August 9, 2025 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Saturday, August 9, 2025

August 9, 2025 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:19 PM :: 363 Views

Green: RFK Cuts to MRNA Vaccine Research 'A big mistake'

Bill 59 Could Have Stopped Homeless Panhandling in Traffic

Federal judge summary judgment against Trump permitting commercial fishing in Pacific marine monument

TGI: … On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Micah Smith heard arguments in the case, and repeatedly pressed DOJ attorney Sara Warren for the basis of Trump repealing a Fisheries Service prohibition on commercial fishing in the monument.

(UPDATE: Summary Judgment against Trump handed down—see links below.)

“We’ve spent a significant amount of time during this argument where I’ve asked you for some basis for your view, and I haven’t heard one yet,” Smith said. “What is the case, what is the principle, what is the authority for the position that a proclamation can wipe away a formal regulation that has been promulgated through notice and comment? … What are you relying on for your position?”

Warren gave an answer that didn’t appear convincing to the judge, who characterized it as a restatement of the administration’s position instead of support for the validity of the position.

“Can you cite me a single case from a single court that has ever held that the president can simply, by stroke of the pen, erase formal regulations that have been promulgated through notice and comment procedures?” Smith pressed further.

“Your honor,” Warren replied, “we haven’t identified that case, but I don’t think that is an issue that arises very often.”

Smith then questioned whether the issue would not indeed arise quite often if presidents could exercise such power.

The judge recognized that well-established presidential power and practice exists for one president to issue proclamations that reverse proclamations of prior presidents.

But David Henkin, an Earthjustice attorney representing plaintiffs in the case at hand, argued that Trump went further with his April 17 proclamation because the Fisheries Service previously went through a formal rule-making process to restrict commercial fishing in parts of the monument area following proclamations by earlier presidents.

President George W. Bush in 2009 established an initial form of the monument, originally known as the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, by proclamation to create national wildlife refuges with commercial fishing bans radiating out 50 miles around Howland, Baker and Jarvis islands; Johnston, Wake and Palmyra atolls; and Kingman Reef.

kapaa-v-trump-summary-judgment-hawaii | Courthouse News Service

kapaa-v-trump-complaint-hawaii | Courthouse News Service

E&E: POLITICO Pro | Article | Judge blocks Trump bid to allow fishing at marine monument

Read … Federal judge questions merit of Trump permitting commercial fishing in Pacific marine monument - The Garden Island

U.S. Army releases land lease recommendations for training areas on Hawaii Island and Oahu

HNN: … The Army currently leases about 23,000 acres of land from the state for that training area.

The latest recommendation proposes scaling back the acreage needed for training to approximately 19,700 acres.

On Oahu, the Army is modifying its lease on the Kahuku Training Area to 450 acres.

As for the other Army leases on Oahu, no changes were recommended for the Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area or the Makua Military Reservation….

FR: Federal Register :: Record of Decision for Army Training Land Retention at Pōhakuloa Training Area in Hawai`i (ID# EISX-007-21-001-1734439520)

Read … U.S. Army releases land lease recommendations for training areas on Hawaii Island and Oahu

Industry study says Hawaii’s timeshares generate hundreds of millions in taxes, thousands of jobs

MN: … With 101 timeshare resorts and nearly 15,000 units statewide, the report suggests the industry plays an important role in tourism year-round.

The group says timeshare units account for 15% of the state’s visitor lodging inventory and thousands of jobs.

Among the findings from the 2025 report, timeshares generate $1.63 billion in labor income, $1.79 billion in off-site consumer spending and $518 million in state and local taxes with 84% of those going to the state and 16% going to local governments.

According to ARDA Research & Insights, the industry’s economic impact was felt most heavily on Kauai, ($1.7 billion in economic output, 7,933 jobs, $159 million in taxes), followed by Oahu ($1.6 billion in output, 7,846 jobs, $157 million in taxes) and Maui ($1.42 billion in output, 6,800 jobs, $155 million) in taxes. The report said Hawaii Island’s timeshares generated $620 million in economic output, 2,570 jobs and $47 million in taxes….

LINK: Economic & Fiscal Impacts - the Island of Oahu, 2025

Read … Industry study says Hawaii’s timeshares generate hundreds of millions in taxes, thousands of jobs | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News

‘We’re not going anywhere’: PBS Hawaii president, CEO addresses federal funding cut concerns

HNN: … While CPB manages the federal funds for all of the 1,500 local public media stations across the nation, like Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), it does not operate or produce content for the local stations.

PBS is a nonprofit program distributor of CPB, meaning it produces its own content like PBS NewsHour and PBS Kids.

Local PBS stations, including PBS Hawaii, are independently owned and operated.

CPB manages and distributes federal funding to local PBS stations.

Mizutani says that amount only makes up about 20% of PBS Hawaii’s budget. The rest comes from community donations.

Mizutani emphasized that PBS Hawaii has taken proactive measures as it entered the 2026 fiscal year, which began in July.

He added that PBS Hawaii has cut some of its costs, which simultaneously provided an opportunity for its team to take a step back and reaffirm their mission.

Amid the federal funding drama, Mizutani confirmed that PBS Hawaii hasn’t made any layoffs to its staff….

Read … ‘We’re not going anywhere’: PBS Hawaii president, CEO addresses federal funding cut concerns

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