The tragic Aug. 8 wildfires on Maui killed at least 100 people and dominated news coverage around the world.
It was the biggest event of 2023 and the cleanup and rebuilding will take years.
Other top stories of the year include a traffic crash that killed a McKinley High School student — allegedly by a driver with no driver’s license and 164 traffic citations that resulted in speed humps across Oahu; deaths and violence on the Leeward side and the opening of Honolulu’s rail system.
Almost five months after the Maui wildfires, nearly 3,000 families remain in hotels while county, state and federal officials work to free up 3,000 short-term rental units to get them into long-term housing.
Gov. Josh Green has publicly threatened to declare a ban on Maui short-term rentals if he cannot get enough owners to voluntarily take advantage of zero property taxes and above- market rate rents — a threat that would likely lead to protracted litigation.
More than 3,000 structures were destroyed in the infernos — most of them homes — further exacerbating the lack of affordable housing on Maui and the entire state.
Hawaii needs 50,000 more homes, a shortage that has forced financially struggling families and kupuna to move, or consider moving, to more affordable states.
Immediately after the fires, conspiracy theories spread through social media about how they were started, including that the fires were caused by an unspecified “government” for any number of nefarious reasons. The theories continue to persist in some circles.
Helping the people of Maui already has become a major issue ahead of the next legislative session, which is scheduled to begin Jan. 17, including how to best leverage county, state and federal funds.
Green has proposed a half-billion dollars in state funds and has said that helping Maui recover remains Hawaii’s biggest priority.
The first budget of his year-old administration also includes millions to reduce the risk of future wildfire disasters across the islands.
TRAGIC PEDESTRIAN FATAL
Earlier in 2023, on Feb. 15, Sara Yara — a 16-year-old McKinley High School student — was killed in a marked crosswalk on Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamakee Street near McKinley’s athletic field at about 6:40 a.m. Her friend also was injured.
The investigation took nearly 10 months before Mitchel Yoshiji Miyashiro, 46, was charged this month with first-degree negligent homicide, collisions involving death or serious bodily injury, collisions involving bodily injury, and driving without a license.
Nine days before he allegedly killed Yara, Miyashiro pleaded not guilty to driving without a license.
Following the fatal crash, House Speaker Scott Saiki and Council Chair Tommy Waters announced the installation of speed humps along Kapiolani Boulevard and Pensacola Street, which have been replicated across Oahu, forcing drivers to slow down.
CRIME ON OAHU
Overall, crime was down on Oahu as of November. But the Honolulu Police Department district that includes the Leeward side saw weapon offenses up 42% and homicides up 80% compared to the year before. There were nine murders compared to five in 2022.
Elected officials and members of the Leeward community have grown increasingly concerned about crimes including:
>> On April 14, Gary Rabellizsa Jr., 34, and Cathy Rabellizsa, 59, were shot to death at a Maili cockfight that also wounded three men ages 38, 40 and 57.
Jacob Borge, 23, aka “Hotboy Jakes” and Shaedan-Styles McEnroe-Keaulii, 16, were both charged with murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, three counts of attempted murder in the second degree, five counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, and a firearm storage offense.
Police were investigating the possibility that rival factions were warring over who tipped off the U.S. Department of Justice about an ongoing federal drug case.
>> In May, more than 50 community members turned out for a town hall on Leeward crime at the Kamehameha Schools Community Learning Center at Maili.
But on June 17, Richianna Deguzman, 17, was with friends near Maili Elementary School when gunfire erupted and she was shot in the head.
Her friends drove her to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center in critical condition and she was later transferred to The Queen’s Medical Center and was later recovering.
>> Nawehilani Gomes, 21, was shot 11 times in the early hours of Sept. 3 at the Waianae Small Boat Harbor during a clash between groups that killed her boyfriend, 29-year-old Kaleipua Kalamau-White, and another man.
Javen Lopez, 18, was charged with first-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder, three counts of carrying a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, and a firearm count.
>> On Oct. 26, Edward Caspino, 46, the alleged leader of the “Westside” gang, was accused of running chicken fighting derbies and illegal gambling dens and marketing methamphetamine.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury along with his brother William, 48, their mother, Lavern Joseph, 71, and Edward’s wife, Kerilyn Keliinoi-Caspino, 31.
Among other charges, Edward Caspino was accused of three counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
>> An Oahu grand jury indicted Dennis Wilson, 28, for second-degree murder in the Nov. 7 stabbing death of Justin D.I. Akana, 62, at Nanakuli Beach Park, allegedly over a dispute about money and cigarettes.
Three days later, the Leeward community turned out for a sign-waiving event calling for an end to violence.
SKYLINE RAIL
The city’s rail system finally opened to the public after years of delays and cost overruns on June 30 for the first segment of the city’s $9.8 billion rail project running along 11 miles and nine stations from East Kapolei to Halawa.
To spur interest, transportation officials offered free ridership for the first five days through July 4 and many passengers at the time told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that they were impressed with the elevated views of Oahu they had never seen before, along with the ability to travel above city traffic.
Passengers were only allowed to ride Skyline for four hours on the first day, resulting in volunteers counting 8,952 riders and a total of 71,722 passengers riding for free through July 4.
When people had to pay to ride Skyline, 18,329 passengers rode the system in the subsequent five days.
For all of July, including four days of free ridership, Skyline saw 151,633 passengers before ridership leveled off.
In August, 96,178 people rode the rail system, followed by 91,088 in September; 92,578 in October; and 83,148 in November.
