Community to celebrate life of Ka'ū Calendar editor Julia Neal Big Island Now Tiffany DeMasters February 7, 2025 Original Article Julia Neal, founder of the monthly publication the Ka‘ū Calendar and owner of the Pāhala Plantation Cottages, has been described as compassionate, generous, a community advocate and a dedicated journalist. On Jan. 24, the Pāhala resident for about 30 years passed away in her home on Jan. 24. She was 75. “Everybody knew who she was and what she did,” said Iopa Maunakea, founder of the nonprofit Men of Pa‘a. “That lady impacted the community just by her paper alone. She had a lot of integrity.” Neal kept people from Miloli‘i to Pāhala informed of the goings-on in Hawai‘i Island’s sprawling rural district. From county elections to the controversial proposed resort development in Punalu‘u, Neal reported on the community truthfully. On Saturday, the community is invited to celebrate Neal’s life at 9 a.m. at the Plantation House at 96-3209 Maile St. in Pāhala. With Neal now gone, the Ka‘ū Calendar will cease operations, with its final publication to run later this month. The community is invited to submit letters, prayers, poems and art in honor of Neal to contribute to the final issue. Send submissions to tibarra2000@gmail.com by Feb. 14. Neal also ran a bed and breakfast and vacation rental business called the Pāhala Plantation Cottages, where she hosted weddings, science camps, music festivals and a variety of community events and gatherings. “Her love for Ka‘ū’s unique community and culture and realization that the rural region lacked organized print media inspired her to start the Ka‘ū Calendar,” said Neal’s nephew, William Neal. “She also firmly believed that bringing the voices of those who call Ka‘ū home to the forefront on the region’s most consequential issues was imperative.” William Neal said his aunt was the hardest-working person he ever knew. “Few have had the passion and drive that she had,” he said. “Every day, she would wake up to report on the happenings of the community and national stories of consequence for Hawai‘i at large without missing a day.” Neal covered community events, including the Ka‘ū Coffee Festival, high school graduations and the Pāhala Christmas Parade. She also hosted countless concerts at her property. One Facebook user said they can’t imagine Pāhala without Neal, who always was wearing a hat and smiling. William Neal said his aunt largely ran the paper alone. “She did have some help with graphic design putting the paper together and from time to time throughout the years she had some folks help her take photos for stories or seek advertisers,” he said. “But largely the day-to-day reporting was all done by Julia.” Neal was born in Missouri to a military family that was always on the move. She grew up in several places around the U.S. and Europe, including Kentucky, New York, Germany and France. In the 1980s, Neal worked as a photographer for The Garden Island newspaper on Kaua‘i, working her way up to editor of the publication. Senate Speaker Ron Kouchi was elected as a Kaua‘i County Council member when he met Neal, who at the time was a reporter at The Garden Island. “It was a time when reporters would sit through the entire county council meetings,” Kouchi said. “They were firey journalists and did a lot of homework and research.” Kouchi said Neal covered the development controversy of Nukoli‘i. According to a 2016 Honolulu Civil Beat article by the now Kaua‘i State Rep. Luke Evslin, the fight over Nukoli‘i was “Kaua‘i’s worst political crisis since statehood.” Developers were trying to build a resort on Kaua‘i’s east shore. Although the vacant land at Nukoli‘i was upzoned to urban by the State Land Use Commission in 1974, no building could occur until the county changed the zoning to resort. According to the Civil Beat article, the Planning Department, through the Līhu‘e Development Plan, recommended resort zoning in 1978, which sparked a wave of protests. While they were on opposite sides of the issue, Kouchi supporting development and Neal opposing it, the senator said she wrote the story with all the facts, allowing readers to make their own choices. “She was a professional,” Kouchi said. “She held you to the fire and asked the hard questions.” After turning 40, Neal moved to the Big Island to start a new life in Pāhala. Men of Paʻa’s Maunakea said Neal was involved in everything from housing to education. “She was fearless about reporting things in Punalu‘u,” Maunakea said. Maunakea met Neal four years ago. She opened up her cottages to the nonprofit when the members would stay overnight while in Ka‘ū to do service projects. He said Neal always made it a point to spend time with the group during their stays. “She opened doors for us to engage our community service with the Ka‘ū region,” Maunakea said. Neal is survived by her partner Michael C. Worthington, brother Forest Neal II, and three nephews; Forest Neal III, Michael Neal and William Neal.

Education bill funding program that combines culture with academics, continues to advance Maui Now N/A March 7, 2025 Original Article Senate Bill 529 SD1 relating to education seeks to appropriate funds to expand the Hoʻākea Program, an educational initiative that integrates Hawaiian cultural practices with academic subjects to engage students and promote environmental stewardship. Senate Vice President Michelle N. Kidani (District 18 – Mililani Town, Waipi‘o Gentry, Crestview, Waikele, portion of Waipahu, Village Park, Royal Kunia) who chairs the Senate Committee on Education (EDU) announced the Senate’s passage of the bill as it continues on a path forward this legislative session. “Programs like Ho‘ākea create meaningful learning experiences for students that bridge culture, community, and education, fostering a deeper connection to their heritage and building a stronger sense of identity and responsibility,” said Kidani. “By incorporating traditional knowledge with modern curriculum, this initiative empowers our keiki to become the next generation of leaders.” “The impact of Ho‘ākea has truly been profound for our students, our families and our communities,” said Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) Superintendent Keith Hayashi. “Through hands-on learning stations, the mission of Hoʻākea is to inspire students to embrace the ‘Navigator Mindset’ and become the leaders, stewards, and critical thinkers that can navigate us into a better future.” According to Nainoa Thompson, Pwo Navigator and CEO of Polynesian Voyaging Society, “education is everything, it will determine our future of what we teach our children. I’ve seen the impact when there’s a bridge that’s created between the power of communities and families, and Ho‘ākea is that bridge to teachers who are the bridge to our schools.” Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom, Hui O Wa‘a Kaulua President, vocalist and songwriter, shared her strong support, writing,“using foundational values and perspectives of waʻa and ʻāina, students learn about, explore, and troubleshoot issues they experience daily – like coastal erosion, water and food security, emergency preparedness, and community resilience. Connecting place, culture, and history to core subjects like math, science, and social studies engage their natural curiosity and excitement to learn.” The bill now moves to the House for consideration.

Half Of Hawaiʻi Inmates Leave Prison Without The IDs They Need To Start Over Honolulu Civil Beat Caitlin Thompson February 24, 2025 Original Article Simoné Nanilei Kamaunu left prison in 2022 with a $500 check and no way to cash it. She’d lost her social security card before she was locked up, her driving permit had expired and her prison identification card didn’t count for anything outside of the Women’s Community Correctional Center. Without a state ID, she couldn’t open a bank account to deposit the money she had gotten from a nonprofit for completing her GED while incarcerated for 16 months years for a parole violation. “It’s been super hard because I’ve gotten out with nothing, no social security card, no nothing,” she said. “I had to hit the ground running and hustle myself.” The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is supposed to help incarcerated people obtain identification. But more than seven years after the state Legislature passed a law requiring that it do so, the number of people leaving prisons with the documents they need to function in society has barely budged. Almost half of people released from Hawaiʻi’s state prisons between November 2023 and October 2024 did not have a valid state ID, according to data the corrections department reported to the Legislature. About 95% of people released from jail during that same period did not have one. Tommy Johnson, the department’s director, says the inmates are partly to blame. “It’s not from our lack of trying; you can’t make them fill out the documents for a card,” Johnson told Civil Beat. “A lot of the folks don’t want to provide that information to us.” Johnson also noted that the numbers may be inaccurate because people might not have had their IDs with them when they were arrested, and those documents are being held for them by someone on the outside. He also cited challenges coordinating with other government agencies and obtaining the equipment necessary to collect inmates’ photos and signatures for their IDs. It took Kamaunu about three months after her release to get the identification she needed to cash her $500 check, just in time to buy Christmas presents for her baby. “The prison system,” said Kamaunu, “is setting us up to fail.” The slow implementation of the law means that every year hundreds of people are being released without the identification they need to find work, secure housing or open a bank account. More than a dozen states have laws requiring corrections agencies to help inmates obtain identification prior to release. Hawaiʻi’s 2017 law requires the corrections department to inform people in prisons and jails that they can receive help getting identification documents while behind bars, including a state ID, birth certificate and social security card. Corrections staff ask during intake and assessment whether they would like that assistance, Johnson said. But implementation has been full of false starts , stymied by slow-moving conversations between government agencies and a drawn-out process to acquire equipment. It took several years for the corrections department to work set up a game plan and sign the necessary agreements with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Customer Service and the Social Security Administration, said Johnson. Hawaiʻi requires that people apply in person for a driver’s license or state ID — and that’s a big problem for prisoners. It wasn’t until June 2022 — more than four years after the law went into effect — that Halawa Correctional Facility became the first prison to process inmates’ applications for state IDs with a machine on site. In the first year and a half after that machine was installed, the department helped 150 people get IDs, according to a report that the corrections department sent to the Legislature in December 2023. Since then, the agency also has released more than 750 people from all the state prisons without one, according to data that the department sent to lawmakers in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, the Legislature appropriated $100,000 to put ID machines in four other correctional facilities. So far, none have been purchased. Inmates at prisons other than Halawa Correctional Facility can’t get their IDs until they are released or go on furlough, at which point they can leave the facility to go to a DMV appointment. Johnson said the department hasn’t been able to buy the machines for the past few years because it had to wait for The Department of Customer Services’ Division of Motor Vehicles to upgrade its system. “The satellite machines we purchase have to be the exact same with the same specifications as the city and county so the machines can talk to each other for processing ID cards,” he said. Until then, Johnson said the department is helping people get other documents like a birth certificate or social security card, which they’ll need to apply for an ID once they’re released. But there’s been a delay in getting people social security cards too. More than half of the people who left prisons between November 2022 and October 2024 didn’t have one, according to data presented to the Legislature. It wasn’t until early last year that the corrections department signed an agreement with the Social Security Administration to help incarcerated people get social security cards. Johnson attributed the slow process to “hiccups” dealing with the federal agency that lasted two and a half years. The local office was closed during the pandemic and faced a long backlog of work when it reopened, allowing inmates to start getting cards last fall. Tsofit Ohayon entered the Women’s Community Corrections Center with nothing — no driver’s license, no social security card, no documents to prove that, despite being born in Israel, she’s an American citizen. Ohayon knew it would be complicated to get those documents, and she soon realized she wasn’t going to get enough help while she was incarcerated for credit card theft and related charges in 2020. Despite her best efforts, she wasn’t able to get her proof of citizenship until she was on furlough. That set back her timeline for getting other documents that she needed. She wanted to tutor students in math at the community college where she’s now getting an engineering degree. But until she got her ID, she wasn’t able to work. “I was very irritated because I knew that I was going to come out exactly in the same predicament as I went in,” said Ohayon. “I’m going to have to figure out a way to move mountains to get these people to do anything.” Johnson said that part of the reason people leave prison without an ID card is because it takes a long time to get all the necessary supporting documents, like a birth certificate or social security card, especially if they’re starting from scratch. “This process takes months and months,” he said. That means some people start applications while in prison but don’t actually get their IDs until they leave. A proposed bill in the Legislature is meant to address that problem. Senate Bill 224 — introduced by 10 lawmakers including Senators Brandon Elefante, Henry Aquino and Stanley Chang — would launch the process of getting vital documents earlier in a person’s incarceration. The current law requires the agency to start the application when someone is a year or less out from their release. Senate Bill 224 requires that the department begin working on obtaining inmates’ identification as soon as possible. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation supports the legislation, but Johnson said his staff is already doing this in the state prisons. However, he said starting earlier in jails won’t make much of a difference, since most people are there for weeks, rather than years. That isn’t sufficient time, according to Johnson. “It’s a really tough nut to crack to try to get them ID cards,” he said. “There’s very little we can do with respect to trying to get it. We can get the application in, and then we need a forwarding address where to send the document when it comes in.” For people who have been incarcerated, the situation remains frustrating. “Why even pass a law if you guys aren’t following it?” said Kamaunu. “You expect us to have integrity and be on it, but … what kind of example are you leading by?”

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.

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 .

City completes first segment of Pearl Harbor bike path renovations KITV Jeremiah Estrada October 1, 2025 Original Article AIEA, Hawaii (Island News) -- The first segment of renovations was completed for the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail bike path, a starting point for the city’s plans to create a southern trail across the island. The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) announced on Wednesday, Oct. 1, that construction for the bike path's first segment was completed. Construction began earlier this year on Feb. 3 focusing on replacing asphalt and concrete surfaces with new concrete in order to provide bicyclists and pedestrians with a smoother, safer trail. Other safety improvements include the installation of new bollards, signs, stripes and lights. “The Pearl Harbor bike path is a critical connection in building a safer regional network for people who walk, bike and roll across Oahu,” said Jon Nouchi, DTS deputy director. “By linking neighborhoods along Kamehameha Highway and improving access to Skyline stations from Ewa to Halawa, this project strengthens active transportation as a convenient option for our residents.” This project comes at the heels of the South Shore Trail plan and is a key component of the upcoming inter-community pathway. The South Shore Trail will be a 30-mile bicycle and pedestrian pathway that connects communities from Nanakuli to Manoa and Waikiki. Although each community has their own respective bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along this corridor, this trail aims to improve regional connectivity by linking these pathways together. “I want to mahalo the DTS team and their partners for their hard work over the past seven months to revitalize this path that links our communities, honors the history of Pu‘uloa and pedals us closer to a future Mobility Hub near Kalauao [Pearlridge] Station,” said District 7 Councilmember Radiant Cordero. “I look forward to the continued progress of the South Shore Shared Use Path, which is an investment in our island’s integrated transit networks that will foster a more sustainable and innovative future through closer connected communities.” “Completing this key segment of the Pearl Harbor Bike Path is a win for our community and the people of Aiea and Pearl City,” said Senator Brandon Elefante. “These improvements enhance safety and make it more enjoyable for people to bike, walk, run and spend time outdoors, while supporting healthier and more sustainable ways of getting around.”

Inouye: Banyans near Lili‘uokalani Gardens ‘have been neglected’ Hawaii Tribune Herald John Burnett July 27, 2025 Original Article The tragic uprooting and collapse of a banyan tree July 12 on Kilauea Avenue that killed two woman has Hilo’s state senator concerned that something similar could occur with one or more of the historic trees along Banyan Drive on Hilo’s Waiakea Peninsula. While announcing the release by Gov. Josh Green of $1 million in general obligation bond funds to help with master planning for the redevelopment of the Waiakea Peninsula, Sen. Lorraine Inouye told the Tribune-Herald the massive “banyan trees have been neglected I don’t know how many years.” “In my disappointment with what’s happening on Banyan Drive, I’ve worked hard to acquire and get some money to start working on Uncle Billy’s,” said Inouye, a Democrat, referring to a just over half-acre site that is now empty after the decrepit former Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel was demolished last year. “And I know the county was responsible for the maintenance of the banyan trees and the easement on Banyan Drive.” The Uncle Billy’s site and the recently-shuttered Country Club Condominium Hotel — as well as the Hilo Hawaiian, Grand Naniloa and Hilo Reeds Bay hotels, the nine-hole Naniloa Golf Course and the Bayview Banyan Apartments — are part of approximately 101 acres of state land on and around the Waiakea Peninsula managed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. DLNR said in an email that, according to its Land Division staff, “most of the banyan trees along Banyan Drive are in the county right-of-way.” “There may be some trees that are on state-leased land, but none are maintained by the department,” the email stated. “Additionally, staff has been in contact with Sen. Inouye and county (Department of Public Works) regarding these trees.” Tom Callis, spokesman for Mayor Kimo Alameda, said the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation “manages and maintains banyan trees located at Lili‘uokalani Gardens and Reeds Bay Beach Park” on the peninsula. “If trees growing over Banyan Drive create a road safety issue, the Department of Public Works conducts the necessary pruning over the roadway,” Callis said. “Because of the importance of these trees to the community and our interest in protecting public safety, we are engaging with the Department of Land and Natural Resources to address jurisdictional and ownership questions for banyans located along or near Banyan Drive.” The $1 million in bond funding was released as seed money for the peninsula’s redevelopment, despite the failure this legislative session of Senate Bill 1078, introduced by Inouye, and House Bill 818, introduced by Hilo Rep. Sue Keohokapu-Lee Loy. Those measures — which Inouye told the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce in late May failed because of statutory flaws — were intended to establish the “Waiakea Peninsula Community Development District,” set up a special fund for that district, and create up a nine-member board to manage the area. To do that, the bills stipulated the peninsula’s lands would be transferred from the DLNR to the Hawaii Community Development Authority. That would include lands under DLNR leases, an action prohibited under Hawaii Revised Statutes 171-6. “I’m grateful to the governor for releasing these funds to begin planning this major project and to support the first phase of development at the Waiakea Peninsula,” Inouye said. “With the continued support of our state and county partners, I look forward to seeing this vision take shape.” The revitalization of Banyan Drive has been a hot-button topic for at least the past decade, despite much of the peninsula falling into visible disrepair, with the Country Club now fenced off and awaiting an as-yet-unfunded demolition. A 2018 estimate placed implosion of the decrepit six-story building at $6.2 million. The actual price tag will undoubtedly be much higher when and if said demolition takes place. “Banyan trees on Banyan Drive are very concerning to me because we’ve never had the tree canopies on Banyan Drive meeting each other. And I’m trying to remember the last time the county took responsibility,” Inouye said. “There are roots that are coming down from the trees that should not happen. There’s now a lot of overgrowth.” She also said the name plates bearing the names of the people who planted the banyans “have been neglected.” According to Callis, park safety and tree maintenance have been priorities for Parks and Recreation under Alameda. “Trees at Lili‘uokalani Gardens were recently inspected as part of tree maintenance/safety efforts that are ongoing,” he said. “Recently, maintenance division district supervisors at the Department of Parks and Recreation were asked to identify trees of concern at county park facilities that could require additional action. “This was requested before the banyan tree on state land fell. That assessment is ongoing.” Callis said the county, which installed name plates with the names and dates of notables who planted the signature banyans “is looking at replacing/upgrading them.” A short list, by no means complete, of prominent people who planted banyans on the semi-circular drive include: Princess Abigail Kawananakoa; then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; U.S. Sen. Richard Nixon, prior to his presidency; music legend Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong; baseball slugger George Herman “Babe” Ruth; aviator Amelia Earhart; filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille; and actor and conservationist Leo Carillo. The Banyan Drive banyans, unlike the Kilauea Avenue banyan that fell, are not designated as “exceptional trees” by the county, although they have been nominated. The exceptional tree designation is intended to safeguard historic trees from land development. That nomination was considered and shelved during a meeting of the county’s Arborist Advisory Committee on March 27, 2024. The deferral was requested by Gordon Heit, the district land agent for DLNR’s Land Division, who asked for additional location and jurisdiction clarification for the 49 trees along the route, as well as discussions with stakeholders about the area’s redevelopment. As for the Kilauea Avenue banyan, the DLNR said Friday it has hired a contractor to remove the tree from where it fell, and work is scheduled to start Tuesday. DLNR said the fallen tree “was at least partially on DLNR land, and our records show regular maintenance on the tree dating back to at least 2006, with the most recent service in 2021.” “In every instance, the tree maintenance was performed by a licensed contractor with certified arborists,” DLNR said.

State Department of Education sees expanded free meal access for students KHON2 Cameron Macedonio July 31, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education will see a change in school meal prices this upcoming academic year, which also includes more access to free school meals for keiki. Act 139, which was signed into law in May by Governor Josh Green M.D., provided this expanded free meal access to students beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Per the act, qualifying students will now receive a free breakfast meal, as well as a free lunch meal daily. “Removing the cost for reduced-price meals ensures more students are fed, focused and ready to learn — no matter their family’s financial situation,” said Superintendent Keith Hayashi. Last school year, approximately 11,000 students qualified for reduced-price meals. Act 139 would make these reduced-price meals completely free for the students this upcoming year. “As a mother and grandmother, I have seen firsthand how hunger affects a child’s ability to focus and learn,” said Senate Vice President and Education Committee Chair Michelle Kidani, who introduced the act to the legislature. “I still remember visiting classrooms in my district where teachers kept granola bars or crackers in their desks, just in case a student came to school without breakfast.” For Kidani, equitable access to nutritious meals is not just a matter of hunger — it’s a matter of ensuring a successful future for keiki. “This bill is about more than food. It’s about dignity, equity and ensuring every child has a fair chance to succeed,” she said. “Well-nourished students learn better, and I am proud to have authored this bill.” The only price increase for meals are for second meals and adult meals, with the prices increasing by just over a dollar for breakfast and two dollars for lunch. Students in the state that receive free meals will be categorized as “reduced-price eligible” per federal guidelines, with their meals being 100% reduced and their state-designated category being “Reduced — No Charge.” Here’s the full list of meal prices for the 2025-2026 academic year: Breakfast PreK through eighth grade$1.10 Ninth through 12th grade$1.10 Reduced-price, PreK through 12th gradeFree Student second meal$3.50 Adult Meal$3.50 Lunch PreK through eighth grade$2.50 Ninth through 12th grade$2.75 Reduced-price, PreK through 12th gradeFree Entree$2.25 Student second meal$7.50 Adult Meal$7.50 To apply for the free and reduced meal program, visit the EZMealApp or the HIDOE website .

Big Island lawmakers to host virtual meeting on invasive beetle impacts to agriculture Big Island Now September 6, 2025 Original Article Big Island Sen. Herbert “Tim” Richards, III, will host a virtual meeting to address the increasing threat of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle and its impact on agriculture. “The spread of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle poses a serious threat to Hawaiʻi’s agriculture and economy,” said Richards, who represents North Hilo, North Kona and Kohala communities. “This meeting will provide important updates on the beetle’s presence across the islands and highlight the coordinated efforts underway to combat its spread.” The coconut rhinoceros beetle poses a serious threat to Hawai‘i’s agricultural and natural resources. It damages and kills coconut and oil palms, and has also been known to attack bananas, sugarcane, papayas, sisal and pineapple, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The invasive bug has been found in several locations on Hawai‘i Island. The most recent infestation was discovered in green waste piles in July at Keāhole Agricultural Park on the west side of Hawaiʻi Island. A coordinated multiagency effort took place to prevent the invasive pests from spreading. Also in attendance at the Sept. 10 meeting will be Rep. David A. Tarnas and Hawai‘i County Council Member James E. Hustace. The community meeting will feature updates from experts from the Big Island Invasive Species Committee who will provide an overview of current response measures, and opportunities for participants to ask questions and share concerns. Members of the public, especially those in agricultural communities, are encouraged to attend and learn more about how these infestations are being managed and what actions can be taken to help prevent further spread. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. Those interested in attending must register here .

Bills seek to legalize betting on pro sports Hawaii Tribune-Herald John Burnett January 24, 2025 Original Article At least two bills have been introduced in the state Senate with the intent of cashing in by legalizing limited forms of sports wagering — which is still illegal in Hawaii, despite numerous attempts that have gone bust in recent years. Senate Bill 373 has been referred to the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, where a favorable vote would forward the measure to a joint session of the Ways and Means and Judiciary committees. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Angus McKelvey (D-Maui) and co-sponsored by Sens. Joy San Buenaventura (D-Puna) and Glenn Wakai (D-Oahu), the majority floor leader, would establish an online fantasy sports contests registration and monitoring program under the Department of the Attorney General. The measure also would impose an online fantasy sports contests tax on the gross revenues of registrants. “We’ve been such an outlier state,” McKelvey told the Tribune-Herald on Thursday. “And as I say in the preamble of the bill — and I point to that — there’s no law actually on the books against it. It’s the opinion, rather, of a former attorney general’s office.” McKelvey was referring to a 2016 opinion issued by then-Attorney General Douglas Chin, which stated that daily fantasy sports contests, such as those run by FanDuel and DraftKings, constitute illegal gambling under existing state laws. “Gambling generally occurs under Hawaii law when a person stakes or risks something of value upon a game of chance or upon any future contingent event not under the person’s control,” said Chin at that time. “The technology may have changed, but the vice has not.” “They say it’s gambling. I say it’s not,” opined McKelvey, who pointed to a 2018 study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which also is included in the measure’s preamble. “The studies that were done show that online daily fantasy — not sports book, very important, sports book is gambling — but online daily fantasy is at a same level of skill or greater than solitaire, which is in Hawaii a game of skill,” McKelvey said. McKelvey noted that Utah is the only other state banning online daily fantasy sports contests, and that his measure, if passed, would provide Hawaii with a revenue stream already realized by 48 other states. “I thought it was a way to bring us up to speed with all the other states of the nation, allow us to tap into unrealized tourist revenue, and provide — especially with the federal government conditioning aid now to all sorts of things — trying to create a way for extra investment or extra monies for the Lahaina rebuild which, of course, affects everybody across the state,” he said. “That was the idea. And after that was done, the fund could be used to fund other worthy programs in education and infrastructure and potential tax relief.” McKelvey lost a home in the Lahaina wildfire of Aug. 8-11, 2023, which killed more than 100 people and devastated the historic former whaling town. “My understanding is because of the California wildfires, Maui’s concerned they aren’t going to have the rebuilding ability for Lahaina, because they expect the price of building supplies to skyrocket,” said San Buenaventura. “I support taxing what the federal government has allowed the states to be able to do. And I generally support the idea because people are already gambling online, and I want to be able to regulate and tax it.” The measure would legalize online daily fantasy wagering on professional sports, but not on collegiate or high school sports or sports involving animals, such as horse racing and dog racing. “I’m trying to align this with what’s on online daily fantasy sites,” McKelvey said. The bill, which passed first reading, does have a provision for allocating start-up funds for the registration and monitoring program, but the amount is left blank. The other measure, Senate Bill 1572, introduced by Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D-Maui, Molokai and Lanai) and co-sponsored by Sen. Donna Mercado Kim (D-Oahu), would establish the Hawaii State Sports Wagering Commission within the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The commission would codify licensing requirements for sports wagering operators, as well as penalties for violations. In addition, the measure would specify that sports wagering shall not be considered games of chance or gambling. Under the bill, the commission would be allowed to conduct background checks on applicants for a sports wagering operator license and persons in control of applicants for a sports wagering operator license. It also would require tax revenue collected from sports wagering to fund certain initiatives, including 50% for public education programs and 25% for affordable housing. In addition to “online qualified gaming entities,” the bill also would allow sports wagering “in-person at a retail sports betting location approved by the commission.” The bill, like SB 373, would permit wagering on professional sports but prohibit bets on collegiate and high school sports, as well as sports involving animals. The fee for an initial sports wagering operator license would be $250,000. The fee for renewal of a sports wagering operator license would be $100,000. As of Thursday afternoon, SB1572 passed first reading but hadn’t received a committee referral.

PRESS RELEASES SENATE BILL 2239 SIGNED INTO LAW, ESTABLISHING AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION IN HAWAIʻI LAWMAKERS TO HOST MĀNOA COMMUNITY FORUM ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING TO DISCUSS ACT 11 (SB 2471): HAWAIʻI’S NEW LAW LIMITING CORPORATE POLITICAL SPENDING MORE PRESS RELEASES NEWS ARTICLES READ MORE Union seeks raises for teachers not credited for out-of-state experience during salary repricing Original Article Hawaii News Now HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The teachers union is fighting to get pay raises for thousands of public school educators. The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) says they were denied the money because the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) said they didn’t have enough experience here in Hawaii. Before coming to Hawaii, David Reid had nine years of teaching on the continental U.S. The HIDOE had credited six of those years in the classroom, but it was not enough to get him a raise that other teachers with more experience in Hawaii received. “It was very at first confusing and then upsetting because you know no one wants to work really hard to go broke, and teachers all work very hard and our value to the workplace is years of experience and education and to have your value just erased,” Reid said. Reid and two other teachers went to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board after being excluded from the HIDOE’s salary increase in 2022. Known as the compression fix, the repricing boosted pay for 72% of teachers by an average of $6,000. “When they passed out raises, they said I didn’t have 11, because I’d been here five years at that point,” Reid said. The board sided with Reid, saying that the years of experience teaching that he and the other two teachers had on the mainland must be considered in the repricing. The HIDOE appealed the ruling, but a state judge affirmed it last month. “I’ve described it as the most frustrating thing I’ve ever done in my life. So to come out on the other side and be successful feels really good,” Reid said. After the decision, Reid’s pay was increased by $3,700 a year. “Considering the cost of living in Hawaii, that’s not nothing,” Reid said. The ruling came as the islands grapple with an ongoing teacher shortage. Hawaii ranks in the top 10 states with the lowest teacher to state population. There are more than 2,000 other teachers like Reid who were not compensated for non-HIDOE teaching experience. The HSTA is asking the HIDOE to raise their pay as well. “Hopefully this could apply to everybody,” Reid said. The HSTA is still waiting on the official written ruling from the court. We reached out to the department and are waiting to hear back. Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved. December 29, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Hawaii lawmakers urged to act after federal clean energy cuts Original Article The Garden Island Andrew Gomes (Star Advertiser) Hawaii’s Legislature may want to consider offering new state tax-credit funding for renewable energy expansion to at least partially offset federal withdrawals. That was a suggestion made to a pair of state Senate committee chairs during a briefing last week about negative impacts on Hawaii climate change mitigation initiatives due to recent federal policy changes and funding pullbacks. Leah Laramee, coordinator of the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, told Sens. Karl Rhoads and Mike Gabbard at the Nov. 3 briefing that it would be incredibly helpful if more local tax credits were made available for renewable energy and climate change impact mitigation projects in the face of federal cutbacks driven by the administration of President Donald Trump. Laramee told the senators that about $651 million in Hawaii renewable energy projects are at risk due to federal policy and funding changes. “It’s a significant investment that is threatened in the state,” she said. “The loss of these projects is going to have pretty significant impacts on our ability to produce affordable energy locally and impact our energy security.” In recent weeks, the administration of Gov. Josh Green has rolled out state emergency funding programs to help low-income households in Hawaii pay for rent, utilities and food to counteract federal program cuts due to the government shutdown. Most recently, the state Department of Transportation offered to pay federal air traffic and security workers to avoid curtailing flights at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu by 10%. Though the loss of federal financial support for renewable energy isn’t on par with shutdown-related emergency responses, Hawaii residents and businesses pay the highest electricity rates in the nation. The threat of rising sea levels on the local economy also makes climate change impact mitigation a high priority for state leaders. Some of the $651 million in threatened Hawaii renewable energy projects cannot be offset by state funding, such as a planned offshore wind farm where federal officials have ceased regulatory approval action. But state funding could counter canceled federal support for other things including electric vehicles, rooftop solar systems and “carbon smart” food production. Laramee told Rhoads and Gabbard, who respectively chair the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Agriculture and Environment, that one of the biggest federal grant losses for Hawaii was $249 million from a $3 billion nationwide U.S. Department of Agriculture program called Carbon Smart Commodities. The program supported climate-friendly agricultural projects including development of food forests, invasive species management and soil health improvement. “This is really about food security within the state, and that’s been rescinded,” Laramee said. Another move earlier this year rescinded a $62.5 million federal grant used to make low-cost loans for low- and moderate-income households to pay for rooftop solar systems. This Solar for All program was being operated by the Hawai‘i Green Infrastructure Authority, but was terminated in August by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Hawaii along with nearly two dozen other states filed lawsuits in October challenging EPA’s rescission of grant funding approved by Congress. Laramee said she was optimistic that the state will prevail, and encouraged the Legislature to keep up support for the state Office of the Attorney General, which is involved in numerous lawsuits over federal policy and funding changes. Laramee also suggested that loan repayment revenue received by the Green Infrastructure Authority be recycled to fund more loans instead of being deposited into the state’s general fund. The briefing held by Rhoads and Gabbard also covered ongoing efforts to invest in plans and projects that make Hawaii more resilient to rising sea level and temperatures — efforts that include pending litigation by the City and County of Honolulu against major oil companies that the Trump Administration has tried to upend. Retired Hawaii Supreme Court justice Michael Wilson urged state leaders to develop a climate protection plan for the islands. Such a plan, he told Rhoads and Gabbard, could start with guarding against the loss of Waikiki Beach, which Wilson said stands to be submerged in 40 or 50 years based on the present rate of global warming impacts and would sap $2 billion of annual visitor spending. After the briefing, Rhoads (D, Nuuanu-Downtown-Iwilei) said in a statement that the presentations by Laramee and Wilson were a sobering reminder that climate change isn’t a distant or abstract issue, and that it directly impacts the health, safety, and economic future of Hawaii residents. “Our responsibility as lawmakers is to take proactive measures to protect our communities and uphold the rights of future generations to a safe and sustainable environment,” Rhoads said. Gabbard (D, Kapolei-Makakilo-Kalaeloa) said in a statement that now is the time to “double down” on the commitment by Hawaii leaders to renewable energy, local food security and climate adaptation to safeguard our islands. “The loss of federal funding for clean energy projects threatens much needed years of progress toward a more sustainable future,” he said. The next session of the Legislature is scheduled to convene Jan. 21. November 19, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads Senator Mike Gabbard UH partners to boost food sustainability, innovation at new Central Oʻahu food hub Original Article UH News The University of Hawaiʻi is a key partner in the new Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub that broke ground in Wahiawā on November 14. Led by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), the project brings together the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) and the UH Community College System with other state agencies. “The food hub is an important step on the path to Hawaiʻi’s food self-sufficiency and we are honored to contribute,” said CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal. “It will be helping farmers and entrepreneurs manufacture their innovative food products from local fruits, vegetables, and proteins.” The Whitmore Village complex will serve as an innovation base to provide manufacturing and industry services at a commercial scale, boost local food sustainability, and enable local entrepreneurs to export globally. “From Kona to Kekaha, and Hilo to Hāna, the Food and Product Innovation Network can strengthen Hawaiʻi’s local food systems and economy for generations to come,” said Senate Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz. Other partners in the complex include the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) and the Department of Law Enforcement. As part of the complex in Whitmore Village, HIDOE is constructing a Central Oʻahu Regional Kitchen on ADC–owned land. The facility will serve as a statewide model for regional hubs that connect local farms to school cafeterias as part of the state’s farm–to–school initiative. First Lady Jaime Kanani Green noted how the Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub and HIDOE kitchen concepts will provide healthy affordable meals to all public school students. November 18, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz MORE ARTICLES

Editorial: Reevaluate landfill site restrictions Star Advertiser N/A January 28, 2025 Original Article The search for a new Oahu landfill site, an issue that has roiled city leadership for years, is still unsettled, and lawmaking underway at the Legislature should be aimed at finding a path to a solution. So far, a collection of bills at the state Capitol is not close to achieving that goal. Legislation seems more aligned with the Honolulu City Council’s adamant opposition to placement of a landfill above an aquifer, a noncontroversial and politically safe move. Given the recent history of threats to water supply — the disastrous leak of fuel from the Navy’s underground Red Hill storage tanks leaps to mind — it’s easy to understand why. The city is currently considering acquiring 150 acres of agricultural lands near Wahiawa, located over an aquifer. On Wednesday, the City Council is expected to weigh Resolution 3, which would reaffirm a 2003 Council policy barring siting a dump near sources of fresh groundwater. Members are not expected to reverse that position now. However, Oahu is confronted with a reality check: Strict regulations that seek to safeguard the aquifer have made squaring that circle all but impossible. Keeping guardrails is rational, but the time has come for some reform to Act 73, the state law that put those guardrails in place. Or at the very least, open discussions for reform. Act 73 was passed in 2020 as Senate Bill 2376, which established that “no waste or disposal facility shall be located in a conservation district except in emergency circumstances where it may be necessary to mitigate significant risks to public safety and health.” Even with such circumstances, under the law, the emergency would not be authorized for more than three years. It would be hard to argue with that. If there is any give within Act 73, it may be within the law’s second section, which defines buffer zones that must separate a facility such as a landfill from the conservation district. At least one of the measures introduced this session, House Bill 748, would reduce the buffer zone from one-half mile to one-quarter mile around the landfill. Lawmakers should consider that seriously, among other proposals that could reasonably improve the chances of finding an acceptable landfill site. By contrast, the Senate seems headed in the opposite direction. Senate Bill 550 would add a restriction against siting a landfill “near or above” an aquifer, as determined by state health officials in consultation with county boards of water supply. That makes sense, but the bill also would enlarge the buffer zone set in Act 73 to a full mile away from conservation lands. None of the bills had been scheduled for a hearing as of Monday, but whenever they do come up, lawmakers need to examine what elements of Act 73 could be relaxed and whether that would yield further possibilities for a landfill location. In addition, legislators should seek a public appearance by military representatives to address the issue. In the past, military officials have not shown enthusiasm for making any Department of Defense property available when approached by Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration. It is worth a reevaluation now. State Sen. Mike Gabbard rightly is insisting on more precise figures from the Navy specifically about the acreage of its Oahu land holdings, and how much of that is not over an aquifer. Good questions. And even if state lawmakers can’t convince officials to change policy, voters need to know the reasons — particularly given the past history of Navy stewardship of natural resources. Before the city proceeds with the purchase of the Wahiawa site, better used in active farming, it is essential that every landfill alternative site is reviewed — as well as constraints that might be reasonably eased. The public deserves no less.