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Hawaii Governor, PUC Block ISP Sandwich Isles from Shutting Down

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Hawaii Governor, PUC Block ISP Sandwich Isles from Shutting Down


Hawaii Broadband

SIC did not go forward with plans to shut off wireline phone and Internet service at 12:01 a.m. on June 1.

Hawaii Governor, PUC Block ISP Sandwich Isles from Shutting Down
Photo of Hawaii Gov. Josh Green from his office

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2024 – Hawaii’s governor and the state Public Utilities Commission intervened at the last minute Friday to stop a local communications company from cutting off phone and Internet service to about 1,500 Native Hawaiians

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Gov. Josh Green (D) issued an Emergency Proclamation and the PUC released a notice of violation that ordered Sandwich Isles Communications to continue providing service to customers without disruption or reduction in quality.

“In line with the Emergency Proclamation issued by Gov. Green, the commission is concerned that [sic] may be engaging in conduct that is detrimental to the public interest,” said Public Utilities Commission Chair Leo Asuncion in a May 31 press release

Asuncion said the PUC stepped in because “Sandwich Isles Communications failed to provide timely notice to the PUC of its intent to abandon or discontinue service, as required by commission rules and regulations.”

SIC founder Al Hee, who is currently an advisor to the company, said the broadband ISP did not go forward with plans to shut off wireline phone and Internet service at 12:01 a.m. on June 1, as the company indicated it would in a May 30 email to customers with the subject line: “Sandwich Isles services to end June 1, 2024.”

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“Friday evening … the Hawaii PUC ordered Sandwich Isles not to terminate service today.  We have complied,” Hee said in an email to Broadband Breakfast on Saturday.

Hee urged the Federal Communications Commission and Hawaii regulators to help SIC regain financial strength. In 2020, the FCC fined SIC and Hee $49.6 million for misusing federal Universal Service Fund financial support.

In prior comments, Hee said SIC needed to close because it had been losing money for several years and saw no way of paying back the $150 million balance on a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan.

“Hawaii does not have a state universal service fund.  Nor does the PUC have the ability to raise customer rates to stop Sandwich Isles from losing money.  The solution lies with [Hawaii’s Department of Hawaiian Home Lands] and the FCC, both of which have been notified well in advance about this situation and both of which have remained silent,” Hee said.

DHHL has a contract with SIC requiring the company to provide communications services to Hawaiian homelands. These are areas located throughout the islands that are held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the state of Hawaii.

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Since May 24, the DHHL has been issuing advisories encouraging SIC customers about to lose service from SIC to consider signing up for service with Hawaiian Telcom or Charter Communications for a landline Internet connection. For satellite Internet service options, DHHL has been recommending Starlink or Dish.

Diamond Badajos, DHHL’s Information and Community Relations Officer, sent an email to Broadband Breakfast on Saturday saying the situation with SIC is “fluid and evolving,” but “we are not aware of any new outages since SIC issued its threat to disconnect customers.”



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Hawaii County Surf Forecast for May 02, 2026 | Big Island Now

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Hawaii County Surf Forecast for May 02, 2026 | Big Island Now


Forecast for Big Island Windward and Southeast


Shores Tonight Saturday
Surf Surf
PM AM AM PM
North Facing 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3
East Facing 4-6 4-6 4-6 4-6
South Facing 2-4 2-4 2-4 2-4
TONIGHT
Weather Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers.
Low Temperature In the upper 60s.
Winds Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
Tides
Hilo Bay High 2.5 feet 03:29 PM HST.
Low 0.6 feet 09:51 PM HST.
High 1.4 feet 02:38 AM HST.
SATURDAY
Weather Partly sunny. Numerous showers.
High Temperature In the upper 70s.
Winds East winds 10 to 15 mph.
Tides
Hilo Bay Low -0.4 feet 08:48 AM HST.
High 2.5 feet 04:03 PM HST.
Sunrise 5:50 AM HST.
Sunset 6:44 PM HST.

Forecast for Big Island Leeward


Shores Tonight Saturday
Surf Surf
PM AM AM PM
West Facing 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3
South Facing 2-4 2-4 2-4 2-4
TONIGHT
Weather Partly sunny until 6 PM, then mostly
clear. Isolated showers.
Low Temperature Around 70.
Winds Southwest winds around 5 mph, becoming
northeast after midnight.
Tides
Kona High 2.0 feet 04:07 PM HST.
Low 0.4 feet 10:28 PM HST.
High 1.1 feet 03:16 AM HST.
Kawaihae High 2.3 feet 04:22 PM HST.
Low 0.2 feet 11:16 PM HST.
High 0.8 feet 04:02 AM HST.
SATURDAY
Weather Mostly sunny. Isolated showers.
High Temperature In the lower 80s.
Winds South winds around 5 mph, becoming west
in the afternoon.
Tides
Kona Low -0.3 feet 09:25 AM HST.
High 2.0 feet 04:41 PM HST.
Kawaihae Low -0.2 feet 09:32 AM HST.
High 2.3 feet 04:53 PM HST.
Sunrise 5:54 AM HST.
Sunset 6:48 PM HST.

An incoming northwesterly swell will bring rising surf to north and west shores overnight, with surf peaking near advisory levels, before gradually easing through the weekend. Another, slightly smaller northwest swell is expected early next week, and another long-period northwest swell may arrive late next week. Surf along south facing showers will trend upwards over the weekend with the arrival of a long-period south-southwest swell. Surf along east facing shores will trend downward over the weekend as the trade winds weaken.

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NORTH EAST

am        pm  

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Semi choppy with ESE winds 5-10mph in the morning increasing to 10-15mph in the afternoon.

NORTH WEST

am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

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ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD

Conditions: Clean in the morning with ESE winds less than 5mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting W 5-10mph.

WEST

am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Light sideshore texture in the morning with NNW winds 5-10mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting to the WNW.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD

SOUTH EAST

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am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Sideshore texture/chop with NE winds 10-15mph.

Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov and SwellInfo.com



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Hawaii House and Senate approve budget agreement, sending bill to final votes

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Hawaii House and Senate approve budget agreement, sending bill to final votes


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Hawaiʻi State Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday approved House Bill No. 1800 CD1, the state’s supplemental budget bill for the fiscal biennium 2025-2027.

The measure was finalized in a joint conference committee after both chambers initially passed different versions. The bill will now be up for final reading in both chambers before heading to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

The appropriations are as follows:

General Fund

Fiscal Year 2026: $10.42 billion

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Fiscal Year 2027: $10.63 billion

All Means of Financing

Fiscal Year 2026: $19.77 billion

Fiscal Year 2027: $20.31 billion

“This budget uses cost-saving measures to help keep our promise to address the high cost of living and deliver meaningful tax reform to Hawaii’s citizens, especially our working- and middle-class families. At the same time, we are strengthening the State’s resilience through responsible long-term investments that promote regional economic development and environmental stewardship,” said Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (Senate District 17 – Portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipi‘o Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village).

“The CIP budget reflects our commitment to protecting health and safety, preserving and modernizing state facilities, and investing in the critical infrastructure and public assets our communities rely on. These investments also support affordable housing, strengthen education, and advance economic development that will help sustain thriving communities across Hawai‘i,” stated Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (Senate District 12 – Waikīkī, Ala Moana, Kaka‘ako, McCully).

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“This budget reflects the House’s continued collaboration with the Administration and the Senate to take a balanced, responsible approach to preserving core government services and strengthening our safety net for Hawaiʻi’s residents—especially those who rely on these services as a lifeline,” said Representative Chris Todd, Chair of the House Committee on Finance (House District 3 – portions of Hilo, Keaukaha, Orchidlands Estate, Ainaloa, Hawaiian Acres, Fern Acres, and parts of Kurtistown and Kea‘au). “It prioritizes critical needs across housing, agriculture, natural resources, transportation, public safety, and economic development, setting a strong foundation as we respond to federal funding cuts that have impacted Hawaiʻi and required the state to urgently step up to support our residents.”

Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.



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Damage reports continue to grow after Kona low storms

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Damage reports continue to grow after Kona low storms


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The city has received nearly 1,600 damage reports so far after the back-to-back Kona low storms.

Dawn Takeuchi Apuna, director of the Department of Planning and Permitting, provided the information Thursday while testifying in front of the Honolulu City Council Zoning & Planning Committee.

“It was very interesting just to understand, go house to house, to really see the damage, understand what people are going through,” said Apuna about validating the data with government employees.

The DPP provided the following data:

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  • 23 homes destroyed
  • 260 homes need major repairs
  • 32 temporarily inaccessible
  • 436 homes sustained minor damage
  • 442 homes sustained cosmetic damage, but are safe to live in
  • 393 homes sustained no visible damage

Apuna explained that major damage means floodwaters reached more than 12 inches and covered a major outlet. Minor damage means floodwaters reached below 12 inches on a structure.

“With this information, FEMA was able to take that data and take it to the feds to determine the disaster declaration,” said Apuna.

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration went out into the community to validate the information.

“It was important that we went out right after the storms to assess flood lines within houses and to really understand the level of damage,” said Apuna.

She said close to 56 percent of those affected did not have flood insurance. “That’s where FEMA comes in. If you don’t have insurance, FEMA hopefully can cover that cost.”

Apuna testified that the DPP is providing residents with the tools, resources, and guidance needed to restore structures.

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DPP also received 17 new permit applications from flood victims.

“Six are repair permits, two are alteration or addition, which we need to look at because they might not be necessarily Kona low-affected,” said Apuna.

Staff can waive permitting fees on a case-by-case basis.

Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.



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