Hawaii

Hilo businesses begin cleanup process after rain pummels Hawaii Island

Published

2 years ago

May 11, 2024

Hilo businesses begin cleanup process after rain pummels Hawaii Island

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Businesses in Hilo are now beginning the cleanup process after Friday’s rain battered Hawaii Island.

It was 90 minutes of downpour in Hilo Friday afternoon

The store Simply Sisters, located on Kamehameha Avenue, watched as water seeped into the store.

“It started flooding throughout all of downtown and throughout all the shops, so our shop actually got flooded, and so it was just me and three other girls at the time, so we had to move everything out of the window because it started to leak and we had to try and clean up the water and stop the water from coming in,” Makanoe Lagua of Simply Sisters said.

With no sandbags on hand, they had to improvise.

“We used bubble wrap until the sandbags could come later, actually, but we did the best that we could,” Makanoe Lagua said.

First Alert Weather Day: Weather alerts issued as heavy rains persist

“When the county or the mayor says be prepared, we really do need to be prepared, and this is a learning experience for us as well about having maybe our own sandbags and being more mindful,” Manager of Simply Sisters Brenda Kenui said.

“It happened really quick because I just got off the phone with her and was like, we’re gonna close up, and I said, OK, just close up, and next thing you know, I’m getting this video. I’m like, oh my gosh, I gotta get down there.”

Because of their quick thinking, none of the merchandise was damaged, and they were still able to hold their Mother’s Day sale Saturday morning.

“We also have some hula and entertainment going on as part of our Mother’s Day weekend, so we have a lot going on, a lot of specials, 30% of the bags, buy one get one half BOGO sale,” Brenda Kenui said.

A few stores down Bayfront, a longtime surf shop owner Stan Lawrence of Orchid Land Surf Shop says his experience from past storms came in handy Friday.

“I’ve been through this before: the flood of 2000. Yesterday’s storm was like a two-hour storm; the flood of 2000 was a 12-hour storm, and it was thunder and lightning all night. I happened to be down here, and I was picking all of my low stuff near the floor; I had mountains of merchandise stacked up,” Stan Lawrence said.

Meanwhile, The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency says cleanup and damage assessment began today.

“We know some of the businesses or quite a bit of the businesses in Hilo probably had water damage from the eyewitness accounts that we had as far as what was happening down there; we know water got into a bunch of businesses, and then yesterday afternoon, we were taking quite a bit bunch of calls for people asking for sandbags so we’ll follow up with those people to see what kind of damage they had,” Talmadge Magno an Administrator of Hawaii County Civil Defence Agency said.

To report damage, fill out this assessment form on the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency website or call (808) 935-0031.

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Hawaii

Hawaii, Cal players brawl as Rainbow Warriors pull off incredible comeback victory

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Press Room

Hawaii, Cal players brawl as Rainbow Warriors pull off incredible comeback victory

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The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors’ comeback win in the Hawaii Bowl over the California Golden Bears on Wednesday night was marred by a fight near the end of the game.

Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele tried to answer Hawaii’s go-ahead score with one second left in the game. He fired a pass to wide receiver Trond Grizzell, who tried to pitch the ball back to a teammate but lost the ball.

Cal’s Jacob De Jesus picked up the loose ball and tried to lateral the ball to another teammate, but Hawaii defender Virdel Edwards II recovered the bouncing ball to end the game.

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California Golden Bears and Hawaii Rainbow Warriors players brawl at the end of the Hawaii Bowl at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex Dec. 24, 2025 (Marco Garcia/Imagn Images)

A fight breaks out between California Golden Bears and Hawaii Rainbow Warriors players at the end of the Hawaii Bowl at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex Dec. 24, 2025. (Marco Garcia/Imagn Images)

Behind the recovery, California’s QuaRon Adams and Hawaii’s Brandon White began to mix it up. A fracas began as Hawaii players and coaches rushed onto the field to celebrate the win. It took a few minutes for the brouhaha to end.

Hawaii won the game, 35-31, coming back from a 21-point deficit.

Backup quarterback Luke Weaver threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left to take the lead. He entered the game after Micah Alejado took a hard hit on the previous play.

GEORGIA COACH KIRBY SMART PUSHES BACK ON TRANSFER PORTAL HYPE, STRESSES PRACTICE OVER PUBLICITY

Alejado was 32 of 46 for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Hawaii wide receiver Pofele Ashlock had 14 catches for 123 yards for two touchdowns. The Rainbow Warriors scored 22 points in the fourth quarter.

“These boys just keep continuing to fight through adversity and I love them for that. They learn the hard way, but they learn how to do it and that’s what’s important,” Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang said.

Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang in the first half during against Arizona on Aug. 30, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, file)

Cal’s Sagapolutele was 28-for-39 for 343 passing yards, a touchdown pass to De Jesus and a rushing touchdown. Kendrick Raphael and Anthony League each had rushing touchdowns.

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Hawaii finishes the season 9-4, and Cal dropped to 7-6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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Hawaii

Hawaii delivers last-second win over Cal in Hawaii Bowl | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Published

19 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Press Room

Hawaii delivers last-second win over Cal in Hawaii Bowl | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Jamm Aquino / jamm.aquino@staradvertiser.com

Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado (12) threw a pass against the Cal Golden Bears during the first half of Wednesday’s Hawaii Bowl at the Ching Complex.

Reserve quarterback Luke Weaver came off the sideline and threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left to deliver the Hawaii football team a 35-31 victory over California in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday.

The Golden Bears took a 31-28 lead with 1:57 to play on Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s 1-yard sneak.

The Warriors drove to the 22 on quarterback Micah Alejado’s 13-yard pass to Cam Barfield. But Alejado was hurt on the play, and he hobbled to the UH sideline.

Weaver, who was activated for this game, then lofted the decisive scoring pass to Cenacle.

Weaver was limited to four regular-season games to preserve his redshirt season. But the redshirt limit does not apply to the postseason, clearing Weaver to be activated.

The Warriors scored 21 points in a row to tie it at 21 with 13:50 to play.

Down 21-13, Micah Alejado lofted a 3-yard pass to the threshold of the end zone. Pofele Ashlock made a leaping catch, then curled the ball around the right pylon for the touchdown.

On the 2-point play, Alejado under-handed a shuttle pass to Barfield, who found the end zone to tie it.

Led by Campbell High graduate Sagapolutele’s accurate passing — many on side-armed throws to the flats — the Golden Bears scored on their first three possessions for a 21-0 lead.

But the Warriors eventually got on the board in the second quarter. A play after Pofele Ashlock dropped a screen, he made a one-handed grab for a 30-yard gain. The Warriors drove to the 13, from where Alejado found Ashlock at the end of a corner route to cut the deficit to 21-7 with 3:57 left in the half.

On the Bears’ next possession, Matagi Thompson broke up Sagapolutele’s third-down pass. On fourth down, reserve defensive back Riis Weber blocked Michael Kern’s punt. That set up Kansei Matsuzawa’s 29-yard field goal.

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Federal judge upholds Hawaii’s new climate change tax on cruise passengers

Published

1 day ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Federal judge upholds Hawaii’s new climate change tax on cruise passengers

A federal judge’s ruling allows Hawaii’s new tourist tax, which includes a levy on cruise ship passengers, to take effect in 2026

HONOLULU — A federal judge’s ruling clears the way for Hawaii to include cruise ship passengers in a new tourist tax to help cope with climate change, a levy set to go into effect at the start of 2026.

U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake on Tuesday denied a request seeking to stop officials from enforcing the new law on cruises.

In the nation’s first such levy to help cope with a warming planet, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed legislation in May that raises tax revenue to deal with eroding shorelines, wildfires and other climate problems. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually.

The levy increases rates on hotel room and vacation rental stays but also imposes a new 11% tax on the gross fares paid by a cruise ship’s passengers, starting next year, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports.

Cruise Lines International Association challenged the tax in a lawsuit, along with a Honolulu company that provides supplies and provisions to cruise ships and tour businesses out of Kauai and the Big Island that rely on cruise ship passengers. Among their arguments is that the new law violates the Constitution by taxing cruise ships for the privilege of entering Hawaii ports.

Plaintiff lawyers also argued that the tax would hurt tourism by making cruises more expensive. The lawsuit notes the law authorizes counties to collect an additional 3% surcharge, bringing the total to 14% of prorated fares.

“Cruise tourism generates nearly $1 billion in total economic impact for Hawai‘i and supports thousands of local jobs, and we remain focused on ensuring that success continues on a lawful, sustainable foundation,” association spokesperson Jim McCarthy said in a statement.

According to court records, plaintiffs will appeal.

Hawaii will continue to defend the law, which requires cruise operators to pay their share of transient accommodation tax to address climate change threats to the state, state Attorney General Anne Lopez said in a statement.

The U.S. government intervened in the case, calling the tax a “scheme to extort American citizens and businesses solely to benefit Hawaii” in conflict with federal law.

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