Good evening, Hawaii. Hollywood’s writers and actors’ strikes are having a ripple effect in Hawaii’s film industry; a Hawaii Island man died Tuesday after he was mauled by four dogs and our partners at Honolulu Civil Beat report on a change that the state Department of Education enacted that seems to be responsible for more teacher hires this school year. Read about the important stories you need to know.
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Today's Big Stories
1. How the Hollywood strikes are affecting Hawaii’s film industry
Last year, Fairai Richmond, who has been a member of the American actors’ union SAG-AFTRA, was a stuntman on “Chief of War” with Jason Momoa. This fall, he planned to work on Disney’s live-action “Moana,” but now his next acting role is unknown.
“It’s very scary (right now) because I’m an actor in the Screen Actors Guild; I’m a stuntman in the Screen Actors Guild. … the majority of my income comes from that one guild,” said Richmond.
Across the U.S., the film industry halted as both the screenwriters’ and actors’ unions have gone on strike. The Writers Guild of America’s strike began on May 2, hoping to get better pay, especially from residuals for streaming media. On July 14, SAG-AFTRA also walked because studios tried to demand the exclusive rights to extras’ likenesses, which could be replicated with generative AI.
When the WGA strike started in May, previously written shows were still being filmed, according to Irish Barber, the business representative for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Hawaii branch 665. However, when the actors' union strike started, she said the impact was immediately felt.
“We had approximately 150 to 200 people on the show of ‘Lilo & Stitch’ when they had to shut down because of the actors’ and writers’ strike,” said Barber. “All of them had to quickly button up and put everything away, and they all filed for unemployment.”
People like hair stylist Ralph Malani, who is a member of IATSE 665. He was one of the people who lost his job when “Lilo & Stitch” shut down production.
“There's no work because of the strike,” said Malani. This fall, he would have likely worked on upcoming seasons of “NCIS: Hawaii” and “Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.” as well as “Moana.” Now, the next time he works on-set is unknown.
Barber and Malani point out that Hawaii's film industry supports many smaller businesses in the state, including grocery stores, restaurants, hardware stores, lumber yards, gas stations, equipment rental companies, and clothing stores.
A man believed to be in his 70s has died after being mauled by four dogs on Hawaii Island, police said.
The man was treated by medical personnel at the scene and died while being transported Tuesday to Kona Community Hospital, police said in a statement.
Police were alerted by a witness, who saw the victim being attacked in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates neighborhood by four large dogs. The witness chased the dogs off and called authorities.
Police are also checking claims the dogs had previously been reported as stray animals. The owners have surrendered all four dogs and a litter of 10 puppies to county animal control.
The Hawaii Department of Education says it is starting the school year with significantly fewer teacher vacancies than it has had in recent years.
There are around 300 vacant positions in the system now, compared to over 1,000 vacancies at the start of the last school year.
The DOE credits a new online portal it launched on May 16 that allows teacher candidates to apply for positions at their preferred schools and pick subject areas they are interested in.
Previously, interested candidates would apply to an open job pool and then be sent to a school with a vacant position. The portal also aims to fill positions faster.
“We moved away from pool-based recruiting to community-based recruiting,” DOE Recruitment Administrator Gary Nakamura said.
The platform has gathered over 3,400 teacher applications so far and a total of 967 new teachers are being brought into the system for the new school year.
4. AG supports measure extending benefits to Black WWII vets
State Attorney General Anne Lopez has joined a coalition of 24 state attorneys general in calling on Congress to pass legislation that would extend eligibility for housing loans and educational assistance to Black World War II veterans who were previously denied benefits on the basis of race as well as their surviving spouses and certain direct descendants.
The measure, introduced by Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., would extend access to the VA Loan Guaranty Program and Post-911 GI Bill educational assistance benefits to the surviving spouse and certain direct descendants of Black World War II veterans who are alive at the time of the bill’s enactment, if they can certify that the veteran was denied a specific benefit on the basis of race.
5. Hawaii soccer team welcomes back veterans to kick off 2023 fall practices
The last time Kelci Sumida saw Day 1 fitness this good, she was a wide-eyed freshman on what turned out to be the first Hawaii team to qualify for the Big West tournament.
The fifth-year senior hopes what she witnessed Tuesday morning correlates to a successful bookend to her career in the upcoming 2023 season. Some dedicated offseason training resulted in most of the team hitting its targets in conditioning testing at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Coach Michele Nagamine, who is going into her 13th year with UH soccer, said she too sensed something different about the group’s readiness, even with eight newcomers.
“I’m really proud of them for the work that they put in when nobody was watching,” she said.
UH plays an exhibition against Houston Christian on Aug. 13 and opens officially with Utah Valley at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium on Aug. 17.
Your Notes for Tomorrow
Thursday, August 3
- Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report - Initial Claims
- NASCAR announce latest Hall of Fame class
- 4th anniversary of El Paso, TX, Walmart mass shooting
- Court hearing for actor Jonathan Majors on domestic violence charges
- Astronaut Days 2023 at NASA Johnson Space Center with activities, tours of the space center and a chance to meet astronauts.
- NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel meeting
- CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting
- NIST National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee meeting
- 30th anniversary of Senate confirming Ruth Bader Ginsburg SCOTUS nomination
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hosts farm policy roundtable
- Vivek Ramaswamy on campaign trail in New Hampshire
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
- What: Studio Ghibli Summer Festival
- Where: Consolidated Theatres at Kahala Mall | 4211 Waialae Ave., Honolulu | 808-733-6243
- Details: Enter the animated world of Hayao Miyasaki as Studio Ghibli has its summer run at Kahala’s Consolidated Theatres, every Wednesday and Thursday. “Princess Mononoke,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro” are just some classics you’ll get to see. Tickets.
- What: Through the Roots
- Where: da Playground Maui |300 Maalaea Rd., Wailuku | 808-727-2571
- Details: Bamp project presents the band, Through the Roots, performing a blend of reggae, rock and pop, 8 p.m. Aug. 3. Tickets.
- What: 'Conversations: Spirit and Nature' Exhibition
- Where: Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus | 19-4074 Old Volcano Rd., Volcano | 808-967-8222
- Details: Enjoy a group exhibition by artists Charlene Asato, Lisa-Louise Adams, Roslyn Moresh, Leslie Laird and Robin Scanlon as they explore their relationships to nature through spirit, July 29-Aug. 19. Exhibition hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Check the Volcano Art Center website for art classes and workshops to “draw” out your creativity!
- What: 'Heathers: The Musical — Teen Edition'
- Where: Puhi Theatrical Warehouse | 4411 Kikowaena St., Lihue
- Details: The Hawaii Children's Theatre After Dark Productions presents a dark musical comedy directed by Jennifer Takenaka, featuring musical directory by Nina Saraos, 7 p.m. with performances every Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 3-20. Tickets.
For more on these and other events, see this week's HI Out & About.
In Case You Missed It
Lei Queen Leilani Kūpahu-Marino Kahoʻāno dances with husband Kimo Kahoʻāno at the Lei Day Celebration. (Image courtesy of Honolulu Department of Land and Natural Resources)
Lei Day themes for the next 4 years reflect the Moananuiākea Voyage
As the Hōkūleʻa and her crew make their way around the world on the Moananuiākea Voyage, the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation announced it intends to pay homage to the voyage with themes and flora selected for the next four Lei Day Celebrations, 2024 to 2027, in keeping with Hōkūleʻa’s “Voyage for Earth.”
DPR has selected voyaging proverbs from Mary Kawena Pukui’s “ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings” to guide the themes for the next four years.
With this announcement, DPR encourages all lei makers to plan their lei garden accordingly.