Waikiki Elementary students create new educational kiosk

HONOLULU — An old, unused ticket kiosk at Diamond Head (Leahi) State Monument was repurposed with artwork and QR code links to student research by a nearby elementary school — the product of the most recent partnership between the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and local schools.

Roadwork scheduled this week on Kaua‘i

LIHU‘E — A number of road-related projects are on tap in the holiday-shortened week with most of the work taking place on the eastside of the island, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation said in a weekly update on Friday.

AMR awarded ambulance contracts for Kaua‘i and Maui

HONOLULU — The Department of Health announced on Friday it has awarded two four-year contracts for emergency ground ambulance service for Kaua‘i and Maui to International Life Support, doing business as American Medical Response (AMR).

State affordable housing credits could cost counties

HONOLULU — Hawai‘i lawmakers recently decided to create a new incentive for affordable housing development under a state program, but it could have a bigger negative effect on affordable housing required by counties.

HPP lot owner said to be seeking nearly $1.4 million

HILO, Hawai‘i — A California woman being sued by a developer whose contractor mistakenly built a house on her Hawaiian Paradise Park lot in Puna is seeking more than $1.3 million in damages, according to both the developer and Hawaii County.

National Guard commander Hara to retire this year

HONOLULU — Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, who has served as head of the state Department of Defense since 2019, will step down from his position and retire from the military this fall after 40 years of military service.

Kahala property collapses onto shoreline, blocking beachgoers

HUNAKI BEACH, Hawai‘i — Mark Enomoto walks his dog along Hunakai Beach every morning. His walk, which begins approximately a half-mile up from the end of Hunakai, is cut short every day by a collapsed beachfront on Kahala Avenue that spills across the shore and into the ocean.

A note to our loyal readers

LIHU‘E — The Garden Island newspaper is moving on up. After decades of working out of our location on Kuhio Highway, we are relocating the business office and newsroom.

Lahaina Methodists remember fire victims

On Sunday the congregation of the Lahaina United Methodist Church, which was decimated by fire in August, will recite a unison prayer to remember the town’s 101 wildfire victims on the eve of Memorial Day.

Maui teachers ask for more help following August wildfires

HONOLULU — Emotions ran high on Thursday at the Board of Education’s (BOE) general business meeting, where board members spent 90 minutes discussing updates on rebuilding Maui schools, including over an hour of testimony from Lahaina-area educators asking for more support following the August wildfires.

Shaka license plates debut

HONOLULU — License plates featuring the shaka symbol were launched on Thursday as part of the Shaka License Plate Program.

Hawai‘i Department of Health probe in February didn’t detect petroleum in water

HONOLULU — A recent investigation by the state Department of Health into the Navy’s O‘ahu drinking water system found no petroleum or jet fuel compounds in drinking water samples collected in February but did not rule out the possibility of residual fuel in the system after fuel from the Navy’s Red Hill storage facility contaminated it in November 2021.

Farm operator is indicted in labor trafficking

HONOLULU — A 53-year-old Oahu woman was indicted May 17 for allegedly deceiving a man into working for more than eight years and keeping his government identification so he could not leave.

Memorial Day service at Kaua‘i Veterans Cemetery on Monday

HANAPEPE — Retired Air Force General Mary Kay Hertog, commander of the Kaua‘i Veterans Council, reminds everyone that the annual Kaua‘i Veterans Council Memorial Day Service will take place on Monday at the Kaua‘i Veterans Cemetery starting at 10 a.m.