Kevin Knodell | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

The Navy to hold public meetings on draft EIS for Pacific training

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Navy’s draft environmental impact statement on continued training in the Pacific proposes more frequent use of nearshore areas such as Kaneohe Bay and Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, along with new activities that include training in ocean mine warfare.

Coast Guard extracts injured man from Midway Atoll

Kevin Knodell — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

On Thursday the Coast Guard completed the medical evacuation of a 52-year-old man from Midway Atoll.

Future generations called to always remember Pearl Harbor

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

This year, the anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor was as much a time for reflection on how people remember the event as it was to honor the event itself, as the “day that will live in infamy” gradually fades from living memory.

2 Pearl Harbor attack survivors attend 83rd anniversary ceremony

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 00:36:00 +0000

Two survivors of the Dec. 7, 1941, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor attended this year’s anniversary ceremony.

A changing world challenges Japan’s pacifist self-image

Kevin Knodell — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

During this year’s annual training rotation in the Hawaii portion of the Joint Pacific Multinational Training Center — a series of Army training ranges in Hawaii and Alaska — the Japan Self-Defense Forces made its debut at the exercise with 320 troops and 80 vehicles, making it the largest foreign participant.

Hawaii Marines first to get ‘ship-killing’ missile launcher

Kevin Knodell — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:06:00 +0000

Marines on Oahu are the first in their service to officially receive a new “ship-killing” missile system they hope will give American forces an edge in the Pacific.

Hawaii State Archive to digitize Pearl Harbor memorial records

Kevin Knodell — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Hawaii State Archive is cataloging documents and records from the Pacific War Memorial Commission, chronicling how the state raised money to commemorate the Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor attack by Japan.

Taiwan’s president begins first Pacific tour in Hawaii

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te arrived in Hawaii Saturday to begin his first trip overseas since his inauguration, and is expected to spend two nights at the Kahala Hotel before continuing on to visit the three Pacific island nations with which his country still has direct diplomatic ties.

Coast Guard establishes first Hawaii-based JROTC program

Kevin Knodell — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Kalani High School officially activated its newly formed Coast Guard Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program, the first of its kind in Hawaii.

Hawaii’s ‘Rosie the Riveter’ dies on Maui at age 98

Kevin Knodell — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Lucille “Cille” MacDonald, a Maui resident who was recognized by Congress for her work building ships during World War II and escaped the 2023 Lahaina fire, died Friday just weeks short of what would have been her 99th birthday.

Red Hill Crisis: Pentagon reports detail poor recordkeeping across Oahu fueling operations

Kevin Knodell — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:06:00 +0000

On Thursday the Pentagon’s Inspector General office released long-awaited reports on the Navy’s fuel and water systems on Oahu.

Notable items from the Pentagon investigations

Kevin Knodell — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

FAILURE POINTS

Pacific Air Forces commander urges veterans to assist community

Kevin Knodell — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:06:00 +0000

Dignitaries and community members gathered Monday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl to celebrate Veterans Day.

Hawaii activist is banned from South Korea

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

A prominent Hawaii activist apparently has been banned from South Korea and is now seeking answers.

Retiring Gen. Charles Flynn says Hawaii is highly significant amid Pacific tensions

Kevin Knodell — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

U.S. Army Pacific commander Gen. Charles Flynn retired Friday from the military in a ceremony at Fort Shafter’s historic Palm Circle.

Hawaii soldier charged with murder of missing pregnant wife

Kevin Knodell — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

A Schofield Barracks soldier who has been in custody since August after the disappearance of his pregnant wife this summer was formally charged this week with her murder and the murder of her unborn child.

President of East-West Center to leave post for defense forum

Kevin Knodell — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum, who is both the first Native Hawaiian and the first woman to lead the organization, will leave her position at the end of this year to head the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, located in Waikiki.

Navy water system upgrade under intense scrutiny

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Navy is upgrading and renovating its Oahu water system that serves 93,000 island residents, having demolished an old water storage tank with a replacement currently under construction — and with more planned upgrades along the way.

Coast Guard members, civilians honored for Lahaina heroism

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:06:00 +0000

Both national and international organizations are recognizing Coast Guard and civilian mariners who responded to the deadly 2023 Lahaina fire for heroism at sea.

New Chinese warship makes stop in South Pacific

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Chinese navy recently sent one of its newest warships into the South Pacific as Beijing and Washington continue to compete for influence in the region.

Training by foreign troops increasing in Hawaii at Army ranges

Kevin Knodell — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Hawaii is becoming an increasingly active training ground for militaries from around the Pacific and beyond. This month the Army ran an exercise that brought 900 foreign service members to the islands to train alongside 9,000 American troops.

Navy says EPA report that found low-level contamination proves water is ‘safe’

Kevin Knodell — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Navy released Wednesday a report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that was the result of an inspection of its water system that serves more than 93,000 people on Oahu.

Chinese ballistic missile launch stirs apprehension

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:06:00 +0000

In September the Chinese military launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that flew 7,400 miles before splashing down in the Pacific south of Hawaii. The Sept. 25 launch — the first known of its kind by China in more than 40 years — sent diplomatic ripples in its wake.

Hawaii’s Marine Littoral Regiment trains for high-tech operations

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Second Lt. Alex Willbanks first came to Hawaii as a rifleman after he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2008 as a member of the 3rd Marine Regiment. Over the course of his career in the Corps, he did several combat tours in support of the sprawling global war on terrorism.

Hawaii remains the top desired destination for Japanese travelers

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

TOKYO >> As Japanese people gradually begin to eye international travel again after the pandemic, Hawaii remains the top dream destination for Japanese travelers, according to research by travel firms and the Japanese government.

For Japan’s Hawaii lovers, a changing relationship with the Aloha State

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

TOKYO >> Ayami Sugawara, a 45-year-old service industry worker from Tokyo, loves Hawaii. She first visited the islands when she was 8 years old and has been to Hawaii seven times, taking her from Oahu to Kauai and Maui.

Budget-conscious younger Japanese travelers seek adventure, authenticity

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

TOKYO >> For generations, Hawaii has been a dream destination for Japanese tourists. Tour groups catering to Japanese travelers have drawn thousands to the islands with promises of sightseeing, shopping and dining in Waikiki and relaxing at resorts.

USS Daniel Inouye returns from first deployment

Kevin Knodell — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Navy destroyer USS Daniel Inouye returned Friday to its home port of Pearl Harbor as it concluded its first overseas deployment. On the edge of the pier, friends and family of the ship’s crew waited with signs and lei to welcome their sailors back home.

Japan working to deepen relationships with Pacific nations

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 10:05:00 +0000

TOKYO >> Ryuji Iwasaki, a seasoned Japanese diplomat, has spent lots of time in Hawaii. He grabbed a Tori Richard aloha shirt from home before leaving for work at the Japanese Foreign Ministry in preparation for an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

NCIS asking for help to solve 1980 double killing

Kevin Knodell — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service announced Monday that is asking the public for help as it tries to solve the 44-year-old killing of two Hawaii-based Marines.

Forgotten Navy waste dump holds up repairs at Radford High School

Kevin Knodell — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Underneath the athletic fields and parking lots around Radford High School and Makalapa Elementary School, long forgotten toxic debris buried and left behind by the U.S. military has been holding up a series of long-needed renovations and repairs.

Family of missing Army spouse says investigators suspect murder

Kevin Knodell — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The family of Mischa Mabeline Kaalohilani Johnson, the 19-year-old pregnant Army spouse who has been missing since July 31, announced Thursday that investigators now believe she is dead and that the missing-person case is now being treated as a murder investigation.

Elite forces focus on protecting the region

Kevin Knodell — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Last week members of the world’s most elite military units gathered in Honolulu for an inaugural conference on special operations forces — or SOF — in the Pacific region.

Husband in custody as search continues for missing Army wife

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 22:31:00 +0000

The Army announced today that it has detained the husband of a missing pregnant Army spouse in connection with her disappearance.

Board of Water Supply detects chemical plume in Aiea wells

Kevin Knodell — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Testing by the Honolulu Board of Water Supply earlier this summer indicated that a plume of contaminants often associated with petroleum fuel recently passed through a pair of drinking wells in Aiea near the Navy’s underground Red Hill fuel storage facility.

In its Pacific strategy, India charts its own path

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

As the U.S. seeks to bolster relations with India, which sees itself as a rising power in an unstable world, Hawaii is becoming a hot destination for Indian military men and diplomats as New Delhi refines its Pacific strategy.

Interfaith gathering in Lahaina offers prayer and reflection

Kevin Knodell — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

LAHAINA >> As the Lahaina community reflects on the anniversary of the Aug. 8, 2023, fire that destroyed much of the town and killed 102 people, leaders on Sunday held an interfaith gathering for residents to pray and remember at the Lahaina Civic Center Gymnasium.

Overall costs for Maui wildfires are expected to top $12 billion

Kevin Knodell — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

LAHAINA >> A year after the deadly August 2023 Maui fires, costs are stacking up for the removal of debris, environmental remediation, finding temporary housing for those displaced and the herculean task of actually rebuilding communities and returning people home.

Upcountry Maui community resilient in recovery

Kevin Knodell — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

UPCOUNTRY MAUI >> Though the fire that destroyed Lahaina and killed more than 100 people was the most destructive of the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires, the first blazes were reported in Upcountry Maui and burned for weeks afterward.

Latin American countries took RIMPAC lead

Kevin Knodell — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

At the recently completed Exercise Rim of the Pacific in Hawaii, the world’s largest recurring naval exercise, Latin American sailors and marines played a prominent role in the training.