Latest news with #JoshGreen
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
News stations across country to honor Maui Week
HONOLULU (KHON2) — This upcoming week is 'Maui Week,' which KHON2 and Nexstar television partners across the country are celebrating to showcase the beauty of they Valley Isle. '[Maui Week] represents an opportunity for us to share our culture, to share the beautiful ʻāina, but to let people see us in all of our glory,' Gov. Josh Green said. Kaiser purchases Maui News building, newspaper to move out A total of 15 stations across the country are participating in highlighting the island, supported by Maui hotels and Hawaiian Airlines. Maui has plenty of aloha spirit to go around, with lots of lively culture and food, but the true centerpiece of the island is the people who work to preserve the island and its identity.'This collaboration is a chance to share what makes Maui truly unique—through the warmth of our people and the richness of our culture,' said Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen in an interview with Living808. Maui Week will feature cultural showcases such as hula, a sacred performance art, and a passion of Maui County First Lady Kaʻihi Bissen. 'Hula is more than movement—it's a living story passed down through generations,' she said. 'It's powerful to see our hotels celebrating and sharing that story with authenticity.' Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news With Maui Week comes plenty of stories from visitors and locals alike, with Green saying that he hopes these stories bring a sense of peace to the Maui community who has already lost so much. 'I hope they receive that peace. I really do. I worry about what's going on in the world, I worry about what people are experiencing in very difficult places, and to have this sense of peace,' the governor said. To catch the exhibitions of aloha, watch the Maui Week stories next week on Living808, which airs at 9 a.m. on KHON2, 3 p.m. on Hawaiʻi's CW and 8 p.m. on KHII. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Josh Green signs multiple education-focused bills
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Gov. Josh Green signed five bills aiming to strengthen educational opportunities and student success across the island on May 30. 'This group of bills represents our state's active commitment to finding real solutions and protecting the fundamental right every keiki has to quality education,' Green said. 'Thanks to the critical work of educators and students alike, as well as countless community advocates, our state is poised to reduce childhood food insecurity and increase access to academic and extracurricular educational opportunities.' Kona man charged with connection to parking scam The new laws are as follows: SB 1300: Expanding Access to Free School Meals This bill increases access to free school meals for qualifying students, with the bill taking effect in the 2025-2026 academic year, with further expansions to free meals the following year. In addition to expanded meal access, the new law also prohibits schools from denying a meal to a student who is unable to pay. 'Senate Bill 1300 removes the financial barrier to accessing school meals, supporting students' health and well-being, as wel as their academic and developmental success,' First Lady Jaime Kanani Green said. 'If students aren't hungry, they can better focus on their studies, extracurricular activities and personal growth.' The bill was brought forward by Senate Vice President Michelle Kidani, who served as the lead 862: Addressing School Bus Shortages Multiple school bus routes were suspended this past academic year due to a nationwide bus driver shortage. This bill reverses the suspensions and allows for alternative vehicles, such as small buses, vans and more, to pick up students and bring them to school. 'Hawaiʻi continues to face a schoo bus crisis, and we've heard from countless parents, families and educators about the urgent need to expand transportation options, while keeping safety front and center,' said House Committee on Education Vice Chair Trish La Chica. 'This new law paves the way for our students to thrive, by expanding the department's options to secure reliable transportation and ensuring that transportation barriers don't stand in the way of our keiki and their opportunities to succeed.' Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news HB 133: Funding for Interscholastic Surfing Programs This bill appropriates over $685,800 for 2026 and 2027 to help establish interscholastic surfing programs, providing students with a competitive outlet they may otherwise not have. 'Hawaiʻi is the birthplace of surfing, and that's something we should take great pride in. By recognizing surfing as an interscholastic sport, we are expanding access in Hawaiʻi schools — allowing students to build ocean safety skills, connect with our cultural heritage and participate in a sport that has produced champions from our own shores,' Rep. Sean Quinlan, who introduced the bill, said. Two other bills were signed, including HB 110: Relating to Local Agricultural Products, which updates goas and timelines for locally-sourced meals can be provided by the Department of Education to students. The last bill signed was HB 1170: Relating to the University of Hawaiʻi Resident Tuition Fee, which requires UH to provide resident tuition fees to individuals who graduated from high schools in the islands, are enrolling in an undergraduate program and meet other conditions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tourists Will Be Charged $2.25 Per Day to Surf in Hawaii
In a landmark piece of legislation, Hawaii has become the first state to enact a 'green fee' – or a tax on tourists, aimed at fighting future climatological disasters – set to go into effect January 1st, 2026. The tax, specifically, will apply to travelers staying in hotels, short-term rental homes, and cruise ships. And how much exactly? The transient accommodations tax (TAT) will be increased by 0.75 percent – translation: a nightly rate of $300 in a hotel will have an extra $2.25 per night added to the bill. Senate Bill 1396 was signed by Hawaii Governor Josh Green earlier this week, enacting what they are calling the 'Green Fee,' the first-of-its-kind for any state, going into effect next year. Governor Green said via press release: 'Today Hawaiʻi ushers in the first Green Fee in the nation. Once again, Hawaiʻi is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources, recognizing their fundamental role in sustaining the ecological, cultural and economic health of Hawaiʻi. As an island chain, Hawaiʻi cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action. We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future.'Of course, Hawaii is one of the world's most trafficked hubs for tourism. And all those people take a toll on the historic, and culturally significant island chain. So, this tax is an attempt to get ahead of future environmental impacts the islands may experience – a reserve, of sorts, for future disasters. 'I mahalo the tourism industry for stepping up and collaborating on this initiative, which will preserve Hawaiʻi for kamaʻāina and visitors alike,' continued Governor Green. 'The fee will restore and remediate our beaches and shorelines and harden infrastructure critical to the health and safety of all who call Hawaiʻi home, whether for a few days or a lifetime.' If you're traveling to Hawaii, and you're staying in a hotel or short-term vacation rental, starting in 2026, it's gonna cost you an extra $2.25 per day to surf. But, instead of an extra fee, consider it an investment in the natural beauty and the future prosperity of this sacred Will Be Charged $2.25 Per Day to Surf in Hawaii first appeared on Surfer on May 30, 2025
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii introduces new 'Green Fee' tourist tax after Maui fires
Hawaiian hoteliers are expressing concern about a new tourist tax signed into law by Governor Josh Green this week that could keep visitors away from the popular US holiday destination. "I am extremely worried about getting too expensive for the people that come here to Hawaii," Jerry Gibson, president of the Hawaii Hotel Alliance, said. "You always have to balance those decisions, and we're certainly getting up to a point where we need to really be careful and watch it." Gibson was speaking after Green signed the relevant bill – the first of its kind in the United States – on Tuesday. "As an island chain, Hawaii cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action," Green posted on X. "We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future," he said. Hawaiian authorities expect the new tax to bring in almost $100 million per year. Almost 10 million visitors came to the Pacific Ocean islands during 2023. The tax is being billed as a reaction to the catastrophic wildfires that hit Maui, the second-largest island in the archipelago, in August two years ago. More than 100 people died, and Lahaina, a popular tourist destination, was devastated. That devastation was attributed in part to climate change. The 11% Transient Accommodation Tax represents a rise of 0.75% on the taxes tourists already pay, according to USA Today. It will be charged to tourists staying in hotels or holiday accommodation from January 1 next year.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii Imposes the Nation's First Climate Change Tax for Tourists — And It's Expected to Generate $100 Million Annually
Legislators in Hawaii are implementing a hefty tax on tourism that they believe will help the state government take action against climate change Known as the first ever "Green Fee" in the country, Hawaii's Act 96 will raise the state's current transient accommodations tax (TAT) to 11%, meaning travelers staying in a hotel room that costs $300 per night will have to pay a $2.25 fee The money will then be used for civic projects such as replenishing sand on eroding beaches in Waikiki, implementing hurricane clips to secure roofs, and clearing flammable brush that contributed to the 2023 wildfireLegislators in Hawaii are implementing a hefty tax on tourism that they believe will help the state government take action against climate change. According to the Associated Press and USA Today, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed a bill on Tuesday, May 27, that increased a tax on hotel room, vacation rentals and cruise ships to raise money to be used for issues such as eroding shorelines, wildfires and more. Known as the first ever "Green Fee" in the country, Hawaii's Act 96 will raise the state's current transient accommodations tax (TAT) by 0.75%, making the taxes on nightly lodging rates 11%. The tax will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, according to a press release from Green's office. According to USA Today, travelers will have to pay a fee based on the nightly rate of their travel accommodations. For example, travelers staying in a hotel room that costs $300 per night will have to pay a $2.25 fee. "Once again, Hawai'i is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources, recognizing their fundamental role in sustaining the ecological, cultural and economic health of Hawai'i," Green said in a statement. "As an island chain, Hawai'i cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action. We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future." Cruise ships were previously able to bypass this fee, according to the outlets, but the new bill hopes to promote "equity across the tourism industry, ensuring that all visitors to Hawai'i contribute to the islands' long-term resilience and well-being," per the press release. Officials estimate that the signing of this bill, which comes nearly two years after the Maui wildfire that more than 100 people and wiped out almost an entire town, will generate nearly $100 million annually. The money will then be used for civic projects such as replenishing sand on eroding beaches in Waikiki, implementing hurricane clips to secure roofs, and clearing flammable brush that contributed to the 2023 wildfire, according to the AP. Green added that other projects will include building more firebreaks and paying a soon-to-be-hired fire marshal — a new position created after the 2023 fire, per the AP. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The governor also said that hotels in Hawaii were largely supportive of the tax. "I mahalo the tourism industry for stepping up and collaborating on this initiative, which will preserve Hawaiʻi for kamaʻāina and visitors alike," Green explained. "The fee will restore and remediate our beaches and shorelines and harden infrastructure critical to the health and safety of all who call Hawaiʻi home, whether for a few days or a lifetime." Hawaii State Senator Lynn DeCoite said that it was "common sense and responsibility" to implement this tax. "I think it's really about our kuleana, to the state, to the people of Hawai'i. Climate change is here and has been a super-huge challenge for all of us," she added in the release. "...The bill shares the responsibility of caring for our home with those who come to visit, to ensure that our natural resources are cared for, for future generations." Read the original article on People
