State high court to hear short-term rentals case
HILO, Hawai‘i — A debate about whether short-term vacation rentals should be allowed on farmland will go before the state’s highest court this week.
Highgate morphs into most rapidly growing hotel company in Hawai‘i
HONOLULU — Highgate is rapidly expanding its hotel presence in Hawaii, which already has quadrupled since 2018 despite COVID-19 and the Maui wildfires that consumed its MaKai Sunset Inn, a boutique hotel on the Lahaina waterfront.
No evidence of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, health officials say
The state Department of Health says it found no evidence of widespread lead exposure among Maui wildfire survivors from the results of screenings over a three-month period.
Lane closures scheduled on Kaua‘i
LIHU‘E — A forecast of wet weather could upend a number of road-related projects in the week ahead, but if the rain holds off work is scheduled to take place in some heavily traveled locations on Kaua‘i, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation said in an update on Friday.
May declared Wildfire Mitigation and Risk Reduction Preparedness Month
HONOLULU — Gov. Josh Green on Friday — the 276th day since the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires — proclaimed May as Wildfire Mitigation and Risk Reduction Preparedness Month.
Fentanyl smuggling case moves to federal court
HILO, Hawai‘i — The case of a 41-year-old Kailua-Kona man accused of smuggling fentanyl into Hawaii from California has been moved to U.S. District Court in Honolulu.
Updated wastewater treatment plant unveiled at Ewa Beach
EWA BEACH, Hawai‘i — A $536 million upgrade to the city’s 45-year-old Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ewa Beach has been completed, the city says.
Students name Maunakea observatory instruments after starlight
HILO, Hawai‘i — A pair of instruments at a Maunakea observatory have been given a less unwieldy name by a group of Big Island high school students.
Public meeting set for Kaneka Street project
Stretch of Wawae Road closed in Kalaheo
Personal income forecast to contract in Hawai‘i
New play structure blessed at Kalena Park
Second lawsuit filed to stop demolition of Haiku Stairs
HONOLULU — For the second time in less than a year, the Friends of Haiku Stairs has filed a lawsuit to stop the city from demolishing the more than 3,900 steps that lead to the top of the Ko‘olau Range in Kaneohe.
Teen’s stabbing verdict vacated by appeals court
HONOLULU — The Intermediate Court of Appeals filed an opinion April 30 vacating the verdict of a Circuit Court jury that found Erik Willis, 21, guilty in the July 8, 2020, stabbing of a 17-year-old girl at Kahala Beach.
Hawai‘i bill exempts certain medical services from general excise tax
HONOLULU — A Senate bill exempting private health care providers from general excise taxes for services to patients with Medicaid, Medicare and TRICARE has made it to the governor’s desk.
Public clashes with Army over PTA lease
HILO, Hawaii — Big Islanders continued to urge the U.S. Army to abandon the Pohakuloa Training Area instead of extending its lease of state land.
Gazebo fire causes $15K in damage in Kapa‘a
City officials outline plans to avert disaster on O‘ahu
Hurricane forecast calls for two or less
Hurricane season is June 1 to Nov. 30 in Hawaii, and AccuWeather — a commercial weather forecasting service — is predicting a relatively quiet season for tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific basin.
Senate grills ag leaders over inaction on fire ants
HONOLULU — State senators pressed isle Department of Agriculture leaders on how they are going after “bad actors” in their battle against infestations of little fire ants.