Federal funding is secured for more Hawai‘i housing

HONOLULU — U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Housing and Urban Development, announced on June 26 that Hawai‘i will receive over $6.6 million in new federal grant funding to support housing development.

Rebuilding begins in Lahaina wildfire impact zone

LAHAINA — Walls are going up on Lahaina resident Gene Milne’s Malanai Street property — the first under construction in the wildfire impact zone, where the historic town was destroyed Aug. 8, 2023, in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.

Groups discuss disaster preparedness on Kaua‘i

PUHI — Talk about disaster response was flavored by recent announcements from within the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i on Wednesday, when the group met at the Kaua‘i Community College Fine Arts Auditorium to hammer out disaster preparedness for food access.

New Hawai‘i coffee labeling law takes effect

HONOLULU — Hawai‘i-branded coffee products sold locally to consumers are now subject to new labeling requirements that took effect on Monday, July 1, under a state law enacted last year.

Hawaiian Electric system upgrades to buffet electric bills

HONOLULU — Future Hawai‘i electric bills won’t display the cost to ratepayers for more than $1 billion in planned grid resiliency and wildfire mitigation projects, but a bit of this anticipated expense is beginning to emerge.

HART CEO Kahikina gets provisional multiyear pact

HONOLULU — Lori Kahikina’s position as the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s top executive and her leadership of the rail agency’s nearly $10 billion city Skyline project is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, following a vote of its board of directors Friday afternoon.

Bill on traffic violations may face veto

HONOLULU — A bill motivated by charges against a man who had no driver’s license and 164 traffic citations when he was arrested in the hit-and-run death of a 16-year-old McKinley High School student is on the list of measures that may be vetoed by Gov. Josh Green.

Lane closures scheduled on Kaua‘i

LIHU‘E — A holiday interrupted work schedule aims to address road projects from Waimea Canyon Drive to Hanalei Plantation Road, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation said in an update on Friday.

Stadium developer’s exit is focus at board meeting

HONOLULU — The withdrawal of one of two finalists for the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District contract was the main topic of discussion at Thursday’s Stadium Authority meeting. Board members, however, downplayed the idea that the remaining bidder gains leverage by being the only applicant left.

Court hears arguments in Haiku Stairs case

HONOLULU — This week the future of Haiku Stairs was put before an appellate court panel when lawyers argued to either preserve the World War II-era mountain staircase above Kaneohe or see it permanently destroyed.

Green signs bills supporting Native Hawaiians

HONOLULU — Gov. Josh Green on Friday morning signed into law 13 bills committed to supporting the Native Hawaiian community. The bills extend a fund for the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands housing waitlist, address Native Hawaiian education and support regenerative tourism, among other things.