Hawaii News

Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island are both focused on public safety and governance. On Maui, the County Council advanced a bill that would create the county’s first comprehensive lobbyist registration and reporting rules, while voters are also being asked to weigh in on eight charter amendments and two state constitutional amendments, according to Maui Now and Maui Now. The County of Hawaiʻi Fire Commission also selected Daniel Volpe as the next fire chief for the Hawaiʻi Fire Department, a notable leadership change for the island’s emergency response system, per Maui Now.

Recovery and preparedness remain central on Kauaʻi. County officials are still cleaning up and repairing after Hurricane Lowell, with resource centers closed and other recovery details still in motion, while the Department of Parks and Recreation says the Po‘ipū Beach Park parking lot will close for maintenance and hurricane-related work, according to Kauaʻi Now and Kauaʻi Now. Kauaʻi also has a partial park reopening to watch: Waimea Canyon Lookout reopening Saturday; some other state park access on Kauaʻi remains closed says the reopening is not a full park reopening.

Health and conservation issues are also moving statewide. The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center received a $2.5 million grant to expand care across the islands, and both the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary are seeking advisory council applicants, per Kauaʻi Now and Kauaʻi Now. On the cultural and community side, Hawaiʻi is also seeing island-to-island connections through events such as the Carmen Hulu Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest and Journey Through the Universe, both noted in Maui Now and Maui Now.