House Committee Approves East-West Center Funding
After Latest Fire at Sea, Matson Begins Refusing Shipment of Electric Cars
Ousted HPD Chief Logan demands $460K – sound familiar?
HNN: … Honolulu’s police chief is demanding payment for the rest of his term ahead of his retirement.
Arthur “Joe” Logan sent a demand letter to the city seeking salary for the remaining two years of his five-year term, and a lawsuit could be ahead.
Logan makes about $230,000 a year.
(TRANSLATION: He wants more than Kealoha got.)
He announced his retirement on June 2 after a meeting with Mayor Rick Blangiardi at Honolulu Hale….
Logan has since hired civil rights and employment attorney Joseph Rosenbaum, and now says he was pressured to leave mid-term by Blangiardi…
Kau said it is puzzling that Logan started this process prior to leaving….
When Logan took over in 2022, there were 348 sworn officer vacancies. When he announced his retirement, that number was 457, more than 31% higher.
Logan was criticized for returning about $50 million to the city, money that could have gone to officer retention or hiring programs….
CB: Not So Public: City Officials Mum On HPD Chief Request For Extra Cash - Honolulu Civil Beat
SA: Ex-Honolulu police Chief Joe Logan files $460K pay claim | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Read … HPD chief wants to be paid for his term, takes first step toward lawsuit over departure
State land board shuts down Maui water rights petition
ASD: … A legal challenge by Maui farmers over water access rights was dismissed by a state board Friday.
In Dec. 2024, the Board of Land and Natural Resources granted a permit to companies Alexander and Baldwin, Inc. and East Maui Irrigation Co. allowing them to divert a certain amount of water from the East Maui Watershed to supply water to Maui County facilities, municipal users and farmers.
The one-year revocable permit would allow the companies to extract up to about 34 million gallons of water daily to irrigate more than 10,000 acres of agricultural land.
This decision prompted Native Hawaiian advocacy group Nā Moku Aupuni O Ko‘olau Hui to file for a contested case, arguing that the diversion of water from the watershed would negatively impact Native Hawaiian farmers who rely upon that water.
“Nā Moku’s members are kalo farmers, fishers and gatherers who … have seen streams run dry for long periods as a result of [stream] diversions,” read the contested case….
Read … State land board shuts down Maui water rights petition
Cause of Maili wildland fire classified as undetermined
KITV: … There is no definite cause that HFD could determine based on the available evidence, the department reported on July 15. The classification comes from a comprehensive investigation where the fire investigator examined the area of origin, collected and analyzed physical evidence and interviewed witnesses. The weather conditions, environmental factors and all potential ignition sources were also reviewed in this process.
The origin of the fire was identified to be Paakea Road, in the vicinity of the Lualualei Very Low Frequency (VLF) Transmitter.
The case remains open pending any new evidence. The damage assessment of this fire is still in progress and more information will be released once it is completed….
KHON: HFD: Maili wildfire classified as undetermined
Read … Cause of Maili wildland fire classified as undetermined
Correcting Lahaina Fire Road Deathtrap Could Take Seven More Years
KITV: … "Generally, these things, these projects, take one to two years to get the design and permitting process. Then anywhere from three to five years to construct. So we're probably looking at these roads being in operation somewhere in four to seven years or so, depending on complications with permitting, environmental reviews, etc." said Molina.
"We passed some bills this year that I hope will speed up the permitting process, especially if a special management area is needed that these exemptions will kick in. I'm hopeful that we can follow up through both the county and state level with executive orders or other mechanisms to try to eliminate as much of the permitting as possible," added McKelvey.
More properties are expected to be acquired this year, but adding more roads comes at a high cost.
"It'll be in the range of $30 to $80 million because that's inclusive of not just your roadway, but your underground utilities with water, sewer that may be needed. A lot of facilities come with a roadway that cause those costs to be high," stated Molina.
Read … Additional Lahaina road development starts to shift into gear
Honolulu DPP to launch new permitting software (This time they will really reduce the backlog. Really.)
SA: … An effort to speed up Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting’s ability to process building permit applications is scheduled to begin next month, city officials say.
To that end, DPP says it will officially launch new permitting software Aug. 4 to streamline the city’s site development, zoning and planning applications.
The new system, called HNL Build, will replace the decades-old POSSE platform….
Read … Honolulu agency to launch new permitting software | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hu Honua Federal Lawsuit Temporarily Put on Hold
IM: … Over the years, the proceeding involved a County of Hawaii Planning Department Contested Case Hearing, appeals to Circuit Court and the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals, four rulings by the Hawaii Supreme Court, and a dispute before the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco.
Federal District Judge Seabright found that four sequential pleadings by Hu Honua lacked merit. Following the final defeat in the federal district court earlier this year, Hu Honua filed state and federal action in May 2025 that drove HECO to desire a new Power Purchase Agreement.
Hu Honua filed a state lawsuit against HEI, HECO, and HELCO.
Hu Honua filed an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The federal lawsuit defendants also include NextEra Energy and Hamakua Energy Partners.
The first Power Purchase Agreement (2012-16) was cancelled by HECO. The second Power Purchase Agreement (2017-23) was stopped by Life of the Land. The third Power Purchase Agreement (2023) was submitted by Hu Honua in response to a HECO Request for Proposal. It made it through the process but was not selected in the final round.
The federal appeal has been put on hold on July 10, 2025, pending the proposed filing of the new PPA. Hu Honua is hoping their 4th Power Purchase Agreement with HELCO will be approved.
“The Clerk is directed to temporarily close this court’s docket for administrative purposes until January 9, 2026. This administrative closure is not a decision on the merits and no mandate will issue in connection with this order. At any time, any party may request that this appeal be reopened.”
Read … Hu Honua Federal Lawsuit Temporarily Put on Hold | Ililani Media
What If HOAs, Not Government, Enforced Wildfire Prevention Rules?
CB: … Kauaʻi County planners are pushing forward a bill to impose new landscaping and construction restrictions on five heritage plantation camp properties.
The proposal that the Kauaʻi County Council is expected to take up Wednesday would task county zoning inspectors with enforcing a ban on landscaping within 5 feet of a residence and a prohibition on invasive, fire-prone shrubs and grasses, among other restrictions.
As wildfire risk grows in Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi Planning Director Kaʻāina Hull said he’d like to see all new development in high wildfire risk areas adopt similar standards.
But the county lacks the resources to conduct routine residential landscaping inspections beyond the small footprint of the plantation camps. So Hull wants homeowners associations, rather than government, to take on the job of enforcement. …
Read … What If HOAs, Not Government, Enforced Wildfire Prevention Rules? - Honolulu Civil Beat
ICE Is Moving Immigrants Arrested On The Mainland To Honolulu
CB: … about four weeks ago, she received a call from someone with no ties to Hawaiʻi — a California resident who had been transferred to Federal Detention Center Honolulu.
That’s happening more and more since the Bureau of Prisons agreed to set aside space at the Honolulu detention center for people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to immigration lawyers and U.S. Rep Jill Tokuda.
Tokuda said that during a two-hour visit to the detention center on Friday, Bureau of Prisons staff told her that 77 ICE detainees were there. …
Read … ICE Is Moving Immigrants Arrested On The Mainland To Honolulu - Honolulu Civil Beat
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