Off the News | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Off the news: Ban on pakuikui fishing remains, for now

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Ban on pakuikui fishing remains, for now

Off the news: Maui lands on landfill for Lahaina debris

None — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Maui lands on landfill for Lahaina debris

Off the news: UH initiative forwards cancer treatment

None — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Hawaii’s distance from cutting-edge cancer treatment and clinical trials means many patients, already enduring a difficult diagnosis, must seek treatment away from family in the islands. That’s why there’s high hope for a new initiative between the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and the John A. Burns School of Medicine — called Ka ‘Umeke Lama, or Bowl of Enlightenment — that aims to strength the cancer network via better synchronization of local programs and creation of a medical oncology fellowship.

Off the news: About time on Kailua roundabout progress

None — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

More than two years after city Department of Transportation Services and Department of Facilities Maintenance crews broke ground on upgrades to the Kalapawai roundabout in Kailua, the project has completed Phase 5 and is now moving into Phase 6. “Only” three more phases to go until local residents and visitors can enjoy enhanced area sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and drainage elements.

Off the news: Possible new life for old Queen Theater

None — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

After decades of waiting, and promises, for the dilapidated Queen Theater in Kaimuki to get refurbished, time has run out for its property owner. Not only is the 1930s-era building in shambles, but it’s also taken the entire block and surrounding area downhill with it.

Off the news: Promises of a future for at-risk families

None — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Families in need of emergency shelter and support have a dedicated facility to turn to in Moiliili: the Ohana Navigation Center, unveiled by the nonprofit Family Promise of Hawaii on Thursday. The center provides interim shelter in five units for up to 20 people, and is expected to “end homelessness” for up to 200 people annually, FPH Executive Director Ryan Catalani said.

Off the news: Council defers vote on empty homes tax

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Bill 46, which would create a new “residential E” tax category for residential properties left empty more than six months a year, is on ice for now. On Wednesday, the City Council voted to table the bill until it can consider a consultant’s analysis of implementation strategies.

Off the news: Seeking more info on Hannah Kobayashi

None — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

After more than a month of pleading for the public’s help to find her, the family of Hannah Kobayashi, 30, confirmed Wednesday that the missing Maui woman has been located and is safe. That’s about all that was disclosed in a statement — with no other info on where and how she was located, nor why she went AWOL in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, spurring national attention. Her father reportedly committed suicide, distraught over her disappearance.

Off the news: Red flag warning is serious business

None — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Take very seriously today’s “red flag” weather warning for the leeward areas of all Hawaiian isles, posted till at least 6 p.m. tonight. That means a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Off the news: Corporations sued over ‘addictive’ foods

None — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Some of the world’s biggest food conglomerates are being sued for allegedly designing “ultra-processed” foods, such as sugary soft drinks and packaged snacks, to be addictive to children. It’s a charge that overlaps with criticisms of the U.S. food chain raised by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., recently tapped to serve as head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The suit, filed by a Pennsylvania resident, also mirrors evidence linking highly processed foods to chronic health problems. Among the lawsuit’s targets: Coca-Cola, Conagra, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Mars and PepsiCo.

Off the news: Gas prices fall across U.S., not in Hawaii

None — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Mainland gasoline prices are falling below $3 per gallon for the first time in more than three years — lucky them. Hawaii’s unique situation, however, brings us the highest average price per gallon in the nation — topping $4.48 on Monday.

Off the news: Blangiardi doubts plastic bottle ban bill

None — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration has thrown cold water on a bill to ban single-use plastic bottles at city facilities starting Dec. 31, 2026, then a year later at city-connected concessions, events or programs. City Managing Director Mike Formby said the administration has “reservations” about Bill 59, which gets a second reading with the City Council today.

Off the news: Avian flu a threat to at-risk bird species

None — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Another reason to worry about the spread of H5N1, a “highly pathogenic avian influenza” that was first detected on Oahu last month, is H5N1’s threat to Hawaii’s endemic birds, particularly water birds, with already dwindling populations.

Off the news: CEO shooting suspect has ties to Hawaii

None — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

There’s a lot of interest in “person of interest” Luigi Mangione, the one-time Honolulu resident arrested Monday in connection with the New York City killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. A Monday search for his Facebook profile was flagged as “popular now” on the social media platform, although it no longer turns up the profile itself.

Off the news: Guard against more avian flu cases here

None — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Sadly, it was confirmed last week that another backyard flock of ducks had tested positive for avian flu and was euthanized — this time in the Pearl Harbor area. Two of the ducks had been adopted from a duck sanctuary in Wahiawa before a flu outbreak there had been confirmed.

Off the news: Better watch out: Fashion Santa in town

None — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Mark your calendar and check it twice: “Fashion Santa,” aka internationally known model Paul Mason, is coming to Ala Moana Center. The visit by Mason, who cuts a dashing figure in a tailored red suit, comes as a “hunky” Kris Kringle in Target ads has sparked talks of a “Hot Santa” trend.

Off the news: Events commemorate Pearl Harbor attack

None — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

A host of events are now underway to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, the historic assault by Japan that plunged America into World War II.

Off the news: Marathon a boon for hotels, bane for locals

None — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

It’s an early Christmas for Oahu hotels as thousands of running enthusiasts stream into the islands, ready to carb load and take on the 2024 Honolulu Marathon. For locals, that means modified traffic patterns and road closures Sunday along the 26.2-mile coastal course that starts at Ala Moana Beach Park, loops through downtown, reaches out to Hawaii Kai and finishes at Kapiolani Park.

Off the news: Alameda sworn in as Hawaii County mayor

None — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

A new mayor for Hawaii County was sworn in on Monday. Kimo Alameda, who defeated incumbent Mitch Roth on Nov. 5, took the oath of office in a ceremony at the Outrigger Kona Resort in Keauhou, and touted it as a reflection of his commitment to “geographic equity” — equal attention to matters on the island’s west side.

Off the news: Circumstances of Miske’s death unclear

None — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The mystery of crime boss Michael Miske Jr.’s death in prison must be resolved with transparency. Miske, 50, was found unresponsive Sunday in his cell at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. Authorities have yet to determine cause of death: Suicide? Foul play? Health-related?

Off the news: Taiwan president’s Hawaii visit provokes China

None — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s two-day stopover in Hawaii wasn’t a diplomatic visit, but it still, predictably, provoked China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory. China has deployed nearly 40 ships to the seas surrounding the island nation, leading to predictions that China will hold war games near the disputed territory soon.

Off the news: Search for Hannah Kobayashi nears end

None — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The search for missing Maui woman Hannah Kobayashi, 30, is winding down, with authorities saying she’s been spotted heading into Mexico, independently and apparently “fine.” No foul play is suspected, say Los Angeles police, who’ve been involved since Kobayashi disappeared from LAX on Nov. 8. Via sightings, it’s surmised that Kobayashi, essentially, wanted “to step away from modern connectivity.”

Off the news: House challenger contests razor-thin loss

None — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

These races don’t get much closer than this. After recounting, the state House District 39 contest ended with incumbent GOP Rep. Elijah Pierick edging out Democratic challenger Corey Rosenlee by just 11 votes.

Off the news: Ocean Safety rescues 15 on North Shore

None — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Waves up to 40 feet high hit the North Shore on Friday, leading lifeguards to rescue 15 and issue thousands of warnings. Three men were injured on the jagged rocks between Ke Iki Beach and Sharks Cove when they were hit by a massive set.

Off the news: Change is in the air as airlines compete

None — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Now that the first round of holiday travel is done, it might be smart to scout around before making plans. Change is in the offing, especially with the merger of Hawaiian and Alaska airlines.

Off the news: Landfill site selection slides to this month

None — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

It’s not much of a surprise, but Honolulu didn’t name its next municipal landfill site by the end of November, when the city administration had sought to reveal its choice to replace the 35-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei. Expect an announcement in December, the mayor’s office says.

Off the news: Black Friday coming earlier and earlier

None — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Those days of old, when anxious gift-shoppers stormed the retail battlements for the best discounts on the actual “Black Friday” (that is, the day after Thanksgiving), are not what they once were. A listing of numerous Hawaii Black Friday deals showed some of them starting on a Friday, sure — but last Friday, Nov. 22.

Off the news: Be vigilant, protect Hawaii against bird flu

None — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Hawaii’s physical isolation from the avian flu protected island birds for some time, but that respite is over. The disease, which forced many mainland chicken farmers to destroy flocks and shrank egg stocks and drove up prices, now has begun to spread here.

Off the news: Home for holidays in Lahaina is special

None — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

It’s surely a time of thanksgiving for households displaced by the 2023 Maui wildfires who’ve had new, albeit temporary, homes in Lahaina opened to them in time for the holidays. The first 24 homes to be provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were made available after a blessing ceremony Friday.

Off the news: Signatures prompt election challenge

None — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Large-scale legal challenges of election ballots have not happened here as they have in key swing states on the mainland. But the broad issue of mail-in ballots has come up for the second straight general election in a Maui County lawsuit.

Off the news: Better signage of dangers warranted

None — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The river that winds through two state parks in Hilo — Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots — is aptly named: “Wailuku,” which means “waters of destruction.” Twenty-seven people have drowned in the river over the past 29 years, due to conditions that can be deceivingly calm but change quickly.

Off the news: DHHL homesteaders return to land

None — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Homesteads for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands were originally intended to allow Hawaiians to live off the land, but DHHL hasn’t offered many agricultural lots in recent decades. That makes the award of 68 lots on Hawaii island semi-historic: it’s the largest ag-lot offering since the late ’80s.

Off the news: A bridge not too far, but still delayed

None — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Yes, if more work was needed to ensure the concrete was strong enough for people walking across the new Ala Moana Boulevard pedestrian bridge, then it must be done, regardless of the time lag. The $17.8 million bridge is meant to improve public access for the densely populated high-rises in Kakaako, where some tragic pedestrian deaths already have occurred.

Off the news: Time for Kauai to get new police chief

None — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Last week, the Kauai Police Commission suspended Kauai Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck for three days for leaving his department-issued handgun in an employee restroom in March — but found that evidence “does not support” complaints of “retaliation” filed in April by two KPD officers who found the weapon.

Off the news: Last call to contribute to Capitol pool art

None — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Hawaii artist Solomon Enos is placing the final touches on his design for a mural that will line the floor of the “pool” surrounding the state Capitol building, which is being repaired and re-envisioned. Enos conceived of the mural as an opportunity for public participation, “to create something that will be a community heirloom,” so all are invited to leave their mark on the work, by adding a dot of paint to the mural design.

Off the news: Efficiency improvements made at DPP

None — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Let’s hope that the users’ experience at the city Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) is matching the optimism shared Thursday by the agency’s director.

Off the news: Calls to participate in Red Hill Registry

None — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

It’s taken some time to set up, considering the Navy’s Red Hill fuel-water contamination crisis occurred in 2021, but at least a Red Hill Registry is now taking shape. Via virtual focus groups, held today through Tuesday, the new University of Hawaii initiative will collect feedback from three main types of participants:

Off the news: DHHL works on more answers for Kunia

None — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) is looking to speed up its housing development by buying 211 acres in Kunia for 1,200 Hawaiian homestead residential lots. Rapid action would be possible because on an initial 500 lots, infrastructure is already in place. DHHL would reallocate $60 million from the $600 million appropriated in 2022 for housing development.

Off the news: Meadow Gold cuts workforce, facilities

None — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Meadow Gold Hawaii is making major changes to its operation — including a layoff for two “costume characters” who presumably portray mascot Lani Moo. The locally owned company, Hawaii’s last dairy processor, has announced it would close down “substantially all” of its warehousing and distribution, laying off nearly 100 employees, effective Jan. 15.

Off the news: HPD promotes officers, civilian employees

None — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Recruitment and retention of Honolulu police officers have been longstanding challenges, and problems persist.