May 8—A 78-year-old man has died after a solo car crash this afternoon on Mamalahoa Highway in North Kona, according to a statement from Hawaii island police. Police have identified him as Jeffrey Lawrence Gross, 78, of Papaikou. Gross was a passenger in the car. Officers responded to a 12:23 p.m. call Tuesday for a crash near the 31.5-mile marker of the highway. Police said a silver 2014 Kia Sorento was traveling southbound on the highway when it veered off the right shoulder, hurtled down an embankment, and turned over....

Hawaii’s controversial Haiku Stairs, commonly known as “Stairway to Heaven,” were expected to be dismantled last week. But now, following a lawsuit, the removal of the stairs is on hold. “The City has voluntarily agreed to not physically remove any of the stair modules until the conclusion of an evidentiary hearing on May 10, at which point we expect to move forward with the removal as planned,” a spokesperson for the city and county of Honolulu told SFGATE. He added that work has not been halted, however, and crew are...

A jet bridge at San Francisco International Airport is under investigation after it collapsed onto a Hawaiian Airlines plane in the middle of passengers disembarking Thursday evening, the airport said. Hawaiian Airlines flight 42 departed from Kahului in Maui and arrived on time at SFO’s International Terminal A, according to FlightAware. The aircraft arrived without any issues, and the jet bridge began its usual process of positioning itself towards the plane. Shortly after the jet bridge was positioned, it experienced “a structural failure” with a metal strut and suddenly collapsed...

With little debate two years ago, state lawmakers passed a complex energy bill that enabled a sweeping change in how most Californians are billed for electricity. The legislation was what Pacific Gas & Electric from the state public utilities commission three months before: a transformation of electric rates so that households would pay a fixed charge each month in exchange for lower rates for each kilowatt hour they used. Gov. Gavin Newsom submitted the bill as part of a massive 2022 budget revision. In four days, it was passed out...

HONOLULU (AP) — In a story published May 3, 2024, The Associated Press reported that a Hawaii attorney general report in April about the devastating 2023 Maui wildfire said the former head of Maui’s emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island amid the unfolding crisis. The story should have made clear that while the report showed he did not return until the day after the fire started, it did not draw conclusions about actions taken by officials.

Area Pacific Islanders are hosting an event Sunday at xBK Live in Des Moines to continue their efforts in helping the thousands of individuals displaced by the deadly Maui wildfires last summer. Last August, a series of wildfires broke in Maui, mostly tearing through the historic Lahaina district. At least 101 people died and more than 2,200 structures were destroyed, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Iowa Island Jam — which comes during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month — seeks to donate proceeds from ticket sales to...

One person was killed, and several others were injured after a tour bus driver mistakenly pressed down on the gas instead of the brakes at a cruise pier parking lot in Honolulu, Hawaii. According to the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services and the Honolulu Police Department, the fatal accident happened on Friday at 10:24 a.m. local time. Authorities said a 57-year-old male motorist was dropping customers off at the cruise port's pier and was alerted by a bystander that his vehicle was moving forward. Reacting quickly, the man jumped back into...

Hawaii lawmakers have ordered the formation of a new working group to discuss lead contamination in the air and water around a Marine Corps’ shooting range in Ewa Beach. House Resolution 18, adopted on Friday, calls for quarterly gathering of elected officials, subject matter experts and the military to conduct informational briefings related to contamination and remediation at the Puuloa Range Training Facility. The group is expected to release quarterly reports to the House and take action the group deems appropriate until June 30, 2025. The measure comes after testing...

Wayne Metcalf, who devoted his life to public service, died April 6 in Bend, Oregon, after a brief illness. He was a former Hawaii State Insurance Commissioner during the Cayetano administration who also served as Hilo’s state representative from 1984-1992 and as senator from 1997-1998. “As a legislator, he advocated for fairness and equity in policies and laws,” according to a press release Friday from the Hawaii House or Representatives. “He was thoughtful and dedicated to serving his constituents and the state.” After leaving office, Metcalf continued his public service...

Hawaii authorities say coastal waters off the wildfire-stricken town of Lahaina pose no significant risk to human health and it's safe to surf and swim there.The state Department of Health announced the decision Thursday after reviewing water sampling test results collected by groups including University of Hawaii researchers, the Surfrider Foundation and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.Authorities are continuing to limit access to some coastal areas off the Maui town's burn zone as the cleanup from the Aug. 8 wildfire continues, and recreation won't be allowed in...