UH study on quality of life cites housing, health care as stressors Star Advertiser Nina Wu December 11, 2024 Original Article A new dashboard launched by the University of Hawaii at Manoa offers insights into the pressing social, economic and health issues affecting state residents. The dashboard Opens in a new tab , which went live Tuesday, offers data from a survey of more than 8,000 adult residents conducted earlier this year. It offers snapshots of how residents from a broad range of demographics felt about their neighborhood, workplace, housing, mental and physical health and other factors affecting quality of life. It also delves into how prepared residents are for natural disasters, and their significant sources of stress, which appear to stem mostly from the high cost of housing and living. “The 2024 Hawaii Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard is more than a collection of statistics — it’s a call to action,” said lead researcher Jack Barile in a news release. “By making this information publicly available, we hope to inspire collaborative efforts to tackle the challenges facing our state.” While the dashboard shows many residents are feeling economic strain and stress, he noted, it also shows Hawaii’s communities are strong and resilient. Barile, also a professor of psychology and director of UH Manoa’s Social Science Research Institute, said results also highlight the unique needs and strengths of different communities, such as those with lower incomes and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents. The survey results can guide policymakers, community leaders and employers toward targeted actions that can improve well-being across the state, he said. Among the dashboard’s key findings: >> Economic stress. Most significant stressors for residents include the economy (73%), personal finances (73%) and housing costs (64%), particularly for households with incomes below $50,000. >> Moving from Hawaii. Among those surveyed, 40% considered moving out of the state in the past year due to high living costs. The rate is even higher, at 47%, among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. >> Health disparities. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents experience notably higher levels of stress and unhealthy days compared with white and Asian residents. Residents also cited challenges to accessing affordable health care, with 19% reporting medical debt over $500. >> Community strength. Despite hardships, 67% of residents said they feel safe in their neighborhoods, with a similar percentage reporting that neighbors are willing to help each other. >> Positive workplaces. 83% of employees felt respected by their employers, while 78% felt their contributions are valued. Employees looking to change jobs cited flexible work schedules, paid family leave and telework options as priorities. >> Disaster preparedness. Only 12% of respondents said they were well or very well prepared if there was a disaster in their community. In February, Hawaii became a trauma-informed state upon Gov. Josh Green’s signing of an executive order directing all state departments to collaborate with the Office of Wellness and Resilience to integrate principles of safety, transparency and peer support into workplaces and services. The UH College of Social Sciences launched the dashboard in partnership with the governor’s Office of Wellness and Resilience, which is funding the project. The surveys, to be conducted regularly, are the first step toward helping Hawaii become a trauma-informed state. The hope is that the data informs policy initiatives that address Hawaii’s unique challenges, said Barile, such as addressing barriers to affordable housing, as well as improving access to health care with a focus on NHPI communities, and the need for better disaster preparedness. “The data in this report shows that we must continue to increase the economic opportunities for our residents, so they can remain in Hawaii,” said state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz in a statement. “Diversifying our economy in the areas of creative industries, agriculture, and technology must be paired with investments in workforce development so our residents can fill the good-paying jobs here in the state.” Significant sources of stress >> Overall: The economy (73%), money (73%), housing costs (64%). >> Medical debt: Over 81% owe $500 or less. >> Access to health care: 12% said there was a time they needed to see a doctor but could not afford it; 20% said they delayed medical care due to the cost. >> Economic stability: 44% are worried about not having enough income to pay normal monthly bills; in the previous seven days, 10% reported sometimes not having enough to eat. >> Moving: When asked whether they had plans to move out of state, 40% responded yes. Of those who said yes, 65% said cost of living is lower elsewhere, 41% cited economic concerns, as reasons. Source: Hawaii Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard. Find the dashboard at health-study.com Opens in a new tab .

Kept losing altitude': Witnesses describe moment plane crashed near airport, killing 2 FOX8 Nicole Napuunoa December 18, 2024 Original Article Editor’s note: The above video contains footage of a deadly plane crash as taken by a driver near the Honolulu International Airport. HONOLULU (KHON ) – Two people aboard a training flight with Kamaka Air have died after their aircraft crashed into an abandoned building near the Honolulu International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Transportation has confirmed. The Hawaii DOT, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, are investigating the crash. Witnesses said they saw the plane going down just before it crashed at around 3:17 p.m. “I saw this plane coming from the south end and going around and losing altitude. Coming down it looked like it was like over the United Cargo and going on towards the main terminal but it kept losing altitude, kept losing altitude and losing altitude until there was a big crash. And that’s when everything was just black,” one witness, who identified herself as Sister Alicia, told Nexstar’s KHON. Hawaii State Sen. Lynn DeCoite also witnessed the crash while waiting for her husband to arrive at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, aka the Honolulu International Airport. “I’m assuming it had taken off and it was coming back around,” Sen. DeCoite told KHON. “So when it came back around, it literally passed the yellow building that is there. And it, you could just, because I heard the sound of the engine revving as it needed to climb and it just took a nosedive. It clipped the top of the building. So, at that point, we couldn’t see the top of the building because it was still behind Delta Cargo.” In video provided to KHON, thick black smoke was seen billowing out near a building in the industrial area as federal fire trucks were seen heading to the scene from the airport. Honolulu Fire Department Chief Sheldon Hao said most of the wreckage ended up on the ground, in a parking lot. Ed Sniffen of the Hawaii Department of Transportation said early reports showed that the pilot made adjustments during the ordeal, perhaps intent on placing the plane down in a safe place, and avoiding the nearby Skyline track as well as fuel storage tanks. Flight recordings also indicated Kamaka Air 689 was in contact with the air traffic control tower when the plane reportedly lost “control.” “You’re turning right, right?” an air traffic controller could be heard asking the crew. “We are, we have, uh, we’re out of control here,” came the response. “OK, if you can land, if you can level it off, that’s fine. Any runway, any place you can do,” the controller said. Kamaka Air CEO Dave Hinderland read a statement asking for privacy for the grieving families of the two pilots and vowing to assist the Hawaii DOT, FAA and NTSB in the crash investigation. “We will also share appropriate information with the media as it is confirmed over the coming hours and days,” Hinderland said, in part. Kamaka Air specializes in cargo flights throughout the Hawai’ian islands. The company also provides chartered luxury flights, per its website.

State calls for pause on interisland movement of birds due to avian flu Star Advertiser Nina Wu December 18, 2024 Original Article State agencies have called for a voluntary pause on the interisland movement of birds in Hawaii for 90 days following the discovery of the H5N1 bird flu in the state. The voluntary pause went into effect Friday, according to a news release from the state Department of Agriculture. State Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D, Lanai-Molokai-Hana) suggested the pause as a measure to stem the spread of H5N1, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza. DeCoite told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser she actually sought a mandatory, rather than voluntary, pause. “I thought we should be more proactive while putting out public service announcements,” said DeCoite. “I’m basically saying let’s suspend it until they can figure out what’s going on.” Prior to November, HPAI had not yet been detected in Hawaii, which was the last U.S. state to confirm the virus in wild birds. On Nov. 15 the state Health Department said HPAI had been confirmed in an outbreak among a backyard flock of birds, later identified as rescued ducks and geese from Susie’s Duck Sanctuary in Wahiawa. It was the first confirmed detection of the virus announced in Hawaii, days after the department said H5 had been detected in wastewater serving the area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also confirmed HPAI in a wild duck at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on Oahu’s North Shore. The duck, which exhibited no symptoms, was swabbed Nov. 1, with the national lab confirming HPAI in the sample Nov. 25. More recently, health officials reported the detection of H5 avian influenza in a sample collected Dec. 2 from the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plan on Hawaii island. Based on the type of strain found in Hawaii’s detections, officials believe the virus was likely introduced by migrating birds from northern regions around Alaska. DeCoite said she was concerned for many constituents on Molokai, including farmers and small business owners who just started participating in egg-laying programs. She wants more prevention measures in place to protect poultry farms on other isles as well as Hawaii’s endangered native birds, with more urgency on the part of the state Department of Agriculture. At DeCoite’s request the agencies are also collecting data to “assess the feasibility and necessity of a formal quarantine while carefully considering the potential economic impacts of premature restrictions on local products.” State Sen. Tim Richards expressed his support for the precautionary measure as both a senator and a veterinarian. “In light of the ongoing avian flu threat, I fully support a voluntary 90-day stop movement of birds as a precautionary measure,” said Richards in the news release. “Similar actions have been successfully implemented before, such as the voluntary halt in Hawaii’s beef cattle industry approximately 15 years ago, which effectively mitigated risks to trichomoniasis and protected livelihoods until legislation could be brought forward. By taking proactive steps now, we can prevent greater harm to our poultry industry and ensure the health of our flocks and communities.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture said avian influenza spreads through direct, bird-to-bird contact but can also spread via contact with contaminated surfaces and materials such as manure, egg flats, crates, farming equipment — and people’s shoes, clothing or hands. Avian influenza can also be detected in wild bird populations, including birds that do not appear to be sick. Officials are urging poultry farmers and other bird owners to increase their biosecurity measures to reduce the likelihood of infections. HDOA said it is working with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and state Department of Health on a coordinated response. DOH says the public health risk to humans remains low as there has been no evidence of person-to-person spread. To date, 61 U.S. cases have been reported in humans, mostly among dairy workers. On the mainland, meanwhile, millions of commercial and backyard flocks of birds, and thousands of wild birds, have been affected by HPAI since 2022. In March, HPAI also broke out among U.S. dairy cows, and more than 800 dairy herds in the U.S. have since been infected in 16 states.

Avian flu prompts state to request pause on interisland transportation of birds Hawaiʻi Public Radio HPR News Staff December 16, 2024 Original Article In response to the detection of the avian flu virus in Hawaiʻi, state agencies are asking the public to hold off on moving poultry and other bird species between islands for the next three months to prevent the spread. The state Department of Agriculture made the request in a news release on Friday. It said the ask for a voluntary pause was a suggestion from Moloka‘i Sen. Lynn DeCoite, who is also a farmer. The virus was first detected in Hawaiʻi last month and had not been detected in the islands prior. It is highly pathogenic and can spread between birds through contact or if birds come into contact with contaminated material. The public can report animal illnesses to the agriculture department by calling 808-483-7100. Though human cases are rare, residents can call the state Department of Health at 808-586-4586 if they develop symptoms after being exposed to sick birds.

Kokua Line: Is Postal Service Christmas mailer correct? Star Advertiser Christine Donnelly December 3, 2024 Original Article Question : Are the Christmas ship-by dates in the Postal Service mailer correct? I thought Hawaii was earlier. Answer : You are referring to the fold-out card titled “Delivering infinite moments of joy all season long,” which was produced at U.S. Postal Service headquarters with mainland customers in mind but also mailed to Hawaii customers. “In this case, the Priority Express Mail suggested mailing date is actually the same for mainland and Hawaii customers—Dec. 20. But our suggested mailing date for First-Class and Priority Mail for our Hawaii customers, which are the services that most local folks use, is Dec. 18 rather than the Dec. 19 date suggested in the mail piece,” Duke Gonzales, a postal service spokesperson, said Monday in an email. The mail-by dates aren’t hard deadlines for shipping to the mainland, “just suggested dates to give Christmas mail and packages the best chances of reaching their destinations before Dec. 25,” he said. Gonzales issued a news release Monday with other information about holiday shipping: >> Self-service ship and mail centers: Customers can use these kiosks to ship packages, buy stamps and handle other tasks without seeing a mail clerk. They generally are open 24/7 at all locations except for Mililani and Waipahu. Kiosks are available at the Kapahulu Safeway and at these 16 Hawaii post offices: Aina Haina, Downtown, Hawaii Kai, Hilo Main, Honolulu Main/Airport, Kailua, Kailua-Kona, Kaneohe, Kihei, Lahaina, Makiki, Mililani, Waialae- Kahala, Waikiki, Wailuku and Waipahu. >> Priority Mail flat-rate shipping: The box itself is free, while shipping up to 70 pounds to a domestic location costs $19.30 in a medium box and $22.80 in a large box. The large box holds 50% more (with the same 70-pound weight limit). >> Overseas military: Up to 70 pounds can be shipped in the military large flat-rate box to most APO and FPO locations for $26. >> Online service: Use usps.com, where you can create an online account to order free boxes, buy stamps, pay for and print shipping labels (Click-N-Ship) and participate in Operation Santa, the annual program that has donors fulfill children’s Christmas wishes. With Click-N-Ship you can have the post office come pick up your outgoing packages at no extra charge, or drop off the prepaid packages at a post office counter without standing in line. >> Peak days: “We expect customer traffic at our post offices to accelerate beginning the week of Dec. 9, and that the week of Dec. 16 will be our busiest week of the season,” the news release said. Q : How long is the new Leeward bike path? A : The 3.5-mile Leeward Bikeway follows the previous Oahu Railway and Land Co. path and “extends the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail, connecting through the West Loch Community Shoreline Path, to create an 11-mile path that wraps around Pearl Harbor and into Ewa Beach, culminating at the Hawaiian Railway Society’s train yard,” according to the Hawaii Bicycling League. Q : Regarding bird flu, can that spread to feral cats? A : Yes, and to pet cats, too, and to many other mammals, wild, stray (feral) or domesticated. “Although bird flu viruses mainly infect and spread among wild migratory water birds and domestic poultry, some bird flu viruses can infect and spread to other animals as well. Bird flu viruses have in the past been known to sometimes infect mammals that eat (presumably infected) birds or poultry,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In North America, H5N1 bird flu viruses have been detected in cats, dogs, goat kids (juvenile goats) and dairy cows, the agency says. It’s rare for people to catch bird flu from an infected animal, but it is possible, “especially if there is prolonged and unprotected exposure to the animal,” the CDC says. Read more at 808ne.ws/3ZhX9X1 Opens in a new tab (on the CDC website) and 808ne.ws/4fS9k3u Opens in a new tab (on the state Department of Health website).

Kaua‘i County inauguration swears in many familiar faces, and a newcomer to the council Kauaʻi Now Scott Yunker December 2, 2024 Original Article As the calendar year comes to an end, the latest iteration of Kaua‘i County government formally began Monday with the inauguration of its county council and prosecuting attorney at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Līhu‘e. Longtime Kaua‘i County councilmember Mel Rapozo was confirmed as chair, and KipuKai Kuali‘i was named as vice chair, in a public hearing prior to the 1 p.m. ceremony. Rapozo promised “to tackle critical issues facing our community with boldness and with resolve.” He identified wastewater and clean water initiatives, homelessness, housing and the county’s ongoing search for a new landfill site as top priorities. “We will work aggressively — and I mean aggressively — to address the needs and challenges that matter most to our residents,” Rapozo said. Rapozo and Kuali‘i will lead a council filled with familiar faces, including Addison Bulosan, Bernard Carvalho, Felicia Cowden and Arryl Kaneshiro, who won reelection to the council in November after terming out in 2022. Fern Holland, who defeated incumbent Ross Kagawa by 108 votes in the November general election, is the sole newcomer to the Kaua‘i County Council. She received applause and cheers on Monday when Rapozo, speaking from the convention hall stage, welcomed her aboard. Kaua‘i County’s prosecuting attorney, Rebecca Like, successfully maintained her position after winning an uncontested primary election in August. Like claimed her office must not only prosecute crimes, but work to prevent them. She vowed “to address the root causes of crime” through continued collaboration with local law enforcement, agencies and community organizations. “Justice is not a privilege for the few, but a right for all,” Like said. “It is the duty of those who hold the scales to ensure fairness, protect the innocent and hold the guilty accountable, regardless of their power or position.” Oaths of office were administered by Judge Randal Valenciano. Jade K. Fountain-Tanigawa and Lyndon M. Yoshioka, who was absent due to illness, were appointed county clerk and deputy county clerk. Pastor Matt Higa of the New Hope Kaua‘i church led the inauguration’s invocation and closing word of prayer, in which he called for unity and respect. “You and I, all of us, we will never see eye to eye on every political issue,” Higa said. “But we must see heart to heart.” Jan TenBruggencate, vice chair of the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative and member of the Kaua‘i County Charter Review Commission, served as master of ceremonies. Members of the Waimea High School JROTC served as color guard. Kumu Troy Lazaro and Sabra Kauka were present as pū kāne (conch shell blower) and mea ‘oli (chanter). Nalani K. Ka‘auwai Brun performed the U.S. national anthem and the state anthem, “Hawai‘i Pono‘ī.” Officials in attendance Monday also included Kaua‘i Mayor Derek Kawakami, Maui County councilmembers Keani Rawlins-Fernandez and Gabe Johnson, State Senate President Ron Kouchi and state House representatives Dee Morikawa and Luke Evslin. Others present included former county and state government officials, Capt. Brett Stevenson of the Pacific Missile Range Facility, William Arakaki of the Hawai‘i State Board of Education and representatives of Gov. Josh Green, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda.

Hawaii’s Medical Cannabis Caregiver Program Set to Expire December 31 Ganjapreneur TG Branfalt December 2, 2024 Original Article Beginning January 1, Hawaii’s network of medical cannabis caregivers will be outlawed under “sunset” provisions included in the state’s medical cannabis law, HawaiiNewsNow reports. House Public Safety Chair Rep. Della Belatti (D) indicated that the sunset provision is a mistake that lawmakers will try to address, but for now the state’s registered caregivers will be forced to stop serving patients by the start of the new year. Registered caregivers are allowed to raise up to 10 medical cannabis plants for patients who cannot cultivate the plants. The system is an alternative to dispensaries, which some say are too expensive or inconvenient. Belatti told HawaiiNewsNow that the impending shut down of the caregiver program is “a failure” that lawmakers did not address which has led to a “crisis.” State Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D), who chairs the chamber’s Health and Human Services committee, said the deadline would impact thousands of the state’s medical cannabis patients. “Especially for Oahu patients who live in condos where they are dependent upon caregivers to grow their medical cannabis for them,” she told HawaiiNewsNow, “they won’t be able to have that access and that’s huge.”

Who Should Be Trusted To Manage Remains Of Hawaiian Royals? Civil Beat Blaze Lovell December 8, 2024 Original Article Management of Mauna ʻAla, the burial place for many of Hawaiʻi’s monarchs, is at a crossroads. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources picked a new curator for the burial grounds in Nuʻuanu without consulting with key Native Hawaiian organizations or the family that has cared for the remains for the last 200 hundred years. That set off a fierce debate that will spill out into the Legislature next year. Lawmakers will propose that the state lands department step aside and transfer management of the grounds to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Meanwhile, descendants of the customary caretakers — who say the lands department broke with decades of tradition in picking the new curator — are trying to build support to hand over management to a private nonprofit. Burials in Hawaiian culture — and those of royal lineages in particular — are considered highly sacred. The debate over which entity gets to manage Mauna ʻAla is intertwined with who should be responsible for caring for those remains. Amid the debate, one thing has become clear: keeping Mauna ʻAla under the state lands department is unpopular to many involved. “I don’t think it being housed in DLNR is a good fit,” Sen. Tim Richards, who chairs the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee, said. Proposals to transfer management authority come with many unanswered questions, including who pays for the upkeep and what would happen to the current curator, Doni Chong. Kai Kahele, newly elected to chair the board of trustees of OHA, said his agency, established to represent the interests of Hawaiians, is the right pick to oversee the burial grounds. “We have the talent here to do it, we just have to work with the administration to bring that to fruition,” Kahele said. Sen. Lorraine Inouye, who chairs the Senate Water and Land Committee, said she plans to introduce a bill transferring management of the grounds to OHA. Inouye is worried that keeping Mauna ʻAla under the land department, whose director is a political appointee of the governor, means that policies could change with each new administration every four years. “If we leave it with OHA, that would be continuous,” Inouye said. While Inouye supports transferring management authority, she’s not sure that lawmakers would approve of giving OHA additional funds for Mauna ʻAla. Inouye thinks the office, which oversees vast trust resources worth $600 million, should be able to cover the costs for Mauna ʻAla itself. OHA has some experience managing historical sites. In 2012, the office acquired the land in Wahiawā that houses the Kūkaniloko birthing stones, the birthplace for many of Oʻahu’s high-ranking chiefs. But Inouye also acknowledged that OHA comes with some baggage. The office and its trustees have previously been criticized for mismanaging the office’s finances. An audit two years ago found possible instances of waste, fraud and abuse in OHA contracts within the last decade, which prompted the office’s leadership to tighten its internal controls. In addition to the state, the Aliʻi Trusts, whose namesakes are buried at Mauna ʻAla, have also contributed to improvements at the site under an agreement with DLNR from 2013. Three of the largest trusts — Lunalilo Home, Liliʻuokalani Trust and The Queen’s Health System — either declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests for comment on the future of Mauna ʻAla. In a written statement, Kamehameha Schools said that the care and guardianship of Mauna ʻAla “demands the highest standards from all who are entrusted with this sacred responsibility.” “We trust that OHA and DLNR will continue to work together, alongside the community, to malama this special place.” After Chong was appointed earlier this year, DLNR Director Dawn Chang said that she met with the Aliʻi trusts, royal societies, Hawaiian civic clubs and members of the family that have traditionally cared for the burials, but there was no consensus among them regarding the proposed transfer of Mauna ʻAla to OHA. There was also a proposal at one point to create a new position to deal with the cultural aspects of Mauna ʻAla. Chang said there also wasn’t consensus from those groups on what exactly that position would entail. At recent land board meetings, testifiers and board members have raised concerns that the land department planned to turn parts of Mauna ʻAla, including the curator’s house, into a sort of museum. While the department is undertaking a $325,000 renovation project of the curator’s house, Chang said the goal isn’t to turn it into a commercial enterprise. After the renovations are complete, Chong and future curators would still live on site. Chang said she believes Chong has been doing a good job. She said that Chong has been getting assistance from Kahu Kordell Kekoa on cultural protocols and recently hosted a graduating class of Honolulu firefighters. “I have not received any concerns or complaints,” Chang said. “If anything, we’ve been receiving positive comments about her work there.” Prior to Chong, a family that traced its lineage to chief Hoʻolulu had served as caretakers of Mauna ʻAla for decades. Hoʻolulu, along with his brother, hid the remains of Kamehameha I. In Hawaiian tradition, iwi, or bones, contain a person’s mana, or spiritual power. In ancient times, high-ranking chiefs would often have their remains hidden from people who sought to steal that power. Hoʻolulu and his descendants were entrusted with protecting the remains of Hawaiʻi’s aliʻi into the afterlife. Mauna ʻAla was established in 1864 to house the remains of Kamehameha’s descendants and their close advisers. It later became the resting place for relatives of David Kalākaua and other royal lineages. Now, the descendants hope to see a nonprofit established that could manage Mauna ʻAla in partnership with the Aliʻi trusts — removing the site from state government management entirely. “The OHA solution is just too political,” Mary ‘Amaikalani Beckley Lawrence Gallagher, one of the Hoʻolulu descendants, said. James Maioho, who comes from a branch of that family, is trying to get support from the Alii trusts and other royal societies to eventually transfer management to a nonprofit run by the family. “You’re giving that 3.3 acres back to Kanaka control, back as sovereign land,” Maioho said. Gallagher said that family members have already been discussing who could be the next caretaker and who should be trained to succeed them should the family take over management of Mauna ʻAla. She said the family has weathered through numerous regime changes over the years as management passed from the Hawaiian Kingdom, to the territory and now to the state. “We’ll keep our chins up,” Gallagher said, “and keep ourselves out of the monkey business.” Civil Beat’s coverage of Native Hawaiian issues and initiatives is supported by a grant from the Abigail Kawananakoa Foundation.

Harbor dredging project pau Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald Michael Brestovansky December 4, 2024 Original Article Boaters are in deep water at last after a months-long dredging project at Wailoa Small Boat Harbor in Hilo wrapped up last week. The harbor, one of East Hawaii’s last functioning boat launches after the Pohoiki Boat Ramp in Puna was cut off during the 2018 Kilauea eruption, has not been dredged for more than seven years and sediment had accumulated at the harbor mouth. Boats repeatedly went aground attempting to pass the mouth of the Wailoa River, and boaters quickly learned the harbor only was usable at the highest tides. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation began a project to dredge the river in July, using $3.2 million in capital improvement funds. That work ended on Nov. 27, the DLNR announced Tuesday, although construction equipment including a barge will remain on site until Saturday. The total cost of the project swelled to $4.8 million, according to a DLNR news release, but the cost overrun was covered through DOBOR’s Boating Special Fund, which is replenished from statewide harbor and boating facility use fees. “We appreciate the public’s patience, understanding and advocacy as DOBOR navigated the permitting and funding hurdles to get this project completed before the end of the year,” DOBOR Administrator Meghan Statts said in a statement. ”We also appreciate the Legislature for recognizing the importance of this project and providing funding.” “It’s definitely better, it’s deeper,” said boater Antoine Debarge on Tuesday, mooring his boat directly across the river mouth from Suisan Fish Market. “This was completely dry land here a few months ago.” Hilo Sen. Lorraine Inouye, who advocated for the initial $3.2 million allocation, said she was happy East Hawaii boaters can finally safely access the ocean again from the harbor, but lamented that the problem persisted for years. “When I became District 1 senator in 2022, that was already a problem, and we embarked on making sure it got fixed,” Inouye said. “I’m happy we were able to do this, but the boaters had to deal with it for so long.” Inouye said she will continue to monitor conditions at the the harbor and will listen to boaters’ concerns to identify other potential issues that need to be addressed. She added she is working on a project to determine the accumulation rates of sediment at the harbor so future dredging operations are more timely. Inouye went on to say that she will try to make additional funds available for additional maintenance projects at the harbor during the 2025 legislative session, which begins in January. Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com .

The role of regional kitchens in feeding Hawaiʻi’s students Big Island Now Big Island Now Staff December 6, 2024 Original Article The Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism says an estimated 85% to 90% percent of the state’s food is grown, processed and imported from the U.S. mainland, which is then delivered to school kitchens. It’s a costly, less fresh and far less sustinable food model for the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, which serves 100,000-plus students a day — or about 18 million meals per school year — through its meals program. What if there was a way to change that? The Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation recently hosted its “Eat, Think, Drink 27: Regional Kitchens — Transforming Ag Through Strategic Investments” event on O‘ahu to discuss that issue and more. State House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems Chairwoman Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa of Kona, state Senate Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz of Oʻahu and state Senate Committee on Education Chairwoman Sen. Michelle Kidani of Oʻahu attended. Kahaloa and Dela Cruz were also part of a panel of state and industry leaders in local food production to talk about the significance of the role of regional kitchens in sustainably feeding Hawaiʻi and its students. Keynote speaker Dela Cruz presented about the state’s Nourishing Hawaiʻi’s Future initiative, aimed at increasing local food production and creating locally sourced meals for students through regional kitchens. State Superintendent of Schools Keith Hayashi also was part of the discussion. “The answer to both reducing our dependence on imported food and feeding our students locally is the concept of a regional kitchen,” said Dela Cruz. “Building a future based on resources already in place and using them to create a tangible system of local agriculture, regional kitchens and [Hawai‘i] Department of Education schools is a feasible solution that will create food security and contribute to economic development.” Regional kitchens are facilities used to produce meals or individual ingredients before they are sent to different locations to serve to consumers. This model has been successfully adopted through school districts in Washington state and California and already similarly implemented in the centralized kitchen of Zippy’s Restaurants in Waipiʻo, Oʻahu. Strategic investments in regional kitchens have shown to help local farmers scale production by increasing market access and leveraging the power of public procurement. Regional kitchens use local farm products to prepare meals at public schools, said Kahaloa. “This model moves locally grown and raised products from our farms, to processing facilities, to the regional kitchens and lastly to our public schools that incorporate these ʻono grinds on our keiki’s plates,” said the Big Island lawmaker. “Students will be nourished when they can eat food grown from their communities.” Hayashi said his department continues to work toward the state’s goal of incorporating at least 30% locally sourced foods in school meals by 2030 and 50% by 2050. A highlight of the event included a menu created by four state Department of Education alumni, who are now chefs, and current students using locally sourced ingredients. Hayashi said the state Department of Education is grateful for the opportunities the event provided Hawaiʻi students to learn from alumni and professionals in the food and agriculture industry. “Including [Hawaiʻi Department of Education] in the process provides nutritious school meals for our keiki while securing local food production,” said Kidani. “It was wonderful to see alumni now as skilled chefs contributing their creations and showcasing locally grown ingredients alongside our current culinary students. Working with alumni to serve healthy, local meals will fuel our students’ success in the classroom and have a lasting impact.”

Hawaii Senate tweaks committees, chairs ahead of 2025 session Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso December 7, 2024 Original Article Unlike the state House, leadership at the state Senate will remain relatively familiar for the upcoming legislative session, with some tweaks to Senate committees and chairs. Three of the Senate’s 17 committees have been refocused: >> The former Energy, Economic Development and Tourism Committee now becomes the Economic Development and Tourism Committee with Sen. Lynn DeCoite as its chair. >> Responsibility for energy now falls under a new Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee chaired by Sen. Glenn Wakai. Wakai previously chaired the Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee. >> It now becomes the Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee chaired by Sen. Brandon Elefante. The new chair of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee will be Sen. Tim Richards III, after former Chair Maile Shimabukuro left the Senate at the end of the last legislative session. Otherwise, leadership of the Senate continues under Senate President Ron Kouchi. Continuing in their Senate leadership roles are Michelle Kidani (vice president), Dru Mamo Kanuha (majority leader), Wakai (majority floor leader), DeCoite (assistant majority floor leader), Les Ihara (majority policy leader) and Lorraine Inouye (majority whip). Sens. Henry J.C. Aquino, Troy Hashimoto, Jarrett Keohokalole, Chris Lee and Richards all will serve as assistant majority whips. In the three-member, minority Republican Senate caucus, the election of Sen. Samantha DeCorte enabled a tie-breaking vote that settled a leadership standoff over the past two legislative sessions between Sens. Kurt Fevella and Brenton Awa. Awa now becomes minority leader, DeCorte is the new minority floor leader and Fevella will serve as assistant minority floor leader. The changes in the Senate were far less dramatic compared with the House because of several factors. Only 13 of the 25 Senate seats were up for election this year. But all 51 House seats were up, resulting in new faces and a leadership change when Speaker Scott Saiki lost his primary election. New House Speaker Nadine Nakamura then reshuffled House leadership. Other factors in the House included resignations, retirements, other election losses, the death of Rep. Mark Nakashima and several other chairs moving up into House leadership, which prevents them from chairing committees, although some will serve as vice chairs. Nakamura also renamed several of the 18 House committees, and 12 of them will have new chairs. Six newly elected House freshmen also will serve as vice chairs.

Hawaiʻi officials could borrow from New Zealand's strict, well-funded biosecurity Hawaiʻi Public Radio Mark Ladao December 6, 2024 Original Article Hawaiʻi officials are looking to New Zealand to help shore up its own biosecurity efforts. A group of key state lawmakers and staff, including those from the state Department of Agriculture, visited New Zealand in September to learn more about how the island nation prevents and manages invasive species. At a recent Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture meeting, Jonathan Ho, the manager for the department’s Plant Quarantine Branch, noted some of the ways New Zealand prevents pests from entering and becoming established. “To compare to New Zealand, I think per capita they spend about 10 times what we do,” he said. “They focus very heavily on pre-entry, so trying to force as much of the inspections, the treatments, compliance agreements — all of that stuff outside the border prior to entry." State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz was one of the lawmakers who made the September trip, and in a newsletter, he noted that New Zealand has what is “widely considered to be the best biosecurity system in the world.” His newsletter said that New Zealand has a three-tiered biosecurity system that starts with cleanliness requirements for the goods — and the ships carrying the goods — before they enter the country. Detector dogs, physical inspections and disposal techniques also filter out pests and unwanted species at the border before they can spread. After that, the country has rigorous surveillance and response mechanisms in place. Ho said that additional funding would help invasive species management, but that Hawaiʻi’s dependence on imports, one of the primary ways invasive species end up in the islands, coupled with its lack of resources and inadequate regulations makes pest introduction always a possibility. “We import 90% of our goods, and I don't see that changing any time soon. And as long as there is imported goods, there is going to be risks,” Ho said. The state agriculture department only has 89 inspectors to check goods imported into Hawaiʻi, and they only check about 10% to 15% of the goods, Ho said. Pre-border requirements on goods and vessels to ensure that pests don’t even make it to Hawaiʻi would be helpful, but Ho said it’s more difficult for a state to make those rules than it is for a country like New Zealand. Requests for more biosecurity funding and policy changes are likely to come in the upcoming state legislative session.