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Report: Key Defendants Have Agreed To Settle Maui Wildfire Claims For $4 Billion

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Report: Key Defendants Have Agreed To Settle Maui Wildfire Claims For  Billion


But parties say a deal still has not been reached ahead of a key deadline on Friday.

Hawaiian Electric Industries, the state of Hawaii, Maui County and Charter Communications have agreed to pay $4 billion to settle several hundred lawsuits filed on behalf of thousands of victims of Aug. 8’s Lahaina wildfires, Bloomberg News has reported, citing anonymous sources. 

But the tentative settlement hasn’t been finalized and “could still fall apart,” Bloomberg said. 

The news report comes after weeks of talk of an impending deal, coming out of mediation sessions among parties in Los Angeles in late June. The mediators are Keith Hunter of Honolulu and Louis Meisinger of Los Angeles.

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Parties to the litigation have until Friday to say whether they will agree to terms of a global settlement proposed by the mediators, sources familiar with the process told Civil Beat. But according to the mediation process, the sources said, the proposed settlement will fall apart unless all parties sign on by the Friday deadline.

Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Jim Kelly said in a statement: “The mediation process is ongoing and confidential and we’re not going to comment.”

A fire engine drives past buildings destroyed by wildfire in the historic town of Lahania Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, on Maui. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023)
A fire engine drives past buildings destroyed by wildfire in the historic town of Lahania two days after the fire. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023)

Still, speculation of an impending settlement has been building for weeks, despite repeated statements by parties familiar with the talks that there simply is no deal. Lawyers told Maui Circuit Court Judge Peter Cahill that there was no settlement during a July 5 status conference to discuss how the court will handle the first trials, which are scheduled for November.

But rumors intensified when a Maui County Council committee on July 9 passed a resolution authorizing the Maui County Council to approve a global settlement. The full council is scheduled to vote on Friday on whether to adopt the resolution.

People familiar with negotiations on Thursday emphasized an agreement was still not finalized. 

A Note On Anonymous Sources

Civil Beat generally uses on-the-record sources. However, we occasionally use unnamed sources when a source is sharing important information we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to obtain and when they could face negative consequences for speaking publicly. The reporter and at least one editor must know the identity of the source and the use of anonymity must be approved by a senior editor. You can read more about our anonymous sources policy here.

“There are discussions, but to my knowledge, nothing’s happened,” said Rick Fried, a Honolulu attorney representing Maui County in wildfire litigation.

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“It’s not a done deal,” said another person familiar with the settlement talks. “The situation is very much in flux.”

The Friday mediation deadline could provide some certainty, the source said.

A central unanswered question is where the plaintiffs stand. There are dozens of lawyers, almost 500 lawsuits and thousands of potential plaintiffs, and any settlement would have to be agreed to by the plaintiffs. 

Further complicating the situation, insurers from around the world have already paid billions of dollars in claims related to the fire, and the insurers have filed suit to get reimbursed for those claims. That’s set up the potential for tension between the plaintiffs and insurers fighting over the settlement money.

According to Bloomberg, insurance industry lawyers are seeking $2 billion from the settlement as reimbursement for the wildfire claims already paid. Plaintiffs have countered, offering $600 million to the insurers, Bloomberg reported, but didn’t say whether the insurers had accepted the offer.

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But there’s also the more fundamental question of whether the plaintiffs are on board with the settlement. Bloomberg’s report didn’t say.

And Jesse Creed, a lawyer who serves as a liaison for plaintiffs, declined to comment.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.



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Community memorial service for Kazuo Todd today in Hilo – West Hawaii Today

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Community memorial service for Kazuo Todd today in Hilo – West Hawaii Today


The funeral procession for deceased Fire Chief Kazuo Todd with pass-in-review for Hawaii Fire Department firefighters took place Saturday morning at HFD Administration in the County Building on Aupuni Street in Hilo.





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What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood

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What’s Cooking: Celebrating Lunar New Year with Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A family-run Chinese restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown is gearing up for Lunar New Year festivities.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant owner Karen Tam and her son Kirave Liang joined HNN’s Sunrise to showcase their dim sum and Chinese specialties.

Lunar New Year specials include a special jai with 18 vegetarian ingredients and the sweet, sticky, steamed rice cake gau in brown sugar and coconut flavors, which symbolize good fortune and prosperity.

”We eat food with a lucky meaning to start the great year,” Tam said. “We have jin dui (sesame balls) every day.“

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Feb. 17 marks the start of the year of the Fire Horse, when families gather to celebrate with big meals and auspicious dishes. Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood will offer set party menus and special orders for foods not commonly found in Honolulu, such as whole stuffed duck, braised abalone in oyster sauce, and basin meal.

“It’s the biggest fest of the year. We celebrate Chinese New Year by eating with family in a round table,“ Tam said.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood also has private rooms with karaoke systems and a banquet hall to accommodate small family gatherings to large parties.

Hawaii Dim Sum & Seafood is located on 111 N. King St. and is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, There is street parking and paid parking behind the restaurant on Nimitz and Maunakea.

For more information, visit hawaiidimsumseafood.com or follow on Instagram @hawaiidimsumseafood.

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Hawaii suffers first defeat of the season against Loyola Chicago | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaii suffers first defeat of the season against Loyola Chicago | Honolulu Star-Advertiser




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