Hawaii Business Magazine Newsletters.

"Auditor:  Plan to cool Hawai'i's classrooms a '$120 million disaster.'"

Views expressed in this Hawaii News update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 13 August 2025, 2247 UTC.

Content and Source:  "Hawaii Business Magazine Newsletters."

 https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzQcpKdTfzxXmxdLvbrMTDCtpNGZ

URL--https://www.hawaiibusiness.com.

Please check email link, URL, or scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiinewsjournal.blogspot.com).

View this newsletter online

Top Headlines

Auditor: Plan To Cool Hawaiʻi Classrooms a ‘$120 Million Disaster’ A multimillion-dollar effort to cool the state’s school classrooms has fallen well short of its goals due to rushed planning and poor decision-making, the state Office of the Auditor found in a damning report released Tuesday. Civil Beat.

Deadline Approaching to Give Opinion on Hawaiʻi’s Green Fee A deadline is fast approaching for the public to give input on how funding from Hawaiʻi’s green fee legislation can address critical shortfalls of Hawaiʻi’s natural resources. “Care for ʻĀina Now” is urging the public to share their input before the Aug. 15 deadline for the statewide survey.  Hawaii News Now.

The Fight to Save Hawaiʻi’s Coconut Palms Across Hawaiʻi, what looks like a bad haircut on the landscape is marking the slow death of the coconut palm, that icon of paradise. The culprit: the coconut rhinoceros beetle, a glossy, thumb-size scarab that bores into the crowns of palms to feed on sap. Garden Island.

Opportunities to Export Local Goods Increased Through Passage of Act 237 The Senate Committee on Ways and Means received a comprehensive update on Tuesday from the Agribusiness Development Corporation on the development of Hawai‘i’s food and product innovation efforts to help scale up local farmers and entrepreneurs and increase economic resilience.  Maui Now.

Hawaiʻi Providers Fear RFK Jr. Could Roll Back Access to Abortion Pill Women in remote and rural parts of Hawaiʻi have long struggled to access abortion care.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii Business Magazine Can Hawaii Become the Napa Valley of Chocolate? Many places in the U.S. manufacture chocolate, but only Hawai‘i cultivates its main ingredient, cacao, on a commercial level. Efforts to establish Hawai‘i as a globally recognized gourmet chocolate producer are gaining momentum. Read More ❯❯

O‘ahu Headlines Oʻahu Inflation Slows Amid Tariff Backdrop The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday reported that prices for a broad sampling of goods and services on the island generally rose 2.3% over 12 months through July. This inflation rate for Oʻahu compared with 4.5% in the 12-month period through July 2024. Star-Advertiser.

Aloha Stadium Contracts Are Set For Final Vote The Aloha Stadium Authority plans to vote Wednesday on whether to approve hundreds of millions of dollars of redevelopment contracts, a big step forward in the long-stalled $400 million project to rejuvenate the surrounding area and open a new home for the University of Hawaiʻi’s football team.  Civil Beat.

Sen. Schatz Pledges to Support Community Health Centers Amid Federal Cuts Hawaiʻi U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz visited the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center on Oʻahu as health care facilities and low-income families brace for looming federal cuts. Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Sponsored by ALTRES Q3 2025 Staffing & Human Resources feat. ALTRES ALTRES shares how it’s helping Hawai‘i businesses tackle 2025’s workforce, tech, and security challenges. From upskilling teams to supporting HR strategy and cybersecurity awareness, the company is focused on long-term growth. Learn how ALTRES is adapting alongside its clients. Read More ❯❯

Honolulu City Council Accepts Donated CPB Property for City Use The Honolulu City Council has formally accepted Central Pacific Bank’s donation of more than $1.63 million in real and personal property for use by the city Department of Community Services near Aala Street and the H-1 freeway. Star-Advertiser.

Feds Investigating At Least One Prison Guard’s Actions In OCCC Killing The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a “target letter” to a state corrections officer signaling his actions are under investigation in connection with the beating death of an inmate — allegedly by other prisoners — at the Oʻahu Community Correctional Center two years ago. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Colliers Talks Latest Findings on Honolulu’s Empty Office Space The real estate company Colliers tracks industry trends and just released its Q2 report on downtown occupancy rates. Honolulu has the second-highest rate in cities across the country for planned office space conversions to residences. Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines New Building Department Eyed The Hawaiʻi County Council is proposing a County Charter amendment that would create a Department of Building aimed at speeding up the permitting and inspection process and easing the workload of the Department of Public Works — but Mayor Kimo Alameda is not convinced it’s the right approach. Tribune-Herald.

Puna, Waiākea Communities Invited to Share Ideas to Improve Conservation Puna and Waiākea community members are invited to join their neighboring farmers and ranchers for upcoming meetings of local working groups with U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Big Island Now.

Hawaii Business Magazine New in the Office? I Was, and Here’s What I Learned Advice from a workplace newcomer and HR experts on how to cope, network, manage your side gig and prioritize mental health. Read More ❯❯

Extreme Drought On Maunakea The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows severe dryness in northern interior parts of the Big Island.  Big Island Video News.

Pancho & Lefty’s Authorized to Reopen After Passing Follow-Up Inspection Hawai‘i Department of Health Food Safety Branch authorized the reopening of a downtown Kailua-Kona eatery after being forced to immediately shutter last week following a failed food safety inspection that revealed multiple food safety violations, including dead and live cockroaches on food-contact surfaces and in ready-to-eat food.  Big Island Now.

Maui Headlines Fire at Kula Lodge Guts Beloved Maui Restaurant and Puts Upcountry Community ‘On Edge’ The iconic restaurant on the slopes of Haleakalā had caught fire, gutting the rustic dining room with a cozy fireplace where countless Maui families and visitors gathered for brunches and celebratory dinners. With its good food and sweeping views of the central valley, Kula Lodge also was a must stop for many people going to and from the national park. Maui Now.

Wailuku Film Festival to Start in 2026 With Different Focus For 25 years, the Maui Film Festival was a beloved event, bringing new movies to the island and for more than a decade featuring “Celestial Cinema” nights on the joint driving range of the Emerald and Gold golf courses in Wailea.  Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines New Free Airport Wayfinding App Enhances Passenger Experience at Līhuʻe Airport. Hawai‘i Department of Transportation launched a pair of free airport wayfinding smartphone apps — including one for a Kaua‘i airport — designed to make the airport experience less stressful and more enjoyable for travelers.  Kauai Now.

Construction of Temporary Bridge on Anahola Road Expected Through December Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works and Cushnie Construction notify the public that construction of a temporary bridge over Olokauha Stream on Anahola Road in Anahola is anticipated through December. The bridge will remain closed to traffic for the full duration of construction. Kauai Now.

Thousands of Pounds of Marine Debris Removed From Kauaʻi Coastline More than 9,000 pounds of marine debris was removed from the remote coastline of Moloaa on Kauaʻi. Hawaii News Now.

Buy this month's issue Buy Single Issue ❯❯

Advertising & Sponsorships Submit Feedback General Inquiries Manage my Preferences

You received this email because you signed up for Today's Hawaiʻi News or because it is included in your Hawaii Business subscription. 1088 Bishop Street, Ste LL2, Honolulu, HI 96813 ©2025 Hawaii Business Magazine