June 17, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

June 17, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 9:08 AM :: 224 Views

Kakaako Shooting is Latest Problem at Multi-Violation Club on HART Property

Claims that Maui's streetlights kill endangered seabirds head to trial

Vote by Mail? Hawaii still lowest voter turnout in USA

CB: … Hawaiʻi has the lowest voter turnout in the nation, so low that in some elections less than a majority of registered voters vote. Voting has become a deviant act.

Hawaiʻi used to have the highest turnout in the nation. The drop is historical. Whatever voter turnout advocates hope, that’s not going to change in the short run and probably not in the long run either.

Voting researchers stress the importance of habits in determining whether a person votes. Habits are for sure more important than making it easier and more convenient like with mail ballots or easy registration.

Changing the ballot turns out to be simply tinkering….

Hawaiʻi lacks everything associated with high turnout.

The first is competition. Hawaiʻi has one of the highest levels of one-party dominance in the country, as deep blue as it gets. …

The Republican Party here has made some inroads over the last couple of years but still has considerably fewer seats in the Hawaiʻi Legislature than it did 25 years ago.

Every election cycle there is talk about Republicans getting stronger, but trend-wise, it’s still been downhill since Republican Linda Lingle’s governorship. It’s dropped from 33 Republicans in the Legislature during her term to 11 now.

Voters in high turnout states are very polarized. People are more likely to vote if for no other reason than to keep the evil, untrustworthy opposition from taking power. …

MEANWHILE: Long Lines Suppress Votes on Election Day: Election Officials Plan to do it Again in 2026

Read … Neal Milner: People In Hawaiʻi May Not Vote But They're Still Engaged - Honolulu Civil Beat

Lawsuit challenges Tommy Waters’ eligibility for third City Council term

HNN: … Honolulu City Council candidate Trevor Ozawa has filed a lawsuit seeking to block Council Chair Tommy Waters from running for another term.

The lawsuit argues Waters is ineligible to seek re-election because the Honolulu City Charter limits councilmembers to two consecutive four-year terms.

According to the complaint, Waters was elected to the District IV council seat in a special remedial election in 2019 and again in the 2022 general election. Ozawa argues a successful 2026 campaign would amount to a third consecutive term, which he says is prohibited under the charter.

The challenge stems from a recent determination by Acting City Clerk Chadd Kadota, who concluded Waters is eligible to run because his first stint in office did not begin until he was sworn in during 2019. …

2017: Ozawa helps Miske with Tree

CB: Ozawa Challenges Waters’ Honolulu Council Candidacy In Court

Read … Lawsuit challenges Tommy Waters’ eligibility for third City Council term | Hawaii News Now

Honolulu Building Permits Moving Faster For Homes, Slower For Businesses

CB: … Honolulu’s multimillion-dollar investment in new building permit software may be showing signs of paying off after a stormy start that saw some permitting staff pleading for a return to the old system.

Following years of complaints from residents and builders about epic delays that left projects to languish — delays that hit the city’s property tax revenues — permit wait times have fallen since the launch of the new system, HNL Build, in August.

The median wait time to obtain a new building permit dropped to 2.5 months in the period from August through April — a 40% decrease compared to the same eight-month time period the previous year, a Civil Beat review of Department of Planning and Permitting data shows. Permits previously took four months to obtain.

Only 20% of those who applied for a permit in August 2024 had one eight months later. After the city’s new system took effect in August 2025, 30% had permit approval within eight months.

“We’re proud of the dedication and adaptability shown by our staff throughout this transition,” DPP spokesman Davis Pitner said in an email, “and we also appreciate the patience of our customers as we work through this modernization effort together.”

However, there are caveats. The way the city counts permitting delays has changed. In many cases, the city no longer tracks the time spent in so-called prescreen — vetting the plans for basic requirements. That review by DPP staff used to take months. It’s now being done by some applicants themselves with the help of an artificial intelligence tool before the application is officially submitted.

And the shorter wait times have mainly benefited residential projects. Many commercial permits took longer through HNL Build, Civil Beat found.

Many of the commercial permits created since August took about a month longer to be cleared using HNL Build than under the old system, POSSE. The median wait time for a commercial building was 85 days, or just under three months before the new system. More recently, it’s been four months….

In addition to HNL Build, the department is using CivCheck, a software that pre-screens permit applications for errors.

There are about 130 registered users currently, and its use is optional for residential project applications, but DPP is planning to allow commercial applicants to access it at the end of the summer. …

Read … Honolulu Building Permits Moving Faster For Homes, Slower For Businesses - Honolulu Civil Beat

Maui Council weighs use of Affordable Housing Fund for homeless population

MN: … A Maui County Council committee is considering legislation that would require the County to set aside a portion of its Affordable Housing Fund each fiscal year to provide housing for residents with no income—a population currently excluded from the fund’s eligibility criteria.

Bill 77 would add a definition of “houseless” to the Maui County Code, covering individuals or families who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; whose primary residence is a supervised temporary shelter; or who sleep in “a place not designed for or ordinarily used as sleeping accommodations for human beings.”

The Water Authority, Social Services and Parks Committee deferred the bill Monday on the recommendation of Chair Shane Sinenci, who said the panel would continue discussing the topic at its next meetings….

Read … Maui Council weighs use of Affordable Housing Fund for homeless population : Maui Now

Sue Big Oil? U.S. claims ‘misunderstanding,’ requests Hawaii judge to alter her fossil fuels dismissal ruling

SA: … U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor dismissed the federal government’s case in April, finding it lacked standing to sue Hawaii because the case was based in hypotheticals and speculation.

Gillmor also said the federal government declined to file an amended complaint tied to the state court filing despite being given an opportunity to do so — something the Justice Department claimed was a “misunderstanding” in its motion to alter or amend the judgment last month.

Gillmor had asked both the Justice Department and Hawaii to answer supplemental questions, which included asking the federal government whether it intended to amend its complaint to address the now-filed state lawsuit and explain its legal reasoning if it declined to amend it. The Justice Department opted not to amend the complaint, arguing it did not need to because it believed its initial lawsuit had legal standing.

“The United States answered the question based on its understanding that the Court had not yet decided whether to dismiss the complaint, much less the basis on which it would dismiss the complaint,” the federal government said in its motion. “If the Court’s supplemental question had been, ‘Does the United States intend to seek leave to amend if the Court dismisses the complaint for lack of standing,’ the answer from the United States would have been, ‘Yes.’”

If Gillmor declines the United States’ effort to amend its complaint, the Justice Department further asked the judge to alter the dismissal to be without prejudice so that it could file a new lawsuit against Hawaii that “articulates in greater detail the specific injuries caused by” Hawaii’s lawsuit against private fossil fuel companies.

In a new filing Friday, Hawaii argued Gillmor should leave the decision as it stands.

Read … U.S. claims ‘misunderstanding,’ requests Hawaii judge to alter her fossil fuels dismissal ruling | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Defunct solar company leaves Hawaii customers in debt

KHON: … “Someone came to my door and said, ‘this is the time to get solar.’ ‘Solar, you save your money’ and all of that,” she said.

Kalima says she signed contracts with ATTYX Solar in December 2024. Workers installed solar panels, a batter and new roof, but the system was never activated. ATTX is no longer doing business in Hawaii and she’s now forced to make $400 monthly loan payments while also paying her monthly electric bill.

“I can hire a licensed electrician to come, but it’s going to be, I was quoted anywhere it could run from $3000 to $18,000. I asked different people. No one really wants to touch it, because they didn’t install all of this,” said Kalima.

Neighbor Annie Ferreira says her experience was similar.

“They have everything up on the roof, it’s ready to roll, but it’s not connected to HECO,” said Ferreira, who also has to continue to pay her electric bill.

“My electric bill is still high, and the only reason why I signed up for it to begin with is the high electric bill,” she said.

In March, state regulators warned consumers about solar-related complaints involving door-to-door solar sales representatives. While DCCA wouldn’t tell us how many complaints they’ve received against ATTYX, the Better Business Bureau says complaints involving solar companies in general, continue to surface across Hawaii.

“In the past 24 months in Hawaii, there were 64 complaints filed to the local Better Business Bureau, and 18 negative customer reviews,” said Cameron Nakashima, BBB spokesperson….

Read … Defunct solar company leaves Hawaii customers in debt

Future of Papahānaumokuākea remains uncertain as cleanup crews continue work

KITV: … Trump signed a proclamation on June 11 directing federal agencies to restore commercial fishing access in portions of three Pacific marine national monuments: Papahānaumokuākea, Rose Atoll and the Mariana Trench.

The White House said the move is intended to strengthen domestic seafood production, support fishing communities and reduce regulatory burdens on U.S. fishermen.

Supporters of the proclamation argue that fisheries management decisions should be made through the regional fishery management council process established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council welcomed the announcement.

“We are pleased that under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the management of fishing in monument waters is returning to the fishery councils,” said Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds in a statement released following the signing ceremony.

The council said reopening some monument waters could provide economic benefits for Pacific fishing communities while allowing decisions to be guided by scientific assessments and public input.

“Today's proclamation is a significant and welcome development,” said Council Chair Nathan Ilaoa. “Restoring access to these areas will help ensure that local fishermen are able to fully benefit from those investments and continue contributing to our economy and food security.”

The council has argued for years that fisheries management within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone should be handled through the Magnuson-Stevens process rather than monument-based fishing closures.

However, the council also acknowledged that additional federal actions may be required before fishing activities can resume in certain areas.

“Portions of Papahānaumokuākea and Muliāva (Rose Atoll) are also subject to National Marine Sanctuary regulations and other management authorities that may require further coordination and review,” the council said.

Conservation groups vow legal fight

Environmental organizations are strongly opposing the proclamation and are preparing legal challenges.

“President Trump signed a proclamation that is sweeping unlawful and basically an assault on three of the most ecologically and culturally significant marine protected areas on the planet,” said Maxx Phillips, Hawaiian Islands Director and Senior Attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity….

OHA: OHA Board Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele Statement on Executive Proclamation Reopening Papahānaumokuakea to Commercial Fishing - The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA)

Read … Future of Papahānaumokuākea remains uncertain as cleanup crews continue work

Anti-Telescope Protesters Do Something or Other

SA: … Leaders of the local movement against TMT on Monday sent a seven-page letter to project organizers warning them that continuing efforts to build the telescope on the Hawaii island mountaintop would be met with more opposition.

“Any attempt to construct the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawai‘i would be an extremely poor decision and bad investment,” the letter said. “The project would face sustained and significant opposition, creating serious programmatic, financial, legal, and reputational risks.”

The letter, framed as a notice to “cease and desist” pursuit of building TMT on Mauna Kea, also referenced a change.org petition that at one point yesterday had 500,527 signatures. The global online petition opposing TMT on Mauna Kea was started by a group called Mauna Kea Education and Awareness in 2019, and in its first week or so had attracted roughly 152,000 signatures.

Monday’s letter was sent under the umbrella of Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘uhuluhulu, the name of a resistance camp formed in 2019 around an access road to the mountaintop where several thousand protesters gathered and 38 were arrested for blocking construction vehicles from delivering equipment needed to start building the observatory….

Read … TMT opponents urge project developer to drop plans to build on Mauna Kea | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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