AGP Executive Report

Hawaiʻi Culture & Land: OHA is premiering “Held in Trust,” a new documentary on the history and future of Hawaiʻi’s military-leased public lands, airing Oct. 8 statewide and streaming online. Community Safety: Honolulu police arrested a burglary suspect in Kailua after a gun was reported, triggering temporary lockdowns at nearby schools that were lifted by early afternoon. Arts & Identity: Maui OnStage opens the world premiere of ʻAinakea at the Historic ʻĪao Theater this Friday, a West Maui 1953 story about family, plantation change, and who should steward the land. Workforce Development: DLIR and the Hawaiʻi Workforce Development Council honored 2026 Workforce Development Heroes, spotlighting leaders expanding training and career pathways across Oʻahu and Maui. Biosecurity Jobs: Hawaiʻi’s new Biosecurity Academy will train up to 20 frontline inspectors starting in November through March, feeding into the state’s plant quarantine work. Molokaʻi Conservation & Arts: DLNR is urging safer driving after three nēnē were killed by drivers on Molokaʻi, while Pa‘a Printmakers marks its one-year anniversary with a Faith Stone talk and Mokuhanga workshop. Sports (Local): The ‘Bows host San Jose State at Ching Field, with both programs tied to Hawaiʻi through coaches and roster connections.

Health & Care Gaps: The National Eczema Association, with CDC funding, released a new atopic dermatitis baseline report showing big mismatches between estimated cases and diagnosed care, plus uneven specialist access and treatment patterns across all 50 states and D.C. Local Biosecurity: Molokaʻi’s coconut rhinoceros beetle protections are back in focus as a state committee recommends readopting import bans on high-risk materials, with a gravel dispute still shaping the outcome. Culture & Community: Maui marks 120 years of Filipino labor history with a free Oct. 1 flag-raising ceremony at Kalana O Maui, followed by food, art, and community presentations. Native Hawaiian Leadership: Schatz and Hirono introduced a Senate resolution recognizing Hawaiian History Month, spotlighting Native Hawaiian history and reconciliation efforts. Tourism Watch: Hawaii’s August numbers slipped—fewer arrivals, shorter stays, and lower spending—hit by storms and a softer travel market. Civil Liberties: Honolulu ended an IRS data-sharing deal after reports that license plate reader camera data was accessed thousands of times this year. Safety & Justice: A federal judge kept former Moanalua wrestling coach Sean Sakaida detained after prosecutors said additional potential victims spoke to the FBI. Arts & Governance: Honolulu Mayor Blangiardi is pushing to formalize the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts in the city charter, as council members question costs and overlap. Women’s Health Spotlight: A new “Wahine Issue” tackles underreported women’s health topics, including postpartum depression and perimenopause, with a focus on Hawaiʻi stories.

Haleakalā Visitor Center: New Hawaiian-and-English exhibits are now open, built with guidance from kūpuna and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi experts to bring local stories to life. Local Accountability: A Nevada state audit says Clark County School District failed to track millions in taxpayer money on recruitment and retention trips, with auditors citing wasted spending and missing approvals. Native Hawaiian Land & History: OHA’s documentary Held in Trust will premiere statewide Oct. 8, looking at the history and future of Hawaiʻi public lands tied to military leases. Community & Culture: The Yellow Springs Speaker Series brings Holly Near to the Foundry Theater tonight, mixing storytelling, activism, and music. Honoring a Leader: Gov. Josh Green ordered flags lowered statewide for Patricia Saiki, a pioneering Hawaiʻi lawmaker and former U.S. representative. Education & Resilience: Hanalei Elementary School closed Wednesday due to flooding, as Kauaʻi roads shut down near the Hanalei River Bridge. Data & Planning: DBEDT released the 2025 State of Hawaiʻi Data Book, expanding access with ADA-friendly tables and Excel downloads. Energy Infrastructure: HDOT, Sustainability Partners, and Hensel Phelps broke ground on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi microgrids with solar, battery storage, and EV charging to boost resilience. Tourism Snapshot: DBEDT reports August visitor spending fell to $1.59B and arrivals declined year over year, with shorter stays after recent storms.

Local Education & Food Systems: Oʻahu public schools are starting to serve Hawaii-grown pineapples in cafeterias, with new menu items developed through partnerships to shift students toward local ingredients. Public Safety & Staffing: Hawaiʻi Department of Law Enforcement swore in 18 new deputy sheriffs, including father-son Edgarinio and Ethan Ugale, with assignments across Honolulu and Big Island divisions. City Sustainability: Honolulu is expanding its G.R.O.W. composting program islandwide starting Oct. 1, letting more residents add food scraps to green carts. Community & Culture: A local coffee spotlight highlights Drip Studio HNL in Chinatown and other island favorites, keeping the focus on specialty coffee as a lifestyle and community hub. Civic Life & Representation: Candidates are pushing for more resilient Upper Puna infrastructure and services, while Honolulu continues efforts to increase women in policing and address hurdles for immigrants in court. Science & Climate: Coverage flags a “super” El Niño and what it could mean for weather across the globe.

Hurricane & Community Safety: As Hurricane Nolo lingers in the background of Ironman week, organizers and athletes are weighing contingency plans and real-world risks for residents and visitors. Local Governance: Gov. Josh Green named Big Island executive Cyrus Johnasen to the Land Use Commission, plus two new members to the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board—appointments that will shape land decisions and education oversight. Immigration Courts: Honolulu’s immigration court is moving away from virtual hearings, requiring in-person appearances more often—raising costs and barriers for immigrants, especially on neighbor islands. Public Health & Food Safety: Hawaiʻi DOH authorized the reopening of Blazin Steaks in Mililani after a red placard closure tied to cold-holding violations was corrected. Culture & Performance: UH Mānoa’s Kennedy Theatre announced its 63rd season, mixing local perspectives, international collaborations, and moʻolelo-driven storytelling. Climate Action: Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency received a 2026 Government Climate Advocate Award for decarbonization and resilience work. Sports & Lifestyle: A St. Andrew’s Schools graduate is charting an aviation path toward Purdue and a future in airline operations.

College Sports: The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act 77-22, setting up a major shift in how the NCAA can set athlete eligibility, transfers, and pay rules—now headed to the House after the Nov. 3 midterms. Hawaiʻi Youth & Education: UH launched “Direct to UH,” a free streamlined application path for Hawaii seniors, while Nā Kama Kai is bringing swimming lessons to West Oʻahu kids via a new mobile pool. Local Culture & Community: Breadfruit advocates gathered on Hawaiʻi Island for ‘Ulu Hoʻolauleʻa, pushing to fix supply and make the canoe crop a bigger part of Pacific diets. Environment & Safety: Rules meant to protect Molokai from invasive coconut rhinoceros beetles are expected to be reinstated after a misinterpretation issue. Air Travel (Hawaiʻi): Alaska Airlines is signaling big premium upgrades tied to its Hawaiian Airlines brand plans, including new suites and lounges. Sports (Hawaiʻi): Kolby Kanetake returns to Manoa as a Rainbow Wahine assistant coach.

Local Education & Water Safety: Waianae nonprofit Na Kama Kai launched Hawaii’s first Mobile Pool Initiative, bringing culturally grounded swim instruction to schools and communities without aquatic facilities, with students moving from the portable teaching pool to open-water lessons at Poka’i Bay. Digital Heritage: More than 1,000 Aloha Stadium videos from the Stadium Stars collection are now streaming online via Hawaiʻi State Archives, digitizing decades of high school sports and community events for easier public access. Culture & Community: Intimate Korea film festival brings Korean culture to Hawaii, adding another stop for island audiences to connect through film and shared stories. Sports & Local Pride: Maui Ocean Center’s “Fins & Frights” returns Oct. 24, turning Halloween into a marine science lesson for families. Policy & Tech: NASCIO’s 2026 State CIO Survey finds most state technology leaders expect more turbulence ahead as modernization demands expand. Higher Ed Costs: University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu lists $7,584 in-state tuition and required fees for 2024–25, ranking 3rd among UH’s public four-year institutions.

Hurricane Nolo Update (Hawaiʻi): Hawaiʻi County is taking damage reports as Nolo moves farther south, with a high-wind warning for North Hawaiʻi until Monday morning and flooding impacts reported on Highway 11; School Closures (Maui): HIDOE says most Big Island and Maui schools reopen Monday, but four Lahaina campuses stay closed due to outages, the nearby Olowalu brush fire, and water reliability concerns; Community & Culture: Punchbowl memorial ceremony honors Nisei service members and the legacy of the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd RCT/1399th Engineer Battalion; Local Safety & Justice: Honolulu Police shut down illegal gambling rooms in Moʻiliʻili, including sites tied to earlier raids; Native Hawaiian Policy: At Issue in Tokuda vs. Awa weighs who’s better for Native Hawaiians as the debate centers on Hawaiian Homes successorship and blood quantum; Women in Policing: Honolulu Police sign the 30×30 pledge to raise women’s representation to 30% by 2030; Lifestyle Perk: Huaka‘i by Hawaiian expands free kamaʻāina travel benefits with extra points and interisland bonuses.

Hurricane & recovery updates: Hawaiʻi National Guard says it’s sustaining dual-island recovery while preparing for Hurricane Nolo, after back-to-back storms left communities still rebuilding. Local weather impacts: Nolo’s track kept parts of Hawaiʻi Island safer than feared, but high-wind warnings and difficult travel remain in play. Community resilience & culture: Maui Ocean Center brings back Fins & Frights (Oct. 24) with trick-or-treating, a marine costume contest, and hands-on spooky science for keiki. Immigration & workers’ rights: Hawaiʻi-area readers get a national policy ripple as 22 attorneys general, including Raoul, oppose a proposed $100,000 H-1B visa tax. Privacy & surveillance: Senators raise Fourth Amendment concerns over nationwide Flock camera surveillance. Deep-sea mining debate: NRDC urges Marianas voices to be heard as deep-sea mining decisions move forward. Education & equity: A Hawaii healthcare workforce shortage report highlights how staffing gaps delay care and early intervention. Sports & lifestyle: Cyclists return for the Honolulu Century Ride with a road-safety push and “ride aloha” vibes.

Mid-Autumn Connections: An American teacher in China, Gail Chou, reflects on 12 years of teaching and the shared warmth between people in both countries. Birth Work, With Data: Hawaiian-born healer Angela Cruz is using a $10,000 grant to prove traditional birth practices can improve outcomes—and to build training for birth workers. Hurricane Nolo Watch: Hawaii island residents get a close call as Nolo tracks far south; officials warn of damaging winds and possible outages for Maui and the Big Island. School Closures Under Fire: A letter questions why Oʻahu keeps shutting down all public schools during storms instead of using targeted criteria. Healthcare Workforce Strain: A local column highlights Hawaii’s staffing vacancies and how delays in early intervention can affect keiki development. Politics, West Oʻahu Senate Race: Two candidates for Senate District 20—Bob McDermott and Markus Owens—offer sharply different priorities, from traffic/crime to election security. Astronomy in Hawaiʻi: Scientists confirm the youngest known exoplanet, Elias 2-24 b, still growing inside its birth disk. SNAP Changes: October brings SNAP benefit adjustments and shifting state administrative costs, with Hawaii affected by higher grocery prices. Maui Culture Calendar: Maui Ocean Center announces fall programming, including “Fins & Frights” on Oct. 24.

Local Education Governance: Hawaii County’s representative Sylvia Lee resigned from the Hawaii State Board of Education, citing a lack of transparency and unanswered questions about board operations, after a contentious bylaw shift expanded the chair’s agenda power. Community & Culture: Maui Ocean Center rolled out fall programs, including Kamaʻāina discounts, and a Halloween underwater event plus a drive with Maui Food Bank to collect tuna, chicken, Spam, and other essentials. Public Safety & Justice: FBI arrested former Moanalua High School girls wrestling coach Sean Sakaida on child pornography charges, and investigators are seeking potential victims. Health Care: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg donated $1.48M to Wilcox Medical Center on Kauaʻi for a mobile MRI and a new 3D mammography machine during an MRI renovation. Civic Engagement: Hawaii students in grades 6–8 can enter the 2027 National Civics Bee with an essay on a community challenge and solution. Sports & Lifestyle: Two Queenstowners earned Kona Ironman world-championship slots, setting up another shot at the sport’s toughest race in Hawaiʻi.

Hawaiʻi News & Community: Hurricane Lowell’s ripple effects: Kauaʻi officials say they’ve been in regular contact with Niihau’s Robinson family, but damage assessments are slower because visits require permission—Niihau’s subsistence-based culture relies on rain catchment, solar, fishing and hunting. Local Governance: Hawaiʻi County Board of Education shake-up: Sylvia Lee resigned from the state BOE, citing a lack of transparency and shared accountability from board leadership. Sports & Culture: Na Wahine O Ke Kai canceled: The Molokaʻi-to-Oʻahu women’s outrigger race was called off as a tropical weather system approached, dashing a long-awaited first for some paddlers. Arts & Lifestyle: Surfing history gets a home: The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center opened its new “Smithsonian of surfing” space in Laguna Beach, tracing Hawaii roots and honoring Duke Kahanamoku boards. Health & Philanthropy: Kauaʻi imaging boost: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg donated $1.48M to Wilcox Medical Center for a mobile MRI and new 3D mammography machine during renovations. Safety & Justice: Moanalua coach arrested: Former Moanalua girls wrestling coach Sean Sakaida faces federal child pornography charges; investigators are seeking potential victims. Policy & People: H-1B fee fight: 22 attorneys general, including Hawaiʻi, oppose a proposed $103,265 H-1B fee as unlawful and harmful to staffing shortages in teaching and healthcare.

Hawaiʻi Resilience & Community: UH President Wendy Hensel kicked off a statewide campus tour at UH Hilo, holding talk-story meetings with students and staff and highlighting $123M in 2026–27 system investments, including Native Hawaiian student spaces and retention support. Storm Disruptions: DLNR’s SHPD postponed a statewide historic preservation rules scoping meeting due to Tropical Storm Nolo, with flash-flood and hurricane-force wind risks prompting closures and shelter planning. Native Hawaiian Governance: OHA’s Board adopted major updates to Mana i Mauli Ola, centering Ea—Native Hawaiian self-determination and self-reliance—as the guiding vision for future strategy and outcomes. Culture & Heritage: Pacific Historic Parks shared practical tips for buying truly “Made in America” U.S. flags ahead of Veterans Day and the Pearl Harbor 85th commemoration. Local Events: A free multicultural fair returns to Medford’s Pear Blossom Park Sept. 26 with performances including Hawaiian hula, Japanese taiko, Bollywood, and more. Global Environment Watch: Greenpeace activists boarded New Zealand’s research vessel Tangaroa to protest deep-sea mining in the Pacific, warning of irreversible ocean damage.

Hurricane Nolo Watch: Hawaii braces as Tropical Storm Nolo could strengthen into a hurricane, with closures expanding to Hawaii Island and then Maui County, plus shelters opening and residents urged to prepare and evacuate early. Disaster Recovery & Community Care: Kaua‘i Community College is rallying behind students after Hurricane Lowell, while O‘ahu leaders push for flood readiness beyond quick fixes in stream and watershed planning. Education & Leadership: Oʻahu’s DreamHouse ʻEwa Beach charter avoids closure—for now—after governing board resignations trigger major leadership changes. Public Health Disparities: CDC data show late stillbirth rates fell 3% in 2024 overall, but Black and Pacific Islander mothers still face about twice the risk. Culture & Tourism: The Hawaiʻi Tourism Conference spotlights disaster resilience and resident-first tourism, while Maui’s 99th County Fair announces nightly drone shows and a lineup of Hawaiian music, hula, and local artists. Safety & Environment: State officials warn drivers after three nēnē were killed on Moloka‘i, and nēnē Awareness Day approaches. Local Justice: FBI arrests a former Moanalua girls wrestling coach on child pornography charges, with victims urged to come forward.

Deep Seabed Mining: CNMI Gov. David Apatang says he’ll let a Hawaii court case play out over federal deep seabed mining, while pushing for public outreach in Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. Local Culture & Food: South Kona is celebrating Hawaiʻi’s breadfruit heritage all week, with a free festival at the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden. Science & Heritage: UH Mānoa researchers are bringing lava-tube biodiversity to life at Bishop Museum through the renewed ʻAʻaʻā o Hawaiʻi: Cave Bugs exhibit, including Hawaiian naming work with Papahānaumokuākea partners. Community & Education: Homeroom Hawaiʻi checks in on Kauaʻi classrooms after Hurricane Lowell as Tropical Storm Nolo threatens more disruptions. Environment & Safety: DLNR is urging drivers on Molokaʻi to slow down after three nēnē were killed by cars ahead of Nēnē Awareness Day. Consumer Protection: Hawaiʻi reached a settlement with subprime auto lender Credit Acceptance, offering cash and debt relief for eligible borrowers. Arts & Events: Honolulu’s AHICE Aloha conference and INPEACE’s Jubilee (Oct. 3) spotlight tourism, culture, and community connection. Campus Life: CU, a Korean convenience store, is opening next to UH Mānoa. Policy & Rights: A federal appeals court upheld Hawaii’s gun-buyer rules, reversing a lower-court injunction.

Tropical Storm Nolo: Hawaii braces for a new, potentially hurricane-strength storm after earlier disasters topped $1B in damage and resilience needs; Big Island and Maui closures are expanding, shelters are opening, and officials warn of catastrophic flooding and dangerous surf. Local Governance: Oʻahu voters will weigh 20 Honolulu Charter amendments in November, including food security funding, ranked-choice voting, housing, cultural stewardship, and election changes. Culture & Community: Merrie Monarch Festival calls for a three-year pause on harvesting scarce native plants like ohiʻa lehua, palapalai, and maile to help the forest “heal.” Environment & Wildlife: DLNR reports threatened nēnē sightings on Kahoʻolawe and asks drivers to slow down after three nēnē were killed on Molokai. Public Safety & Health: Hawaii reaches a settlement with Credit Acceptance Corp. over predatory auto loans, offering debt forgiveness and cash restitution for eligible borrowers. Interfaith & Peace: Religious groups on Maui mark UN Peace Day with prayers and Hawaiian oli at Makawao Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. Immigration & Family Life: USCIS updates 2026 income requirements for family-based green card Affidavits of Support, with higher thresholds for Hawaii. Arts & Heritage: Keola Beamer releases “Lahaina Ola Hou,” honoring Lahaina’s grief and recovery ahead of a Maui concert. Travel & Lifestyle: Four Seasons rolls out new curated multi-destination itineraries linking Japan, Thailand, and Hawaii. Sports Spotlight: Jayden Maiava’s rise from Oʻahu public housing to USC’s elite football facilities highlights Hawaiʻi ʻohana-driven success.