Hawaii Business Magazine
How to Resolve Community Conflicts
Community opposition to proposed projects is nothing new, but it seems to be more common nowadays. And more effective. To get moving on such projects, and others, Hawai‘i must work with communities that are demanding a voice in their future.
May 3, 2021
Illustration: Kayla Rivera
Recent high-profile conflicts have blocked Hawai‘i’s efforts to generate renewable electricity, build affordable housing and improve parks. This report looks at recent community conflicts and discusses ways to find common ground and collaboratively move forward.
Hundreds of people spent 39 nights in 2019 blocking the arrival of eight 568-foot-tall wind turbines that they said would be set up too close to residences and schools in rural Kahuku.
The Maui News
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has released nearly $600,000 through three grant programs that will support Native Hawaiian communities, including nearly $90,000 to protect iwi kupuna in Central and East Maui.
OHA’s newly created Homestead Community Grant, which aims to address community needs and improve the quality of life for homesteaders, awarded $278,095 to communities on Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii island, according to a news release Friday.
Another new program, the Iwi Kupuna Repatriation and Reinterment Grant, is providing $167,298 to four community organizations. Three groups working in Maui County received the following:
⢠$50,000 to the Hawaiian Church of Hawai’i Nei for the E Ho’omau O Na Malama I Na Iwi Kupuna project on Maui, Lanai, Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii islands, to address the needs of na iwi kupuna by providing the necessary education and knowledge to gather and prepare the materials needed for the care of na iwi kupuna.
Native Hawaiian groups call passage of land lease extension bill âdisappointingâ
Despite opposition, bill that would allow 99-year leases of public lands poised for approval By Dillon Ancheta | April 27, 2021 at 2:27 PM HST - Updated April 27 at 3:16 PM
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Native Hawaiian organizations say they are disappointed that a controversial land lease bill passed final readings in the state House and Senate on Tuesday.
The measure will now go to the governorâs desk.
HB499 paves the way for extensions of resorts, commercial, industrial government and mixed-use leases. It gives the Board of Land and Natural Resources authority to tack on an extra 40 years onto already existing 65-year leases, under several conditions.
Federal officials arrest man for alleged wire fraud as he tried to flee the country File photo (Source: Hawaii News Now/file) By HNN Staff | April 27, 2021 at 10:24 PM HST - Updated April 27 at 10:24 PM
HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Department of Homeland Security agents arrested a wire fraud suspect just before he attempted to flee the country.
Court documents said Paul Harleman used his firm, Precision Accounting Hawaii, to defraud an Oahu landscaping business out more than $415,000.
Authorities said he did it by routing payroll payments into his own account.
Harleman allegedly told the landscaping business he spent the money on bitcoin investments.