September 1, 2016 – Kona Brewing Company announced its upcoming POG (passion-orange-guava) beer. The brew will be called Hanalei Island IPA and will only be avallable in 2016 at its local brewpubs on Hawaii Island and in Hawaii Kai. [Brewbound.com]
August 31, 2016 – A class-action lawsuit alleges at least 160 individuals had their property illegally foreclosed by 72 condominium associations. Three Hawaii Kai condominium associations at Colony Marina, Esplanade and Mawaena Kai, are among the 72 named. The lawsuit seeks payment of restitution and damages, including punitive damages, along with interest, to those whose properties were allegedly improperly foreclosed. [Civil Beat] [Ilind]
August 31, 2016 – Police are investing a report of a car that caught on fire and rolled down Wilhelmina Rise early this morning and ended up hitting a utility pole. No one was in the car, a fire official said. [Star Advertiser]
August 31, 2016 – Cha Cha Cha Salsaria in Hawaii Kai Shopping Center closed its doors August 30 after 22 years in business. The restaurant was sold to Cardenas Familia Corp., a family-run Mexican restaurant business, for undisclosed terms. According to the previous owner, the new buyers hope to reopen within two weeks “but are prepared for a month” [Star Advertiser – library card required]
August 31, 2016 – Island Distillers plans to open an expanded distillery and tasting room in Hawaii Kai, behind Kaiser High School. Known for its Hawaiian Moonshine, the Honolulu-based company was issued building permits in May to build new tasting and distillery buildings at its current location at 577 Pakala St. [PBN]
Aug. 30, 2016 – Promoters of a planned $25 million artificial reef containing cremated human remains off Hawaii Kai are dropping their “memorial reef” proposal but will push ahead with trying to establish a new fish habitat. A Hawaii Memorial Reefs LLC official notified the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board in a letter Sunday that the company has abandoned its plan to deploy structures made with concrete and cremated remains as an artificial reef in Maunalua Bay, after a community outreach effort produced mainly negative feedback. The company still wants to create an artificial reef, just without using cremated remains. [Star Advertiser – Library Card Required]
August 30, 2016 – On his first day of a new assignment at Kaimuki Middle School, Aaron Hess said, he witnessed a disturbing scene: an educational assistant pouring iced coffee over the head of a student. Shortly after reporting the incident to authorities, Hess was fired. According to Civil Beat, which had inquired about the situation, “The department [of Education, State of Hawaii] would disclose nothing about the outcome – for instance, whether the educational assistant had been exonerated or disciplined. Nor would it say when the investigation concluded.” Hess worked for Bayada Home Care, a company that contracts paraprofessionals to Hawaii’s public schools. [Civil Beat]
Aug. 30, 2016 – The Hawaii Kai Satellite City Hall and police substation at Hawaii Kai Towne Center will relocate to a different site in East Honolulu after the property owner more than doubled the rent. After the city’s long-term lease ends on August 31, the city will begin leasing the property on a month-to-month basis. The monthly payment will be $3,200 until a new location is established for the satellite city hall and police substation. For now, the city and property owner, ValueRock Realty Partners, based in California, recently agreed to a month-to-month lease extension at no rent increase. [Star Advertiser – library card required]
August 29, 2016 – Choppy sea conditions causing surf between 8 to 10 feet kept Ocean Safety lifeguards busy rescuing paddlers from two canoes at Makapuu. No injuries were reported. [Star Advertiser]
August 28, 2016 – Homelessness concerns Hawaii Kai. Article addresses homelessness issue and the limits to what can be done about it. Bishop Estate has cleared area by the post office and will be clearing more area on Keahole. [Star-Advertiser]
August 27, 2016 – Hawaii Prep World features Andrew Kaufusi, Kaiser Football player on offense, defense and special teams in their 34-7 win over Radford. [Hawaii Prep World]
August 26, 2016 – A heartbroken family requests the public’s help in finding 21 year-old Johnathan Fraser. Fraser has been missing since July 30 and was last seen in Hawaii Kai. [HNN]
August 26, 2016 – The Oahu SPCA is up against a September 1 deadline to vacate its space in Kalama Valley Shopping Center. Kamehameha Schools moved to evict the group after it ran into trouble with the city over unpermitted renovations as well as zoning issues. The city says the fines accruing against KS and the non-profit are now more than $14,000. On drive-by observation, the shelter appeared to be open for business as usual on September 1. [KITV] [+ drive-by observation]
August 26, 2016 – Hawaii Public Radio highlights one of Honolulu’s leading developers, Christine Camp, president & CEO of the Avalon Development Company. Avalon’s most recent project is the 7000 Hawaii Kai rental complex. [HPR]
August 26, 2016 – PBS Hawaii has posted video replay of its episode, “INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI‘I: State Senate District 9 / State House District 29,” which originally aired on August 25, 2016. In District 9, Former City Councilman Stanley Chang is challenging the State Senate’s only Republican incumbent, Sam Slom, in the race to represent East Honolulu, which includes Kahala, Diamond Head, Aina Haina and Hawai‘i Kai. [PBS Hawaii]