
KAPA‘A — After four years of contemplating, Abe Kowitz finally started his company Plastic Paradise, LLC in hopes of making a difference with Kaua‘i’s plastic consumption issues and provide jobs for the community in the future.
VOICES: Going from Koke‘e picking bliss to plum wine
“Cheehoo,” it’s plum picking season on Kaua‘i, which started July, behind the state park in Koke‘e.
Retro Farms’ summer Ag intern program seeking teens, funds
MOLOA‘A — Retro Farms’ Agricultural Intern Program, a summer job opportunity for high school students on Kaua‘i, is seeking help from the county to keep the program going for teens who want to work and learn about farming.
No School Vaccination mandate yet
HONOLULU — While there are currently no COVID-19 vaccination mandates in Hawai‘i’s public schools, health officials do believe there are risks that exist at school sports’ social events.
Electric vehicles could significantly reduce CO2 emissions by 2050
MANOA — A faculty member at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa predicts electric vehicles’ renewable-energy goals will be met, but a Kaua‘i EV expert disputes the goal end date.
State lawmakers consider overrides
HONOLULU — The state Senate convened in a special veto-override session on Tuesday that will continue today at 3 p.m. regarding several of the 26 bills Gov. David Ige has vetoed.
Ige signs bills that promote buying local
HONOLULU — The Department of Education will be the main operator of the Farm to School Program.
Holo Holo Charters honored as one of the best boat tours
PORT ALLEN — Tour-boat company Holo Holo Charters was recently voted as the second-best boat tour in the nation by the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Award contest.
Largest rental car company adding more cars to fleet
LIHU‘E — As rental-car prices soar and availability is scarce this summer on Kaua‘i, “the largest car-rental company in the U.S. and the parent company of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car,” according to Forbes, have begun to add vehicles back into its fleet.
Malama Polihale
POLIHALE — This weekend, the state park’s department and a Kaua‘i nonprofit ask the public to be akamai and no‘ono‘o this Fourth of July celebration by helping the lineal descendants of Polihale State Park to malama the ‘aina.
‘Ghost guns’ are prohibited
Gov. David Ige signed three gun-violence-prevention bills into law on Thursday at the state Capitol, which according to lawmakers will protect Hawai‘i’s kupuna and keiki and prohibit the possession of “ghost guns.”
Mayors speak up about visitor jump
The recent spike in travelers coming to Hawai‘i is stirring up some community leaders statewide.
Hotels, groups team up to malama ‘aina
Visitors can learn how to embrace Kaua‘i’s cultural actions and activities or “malama ‘aina” — caring for and nurturing Kaua‘i’s land and natural resources — through Surfrider Foundation’s partnership with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s Malama Hawai‘i Program.
Cash prizes offered to the vaccinated
Hawai‘i residents vaccinated against COVID-19 have until midnight today to enter for a chance to win one of 83 prizes in the #HIGotVaccinated campaign.
Tourism industry needs more workers
Kaua‘i’s tourism industry can’t find people to work.
Ige signs bills for electric transportation
Ground transportation accounts for nearly a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in the state.
Sex-trafficking bills signed
Gov. David Ige signed two bills into law from the Women’s Legislative Caucus 2021 legislative package in front of House and Senate leaders of the bipartisan Hawai‘i WLC at the state Capitol last week.
Persevering through the pandemic
A crossover offering local favorites and gourmet cuisine at a market in the middle of a Kilauea neighborhood, Kilauea Market + Cafe was constructed in 2016 and opened in September 2019.
Investing in Hawai‘i’s Digital Economy
HONOLULU — Gov. David Ige shared in his State of the State Address vision of Hawai‘i future with the idea of an upgraded and more sustainable local economy with Technology Readiness User Evaluation (TRUE)— in which digital technology is leveraged as a critical component of success at the Entrepreneurs Sandbox on Ilalo Street.
$250,000 awarded in state agriculture program
LIHU‘E — This month, Malama Kaua‘i, a nonprofit in Lihu‘e, and Hawaiian Golden Farm, a remote company with farms on both Kaua‘i and O‘ahu were awarded $250,000 from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture to help increase commercial agricultural production.