Stories by Wyatt Haupt Jr.

Do more to help working families

On this Labor Day 2024, Hawaii and the U.S. are more focused on labor than is typical in a period of statistically high employment and economic strength. About time.

Contract awarded for teacher housing at Mililani High campus

HONOLULU — The state School Facilities Authority has awarded a contract to the nonprofit Pacific Housing Assistance Corp. for a workforce housing development at the Mili­lani High School campus aimed at providing housing for state Department of Education teachers and staff.

Registration pending for plane that crashed

The Federal Aviation Administration’s records show that ownership registration was pending for the Cessna that crash-landed Wednesday close to the Upolu Airport near Hawi on Hawaii island’s North Kohala coast.

Disaster insurance brings in billions in revenue

HONOLULU — Hawaii homeowners and businesses have purchased nearly $38 billion in disaster insurance over the last 20 years, generating more than $23 billion in net income for insurance companies and further driving Gov. Josh Green to insist that insurers be barred from suing the entities responsible for last year’s Maui wildfires, including the state.

A note to our readers

LIHUE — The Labor Day edition of The Garden Island newspaper will not be delivered via mail because the U.S. Postal will be closed in observance of the federal holiday.

Lane closures scheduled next week on Kauai

LIHUE — A holiday shortened week means less roadwork on tap at the beginning of September with the primary focus on grass trimming and guardrail repair and trimming, according to an update from the Hawaii Department of Transportation on Friday.

4 charged in alleged $1.5M fraud scheme

HONOLULU — The state Department of the Attorney General has charged the alleged ringleader and three members of what authorities say is a criminal organization involved in a $1.5 million check fraud scheme.

Most surf sites test clean in August

LIHUE — A monthly analysis of streams, rivers and surf spots around the island found high concentrations of enterococcus bacterium — a federally recognized indicator of fecal presence in water — at a number of locations.

Court clears path for aquarium fish collection permits

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled 4-1 that the pet industry’s environmental review of commercial aquarium fish collection in West Hawaii is legally adequate, permitting the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to consider reopening nearly the entire West Hawaii coastline to this practice — which has historically removed hundreds of thousands of native fish from the state’s reefs each year.

Hooser: A challenge to Kauai incumbents?

On or about Oct. 11, General Election ballots will begin arriving in the mail boxes of each and every registered voter in the state. It will all be over with on Nov. 5, and by 7:30 p.m. or so we’ll know who the winners are.