Hawaii

West Maui residents want Lahaina Bypass extended to alleviate traffic ‘crisis’

Published

5 months ago

June 21, 2024

West Maui residents want Lahaina Bypass extended to alleviate traffic ‘crisis’

LAHAINA (HawaiiNewsNow) – West Maui residents are demanding state officials do more to help them with the daily traffic jams in Lahaina.

Hawaii Department of Transportation officials promised residents they will open Honoapiilani Highway to help alleviate traffic on the Lahaina Bypass.

The announcement comes the day after a Hawaii News Now story about residents’ frustrations.

“With Honoapiilani Highway, we heard from a community, gotta get it open. We know the traffic has been frustrating for all of you. So, we heard, get it open before the school year starts, and that’s what we’re doing. August 1st is our target,” said Robin Shishido, Deputy Director for state highways.

While many locals are grateful, some say it will only help a little.

“Totally support that. Totally, totally support that. But it still doesn’t solve the problem. You know what I mean. Still doesn’t really solve the problem about the tourists going to Kaanapali,” said West Maui resident Junya Nakoa.

So, in addition, residents are also asking DOT to extend the Lahaina Bypass north to eliminate congestion on Keawe Street.

However, at the Disaster Recovery Meeting Wednesday night, Shishido said that is not a priority.

“Right now, it is not in our program. It’s not on our priority list. New capacity projects, again, are not,” Shishido said.

“But maybe it should be on the priority list,” one community member said at the meeting.

“We are telling you to put that on your agenda,” said another community member at the meeting.

“Forty thousand of us told them no reopen Lahaina too soon. We’re not ready. But no, they like open it up to tourism and we gotta suffer. Lahaina people gotta suffer the consequences because of the traffic that they caused,” Nakoa said.

Shishido said he hears them, will pass it on to his director and will come back with some answers.

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Related Topics:congestion DOT extension Featured highways Honoapiilani Highway Keawe Street Lahaina Lahaina Bypass nightmare residents traffic traffic jams West Maui

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Hawaii

Local artists to tell stories of Oahu’s historical, cultural landmarks

Published

7 hours ago

November 18, 2024

Press Room

Local artists to tell stories of Oahu’s historical, cultural landmarks

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Local artists will help tell the stories of Oahu’s historical and cultural landmarks through a new public art initiative launching next year.

“Wahi Pana: Storied Places” will explore the layered and profound histories of Oahu’s aina, or land, to inspire respect and provide educational experiences for residents and visitors alike.

The initiative will feature 12 artists and 11 sites across the island, such as Waimea Valley, Haleiwa Beach Park and Hanauma Bay.

“The art will be expressed through various forms of storytelling, including sculpture, video, photography, poetry, painting, and mele,” said Kaʻili Trask O’Connell, executive director, Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts. “By deepening historical and cultural awareness with residents and visitors, the initiative encourages more meaningful engagement with Hawaii’s aina and its people.”

Cory Kamehanaokalā Holt Taum will create vinyl bus wraps for selected city buses that will depict the journey of Hiiaka, Pele’s youngest sister.

“This project is a chance for us as artists to connect with our communities and to bring the spirit of each wahi pana, each storied place to life,” he said.

Carl F.K. Pao will create tiled murals at Fort Street Mall that transform Hawaiian into a visual language.

Brandy Nālani McDougall, 2023–2025 Hawaii State Poet Laureate, will compose poetry relating to the presence and perception of Leahi, or Diamond Head.

The project, supported by a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, will begin installations in February 2025 and will run through March 2028.

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Hawaii

Navy wife found guilty in baby’s death in Hawaii military housing

Published

15 hours ago

November 18, 2024

Press Room

Navy wife found guilty in baby’s death in Hawaii military housing

A jury in Hawaii has found a Navy wife guilty of manslaughter in connection with the overdose death of a 7-month-old baby in military housing, according to local news reports.

Dixie Denise Villa is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 26, according to a report from Hawaii News Now. Abigail Lobisch was found dead Feb. 24, 2019, in Villa’s house at Aliamanu Military Reservation in Hawaii, where Villa was babysitting her.

An overdose of antihistamine was determined to be the cause of Abigail Lobisch’s death, according to court documents.

The trial, which began Nov. 4, was held in Hawaii’s civilian court system.

In September 2019, in the wake of the baby’s death, the Defense Department’s personnel chief called for officials to investigate reports of unauthorized daycare operations on installations. James Stewart, then-acting under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said officials should take appropriate steps to shut down these unauthorized operations.

Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book “A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families.” She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.

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