Good evening, Hawaii. The state has tapped the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to spearhead the clearing of debris from the Maui wildfires; amid questions of a possible conflict of interest stemming from Lahaina fire litigation, state Sen. Gilbert Keith-Agaran announced his retirement from the state senate, effective Oct. 31; and President Joe Biden announces $95 million in funding to help shore up Hawaii’s electrical grid. Read about the important stories you need to know.
Your Weather Planner
Trade winds will start to pick up today and become strong. Clouds and showers will be more confined to windward and mauka areas, while other areas remain dry. Because of the dry and windy conditions, a Fire Weather Watch will be in effect through Thursday morning and afternoon across all leeward areas of the islands. It’s possible we could also see some Wind Advisories go into effect on Thursday.
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Today's Big Stories
1. Army Corps of Engineers to clear Maui debris
The state has selected the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to spearhead efforts to remove debris from fire-ravaged sites on Maui, Gov. Josh Green announced on Tuesday.
“The Army Corps of Engineers is eminently qualified to undertake this big task, to help the residents of Maui move forward in their recovery journey,” Green said. “The Phase 2 work will help with long-term stabilization of the affected areas, so that residents and businesses can rebuild in the way these communities want them rebuilt. We thank President Biden and all our federal partners for the pledge to stand alongside us, as the president said, ‘as long as it takes.’”
Green said his administration reached an understanding with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that extra consideration will be given to embedding Hawaii cultural experts into the mission and using local businesses — “with prevailing wages” — into the effort.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said using USACE for the cleanup allows the county to have a critical and extensive project paid for by federal resources.
2. State Sen. Gilbert Keith-Agaran announces retirement amid questions of conflict
Hawaii State Sen. Gilbert Keith-Agaran, D-District 5, issued a statement announcing his retirement from the Hawaii State Senate, which will be effective Oct. 31. The statement read:
"It has been an honor to represent my friends and family in my Central Maui communities in the State Senate and the State House of Representatives. And it has been an honor to serve with my Senate colleagues, both past and present, the Senate staff, and the people who have worked for me during the time I’ve been privileged to serve. I believe that this decision best serves the interests of the Maui people, especially given what they have gone through over the last three weeks, and what they continue to experience. As we know, the Maui community — including members of my extended clan who lived and worked in West Maui — have suffered tremendous losses, including losing loved ones. Some, to this day, are still not identified or found. The choice for me has always been and will always be my family and community, and this decision is consistent with that overriding value."
Honolulu Civil Beat reported that Keith-Agaran has faced public criticism about his role as a private attorney in connection with litigation over the Lahaina wildfire disaster.
Another Maui wastewater employee, Wilfredo Savella, was also sentenced to more than a year in prison.
3. Honolulu Civil Beat: Wastewater exec Milton Choy gets 3 1/2 years in prison in bribery case
A Honolulu contractor who bribed former Maui County officials and at least two state lawmakers was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in federal prison Tuesday.
Milton Choy was charged with one count of bribery last year after spending more than $2 million over the course of six years bribing Stewart Stant, the former director of Maui’s Department of Environmental Management, in exchange for more than $19 million in no-bid contracts.
He wasn’t charged in other bribery cases after agreeing to cooperate with federal prosecutors in an ongoing investigation into public corruption that has become one of the largest bribery cases in state history.
Choy’s cooperation led to two former legislators, J. Kalani English and Ty Cullen, pleading guilty to honest services wire fraud in February last year. English was sentenced to 40 months in prison while Cullen got two years.
Stant was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in directing nearly $20 million in sole source contracts to one wastewater company.
Another Maui wastewater employee, Wilfredo Savella, was also sentenced to more than a year in prison.
4. Pokai Bay Beach Park comfort station reopened
The Pokai Bay Beach Park comfort station has reopened to the public following a six-month closure for security improvements and renovation.
The high-use facility was closed in February for an initial security improvement project, but supply issues delayed completion.
The second phase involved specialized maintenance personnel from the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation that included installing new fixtures, improving the stalls and painting base coats for a community mural.
Members of the Waianae Moku Kupuna Council and Puu Honua O Waianae painted the murals: flowers and birds for the women’s bathroom and Maui’s hook and island fish in the men’s room.
Last week, DPR began installing signage indicating the Kuilioloa Heiau site, located in Kaneilio Point on the Ewa side of the beach park. The community requested the signage, which was approved by legislation introduced by Honolulu City Council member Andria Tupola.
Complementing this signage and heiau recognition effort, the installation of community-donated sculpture near the entrance of the heiau is expected this fall. Entitled “Nā Ho’okele (Many Navigators)” by Hanalei Kila Hopfe, the piece is described as a five-foot-tall lava stone sculpture depicting a male figure wearing a malo and holding a nautical chart of the north star. The installation is pending the Honolulu City Council's approval of a Gift Resolution.
5. Biden announces $95M in funding for Hawaii's power grid to 'meet the moment' after wildfires
President Joe Biden is dedicating new federal funding to harden Hawaii’s power grid, declaring the announcement was accelerated to “meet the moment” following the deadly wildfires on Maui.
The president made the announcement at the White House on Wednesday while delivering remarks on the federal government’s response to the fires and the powerful storm Idalia – just hours after it made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm.
As new federal resources are deployed to assist with the storm battering the Southeast, Biden emphasized he remains “laser focused on recovering and rebuilding efforts in Maui.”
Following his speech, Biden convened of his Cabinet and agency officials to discuss just that, reiterating that he is directing his team “to do everything we can for as long as it takes to help Maui recover.”
Earlier this month, the deadliest wildfires in the U.S. in more than a century swept the island, leaving at least 115 people dead. This week, Hawaii’s electric utility recognized its power lines downed by high winds appears to have started a fire on Maui while also placing blame on county firefighters.
Biden is seeking to lessen the risk of future wildfires and reduce chances of outages with the $95 million he announced to harden Hawaii’s power grid. The funding comes from the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law he signed in 2021.
Your Notes for Tomorrow
Thursday, August 31
- Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report — Initial Claims/ Unemployment, July
- Tim Scott attends GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks campaign event
- Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at Story County GOP dinner
- U.S. portfolio holdings of foreign securities preliminary results published
- 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs media availabilities
- What: ‘Fear of the Unknown’ Exhibit
- Where: Hawaii State Art Museum | 250 S. Hotel St., Honolulu | 808-586-0900
- Details: Explore “Fear of the Unknown,” an exhibit featuring 34 artworks by 28 artists on display in the Ewa gallery. Gallery opens at 10 a.m.
- What: Throwback Thursday
- Where: da Playground Maui | 300 Maalaea Rd., Wailuku | 808-727-2571
- Details: This Throwback Thursday brings back the 80s at 8 p.m., 90s at 9 p.m. and 2000s at 10 p.m. on Aug. 31. No cover charge; all funds raised will go toward supporting families impacted by the wildfires.
- What: 2nd Annual Refillable Water Bottle Drive
- Where: Kona Police Station | 74-611 Hale Makai Pl., Kailua-Kona
- Details: The Kona Community Policing section together with Aloha Maps is holding its (Hydro) Flask Drive for West Hawaii schools and students in need. Donate a new “hydro” flask or any refillable water bottle that will be distributed to schools and students in need. Last year nearly 400 flasks/refillable bottles were donated.
- What: Hale Puna Farmers Market
- Where: Hale Puna under the giant monkeypod tree | 9567 Huakai Road, Waimea | halepuna.org
- Details: At Hale Puna Farmers Market, you’ll not only find fresh products such as mango, papaya, ulu, lime, noni, eggs, pesto, basil, sugarcane and more, but by purchasing items, you’re supporting the farm school interns from Ke Kula Niihau, the restoration of the historic Gulick Rowell Mission House that will become a community center for the west side communities of Kauai, and so much more. Food stamps/EBT and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons accepted. Buy fresh, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
For more on these and other events, see this week's HI Out & About.
In Case You Missed It
Map of Kekaha Landfill illustrating the proposed vertical expansion of Kekaha Landfill. (Image courtesy of County of Kauai)
Kauai residents invited to discuss Kekaha Landfill expansion
Kauai County’s Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division invites the public to a meeting on Aug. 31 to discuss the proposed vertical expansion of the Phase II of the Kekaha Municipal Solid Waste Landfill, according to a news release.
The community meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 31 at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center so residents can respond to the vertical expansion’s draft environmental assessment. The meeting will include information stations laying out the vertical expansion, Kauai’s landfill history, current landfill operations and host community benefits, and waste diversion.
Contact Allison Fraley at 808-241-4837 or afraley@kauai.gov with questions about the public meeting.