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Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson to Conclude Term, Governor Green Praises Achievements

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson to Conclude Term, Governor Green Praises Achievements

Kali Watson, the Director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) and Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, will not seek reappointment after his four-year term concludes at the end of 2026. Governor Josh Green praised Watson's tenure, highlighting his dedication to addressing the long-standing waitlist for Native Hawaiian families to receive their homelands. Under Watson's leadership, the DHHL offered over 5,300 leases during his four-year term, with projections for nearly 4,900 additional leases in 2027. Governor Green noted that the administration, with Watson's help, awarded more than 5,200 homestead leases in just two years, which is more than half of the approximately 10,000 leases offered over the previous 105 years under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. Watson previously led the department from 1995 to 1998, where he oversaw the development of over 3,100 residential lots and was instrumental in securing a $600 million settlement and the transfer of 16,518 acres of state land to th...

Hawaii Governor Josh Green Announces 25 Certified Opportunity Zones, Including Lahaina Front Street

Hawaii Governor Josh Green Announces 25 Certified Opportunity Zones, Including Lahaina Front Street

Hawaii Governor Josh Green Announces 25 Certified Opportunity Zones, Including Lahaina Front Street

Hawaii Explores Outsourcing Green Fee Project Management to External Fisheries Group

Hawaii Explores Outsourcing Green Fee Project Management to External Fisheries Group

Hawaii state officials are considering a proposal to enlist the Portland, Oregon-based Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to help manage its green fee-funded marine conservation projects. This move comes as the state's green fee program, designed to combat climate change and protect the environment, enters its second year with over $100 million in annual funding. The proposed five-year, $5.4 million agreement would see the interstate group assist Hawaii's Aquatic Resources Division with drafting work proposals, evaluating candidates, awarding contracts, and monitoring project progress and costs. The outsourcing aims to alleviate the workload on state officials in distributing the substantial annual revenues. However, it also raises questions about the potential influence of an outside agency on the program's direction. The Board of Land and Natural Resources is set to review this proposal. Despite the significant funding, there is still a lack of clarity on how much of the nearly $130 million appro...

US Congress Democrats plot 'must-have' victories in 2027

US Congress Democrats plot 'must-have' victories in 2027

By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Democrats poised to take full control of the US Congress next year are aiming for a fast start in the opening weeks of January, with what they say will be a response to voters' top concerns in the aftermath of the party's huge wins on November 3.

Barack and Michelle Obama's Hawaii Christmas Tree Showcases Nostalgic Gold-and-Red Decor

Barack and Michelle Obama's Hawaii Christmas Tree Showcases Nostalgic Gold-and-Red Decor

Barack and Michelle Obama's Hawaii Christmas Tree Showcases Nostalgic Gold-and-Red Decor

Four Seasons Resort Lanai Introduces New Wellness Experiences for Couples

Four Seasons Resort Lanai Introduces New Wellness Experiences for Couples

Four Seasons Resort Lanai Introduces New Wellness Experiences for Couples

Honolulu Department of Housing and Land Management Offers $127 Million in Bond Financing for Affordable Housing

Honolulu Department of Housing and Land Management Offers $127 Million in Bond Financing for Affordable Housing

The City and County of Honolulu Department of Housing and Land Management (DHLM) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide up to $127 million in Private Activity Bond (PAB) financing. This initiative aims to support the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing multifamily rental housing properties on Oʻahu. Qualified developers and property owners, including both nonprofit and for-profit entities, are invited to apply for tax-exempt bond financing. Eligible projects must contain at least four residential rental units and demonstrate a viable plan for acquisition, rehabilitation, financing, and long-term affordability. New construction projects are generally not eligible, with limited exceptions for specific improvements. Mayor Rick Blangiardi emphasized that affordable housing is a critical challenge for the island, and PABs are a powerful tool to leverage private-sector investment and create more affordable housing opportunities.

Hawaii Establishes Public Land Trust Working Group to Address Native Hawaiian Revenues

Hawaii Establishes Public Land Trust Working Group to Address Native Hawaiian Revenues

The Public Land Trust Working Group has been officially formed in Hawaii, with appointments completed by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), Governor Josh Green, Senate President Ronald Kouchi, and House Speaker Nadine Nakamura. This group is set to convene its first meeting in the coming weeks to address longstanding issues concerning the inventory, accounting, and distribution of revenues generated by Hawaii’s Public Land Trust. The working group's central mission is to ensure a complete and accurate accounting of Public Land Trust lands and revenues and to determine the 20% pro rata share of income and proceeds due annually to OHA for the betterment of Native Hawaiians. The group was established under Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2022, and its responsibilities were expanded under Act 32, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2026 (Senate Bill 903). OHA Board Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele emphasized that this initiative is a crucial opportunity to resolve an issue that has remained unresolved for decades.

Bishop Museum to Host Concert Celebrating 50 Years of Aloha 'Āina with Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana

Bishop Museum to Host Concert Celebrating 50 Years of Aloha 'Āina with Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana

Bishop Museum to Host Concert Celebrating 50 Years of Aloha 'Āina with Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana

Nostalgia Drives Consumer Behavior in Hawaii, Fueling Analog Revival and Thrifting Boom

Nostalgia Drives Consumer Behavior in Hawaii, Fueling Analog Revival and Thrifting Boom

Nostalgia Drives Consumer Behavior in Hawaii, Fueling Analog Revival and Thrifting Boom

Scientists Discover Renewed Stress on Japan's Major Earthquake Fault, Raising Pacific Tsunami Concerns

Scientists Discover Renewed Stress on Japan's Major Earthquake Fault, Raising Pacific Tsunami Concerns

Scientists have identified renewed stress on the underwater fault responsible for Japan's devastating 2011 earthquake, according to research led by Fumiaki Tomita of Tohoku University and published in the journal Science on November 5, 2026. The fault beneath the Japan Trench has returned to a 'locked' state, meaning the Pacific and continental plates are once again becoming stuck as they move against each other. This process allows pressure to accumulate beneath the ocean floor, potentially setting the stage for another powerful seismic event. The analysis, based on 14 years of ocean floor measurements combined with land observations, recurring earthquake data, and computer models, revealed that the slow movement along the fault after the 2011 earthquake had nearly ceased after approximately a decade. Consequently, the boundary between the plates has recovered a level of locking similar to that recorded before the 2011 disaster, which caused a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and a devastating tsunami.

SpaceX targets 'Holy Grail of rocketry' with Starship flight 15

SpaceX targets 'Holy Grail of rocketry' with Starship flight 15

SpaceX plans to catch both stages of its Starship rocket in a significant first during the next launch, known as flight 15, in South Texas.