Good evening, Hawaii. Here are the main stories we've been following today: 

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Tropical Storm Hone continues to move away from the Hawaiian Islands, taking with it the wet and windy conditions. High pressure that is located to the north of the islands will return a typical breezy trade wind pattern that will last for much of the week. Clouds and showers will favor the windward and mauka areas. Hurricane Gilma will track west, but weaken upon its arrival in the region late this week.

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Today's Big Stories

1. Hone swirls past Hawaii's main islands after dumping enough rain to ease wildfire fears

Hone was swirling past Hawaii's main islands on Monday, after it weakened to a tropical storm the day before, and blasted Hawaii Island with rain.

Meanwhile, in the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Hector gained strength, packing top sustained winds of 50 mph. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect as Hector was still churning far out at sea, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hone (pronounced hoe-NEH) had top winds of 65 mph Monday morning as it moved past Hawaii about 240 miles southwest of Honolulu and 205 miles south of Lihue, according to a 5 a.m. advisory from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

William Ahue, a forecaster at the center in Honolulu, said the biggest impacts from Hone were rainfall and flash floods that resulted in road closures, downed power lines and damaged trees in some areas.

2. Hawaii Island dealing with Hone aftermath

Although Hurricane Hone has moved on from Hawaii Island, it has caused significant wind, rain, and flood damage, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense.

Two emergency shelters have opened as of noon on Monday: Keaau Armory at Shipman Park and Pahoa Neighborhood Facility at Billy Kenoi District Park. Both have WIFI and are pet-friendly.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation closed Hilo International Airport to outgoing flights on Sunday night due to Hone, but as of Monday morning, extra flights had been added into and out of the airport. They advise travelers to expect more volume and to allow at least two hours to get through security.

The Hawaii Public Schools website was offline early Monday morning, but it announced that Kaʻū High School, Pahala Elementary School and Naalehu Elementary School were closed to students and staff because of hazardous road conditions.

Hawaii County Civil Defense website included the Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science Public Charter School and Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, which closed on Monday.

Changes to the Hele-On Bus route on Monday included:

• Route 90 (12:30 p.m.: Pahala-Kona-South Kohala Resorts) will start from Ocean View
• Route 90 (1:30 p.m.: South Kohala-Kona-Pahala) is canceled
• Route 12 (11:20 a.m.: from Pahala to Volcano) will begin at 11:20 a.m. / no service to Naʻalehu, Waiohinu or Ocean View

All other fixed routes were running as scheduled.

An update from Hawaiian Electric Sunday night said power had been restored to most North Kohala, Volcano and Punaluu customers. If any customers in these areas are still without power, call the Hawaii Island Trouble Line at 808-969-6666.

Crews were responding to scattered outages across the island, with about 1,800 customers still without power.

Personnel from Oahu will be on Hawaii Island to help with restoration efforts.

View the County of Hawaii Hazard Impact Map for the latest watches, warnings and closures.

Hawaii County Civil Defense directs individuals who need to report residential or commercial damage from Hurricane Hone to call 808-935-0031 or file a Public Damage Report online.

3. Lahaina homeowners impacted by wildfire invited to Aug. 29 webinar

Maui County’s Office of Recovery invites Lahaina homeowners impacted by the Aug. 2023 wildfire to attend a homeowner’s webinar at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 29. 

Discussion will include topics related to “rebuilding and housing, including expedited permitting outside the burn area and updates on wastewater zone status and sewer connection for Fleming Road residents,” according to a release.

The Long-Term Recovery Group will also give a presentation on the soon-to-launch Rebuild Checklist and Toolkit that offers step-by-step guidance and assistance for homeowners.

There will be a Q&A available with representatives from the county’s Department of Public Works, Department of Water Supply, Department of Environmental Management and 4LEAF Inc., the company contracted by the county to process emergency building permits.

Individuals who wish to attend the webinar will need to register and can submit questions.

4. Mililani, Wahiawa skate park upgrades invite public discussion

Upgrades to two skate parks — one in Mililani, the other in Wahiawa — are on the table for discussion thanks to community input during Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s townhall meetings earlier in the year.

The Hoʻoulu Wahiawā Group is partnering with the City and County of Honolulu for the development and proposed expansion of the skate park at the historic George F. Wright Wahiawa District Park, according to a news release.

The process will begin with the first of three community meetings scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at the park’s Hoʻokipa Building. The goal of the Tuesday meeting is to gather relevant stakeholders and share information on proposed upgrades to the skate park while discussing other improvements they envision throughout the park.

The community-led effort to provide lighting for the skate park at Mililani District Park is progressing, according to the release.

Details and discussion of the Mililani project will be included for the next Neighborhood Board No. 25 meeting at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at Mililani High School. People can attend the meeting virtually. For information, visit the board’s website.

The first of three community meetings to discuss the Wahiawa skate park takes place on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Honolulu Department of Parks & Recreation)

5. Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard endorses Trump

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2020 and has since aligned herself with the U.S. right wing, officially endorsed former President Donald Trump at a National Guard event in Detroit on Monday.

“This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts and regions around the world, and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before,” Gabbard said after being brought on stage by Trump at the annual meeting of the National Guard Association of the United States, a lobbying organization.

“This is one of the main reasons why I’m committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House where he can once again serve us as our commander in chief, because I am confident that his first task will be to do the work to walk us back from the brink of war," she continued.

She has been reportedly helping Trump prepare for his Sept. 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, who Gabbard notably clashed with during the 2020 Democratic primary debates. On Monday morning, Gabbard traveled with Trump to Arlington National Cemetery to mark the third anniversary of the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans during the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. 

Your Notes for Tomorrow

Friday, August 27

• Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance attends campaign fundraising reception in Nashville
• Quarterly and Monthly House Price Index reports come out
• Polaris Dawn mission launches aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying private astronauts Jared Isaacman, Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon
• 21st Source Awards, honoring women in the music industry, including Source Awards Hall of Fame induction
• 60th anniversary of the Los Angeles premiere of Walt Disney's 1964 musical film 'Mary Poppins', starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns