The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has received a $72 million federal “Internet for All” grant to deliver broadband access to thousands of homesteaders with slow or no internet service and provide job training to DHHL lessees.

The new grant brings the total Hawaiian Homes broadband funding via the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to $89 million.

“This new federal funding will mean communities on Hawaiian homelands will have better, more reliable high-speed internet at home, helping more people access education, health care, and employment resources online,” said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in a written statement. The Hawaii Democrat is chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

At a press conference Tuesday, DHHL Broadband Coordinator Jaren Tengan said the money will be used to deliver faster internet connections to DHHL lands on Molokai, Maui, Big Island, Kauai and Oahu.

It will upgrade service to existing lots with substandard, and also finance broadband connections to new housing developments. Grant funds will be distributed over a four-year period.

The grants will help rural homesteads that lost service in June when telecommunications provider Sandwich Isles Communications abruptly laid off its employees and terminated service on Hawaiian Home lands.

That left at least 100 homesteads and businesses across the state on the wrong side of the digital divide, particularly on Molokai. Tengan said the federal grant “helps us increase competition, so we are able to avoid a situation like Sandwich Isles again.”

Sandwich Isles had an agreement with DHHL to provide service to homesteaders, including those who were unable to hook up to any other telecommunications companies because their lots are in isolated areas.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who is leading the Green administration’s high-speed internet initiative known as Connect Kākou, said “connectivity and reliable internet is not just something that is nice to have, but it’s a necessity.”

Connectivity is needed to work from home and for online learning, and “in rural communities even health care access depends on reliable internet,” she said.

The latest NTIA funding is part of a surge in federal broadband funding already committed to Hawaii for a variety of projects. The money is being provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which included $65 billion for broadband initiatives across the country.

The other funding earmarked for Hawaii include $115 million in U.S. Treasury Capital Projects Funding, some of which is being used to partially fund installation of new fiber lines between the islands.

The state picked Georgia-based Ocean Networks Inc. to develop that project, which is also a public-private partnership that seeks to create a new player in the Hawaii telecom market. The state plans to retain partial ownership of the new Ocean Networks system.

That system is supposed to be completed by 2026, and will be called the Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link. The undersea segment of the project is expected to total more than 408 miles.

Another $149 million is also in the works in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding from NTIA to upgrade service across the state. The first priority for that money is to deliver service to an estimated 12,700 homes that lack adequate broadband service today.

The state is expected to distribute much of that BEAD funding to existing internet providers such as Charter Communications or Hawaiian Telcom, which will then install fiber optic cabling to properties that now have substandard service.

Hawaiian Telcom was also awarded a separate, competitive $37 million federal broadband grant from NTIA last year. The utility plans to use that money and another $50 million in private funding and in-kind contributions to lay both undersea and land-based fiber.

Those new fiber lines will provide redundancy to make the islands’ networks more reliable, and will also reach into areas currently without service.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Native Hawaiian issues and initiatives is supported by a grant from the Abigail Kawananakoa Foundation.

Travelers thinking about visiting Hawaii can get good deals right now if they can travel in the first half of 2025.

Southwest Airlines is running a 40% off fare sale for select flights to Hawaii from Dec. 3 to May 22, 2025.

The sale prices are available on nonstop itineraries and flights with layovers, and include flights to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. (Southwest will soon add red-eye flights from Phoenix to Hawaii.)

But you’ll have to act fast to get the best deals. The offer expires at 10:59 p.m. Arizona time on Thursday, Nov. 14.

Here’s how to shop Southwest Airlines’ 40% off Hawaii sale.

Does Southwest fly to the island of Hawaii?

Yes. Southwest offers flights to Hawaii via five airports:

• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Oahu.
• Kahului Airport in Maui.
• Lihue Airport in Kauai.
• Hilo International Airport on the island of Hawaii.
• Kona International Airport on the island of Hawaii.

Southwest offers nonstop service to Honolulu and Maui from Phoenix.

How much can you save on flights to Hawaii?

Southwest is advertising up to 40% off base fares. Sale fares aren’t available for all flights and availability is limited; travelers can save the most if they’re flexible with their travel dates.

The Arizona Republic found a Dec. 8 nonstop flight from Phoenix to Honolulu for $204 one way, a $117 discount from the original fare of $321.

We also found a Dec. 11 nonstop from Phoenix to Maui for $198, a $113 discount from the original fare of $311.

What is the Southwest promo code for 40% off?

To get up to 40% off fares to Hawaii, enter the code “HAWAII40” when booking at southwest.com.

What are the blackout dates for Southwest Airlines’ Hawaii sale?

Blackout dates for flights from the continental U.S. to Hawaii are Dec. 18-28, 2024, Feb. 13-16, and March 17-April 19, 2025.

Blackout dates from Hawaii to the continental U.S. are Dec. 28, 2024-Jan. 6, 2025, Feb. 21-23 and March 14-April 27, 2025.

Details: southwest.com.

Exclusive first look: New Chase Sapphire Lounge at Phoenix Sky Harbor

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.

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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Kailua-based dive company with hundreds of five-star reviews is vowing to do better after an incident last week prompted questions and community backlash.

It’s video of five scuba divers clinging to each other in waters off Hawaii Kai Wednesday that has Aaron’s Dive Shop reviewing its protocols.

The company told HNN the trouble began with a last minute change in the dive site made by the captain and dive leader.

“I was shocked, honestly,” said Aaron Nicolas, a former employee. “I can tell you at least when I was working for Aaron’s, professionalism was not our issue. We had a very good track record.”

Nicolas worked for the company for two years, leading dives in the same area. He believes Wednesday’s group switched to the more difficult route.

“It’s a shallow dive about 30 to 40 feet and you would just go to this Buddha statue and come back,” explained Nicolas.

“The other one is roughly 90 feet so if you’re not as proficient they generally don’t take you out there. It can get really currently out there.”

The group reported being adrift for two hours before a passing sailboat called the coast guard for help.

On Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Aaron’s Dive Shop only reported the incident after the sailboat put the call out on the emergency channel.

Federal law requires that when someone goes missing an operator needs to notify the nearest authorities without delay.

But a boat captain at Kewalo Basin says it’s sometimes a difficult call when divers are involved.

“That captain may not have known how long those people were under the water,” said Zack Tidd. “I mean, you don’t want to call if it’s for nothing so you want to make sure a rescue is really needed.”

The Kailua based company in a full statement to Aaron’s Dive Shop said:

We are grateful that all divers returned safely and without injury following last week’s incident. We extend our thanks to the good Samaritans who assisted in locating the missing divers. Statements from both the captain and dive leader indicate a last minute decision was made to change the dive site; however, our documented protocol was not followed in executing this change. The dive leader took responsible steps to maintain safety, including having proper surface marker buoys and keeping the group together while separated from the boat. We are currently reviewing what occurred and our current protocols with our dive and boat staff to prevent similar incidents in the future. We have also submitted an incident report to our certifying agency in an effort to get outside critique and recommendations to improve our protocols and training. Aaron’s Dive Shop is proud of our excellent safety record, and we remain fully committed to upholding our high standards through consistent training and rigorous oversight.

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