Hawaiian Electric filing blames Maui County

Maui officials failed to clear excessive invasive vegetation before fires killed 101 people in Lahaina on Aug. 8, did not plan for the catastrophe and “fumbled the emergency response,” according to a counterclaim filed by Hawaiian Electric.

State pays $1.8M to settle foster kids’ lawsuit

HONOLULU — Three former foster children, now adults, of George Kipapa and his late wife, Jolyn Kipapa, agreed to a $1.8 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging abuses they suffered as foster children over 18 years.

Hawaiian Telcom, Navy install fiber-optic cable

HONOLULU — U.S. Navy Region Hawai‘i and Hawaiian Telcom are touting the completion of a joint project that put the largest fiber-optic cable ever installed in Hawai‘i beneath Pearl Harbor. Running underground, the cable creates a direct link between urban Honolulu and West O‘ahu.

New laws aim to turn tide on housing crisis

HONOLULU — Gov. Josh Green signed five “boring” but constructive bills into law Tuesday, along with a highly contentious one, aimed at increasing the affordable housing supply in Hawai‘i.