At present, applicants for a Honolulu building permit must include a sworn, notarized affidavit declaring they have no outstanding fines or liens payable to the city before a permit can be issued. Read more
Preschool Open Doors has opened its doors wider. The subsidies for preschool attendance are now available to children age 3 as well as 4, thanks in part to an additional $50 million allocated. Income eligibility also has been broadened so that more families can qualify for help. Read more
For those who still worry that putting a ballot in the mail or a drop box is like sending it into the ether: No worries are necessary. Voters are invited to sign up for ballot notifications. Read more
Community arts and culture nonprofit Pu‘uhonua Society, La Ho‘iho‘i Ea and the national “Arts for Every Body” initiative have partnered to present an outdoor celebration 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Thomas Square, the site of the restoration of Hawaii’s sovereignty in 1843. Read more
Hawaii County has the right intent in amending its tax structure for agricultural lands so that ag land owners who don’t actually farm, but build “gentleman farmer” homes on the acreage, should pay more — but county bills now up for public comment need more refinement. Read more
Companies are grappling with fallout from Friday’s technology outage, triggered by a faulty update CrowdStrike pushed out for its widely-used cybersecurity software. Read more
For those who haven’t cracked open their vote-by-mail ballots yet, just a reminder: Don’t expect to find Joe Biden or Kamala Harris named there, or any presidential candidate. Read more
The Red Hill Community Representation Initiative (CRI) lives on, despite Navy criticisms and a warning that it could be disbanded. Read more
Maui County’s struggle to recover from the devastating Aug. 8 wildfire continues, with a federal court on Monday denying a motion to expedite an eminent domain acquisition of 20 acres in Central Maui to expand a landfill for fire waste and municipal refuse. Read more
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After operating a drone in the vicinity of a tented “temporary respite area” on Ponahawai Street in Hilo, two state-contracted survey workers were assaulted by people from the camp. Read more
Longtime Honolulu lifeguard Kurt Lager was named acting director of the newly established Ocean Safety Department (OSD) Tuesday — an interim appointment that will last until after voters decide in November whether to create an oversight body for the OSD. Read more
It has begun. Not only are ballots themselves on the way to people’s mailboxes, but the state Office of Elections now has its Primary 2024 Voter Guide online (digitalvoterguide.hawaii.gov). Read more
Keep an eye on Bill 37 at Honolulu Hale: It’s all about how the city keeps its eye on the public, adding the Skyline transit system to the video surveillance network. Read more
It’s rather chilling: The Hilo Benioff Medical Center (HBMC) morgue, built 40 years ago to hold an expected maximum of 16 bodies, has been chronically over capacity because of its use by Hawaii County to store bodies being held for coroner’s inquest cases and criminal investigations. Read more
It’s a long shot that an entertainment venue will retain its popularity for 50 years — but Waikiki’s Hula’s has stayed the course, earning its reputation as Honolulu’s legacy gay bar by making entertainment job one, with live music, DJs and drag shows throughout the week and a mission to serve up “Aloha for All.” Read more
The worst of the fears seemed to ebb over the weekend, as firefighters worked to contain 80% of the blaze on Haleakala Crater Road; on Saturday, the emergency advisory for residents was lifted. Read more
You’d think the word would be out by now: It’s not OK to carry grenades — or items that look like grenades — in your luggage. Read more
It would be rare indeed these days to be a consumer still left unscathed by the malignant forces of data hackers. Read more
The goal: Improving coordination between agencies to more aggressively root out gambling operations, using civil and criminal municipal powers. Read more
In today’s digital world of impersonal websites and social media, it was quite heartening to see some old-fashioned, face-to-face campaigning going on. Read more
Gov. Josh Green has declined to appoint an interim member of the state Senate to replace former Sen. Maile Shimabukuro, who resigned effective May 31, so is not seeking reelection. Read more
