Keiki Fest Combines Education with Entertainment The Molokai Dispatch Jack Kiyonaga May 8, 2025 Original Article This year’s annual Keiki Fest was a successful mix of entertaining activities and critical information for Molokai families. Organized by the Molokai Community Action Team, the event focused on ‘ohana well-being, explained Titi Hernandez, lead organizer of Keiki Fest. “It’s for the keiki and their families,” said Hernandez. “We wanted to celebrate the keiki a little bit more as well as have a place for families to hang out.” With over 1,200 Molokai community members in attendance at the Molokai Community Health Center on April 26, Hernandez and the Molokai Community Action Team were busy ushering kids and families between information booths, games, prizes, music performances and more. The Molokai Community Action Team partners with Molokai Child Abuse Prevention Pathways to deliver critical messages and education to families at Keiki Fest. The informational booths with different Molokai services and resources serve as checkpoints for kids to earn prizes, explained Hernandez. “Nobody can get a prize until they get education,” she said. Senator Lynn DeCoite, fresh out of the senate’s final budget discussions, came out with her family to enjoy the day and present special recognitions on behalf of the senate. “This event says a lot about our community,” said DeCoite. “I think this gives us an opportunity to come out and share some of our mana’o on how we can do better for Molokai.” DeCoite presented the Molokai Community Action Team with an award from the senate for their community contributions. Additionally, Jodi Puaoi, branch manager at American Savings Bank, was recognized for her years of contributions to Keiki Fest. “This Keiki Fest wouldn’t be here without you,” said DeCoite to Puaoi as she presented her with the award. The day ended with the highlight to end all highlights – the fire trucks came and sprayed the kids with water hoses. As DeCoite put it, “the kids are happy, the parents are happy, everyone is happy.”

A Revolving Door For Mentally Ill? Lawmakers Question Diversion Program Civil Beat Caitlin Thompson October 31, 2025 Original Article Lawmakers are expressing concern that a law meant to keep people with mental illness accused of minor crimes from languishing in jail is instead trapping some people in a revolving door at the Hawaiʻi State Hospital without meaningful treatment. In a letter sent earlier this month to state Department of Health Director Kenneth Fink, 11 senators cited Civil Beat’s reporting on the law and asked the department for detailed information on how Act 26 has been implemented and whether it is actually helping people get lasting help. They also ask the department to consider whether changes to the law are needed to prevent people from being readmitted over and over again. Investigation : Hawaiʻi Law Is Diverting Mentally Ill From Jail — But Not Getting Them Help The senators, who include Health and Human Services Chair Joy San Buenaventura and Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads, expressed support for programs meant to improve outcomes for people with mental illness in the criminal justice system, but questioned whether this five-year-old law has been effective. “One example from the article is a 61-year old man described as homeless who had been sent to the state hospital for a determination of his mental fitness a staggering twenty-two times in a five-year period,” the letter says. Introduced in 2020, Act 26 started out as part of a broader effort to reform the way jails had become de facto mental health treatment centers and to get mentally ill residents accused of petty crimes into community treatment programs. By the time it passed, however, the measure focused primarily on the process for determining whether people with mental illness arrested for low-level crimes have the mental capacity to stand trial. In the past, the process dragged on so long that people were held at the state hospital for longer than the maximum sentence for the charges they faced, which for a petty misdemeanor, is 30 days. Act 26 shortened this timeline from three months to seven days, although lawmakers increased that to 14 days last year. If people facing non-violent petty misdemeanor charges can’t be deemed fit to stand trial within two weeks, they are discharged from the hospital and their case is dropped. More than 150 people were readmitted to the state hospital on petty misdemeanor charges between July 2024 and June 2025, with some admitted half a dozen or more times. About half of those readmitted were back in the hospital within four months, Civil Beat found. In the letter, lawmakers asked the health department to provide detailed information about nearly a dozen areas of concern, including whether patients could be held in less restrictive facilities, what happens when someone is discharged from the state hospital after being found mentally unfit and whether the hospital takes steps to ensure they continue to receive medical care once they leave. Lawmakers also asked health officials to explain whether the state hospital can obtain a court or administrative order for treatment over a patient’s objections and provide data on the number of people who are evaluated for involuntary treatment programs that would enable the hospital to hold them longer. “If they’re not fit to proceed, the court cases drop. And that’s the end of it. And that’s why I think you have the revolving door, because these people are mentally ill, they go back out and do the same thing again, surprise, surprise, and then they come back,” Rhoads said. The Department of Health will respond to senators “as soon as possible,” department spokesman Adam LeFebvre said in an email. ‘It’s About Time We Started Looking At It Again’ Generally, Act 26 has had a positive impact, state hospital administrator Mark Linscott told lawmakers at a Health and Human Services Committee briefing in October. But he said patients cycling in and out of the hospital is a persistent challenge. “It’s about time we start looking at it again,” San Buenaventura said during the briefing. “The revolving door referred to by the Civil Beat article may continue unless hopefully we could have some solutions going forward.” The mandate to release people within 14 days has led to people being discharged without having received much treatment, according to experts at the state hospital and service providers working with people with mental illness. Many patients also struggle with addiction, and the short stays may not be enough to detox. In the letter sent to the health department director, lawmakers are asking whether the current timeline is sufficient to provide people with meaningful treatment. People leaving the hospital are often met with few resources and insufficient options for community-based treatment. It’s not just Act 26 that needs to be reexamined, San Buenaventura said. She wants to take a closer look at other factors, like whether the broader strategy of jail diversion for people with mental illness is working. “I don’t think that it’s Act 26 by itself that is causing this revolving door,” she said. It’s about “ensuring that there is stabilizing treatment that’s out in the community.” Lawmakers also want to know whether the health department is fully utilizing programs that would allow them to take a more forceful approach. The hospital can’t hold someone involuntarily without a court or administrative order if they are not deemed a danger to themselves or others, nor can doctors medicate a patient against their will. But there are initiatives like Assisted Community Treatment, which allows someone to obtain a court order to force a person who is refusing medication into treatment. The program is controversial because it involves people being medicated against their will. Proponents, however, say that it is key to interrupting the revolving door at the state hospital, and lawmakers want to know whether it’s a viable option that the state hospital uses. Even then, there’s the problem of bedspace and a lack of alternatives. Hawaiʻi is heavily reliant on its state hospital for patients with mental illness who are facing charges. “That, I think, is the next big problem: where we put people,” Rhoads said. The health department needs to expand other less acute options, “as opposed to funneling all these guys into the state hospital.”

Students paint mural along Kamehameha Highway Aloha State Daily Katie Helland October 27, 2025 Original Article High school students from three schools came together to paint a large mural in Waipio. They were led by the community artists Blythe Yoshikane Simpliciano, Jesse Velasquez and Solomon Enos. Learn more about the painting that took place on Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26. About 100 students from Waipahu, Pearl City and Mililani high schools came together on Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26, to create a mural that is more than three quarters of a mile long on Kamehameha Highway in Waipio. “Everyone that drives past this corridor now that connects the different communities can all take pride in the work that students have done,” said Keith Hayashi, the superintendent of the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, in a written statement. The mural is located along part of Kamehameha Highway between Waipahu St. and Ka Uka Blvd. Each high school painted a portion of the wall. Mililani High School students painted the mauka-most section of the mural. Waipahu High School students took the middle of the design. Pearl City High School students painted the makai-most section of the mural. The mural was designed by designed by community artists Blythe Yoshikane Simpliciano, Jesse Velasquez and Solomon Enos. “It's amazing that people are willing to show up to beautify a space like this and do this all together,” said Simpliciano in a written statement. “I think a joint collaboration between DOT and DOE is impressive. Not only that, but a joint collaboration between three high schools in this area. That's super cool.” Enos is a Honolulu-based artist, illustrator, sculptor and muralist, who has created work for Google; Pixar Animation Studios; Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa; Howard Hughes; and Vans, among others. Enos also recently designed more than 3,000 square feet of murals for the inside of Amazon’s first delivery station in Hawai’i. “I think it's a really nice opportunity to connect and just build upon bringing back to the community and making improvements to our ʻāina,” said Lyric Esperanza, a ninth-grade student at Pearl City High School, in a written statement. The project was led by Senate Vice President Michelle Kidani, Chair of Education, who coordinated the state departments of education and transportation to provide workforce training, painting supplies and volunteer support for the event.

Competing bills seek to define power of Mauna Kea Authority Star Advertiser Michael Brestovansky January 28, 2025 Original Article Hawaii lawmakers will battle it out this session with competing bills dictating the powers of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. Hilo Sen. Lorraine Inouye has reintroduced this year a measure she acknowledged would neuter the power of the state authority, which will take over management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve from the University of Hawaii in 2028, by making it subservient to the state Board of Natural Resources. That measure, Senate Bill 6, follows up on a similar one she introduced in 2023, which failed to pass. The 2023 bill would have added minimal language to state laws clarifying that all powers and jurisdiction over state conservation district land, which includes all of the science reserve, will remain with the BLNR. While SB 6 goes into more detail than the 2023 bill, it serves a similar purpose. It states that the MKSOA will be “the principal authority for the management of state-managed lands within the Mauna Kea lands; provided that the natural resource management enforcement and emergency response over these lands shall remain the responsibility of … the Department of Land and Natural Resources.” “Conservation land should remain in the control of the BLNR,” Inouye said Thursday, explaining she considers the matter a public land trust issue. Inouye noted she was “the only naysayer” when the Legislature passed a measure in 2022 to form the MKSOA in the first place. At the time, she expressed concerns about the ability of the Mauna Kea Observatories to renew their leases with the state between the transition of power in 2028 and the expiration of UH’s master lease in 2033. In 2023, Inouye also was concerned about what she saw as ambiguity in MKSOA’s jurisdiction. The wording of its powers, she said in 2023, could suggest that the MKSOA has authority over nearly 56,000 acres across Mauna Kea instead of just the 11,000-acre science reserve. Inouye said Thursday she believes there was no problem with UH’s land management before 2022, and that the bill forming the MKSOA was railroaded into passage for political reasons and without consultation with UH’s Center for Maunakea Stewardship. But while Inouye said she hopes some of her colleagues in the Legislature have come around to her way of thinking since 2023, she has opponents this time around. Two bills, House Bill 143 and Senate Bill 769, would clarify the MKSOA’s powers following the 2028 transition, allowing it to approve or deny conservation district use permits and ensure lessees’ compliance with permit requirements. Kohala Rep. David Tarnas, who introduced HB 143, called his bill “an important refinement” of Act 255, the 2022 law that established the MKSOA. He said Inouye’s bill is an attempt to fundamentally change the purpose of the MKSOA beyond the terms of Act 255, and that he would prefer to keep moving forward with the authority instead of going backward. HB 143 and SB 769 also specify that the current conservation district use permits for every one of the summit telescopes will not be transferred from UH to the MKSOA in 2028. Hamakua and Kohala Sen. Tim Richards, co-introducer of SB 769, said where those permits would go is yet to be determined by the MKSOA. John De Fries, MKSOA board member, said that question is still a hotly debated one. “But I’m confident we can resolve the issue,” De Fries said. “We’ve got experts in the field working on it and talking about it.” De Fries said he met with Inouye on Thursday and has “agreed to disagree” about her measure. He said Act 255 has as its central tenet the concept of “mutual stewardship,” whereby representatives of diverse groups including UH, the Mauna Kea Observatories and the Hawaiian community can make decisions about the mountain, which would be undermined by SB 6. “Sen. Inouye would like the return decision-making power back to BLNR … which would reduce the authority to only an advisory capacity,” De Fries said. Ultimately, De Fries said, the mutual stewardship concept is what drew him to join the MKSOA board, and he hopes the board can continue to operate as intended. “What attracted me to this board was this new way of resolving issues this complex and critical to Hawaii’s future,” De Fries said. Richards said he was not wedded to the specific solutions of SB 769 and that there may well be better solutions for the authority yet to be developed. But, he added, “we’ve got to get something in the pipeline now because we’re running out of time. We have three years, and if we can’t get something started now, we’ll be a year behind.” All three bills — SB 6, HB 143 and SB 769 — have been referred to multiple committees in their respective chambers, but no hearings have been scheduled for any of them.

Lawmakers get update on Hawaiʻi biosecurity plan, first industry partnership in development Maui Now November 8, 2025 Original Article The Senate Committee on Ways and Means received an update from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) on efforts to bolster Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity network to protect local agriculture, people and natural resources from pests and invasive species. The briefing at Green Point Nursery in Hilo included representatives from multiple state agencies working under Act 236 (2025), which directs the creation of a coordinated biosecurity system. Discussions focused on the delivery of pest management plans and a biosecurity dashboard, declaration of biosecurity emergencies and developments of transitional facilities. The department also discussed progress toward establishing Government-Industry Agreements—public-private partnerships that share decision-making and costs to advance biosecurity. DAB said it is exploring a partnership with the Hawaiʻi Floriculture and Nursery Association to create what would be the state’s first such agreement for biosecurity. “Nurseries are a cornerstone of Hilo’s economy, and their success depends on our ability to keep pests like the little fire ant in check,” said Sen. Lorraine R. Inouye, who chairs the Senate Committee on Water and Land, in a public release Thursday. “The collaboration between DAB and the Hawaiʻi Floriculture and Nursery Association is the kind of proactive partnership we need to keep our growers resilient and our communities safe.” Recent legislation, Act 231 (2024) and Act 236 (2025), appropriated $10 million supporting biosecurity initiatives and authorized Hawaiʻi to emulate its network after New Zealand’s system, considered one of the world’s most effective.

REMINDER: Community invited to wildfire preparedness and mitigation town hall Kauai Now October 15, 2025 Original Article Kauaʻi’s delegation of state lawmakers and other Hawaiʻi and local officials are hosting a Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Town Hall from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today. The town hall will be conducted at Kauaʻi Philippine Cultural Center AND FEATURE: Hawaiʻi Senate President Ronald Kouchi. Hawaiʻi Speaker of the House Nadine Nakamura. Hawaiʻi House Majority Leader Dee Morikawa. Hawaiʻi House Committee on Housing Chairman Luke Evslin. Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization Co-Executive Director Elizabeth Pickett. Hawaiʻi State Fire Marshal Dorothy Booth. Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency Administrator Elton Ushio. Kauaʻi Fire Department Chief Michael Gibson. Garden Island residents are invited to join the discussion, during which OFFICIALS WILL TALK ABOUT: New state legislation and funding. Insights from the deadly 2023 wildfire in Lahaina, Maui, and the July 2024 Kaumakani wildfire that burned more than 1.5 square miles of land on Kauaʻi. Steps residents and landowners can take together to strengthen Kauaʻi’s resilience. The evening will feature a presentation followed by a question-and-answer session with the expert panel. Kauaʻi Philippine Cultural Center is located at 4475-F Nūhou St. in Līhuʻe. The town hall is in partnership with Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, Office of the State Fire Marshal, Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency and Kauaʻi Fire Department.

'Akamai Arrival' takes off: Ag declaration form goes digital KHON2 Jill Kuramoto February 24, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (KHON2) — Traveling to Hawaiʻi is about to get a high-tech upgrade. A new pilot program aims to ditch the pen and paper currently used to declare plants and animals. For years, travelers to Hawaiʻi have been required to fill out a paper declaration form, listing any live plants or animals they’re bringing to the state, with the goal of protecting the islands’ delicate ecosystem. “These creatures, which are very scary, especially this one, should not be coming into Hawaiʻi,” said Gov. Josh Green while pointing to a tarantula in a tank next to him. Now the paper ag declaration form is getting an overhaul, making fumbling for a pen at 35,000 feet no more. “We all know the best time to let a passenger know what not to bring into the state is before they get on the plane. Not when they’re scurrying through their baggage to look for a pencil and then, oops, I got a ferret. Oops, I brought in live plants,” said Sen. Glenn Wakai, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs. Beginning March 1, select flights on most domestic airlines that fly to Hawaiʻi will participate in the three month long pilot program. “Akamai Arrival” has the same questions as the paper form and will be accessible on both laptops and smartphones. Travelers will fill out the form electronically before landing. State Department of Agriculture inspectors will review the manifest compared to the number of completed declaration forms and similar to the paper form, the data will be deleted. “It’s going to be helpful for our state, but most importantly, it’s our biosecurity weapon,” Green said. Some passengers, like Cheryl Engle from Michigan, welcome the change. “It was a little bit of a pain, we didn’t have a pen on us. We didn’t have anything to write on,” Engle said. The state says it’s hoping the digital form will also help increase compliance, which currently is around a 60% completion rate. As for the effectiveness of the declaration form in stopping invasive species, the Department of Agriculture says about 75% of all flights coming in have something to declare, but it’s not easy to catch everything sneaking into the islands. “We’re getting those types of animals maybe one or two a year. I would say regulated goods, things that require permits or treatments beforehand, you’re probably getting one per day,” said Jonathan Ho, HDOA Branch Manager. Wakai says he hopes to use the approximately $800,000 saved from going paperless to buy ag sniffing dogs to do more to keep invasive species out of the islands. “Zero. Not one person in 79 years has ever been prosecuted. What does that tell you? It tells you that the ag form is really not keeping bad things out of our community,” Wakai said. For now, the state says they eventually plan to add more languages to the form and the valuable tourism survey will be included. For more information, visit the Akamai Arrival website .

Senate WAM Committee gains fire management insights during visit to Maui Maui Now September 10, 2025 Original Article The Senate Committee on Ways and Means met with the Department of Law Enforcement, The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal to receive updates on fire management in the state. Ernest Robello, DLE Deputy Director of Administration, Dawn Chang, Chair of DLNR, and Dori Booth, Hawaiʻi’s newly-instated State Fire Marshal (Act 302, 2025) presented recent efforts in fire mitigation, including a community fuels reduction project (Act 303, 2025). Members walked through the DOFAW’s Kahului Baseyard, where DLNR is leading current fire management efforts. “Hawaiʻi is facing urgent challenges when it comes to fire risk,” said Sen. Brandon J.C. Elefante (D 16 – ‘Aiea, ‘Aiea Heights, Hālawa, Pearlridge, Newtown, Royal Summit, Waimalu, Waiau, Momilani, Pacific Palisades, and Pearl City), Chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs. “I am confident that with the reinstatement of our State Fire Marshal and team, along with the support of our departments, we are better positioned to respond effectively and protect our communities from the growing threats of wildfires.” “The risk of wildfires is growing in Hawaiʻi, and we must always be prepared when it comes to responding to these threats,” said Sen. Donovan M. Dela Cruz (D 17 – Portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipi‘o Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Our continued investments in disaster preparedness and development of mitigation strategies, such as reestablishing the Office of the State Fire Marshal, demonstrate how state and county agencies can work together on wildfire prevention.” “As someone who represents communities that have faced the real and growing threat of wildfires, I deeply appreciate the collaborative efforts being made to strengthen fire prevention and response across our state,” said Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D7 – Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lānaʻi, Kaho‘olawe and Molokini), Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism. “We must continue to prioritize these proactive, community-based strategies to ensure the safety and resilience of all our islands.” “Today’s briefing in Kahului emphasized the importance of coordinated, on-the-ground fire management strategies for Hawaiʻi’s future,” said Sen. Troy N. Hashimoto (D5 – Wailuku, Kahului, Waihe‘e, Waikapu Mauka, Waiehu), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Housing. “From fuels reduction to erosion control, it’s encouraging to see state agencies continuously implementing and developing strategies that strengthen resilience in my district and across our state.” “The DLE will continue to work with and support the Fire Marshal, DLNR, and our community partners to improve prevention, mitigation, and suppression of wildfires across Hawaiʻi,” said Ernest Robello, DLE Deputy Director of Administration. “I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our legislators for their leadership in passing Act 302,” said State Fire Marshal Dori Booth. “This landmark legislation not only strengthens Hawaiʻi’s wildfire preparedness, but also elevates our entire approach to fire and life safety across the state. By investing in public education, enhancing code enforcement, improving fire investigations, and building a statewide data analysis hub for the fire service, we are laying the foundation to reduce risk on every front. Act 302 positions Hawaiʻi to be a national leader in fire prevention and community resilience, and I am proud of the collective commitment to safeguarding the people and places we cherish most. I look forward to continuing this strong partnership with our legislators on future projects and policies that will further strengthen our capacity to protect and serve Hawaiʻi’s communities.” “Mahalo nui to WAM for joining us on Maui and for the opportunity to share how DLNR is building out a strong fire management program,” said DLNR Chair Dawn Chang. “The 2023 wildfires were a wake-up call for all of us, and we are deeply grateful to the legislature for the increased funding support you have provided. With this support, our DOFAW team has been able to expand its capacity statewide, with added positions and equipment in all districts. Our expanded capacity has already proved critical in our response to wildfires this dry season. We will continue to work alongside the DLE and our community partners to improve prevention, mitigation, and suppression of wildfires across Hawaiʻi.”

Pohoiki Boat Ramp dredging begins HI Tribune-Herald Tribune-Herald staff June 10, 2025 Original Article Dredging work began today to restore access to the lava-barricaded Pohoiki Boat Ramp, eight years after an eruption of Kilauea volcano rendered the structure unusable. Hundreds of people gathered Monday for a community celebration and blessing at the top of the ramp, which by November is expected to be clear of an estimated 42,000 cubic yards of black sand and boulders. That’s about 22,000 full-sized pickup truck beds. “This is a day of celebration to recognize the collaboration of the community, elected officials and (the Department of Land and Natural Resources) working together to support this project,” DLNR Chair Dawn Chang said Monday. “The Pohoiki Boat Ramp is a piko, or focal point for this community. Fishing is a huge part of the greater Puna community and commercial, recreational and subsistence fishers have been waiting patiently for this work to begin.” Even before the 2018 eruption, Finn McCall, the head engineer with the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, made multiple visits to Pohoiki. Immediately after the eruption stopped, McCall continued making further visits to Pohoiki to shift the strategy in addressing ramp needs, according to the DLNR. “Boy, this has been a long journey,” McCall said. “We tried looking at sites from Kapoho all the way to Kalapana. Sand and boulders continued to fill the entire bay, but once that stopped, we began focusing on restoring the Pohoiki ramp.” The state had hoped for more federal support to approve removal of most of the volcanic debris in Pohoiki Bay, but FEMA was only able to approve restoration of the boat ramp entrance channel. Then it took dogged efforts by state lawmakers from the district to convince the rest of the Legislature that opening the Pohoiki Boat Ramp was the top priority for people in the district, according to the DLNR. Chang on Monday singled out the efforts of state Sen. Joy San Buenaventura and state Rep. Greggor Ilagan in getting $5.4 million of state funding for the dredging. The total project cost came in at $9.28 million, which means the $2.9 million shortfall is being covered by the DLNR’s Boating Special Fund, which derives its revenues almost entirely from boating user fees. “We needed people to understand how much it cost in fuel just to bring all our boats from the Wailoa Small Boat Harbor in Hilo, the nearest boating facility, out to Puna to they could fish to feed and support their families,” San Buenaventura said during the blessing ceremony. San Buenaventura and Ilagan often pointed out it was akin to only having one small boat ramp for all of Oahu. According to the DLNR, Chang fielded letter after letter, comment after comment from upset and frustrated fishers, some of whom had to give up their generational livelihoods of fishing because it became too expensive. Family members with lineal connections to the coastline were not able to fish, either. She and every single speaker singled out the community for not giving up and pushing to have Pohoiki restored. As did the consulting company and contractor hired to do the work. “This has been one of the most eye-opening, humbling projects I’ve ever worked on,” said Kyle Kaneshiro of Limtiaco Consulting. “The community made everything so easy. This is not an easy project, but the community got everyone together.” Guy DiBartolo from Goodfellows Bros. Inc., added, “I’ve been to many ground blessings and ceremonies. This one for me, stands out as something unique and special, seeing the community’s involvement over many months and years.” For many people, like DLNR First Deputy Ryan Kanaka‘ole, Pohoiki stirs up fond childhood memories. “Summertime for me was coming down here, making the two-hour drive each way from Kaʻu with my father to dive, surf or just relax. This day makes me remember my dad. He didn’t have a house, but he had a car, and I’ll never forget those days spent at Pohoiki.” The contractor has nine months to complete the project but expects to be finished in November, according to the DLNR.

Editorial: Eddie proof sports tourism has legs Star Advertiser Star Advertiser December 24, 2024 Original Article A palpable air of excitement and anticipation settled over Honolulu this past weekend, as it became likely that the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational surfing contest would be a go. Traffic jammed, cameras rolled and an estimated 50,000 people lined the shores surrounding Waimea Bay on Sunday, as monster waves curled and pounded into the bay, reaching the rare heights sufficient to trigger the contest. The Eddie’s powerful waves, and the death-defying rides taken during the contest, have become the stuff of legend. People from all parts of the world tune in to see the massive waves and to watch an elite few with the skill and courage required to ride them. On Sunday, 28-year-old North Shore resident Landon McNamara won first place, riding waves averaging at least 20 feet tall, with 40-foot wall-of-water faces. The awe inspired, athletic prowess demonstrated and numbers drawn to watch were all off the charts. Cash raked in? Maybe not so much, at least not so much as for a planned sporting event, like the Honolulu Marathon. But that’s part of the Eddie’s allure, too — wave energy this unpredictable can’t be tamed into a convenient commercial event. Because of the Eddie’s unpredictability, the in-person audience for these feats of courage, strength and agility is largely made up of locals — locals by the tens of thousands who are willing to start out for the North Shore before 3 a.m., park miles away and walk to Waimea. That’s highly visible evidence of our local pride and enthusiasm. The Eddie may not bring in the profits of a major sporting event or concert of the same magnitude. However, it certainly benefits Honolulu, as an only-on-Oahu phenomenon that intrigues millions, highlighting this island’s natural wonders and inspired by contest namesake Eddie Aikau, a Hawaiian champion surfer and North Shore lifeguard who lost his life in 1978 when he “would go” to seek help for crew of capsized voyaging canoe Hokule‘a. Tangible economic benefits arise from the Eddie, of course. There’s the publicity factor, as highlights from the big-wave contest are seen worldwide, with picturesque Waimea Bay as a backdrop. And there’s the uptick in North Shore tourism that accompanies each big-wave season, pumped to a higher magnitude because of the Eddie’s attraction. Shops do more business directly before and after surfing events — and those who visit the North Shore often return again and again, according to Carol Philips, vice chair of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. The excitement, entertainment and publicity value, local pride and bump in local commerce are sufficient returns to justify civic resources Honolulu invests in the Eddie — deploying additional lifeguards and jet ski rescue units, ambulances and police, and adding public transit routes direct to the Eddie from park-and-ride locations. Three years ago, state Sen. Glenn Wakai pushed the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) to form a Surf Advisory Group, exploring new ways to leverage surfing’s popularity with tourists. That idea is worthy of renewed consideration, as Hawaii seeks to maximize the benefits of sports tourism. Indeed, the HTA currently is considering a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams, at a cost of about $3.86 million. It’s tentatively enticing: The agreement would include appearances in Hawaii, including practices, a football camp and a community day on Maui — as well as a designation as the “L.A. Rams Home in the Hawaiian Islands” and a Hawaii-themed game day in Los Angeles, with the use of Rams branding to co-promote Hawaii tourism. There’s $17 million-plus budgeted for HTA sports and signature events spending over the next two fiscal years, but the proposed L.A. contract would take up more than 20% of it, and currently, details of a Rams commitment are vague. As bargaining continues, it’s imperative that HTA be clear on costs and benefits, agreeing to a contract only if the Rams commit to deliver equivalent value for Hawaii’s spending.

Hawaiʻi Senate Ways and Means Committee releases informational briefing schedule Maui Now Maui Now December 28, 2024 Original Article The Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its schedule of informational briefings, to be held Jan. 6-28, 2025. The briefings aim to provide state departments the opportunity to present budget requests to the Committee for the upcoming biennium. “Info briefings are essential in ensuring that legislators are equipped with knowledge and insights necessary to make informed decisions that impact our communities,” said WAM Chair Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Senate District 17, portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipiʻo Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village). “It is important that we share information with each other, especially as we rely on the expertise of those who are at the forefront of critical issues.” A full schedule of the informational briefings can be viewed here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAM_2025_SUMMARY_INFO_.HTM All informational briefings can be viewed live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@HawaiiSenate . No public testimony will be accepted at the briefings.

Is HECO’s Monopoly Over? New Law Could Change Power Market Civil Beat Stewart Yerton July 8, 2025 Original Article Hawaiian Electric Co.’s century-long hold on Hawaiʻi’s electricity market soon will change in a major way, creating a potential path to lower rates for businesses and residents. Starting in 2027, HECO will be required to let independent electricity producers use its grid to deliver electricity directly to customers for a fee, potentially ending the utility’s standing as the sole choice for most electric consumers in the state. Under the current system, producers must sell electricity at a wholesale price to HECO, which pools it to sell to customers at a higher rate. Gov. Josh Green signed the groundbreaking bill on Thursday, despite having previously signaled his intent to veto the measure. It remains to be seen to what extent the new system will lead to significant savings for residential customers. A previously passed law allowing renters to buy power from community solar farms, for instance, has gone nowhere , hampered by what critics say are untenable rules. But even critics of the new law have said it could generate savings for some customers. State Sen. Glenn Waka i, who chairs the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and sponsored the bill , said the measure was meant to introduce competition in Hawaiʻi’s electricity market and reduce costs in a state where customers pay the nation’s highest costs for electricity — more than three times the national average. “We have for more than 100 years been at the mercy of HECO for our electricity needs, and we’ve seen in recent times that the delivery of that electricity has been very unreliable and very, very expensive,” Wakai said. “In the next two years, come 2027, all HECO’s customers will have an option of buying from someone other than HECO.” “I think this is a game changer to benefit the consumers,” Wakai said. Green’s office also expressed optimism. “We believe that the provisions contained within the bill will allow for greater energy choice and hopefully a reduction in costs for Hawai‘i’s consumers,” Green’s spokeswoman, Makana McClellan, said in a written statement. HECO spokesman Jim Kelly declined an interview request. Law Could ‘Really Open Up Our Grid’ The law includes several provisions to break HECO’s hold on Hawaiʻi’s electricity market, but the most important involves what energy experts call wheeling. Under the current system, developers build big wind and solar farms and sell the power to HECO under long-term contracts. HECO pays as little as 8 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity from these independent power producers, said Jeff Mikulina, a renewable energy consultant who was an architect of the law requiring Hawaiʻi to produce all of the electricity sold in the state from renewable resources by 2045. Meanwhile, HECO charges residential customers on Oʻahu almost 43 cents per kilowatt hour . Big Island residents pay 48 cents. Wakai said a goal of the law is to enable customers to pay closer to what the renewable electricity costs HECO to buy and to encourage smaller players to get in the game. The wheeling provision does this by letting independent electricity producers pay a set fee to use HECO’s grid to deliver power to customers. Although wheeling has long been allowed on the mainland, it’s been prohibited by law in Hawaiʻi. The PUC had been investigating a proposal to allow wheeling between government entities only, and Green’s intent-to-veto statement pointed to that as a reason to veto the broader bill. Green decided to sign the broad bill after the PUC said it would cancel the intra-governmental wheeling inquiry, McClellan said. Hawaiʻi’s previous prohibition against wheeling has played out on the ground at places like Green Homes Hanalei, a cluster of seven homes in west Oʻahu built in 2017 around the idea of using solar and storage to make the subdivision as energy self-sufficient as possible. Developer R.J. Martin powered each home with photovoltaic solar cells combined with two Tesla Powerwall batteries. Each home had garages with chargers for electric vehicles. Martin wanted to go further and link the homes with a small power grid that would let homeowners share surplus power with each other. But he quickly learned that would be illega l. Homeowners would have to become regulated utilities to share surplus electricity with their neighbors. “No one in their right mind is going to go through that exercise,” Wakai said. “So now, it just simplifies what has been all these walls and impediments put up by the government as well as by HECO.” Martin hopes the new law will enable him to do something more innovative in the near future: use renewables and perhaps a microgrid to power a larger, workforce housing subdivision he’s planning for West Oʻahu. But much will depend on how the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission implements the law, Mikulina said. “If the PUC does it right, it can really open up our grid to some innovative renewable solutions,” Mikulina said. “This could catalyze renewable growth and really help folks who need access to this.” Critics Say Some Could Be Left Out Critics point to potential unintended consequences. A major issue involves equity. The concern is that HECO customers with the money and wherewithal to partner with an independent power producer will defect from HECO, leaving those less well-off to still deal with higher rates. Testifying against the bill, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260, which works on utility infrastructure, argued the long-term technical effects of wheeling on HECO’s grid are unknown. “Further,” the union wrote, “the fixed-cost of operating and maintaining the system will remain unchanged and passed on to those left in the system, essentially increasing the cost of electricity to those who can least afford it.” Given this risk, it will be key to make sure lower-income residential customers can benefit as the commission creates rules governing the program, said Michael Colón, director of energy for the Ulupono Initiative, which supports the use of renewable energy. To address such concerns, Wakai said, the law limits the size of a wind or solar farm allowed to use the wheeling provision to two megawatts, the size needed to power about 3,000 homes. “We’re not talking about, you know, large 50- to 60-megawatt plants going and selling to all the Waikīkī hotels,” Wakai said. “That’s not going to be possible under this scenario.” “What is possible under this scenario,” he said, “is, if you have let’s say 10 acres of land that can create two megawatts of power, you are free to go and sell to the nearby residents or wheel it across the island to someone who’s willing to take it.” That’s promising news to people like Steve Mazur, director of commercial business development for RevoluSun, one of Hawaiʻi’s largest solar companies. Mazur said he’s encountered business owners with energy hogging cold storage systems but small rooftops located near businesses with huge rooftops but little electricity needs. If implemented well by the PUC, Mazur said, the new law could make way for solar panels on the large roof to power the neighboring business. “These rooftops are sitting there empty,” he said. “There has to be something to entice them.” Civil Beat’s coverage of climate change and the environment is supported by The Healy Foundation, the Marisla Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation. “Hawaiʻi’s Changing Economy” is supported by a grant from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation as part of its work to build equity for all through the CHANGE Framework.