2026 Hawaiʻi Legislative Session: What To Expect Honolulu Civil Beat 2026-09-24 | 2026 Hawaiʻi Legislative Session: What To Expect
Civil Beat named Pulitzer finalist: Behind the story with Editor Patti Epler Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-05-12 | Civil Beat was named a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in the breaking news category on May 6, 2024.The Pulitzer jury cited Civil Beat’s “distinctive, sweeping and urgent coverage of the Maui wildfires that killed more than 100 people and left a historic town in ruins, reporting that held officials to account and chronicled the aftermath and efforts to rebuild.”Editor Patti Epler shares more about what Civil Beat reporters have been up to since the tragedy on Aug. 8 and what's next for our coverage of the Maui fires.Read more about the Pulitzer acknowledgment: civilbeat.org/2024/05/civil-beat-named-pulitzer-finalist-for-maui-fire-coverageRead Civil Beat's Maui fire coverage: civilbeat.org/maui-fires
Inside Hawaiis 2024 legislative session, heralded as historic Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-05-10 | From an income tax break to cracking down on short-term rentals and cutting taxes on medical services, 2024 was a big year for the Hawaii Legislature, as Politics Editor Chad Blair explained.Watch our legislative recap panel featuring state Rep. Greggor Ilagan, Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa, Rep. Gene Ward and Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole: youtube.com/watch?v=VYk71tOrUO4Read more of our reporting on the 2024 Hawaii Legislature: civilbeat.org/category/legislature-2024
Heres what Hawaii legislators did in 2024: Invasive species, fire recovery and more Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-05-09 | Invasive species, cockfighting, Maui fire recovery and a bill that would have raised electric bills were up for discussion during Civil Beat's Civil Cafe: 2024 Legislative Wrap-Up event held at the Hawaii State Capitol on May 7.State Rep. Greggor Ilagan, Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa, Rep. Gene Ward and Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole joined Civil Beat Politics Editor Chad Blair to share their take on key issues that came up this year.Read more of our reporting on the 2024 Hawaii Legislature: civilbeat.org/category/legislature-2024
Hawaii Senate President linked to convicted businessman Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-05-09 | Convicted businessman Milton Choy paid bribes to influence legislation and eventually became an FBI informant. He’s been central to a federal probe into public corruption.Reporter Blaze Lovell brought to light that Senate President Ron Kouchi was among Choy’s close allies for years, though there’s been no evidence that the senator committed any wrongdoing.Kouchi was a guest at Choy’s Las Vegas suite, and their relationship reportedly gave Choy closer access to Hawaii’s politicians.Read more about what Blaze uncovered: civilbeat.org/?p=1643363Read our ongoing coverage of corruption investigations in Hawaii: civilbeat.org/category/hawaii-corruption-investigations
Fire season in Hawaii will look different in 2024: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-05-08 | We’re in the midst of fire season, the risk is higher than usual this year, as Reporter Marcel Honoré told Hawaii News Now Sunrise. The Aug. 8 tragedy in Lahaina offered lessons for emergency officials in Hawaii, where an estimated 60% of Hawaii communities have one way in and out. Emergency responders across our islands are stepping up to respond more quickly as the islands’ two largest power suppliers put in place protocols to shut down parts of the grid when there’s a particularly high risk of sparking a fire in the area.We’ve still got a ways to go, but these are good signs, said Elizabeth Pickett, who heads a local wildfire management nonprofit. “I don’t think in my entire career I thought that we would have this elevated commitment across the board” to curb local wildfire risks.Read the full story: civilbeat.org/2024/05/hawaii-is-entering-a-dangerous-fire-season-heres-what-will-be-different-post-lahainaRead Civil Beat's ongoing Hawaii fire coverage: civilbeat.org/category/hawaii-fires
What will a change in U.S. House leadership mean for Hawaii? Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-05-04 | Civil Beat Washington, D.C. Correspondent Nick Grube joined us in the newsroom to talk about what's new on the hill, including millions of dollars headed to our islands by way of earmarks and whether a leadership shakeup in the U.S. House could affect our state.00:00 Intro00:24 Spending bill passed01:03 How could a new U.S. House speaker affect Hawaii?02:59 The return of earmarksRead Nick's work: civilbeat.org/author/ngrube
Habitat destruction, albatross death could lead to $3M fines for North Shore property owners Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-05-01 | A native bee species pushed closer to extinction. A nesting albatross killed after a worker threw a rock at her head.These incidents happened at Marconi Point, an agricultural-designated area with more than a dozen lot owners next to Turtle Bay Resort.Now, several North Shore property owners face more than $3 million in state fines.More details: civilbeat.org/2024/04/bee-habitat-destruction-albatross-death-could-lead-to-3-million-in-fines
Pay-to-play in Hawaii: What we learned after a yearlong investigation Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-28 | In partnership with The New York Times, Honolulu Civil Beat examined hundreds of thousands of campaign contributions and more than 70,000 government contracts. We found that nearly one out of every five dollars donated to politicians in Hawai’i came from people tied to companies doing business with state and local governments.In 2005 Hawaii passed a law intended to bar government contractors from giving money to politicians. Yet contractors can still take advantage of loopholes, and many people charged with campaign finance violations have been allowed to keep giving — and to keep getting contracts.See which politicians raked in the most cash, and see some of the companies that ponied up big donations and were selected for government contracts at the link in our bio.Full story: civilbeat.org/2024/04/inside-the-late-night-parties-where-hawaii-politicians-raked-in-money
Red Hill federal trial: What to expect - Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-25 | Monday, April 29 will mark the beginning of a trial that seeks to hold the military accountable for contaminating the water 93,000 people in the Red Hill area relied on for drinking, bathing and doing laundry, as Civil Beat reporter Christina Jedra told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.More than 7,500 claimants have joined in the case and faulted the Navy for tainting the water with jet fuel. They say they’ve endured medical issues, lost income and experienced emotional distress.Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has argued that these problems could have been spurred by other causes and questioned whether they were exposed to jet fuel at all, or at least long enough to cause these maladies.Full details: civilbeat.org/2024/04/red-hill-families-describe-litany-of-harms-from-tainted-water-in-lead-up-to-federal-trial
How toxic is the Lahaina burn zone? Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-21 | Scientists, state officials and the Army Corps of Engineers are finding the Lahaina burn zone may not be as toxic as initially feared.It’s suspected that wind-whipped flames that tore through Lahaina on Aug. 8 created an urban fire so hot it not only melted glass, but it appears to have resulted in the complete combustion of many harmful contaminants like dioxins, heavy metals, flame retardants and forever chemicals, rendering them inert.Learn from Environmental Health Reporter Paula Dobbyn how these encouraging results could hasten Lahaina’s recovery: civilbeat.org/2024/04/lahainas-wildfire-fire-burned-so-hot-that-many-dangerous-contaminants-likely-vaporized
Investigating pay-to-play with The New York Times: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-18 | Reporter Blaze Lovell spent a year digging into the problem of pay-to-play in Hawaii and loopholes in our public contracting system.An analysis by The New York Times and Civil Beat found that people tied to government contractors have provided an outsize percentage of the money fueling state and local politics, as Blaze told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.Many people charged with campaign finance violations have been allowed to keep giving — and to keep getting contracts. That’s according to a painstaking analysis of state business and campaign finance records that demonstrate an undeniable connection between politicians, contractors and how the state’s business gets done.Read the story: civilbeat.org/2024/04/inside-the-late-night-parties-where-hawaii-politicians-raked-in-money
Honolulu bribery trial: Crucial government witnesses faces cross-examination Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-14 | Keith Kaneshiro, Honolulu's former top prosecutor, is accused of pursuing phony charges against a former employee of Mitsunaga & Associates Inc. who's taken the witness stand, as Madeleine Valera tells Editor-at-Large Naka Nathaniel.Laurel Mau is one of the government’s central witnesses in the bribery trial. Her former employers said she stole from the company by conducting side jobs using Mitsunaga & Associates’ resources. But prosecutors say the charges were phony, and Kaneshiro’s office only pursued the case after the firm’s CEO Dennis Mitsunaga funneled thousands of dollars in donations to Kaneshiro’s campaign.Read more of Madeleine's coverage of this trial: civilbeat.org/author/madeleine-list
Mike Miske trial: Hundreds of witnesses, thousands of exhibits Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-12 | Reporter Madeleine Valera has been keeping a close eye on the Mike Miske trial and shares some of the most interesting takeaways of the first several weeks, including what key witnesses have had to say.Watch parts 1 and 2 of our Mike Miske video series featuring investigative reporter Ian Lind:Part 1: "The Miske Trial: Who Is Mike Miske?" youtube.com/watch?v=6GLapeB5WA4Part 2: "The Mike Miske files: Prosecution vs. defense strategies in organized crime case" youtu.be/6B7_U_1wCloRead our coverage of the Miske trial: civilbeat.org/category/mike-miske
Why oversight of Hawaiis education department is weakening: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-12 | Helming the volunteer-led Board of Education and overseeing our statewide public education system is no easy feat. That’s especially true now.The governor tapped longtime former state Rep. Roy Takumi to serve as the board’s chair after the unexpected resignation of Warren Haruki last month. It’s the third such leadership change in two years, and three of four staff members who help the board have ducked out in the past several months, too, as Chad Blair told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.With churn like this, education advocates ask, how can the board effectively set policy and hold school leaders accountable?Read the story: civilbeat.org/?p=1641131
Bad blood: Hawaii legislators clash with UH amid leadership shakeup Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-10 | Big changes are in store for leadership at the University of Hawaii — and it's clear that there's tension between UH officials and legislators.A search for a new president of the 10-campus system is underway, and the Board of Regents underwent a shakeup in 2024 following a series of contentious legislative hearings, as Politics Editor Chad Blair told Naka Nathaniel.00:00 Intro00:33 University of Hawaii president search02:30 Board of Regents controversy04:05 Are legislators overstepping at UH?07:19 What does the future hold for UH?Read our reporting on the 2024 legislative session: civilbeat.org/category/legislature-2024Read our reporting on the University of Hawaii: civilbeat.org/category/university-of-hawaii
Future Of Food | Sustainable Food Policies - 2024 Legislative Session Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-04-02 | On March 28, 2024, Civil Beat hosted a panel discussion featuring Rep. Amy Perusso and Daniela Spoto. Amy is the House Majority Leader Whip (District 46) and Daniela is the Director of Food Equity and Anti-Hunger Initiatives for Hawaii Appleseed. Together with moderator Chad Blair, they discuss various topics including; pesticide policies, food in education, and the idea of an "integrated food system."
Hawaii history: Unpacking lost dead letters of a bygone era Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-28 | In the 1800s, Americans who died in Hawaii were considered foreigners and the few treasured items they possessed were sent to the U.S. State Department to be delivered to their next of kin. More than 160 ended up as dead letters and stored in boxes at the National Archives.Reporter Kirstin Downey stumbled upon them one day by accident, as she told Editor-at-Large Naka Nathaniel in this interview about her process and discoveries about long-ago travelers to Hawaii.Read the series: civilbeat.org/projects/dead-letters
A Speech On Leadership Sparks A Social Media Backlash: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-28 | You might’ve stumbled upon a very public dust-up on Instagram between two legislators across the aisle from one another.Republican Rep. Elijah Pierick posted a clip to his Instagram page of Democratic Rep. Jeanne Kapela’s public invocation on the House floor, which began with the following words: “I want a lesbian for president. I want a person with AIDS for president, and I want a gay man for vice president.”Kapela says her office received violent threats that “were facilitated and endorsed” by Pierick. Pierick denies this, and said he was surprised by her reaction.Read the story: civilbeat.org/2024/03/chad-blair-a-speech-on-leadership-sparks-a-social-media-backlash
Prince Kuhios lasting legacy: Giving neighbor islands a voice, fortifying Pearl Harbor + more Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-26 | As a congressman, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole’s pushed to give neighbor island residents more of a voice in their own government and cemented the military in the islands decades before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, as reporter and historian Kirstin Downey explains.His legacy also includes lighthouses, breakwaters, roads and parks, and helping get women the vote.Watch the full interview with Editor-at-Large Naka Nathaniel: youtu.be/QmKpkdssWSERead our special series, "The Life and Legacy of Prince Kuhio": civilbeat.org/category/prince-kuhio
Prince Kuhios remarkable impact: How his legacy shaped Hawaii today Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-26 | As a Native Hawaiian in Congress, Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole's work on behalf of Hawaii led to substantial legislative accomplishments that still resonate today.Civil Beat Reporter and historian Kirstin Downey joins Naka Nathaniel to talk story about the rich history and outsized impact of Prince Kuhio.Read our project "The Life and Legacy of Prince Kuhio": civilbeat.org/category/prince-kuhio
Are these homeless shelters a fad or viable solution?: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-26 | You might’ve heard a lot lately about the community-focused homeless shelters, known as kauhale, that Gov. Josh Green has championed. He’s looking to build a dozen this year alone — much higher than his original plan to build 12 in three years, as Politics Editor Chad Blair told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.Doing so won’t be cheap, but State Homelessness Coordinator John Mizuno is picking up momentum. His office has identified two possible sites on the Big Island, plus another on Maui and Kauai.Reporter Jessica Terrell takes us inside a meeting at the newly launched Ho’okahi Leo kauhale to learn more about how the system works and what it’ll take to make it sustainable.Read the full story: civilbeat.org/2024/03/homeless-villages-a-viable-solution-to-getting-people-off-the-street-or-just-the-latest-fad
Prince Kuhio: Why people adored him Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-24 | Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole was known worldwide for his charisma, charm, fighting abilities and royal ties.Reporter and historian Kirstin Downey explains how these qualities helped him leave an outsized impact on our islands.Watch the full interview with Editor-at-Large Naka Nathaniel: youtu.be/QmKpkdssWSERead our special series, "The Life and Legacy of Prince Kuhio": civilbeat.org/category/prince-kuhio
Prince Kuhio: From royalty to jail, then U.S. Congress Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-22 | Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole had an outsized impact on Hawaii, and his journey along the way was exceptional.Reporter and historian Kirstin Downey explains how he went from royalty to jail, and then representing Hawaii in U.S. Congress.As a Native Hawaiian in Congress, Prince Kuhio’s work on behalf of Hawaii led to substantial legislative accomplishments that still resonate today.Watch the full interview with Editor-at-Large Naka Nathaniel: youtu.be/QmKpkdssWSERead our special series, "The Life and Legacy of Prince Kuhio": civilbeat.org/category/prince-kuhio
Identifying Maui fire remains: Inside an unprecedented effort Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-21 | In the aftermath of the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire, forensics experts were predicting that it could take years to identify all the fire victims — and that some people might never be identified at all.What happened next was unprecedented. By mid-October — a little over two months after the fire — police had identified all but one of the 96 victims recovered from the burn zone during the official five-week search for human remains.Read the story: civilbeat.org/2024/03/how-a-team-of-dedicated-cops-and-scientists-sorted-through-ash-and-rubble-to-identify-lahainas-fire-victims
Inside Hawaii Storytellers: Where I Live - Kona and Kohala Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-20 | Hawaii Storytellers is a community-driven event series by Honolulu Civil Beat that puts community voices at center stage sharing true, first-person narratives. Watch the storytellers at this event and others: youtu.be/ZsP-KKkUACwFind all of our events here: civilbeat.org/upcoming-eventsHonolulu Civil Beat is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt news organization dedicated to cultivating an informed body of citizens, all striving to make Hawaii a better place to live. Read our stories online at civilbeat.orgFollow us on social mediaInstagram: instagram.com/civilbeatFacebook: facebook.com/civilbeatTwitter: twitter.com/CivilBeat
Kalama Beach Park historic building in disrepair: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-17 | An iconic Kailua building at a popular beach park has fallen into disrepair, and locals are trying to step up to chart a new course, as Reporter Kirstin Downey told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.They’re raising tough questions about what they say is the city’s mismanagement of the Boettcher Estate at Kalama Beach Park, which is a national historic landmark.“It looks awful,” said Diane Harding, president of Outdoor Circle’s statewide organization, who lives nearby. “It’s embarrassing. It’s not being taken care of at all. There’s no maintenance. The city doesn’t have the staff or the willpower.”💬 Comment below: Do you frequent Kalama Beach Park? Would you like to see the estate have a second life?Read the story: civilbeat.org/2024/03/kailua-residents-decry-sad-state-of-historic-city-owned-estate
#HIStorytellers: Unlikely Stories by Boots Lupenui Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-14 | Artist, musician and documentarian Boots Lupenui shares two unlikely tales about the history of Kohala. Which one is your favorite?Hawaii Storytellers is a community-driven event series by Honolulu Civil Beat that puts community voices at center stage sharing true, first-person narratives. Find all of our events here: civilbeat.org/upcoming-eventsHonolulu Civil Beat is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt news organization dedicated to cultivating an informed body of citizens, all striving to make Hawaii a better place to live. Read our stories online at civilbeat.orgFollow us on social mediaInstagram: instagram.com/civilbeatFacebook: facebook.com/civilbeatTwitter: twitter.com/CivilBeat
#HIStorytellers: Aloha Overcoming Fear by Manu Powers Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-13 | Business owner Manu Powers takes us inside a moment that changed her life: when an act of aloha taught her a lesson about what it means to be part of a community.Hawaii Storytellers is a community-driven event series by Honolulu Civil Beat that puts community voices at center stage sharing true, first-person narratives. Find all of our events here: civilbeat.org/upcoming-eventsHonolulu Civil Beat is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt news organization dedicated to cultivating an informed body of citizens, all striving to make Hawaii a better place to live. Read our stories online at civilbeat.orgFollow us on social mediaInstagram: instagram.com/civilbeatFacebook: facebook.com/civilbeatTwitter: twitter.com/CivilBeat
#HIStorytellers: Moʻokuʻauhau by Kolby Moser Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-13 | Filmmaker Kolby Moser shares stories from her childhood and long lineage in Kaʻu — and tells us about a special discovery her family made while researching their moʻokuʻauhau, or genealogy. Hawaii Storytellers is a community-driven event series by Honolulu Civil Beat that puts community voices at center stage sharing true, first-person narratives. Find all of our events here: civilbeat.org/upcoming-eventsHonolulu Civil Beat is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt news organization dedicated to cultivating an informed body of citizens, all striving to make Hawaii a better place to live. Read our stories online at civilbeat.orgFollow us on social mediaInstagram: instagram.com/civilbeatFacebook: facebook.com/civilbeatTwitter: twitter.com/CivilBeat
#HIStorytellers: Hoʻale by Dagan Bernstein Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-13 | Musician and educator Dagan Bernstein shares the story of how he came to feel connected to the people and places of Hawaii through music and mele — and why it took leaving home to deeply appreciate the sounds of our islands and chart a new course that would define his career.Hawaii Storytellers is a community-driven event series by Honolulu Civil Beat that puts community voices at center stage sharing true, first-person narratives. Find all of our events here: civilbeat.org/upcoming-eventsHonolulu Civil Beat is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt news organization dedicated to cultivating an informed body of citizens, all striving to make Hawaii a better place to live. Read our stories online at civilbeat.orgFollow us on social mediaInstagram: instagram.com/civilbeatFacebook: facebook.com/civilbeatTwitter: twitter.com/CivilBeat
#HIStorytellers: Wahi Pana by Naka Nathaniel Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-13 | Civil Beat Editor-at-Large Naka Nathaniel shares a story about a wahi pana, or sacred place, for his ohana, Pololu Valley — and how a trip to this special place gave his son a kuleana, or responsibility, that inspired strangers to act.Hawaii Storytellers is a community-driven event series by Honolulu Civil Beat that puts community voices at center stage sharing true, first-person narratives. Find all of our events here: civilbeat.org/upcoming-eventsHonolulu Civil Beat is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt news organization dedicated to cultivating an informed body of citizens, all striving to make Hawaii a better place to live. Read our stories online at civilbeat.orgFollow us on social mediaInstagram: instagram.com/civilbeatFacebook: facebook.com/civilbeatTwitter: twitter.com/CivilBeat
Honolulu corruption case spotlights pay to play in Hawaii: Inside the Kaneshiro-Mitsunaga trial Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-13 | Can prosecution be bought for revenge?That’s what federal prosecutors will seek to prove in a trial set to begin this week. They’re alleging that former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro pursued felony charges against a woman after receiving nearly $50,000 in campaign contributions from her former employer, the prominent local engineering firm Mitsunaga & Associates Inc.CEO Dennis Mitsunaga has long been suspected of pay to play — a rarely prosecuted practice. He’s pleaded not guilty along with all the other co-defendents in this case, and the defense argues there’s no smoking gun in this case.Read the full report for an in-depth look into what we might expect in this trial and how we got here: civilbeat.org/2024/03/kaneshiro-mitsunaga-bribery-case-puts-pay-to-play-on-trial
Hawaii lawmakers top 2024 priorities: Whats moving halfway through the legislative session Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-08 | Panelists Rep. Diamond Garcia, Rep. Gregg Takayama and Sen. Chris Lee shared their updates from the 2024 legislative session during Civil Beat's Civil Cafe event on March 6.Legislators also answered questions from the audience and Civil Beat Politics Editor Chad Blair.Read Civil Beat's coverage of the 2024 session: civilbeat.org/category/legislature-2024
A solution to help Hawaiis overcrowded foster care system?: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-07 | When it comes to taking kids from their homes, Hawaii is an outlier among Western states. Child Welfare Services rarely gets a judge’s approval to do so if workers suspect abuse or neglect.But Hawaii’s legal process for taking children from their parents could significantly change under a pair of bills headed for critical votes. These bills would ensure a judge has eyes on these decisions more often.Investigations Editor John Hill explains why Hawaii’s child welfare system is overloaded and why these bills could make a difference: civilbeat.org/2024/03/john-hill-hawaii-may-finally-move-in-the-right-direction-on-parental-rights-in-child-welfare-cases
Waianae Coast: A new evacuation route? Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-06 | Oahu’s Waianae Coast has just one public way in and out via Farrington Highway.In the aftermath of last year’s deadly wildfire in Lahaina, local transportation officials are scrambling to try and prevent a similar tragedy from occurring in other vulnerable pockets across Hawaii, including the Waianae Coast where the population has swelled to around 50,000 people.State officials aim to work with the military to finally fix the rugged, crumbling Kolekole Pass — the only other way out of the Waianae Coast by car or truck — so that it can accommodate two lanes of traffic and serve as a reliable public evacuation route.Full story: civilbeat.org/2024/03/after-lahaina-waianae-coast-residents-might-finally-get-a-key-evacuation-routeWould your neighborhood benefit from an alternate evacuation route? And Westside folks: Would fixing the Kolekole Pass road be enough?
Delays in Honolulus planning and permitting department: Mayor Rick Blangiardi Q&A Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-03-01 | Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi sat down with Reporter Christina Jedra to answer your questions about the permit pileup at the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting.Jedra has reported on the beleaguered department for years. She seeks to explain the failures, inequities and inefficiencies in Oahu’s permitting process and explore solutions that would make the system work better for everyone as part of her special reporting project, "Permit Pileup."Read the series: civilbeat.org/projects/permit-pileup
Kalaupapa National Historical Park tours still closed: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-29 | Four years after the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered tours of Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Hawaii’s famed leprosy colony remains off-limits to the public, as Civil Beat's Chad Blair told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.Molokai’s top tourist destination closed in early March 2020 under pandemic-era public health restrictions far stricter than those enacted in the rest of the state. Read the full story from Reporter Brittany Lyte: civilbeat.org/2024/02/kalaupapa-tours-remain-shut-down-four-years-after-pandemic-closure
Why Hawaii Might Not Legalize Marijuana + Maui Recovery Cost Concern: 2024 Hawaii Legislature Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-23 | Politics Editor Chad Blair explains a new effort afoot to legalize cannabis — and why he thinks it might not pass this year, even as momentum builds.Also: Higher-than-expected fire recovery costs could lead to budget cuts across state departments.
Lost letters unopened from Americans in Hawaii in the 1800s: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-22 | Letters from Americans who ventured to Hawaii sat unopened for more than a century, sitting in storage in the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.Civil Beat’s new project, “Dead Letters,” shares the stories contained in these letters and belongings, as Reporter Kirstin Downey told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.Read the “Dead Letters” series: civilbeat.org/projects/dead-letters
The Mike Miske files: Prosecution vs. defense strategies in organized crime case Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-21 | This organized crime case has headed to trial in Honolulu, and Investigative Reporter Ian Lind shares what we can expect.Learn more about the case against Mike Miske, the former businessman accused of facilitating a murder for hire plot, and how his lawyers plan to make his case.Miske ran Kamaaina Termite and Pest Control and the M Nightclub.Hit follow to see more of this series. 👀Read our reporting on the Miske trial: civilbeat.org/category/mike-miske
Why Hawaiis Child Welfare Services agency is an outlier Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-21 | Investigations Editor John Hill has covered Hawaii's Child Welfare Services for years. He breaks down some of the issues he's written about, including lawsuits against CWS, the lack of transparency he's encountered, chief challenges the agency faces and more.00:00 Intro00:17 Lack of transparency at CWS/the Ariel Sellers (Isabella Kalua) case01:10 Conflicts of interest in the system02:52 Why is Hawaii's foster care system in tough shape?04:20 Child placed with young, single man06:16 Kids taken from homes without judge's approval08:44 What's the way forward?Read more of John's work: civilbeat.org/author/jhillcivilbeat-org
Hawaii high school sports: Why gender inequalities persist Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-19 | Some Hawaii female athletes still face gender inequalities in school sports, 52 years after a federal law mandating equal opportunities for boys and girls in school sports was signed into law. Eleven Hawaii schools were undergoing construction to their girls’ locker rooms, the state Department of Education said in a 2023 report.But while DOE asked for nearly $14 million for gender equity projects, it didn’t get any funding last year. It’s asking for $6 million this year, and without that money, projects will face further delays.“These are laws. These are not suggestions,” said Jill Nunokawa, a civil rights specialist at the University of Hawaii Manoa.Read the story: civilbeat.org/?p=1628613
Copy and paste bills: How they work: Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-14 | In theory, bills should be introduced to Hawaii’s Legislature by Jan. 24. That’s not exactly how things work in practice, as Civil Beat Politics Editor Chad Blair told Hawaii News Now Sunrise.Enter: Short-form bills. Dozens are introduced every session, and they’re almost completely blank so that lawmakers can insert language later on to handle an unforeseen matter. The title offers the only clue as to what they could be used for.“The titles are usually just a single word — environment, education, housing — or maybe two words, such as disaster management,” Blair wrote in his latest column. “The titles are so vague that a lawmaker could drive a Toyota Tacoma through it, transforming it into just about anything.”Read the column: civilbeat.org/?p=1627410
Could a bill bring Jason Momoas show back to Hawaii? Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-13 | Jason Momoa's "Chief of War" show for Apple TV+ maxed out the tax incentives it could receive in Hawaii and moved to New Zealand.But Hawaii Senate Bill 3265 could pave the way for shows like his to receive more support from the state, as Civil Beat Reporter Stewart Yerton explains.SB 3265 would create a Native Hawaiian film advisory council to determine whether productions could be eligible to have a cap on film incentives waived.The bill would also increase the annual film production income tax credit to $60 million from $50 million.Watch the full interview: youtube.com/watch?v=-NfRAabipHEGet the latest on SB 3265: legiscan.com/HI/bill/SB3265/2024
Hawaii Film Tax Incentives: Could Higher Credits Help Diversify The Economy? Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-13 | Could additional film tax incentives help diversify Hawaii's economy?Some legislators think so. Senate Bill 3265 would increase the annual film production income tax credit to $60 million from $50 million, as Reporter Stewart Yerton explains.Watch the full interview: youtube.com/watch?v=-NfRAabipHEGet the latest on SB 3265: legiscan.com/HI/bill/SB3265/2024
Top Hawaii photos of 2023: 3 favorites from Civil Beats Kevin Fujii Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-13 | Civil Beat staff photographer Kevin Fujii shares the stories behind a few of his favorite photos of 2023.Previously, Kevin worked for The Seattle Times, Houston Chronicle and Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram newspapers. Kevin was a general assignment photographer shooting for every section of the newspaper, but specialized in sports and food photography. In 2010 Kevin led The Seattle Times photography staff to win the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News.Kevin is a four-time Olympic Games photographer and covered other high-profile sporting events including the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup, Final Four and NCAA Bowl Championship Games.See more of Kevin's work on civilbeat.org and here: civilbeat.org/author/kfujii
Top Hawaii photos of 2023: 3 favorites from Civil Beats David Croxford Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-13 | Civil Beat staff photographer David Croxford shares the stories behind a few of his favorite photos of 2023.Prior to coming to Civil Beat, David was the award-winning Chief Photographer for PacificBasin Communications (AIO Media Group) from 2007 until 2022. His work has appeared in Honolulu Magazine, Hawaii Business Magazine, HAWAII Magazine, Hawaii Home & Remodeling Magazine, Honolulu Family Magazine and the other companies within the AIO brand spectrum, as well as contributing to various advertising campaigns created by the media groups. His photographic client list includes McGraw Hill publishing, Journal Register Publishing and Patuxent Publishing, and a variety of media consortiums.David’s photographic experience dates back to the early 1980s when he first began working professionally as a photojournalist for several regional newspapers in Oregon. He later moved to the East Coast where he worked with major publishing groups in a freelance capacity.See more of David's work on civilbeat.org and here: civilbeat.org/author/david-croxford
Inside Lahainalunas Return To The Field After Maui Fires: Behind The Photo Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-12 | Did you see folks from Lahainaluna High School kicking off Super Bowl LVIII by serving as honorary coin toss captains?We're throwing it back to Lahainaluna's first game after the Aug. 8 fires that swept Maui.Staff photographer Kevin Fujii takes us inside the moment that led to this special image.Read about the game and see more photos: civilbeat.org/2023/10/lahainas-football-team-delivers-big-win-and-heavy-dose-of-healing
Tenants hurt by Red Hill water crisis sent to collections: Civil Beat on Hawaii News Now Sunrise Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-11 | Some Red Hill tenants sued their landlord to stop charging them after the fuel contamination crisis came to light, arguing that they shouldn’t have to pay for an uninhabitable home.Monique Delgado is among the tenants at Kapilina Beach Homes that filed suit. And last month, she was hit with a collections notice for more than $30,000, as Reporter Christina Jedra told Hawaii News Now "Sunrise."“When do the blows just stop happening?” Delgado said in an interview. “Do we just keep getting beat up for years from this thing?”Hear what their management company has to say: civilbeat.org/2024/02/families-stopped-paying-rent-during-the-red-hill-water-crisis-now-their-landlord-wants-to-collect
Could Hawaii Ban Short-Term Rentals In 2024? Honolulu Civil Beat 2024-02-09 | Legislators have unsuccessfully sought to curb short-term vacation rentals at the state level in years past, but could things be different this year?Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole thinks so. Opposition to these rentals has grown louder than ever, and notably, Gov. Josh Green called them a problem in his State of the State speech. “This year is different because it is a byproduct of the crisis on Maui,” he said.So Keohokalole authored an ambitious bill that would change the way these rentals are regulated and ultimately give counties the power to phase them outaltogether. No surprise: Airbnb is already claiming the bill could lead to “substantial litigation.”Read the full story: civilbeat.org/2024/02/a-statewide-ban-on-vacation-rentals-the-idea-is-gaining-steam-after-the-maui-fires
