September 25, 2026 News Read

Hawaii Daily News Read

Current Articles | Archives | Search

Friday, September 25, 2026

September 25, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 9:42 AM :: 199 Views

Comparing county property taxes across Hawaii: Who pays the most?

DPP Unveils New Interactive Map for TOD Zoning and Development

Chinatown Cultural Plaza redevelopment moves forward after years of City advocacy

US Chamber of Commerce sues Hawaii over law targeting Citizens United

UHERO: Hurricanes Slow Hawaii Economy

Democrat Corruption Scandal: This Stretch of Hawaii is Edging Republican

CB: … Start at the end of the road in Ka’ena Point State Park and drive east, then south, passing Mākaha, Nānākuli, Kapolei and ʻEwa Beach. Republicans represent every neighborhood along your route in one chamber or the other, until you’re a few blocks into Waipahu.

The break doesn’t last. Continue east on Farrington Highway, then north on Kamehameha Highway, and you’ve just driven through two Senate seats Republicans hope to win in November and the council district of a former House Republican leader. Once you reach Mililani, you’re in a community that has elected three of them. One of them was me.

Keep going north, and just past Whitmore Village, you’re in another Republican-held Senate district until you reach Heʻeia State Park. Republicans hold 13 seats in the House and Senate. Ten of them are in this corridor.

In November, that corridor will be the one to watch….

If they secure just one additional House seat, the House rules will allow them to force roll call votes on the floor, prompting public debate on issues that Democrats might want to avoid. West Oʻahu could provide the crucial margin….

Nothing dampens enthusiasm like a corruption case, and this one belongs to Democrats. In July, five people were indicted in the Covid-19 testing bribery case: Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, former Rep. Ryan Yamane, a state airports administrator, Luke’s former campaign treasurer, and lobbyist Tobi Solidum. Four have pleaded not guilty.

The case reaches straight into this corridor. Yamane represented Mililani and Waipio Gentry, next door to the seat the House Republican leader holds now. The case against him and Luke grew out of a 2022 dinner secretly recorded by former Rep. Ty Cullen, who represented Royal Kunia, Village Park, and part of Waipahu until he pleaded guilty in a separate federal bribery case and served 11 months in prison.

That ground is Republican now. Both Senate seats Republicans hope to win this fall include those same neighborhoods….

read … Beth Fukumoto: This Stretch Of Hawaiʻi Is Edging Republican - Honolulu Civil Beat

Ranked choice voting proposal draws GOP opposition ahead of November vote

HNN: … Moore said the argument for ranked voting is that “it eliminates the roughest form of campaigning because you want to appeal to everyone.” ….Progressive and government reform groups say ranked voting eliminates the “spoiler effect,”….

Local Republicans are campaigning against the proposal. State Rep. Elijah Pierick, R-District 40, said the system would have affected his own election.

“If you just did ranked choice voting, I wouldn’t have even become a state representative because everybody on the left (Democrat) side of the primary all had more votes than me,” Pierick said.

The proposal would only affect nonpartisan county races, but Republicans say the current system of primaries and runoffs gives GOP-leaning candidates a chance in a state that leans liberal.

“I think it might be harder to get conservatives at the finish line serving the people,” Pierick said.

Hawaii GOP Chair Shirlene Ostrov said the system “introduces confusion to a ballot.”

“We believe that a voter should have one vote per voter without having to rank support candidates they don’t want to support,” Ostrov said.

The ranked voting proposal is one of 20 charter amendment questions for Honolulu voters….

ASD: Hawaiʻi Republican Party should put Hawaiʻi first, not the national brand

read … Ranked choice voting proposal draws GOP opposition ahead of November vote

'Slow-moving trainwreck': Economist discusses Hawaii economy

HPR: … HPR spoke with Brewbaker to hear his thoughts as interest rates, tariffs and the cost of living all creep up.

“Everything's up 50% or more. Looking into the winter, I'm seeing airfares, the lowest airfares from the East Coast to Hawaiʻi, up around $1,400,” he told HPR.

“And so yeah, that's making people rethink their travel decisions because their incomes haven't gone up 50%.” ….

PBN: Hawaii parks add visitor fees to manage overcrowding - Pacific Business News

SA: Aloha, healing and resilience occupy spotlight at Hawai‘i Tourism Conference | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

KITV: Hawaii Tourism Conference day 2 focuses on sustainable future | News | kitv.com

read … 'Slow-moving trainwreck': Economist discusses Hawaiʻi's struggles with airfare and AI | Hawai'i Public Radio

Honolulu building permits backlog rises despite HNL Build launch

PBN: … Since the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting launched the new online permitting system called HNL build just over one year ago the number of registered users on the system has more than tripled to 11,269 users, from 3,495 users in September 2025, while the number of building permit applications has gone by more than 34%.

During an informational briefing and public hearing at a City Council meeting on Wednesday, the Dawn Apuna, director of the DPP, said HNL Build has stabilized, performance and reliability has improved and employees and customers have adapted. However, the backlog of permits is rising….

There are currently 9,252 building permits in the backlog, which the new HNL Build system breaks down into 4,374 active permits within one year, 2,451 in review and idle over one year, 420 with no electronic record, and 2,016 in issuance….

The strategy to increase the speed of permits is to decrease the number of review cycles through CivCheck. The average review cycle for residential permits is 3.3, and for commercial permits is 3.7. Early results from users of CivCheck show review cycles down 58% to 1.4 cycles, the number of corrections down 67% from 23.5 corrections to 7.7 corrections and review time down 55% from 73 days to 32.5 days. That averages out to 40.5 days saved for residential permits….

read … Honolulu building permits backlog rises despite HNL Build launch - Pacific Business News

Jury hears emotional testimony from police, sees bodycams at murder trial of Maui officer

HNN: … Kaneholani, a convicted felon, faces six charges, including first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder and multiple firearms offenses. If convicted on all charges, he faces life in prison without parole. The trial resumes Thursday morning.

read … Jury hears emotional testimony from police, sees bodycams at murder trial of Maui officer

FBI arrests ex-Moanalua High School girls wrestling coach

SA: … The ex-Moanalua High School girl’s wrestling coach who led the program to four state titles has been arrested by the FBI and charged with possession and receipt of child pornography.

The FBI’s Honolulu Field Office is seeking to “identify potential victims of Sean Sakaida.” who was recently charged with possession and receipt of child pornography. Sakaida was arrested by FBI agents and is in custody at the Federal Detention Center, Honolulu.

Sakaida was the 2025 National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Hawaii coach of the year. He was put on leave by the school in the fall of 2025 after being accused of dating a player….

read … FBI arrests ex-Moanalua High School girls wrestling coach | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Kauai Shrimp to close due to Hurricane Damage

TGI: … After assessing the damage, rebuilding costs, and long-term outlook, Kauai Shrimp concluded that restoring the farm is not financially feasible under current circumstances, the announcement said.

“We still believe in the future of aquaculture on Kauai,” Alec Sou, president of Aloun Farms/Kauai Shrimp, said in the announcement. “We are exploring whether an experienced operator or partner could rebuild the farm and continue producing local food. There is no guarantee we will find one, but we want to give that possibility every reasonable chance.”

Hurricane Lowell also affected Aloun Farms’ agricultural operations on Kauai, where its teams are working on recovery. Aloun Farms remains operational, including on Oahu, and is committed to its employees, customers, and the communities it serves, the announcement said….

read … Kauai Shrimp is Hurricane Lowell’s latest victim - The Garden Island

HURRICANE NEWS:

QUICK HITS:

Comments