Latest news with #Kauai
Daily Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Mark Zuckerberg expands on Hawaii compound, sparking concerns among locals
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly expanded his sprawling $300 million (AU$460.2m) compound in Hawaii by nearly 1,000 acres — stoking yet more controversy with locals on the idyllic Pacific island chain, according to a report. The latest expansion on the Meta CEO's massive estate on the Hawaiian island of Kauai includes 962 acres of ranch land purchased earlier this year under an LLC, according to the tech news site WIRED. A person close to the sale estimated the purchase price at more than $65 million (AU$99.7m). The acquisition brings Zuckerberg's total holdings on Kauai to more than 2,300 acres. Property records place the land's market value at around $75 million (AU$115m). Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly expanded his massive estate on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Picture: AP Inside the existing compound, Zuckerberg has constructed two mansions with a combined floor area comparable to a football field, a gym, a tennis court, several guesthouses, ranch buildings, saucer-shaped tree houses, a water system and a tunnel leading to an underground storm shelter about the size of an NBA basketball court, outfitted with blast-resistant doors and an escape hatch. Recent planning documents released through public records show plans for three more large buildings, ranging from 726 to 1036 square metres — nearly 10 times the size of the average home in Hawaii. Two of them include 16 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms between them, arranged in a motel-style layout, with a shared veranda spanning more than 120 square metres. Each building features cameras, keypad locks and motion detection devices. Hoffine Barr described the buildings as short-term guest housing for family, friends and staff. Satellite images show dozens of buildings on the property that have not yet appeared in public records. Based on bedroom counts in the documents WIRED reviewed, the compound could eventually accommodate more than 100 people. Zuckerberg's expansion reportedly includes land containing a Native Hawaiian burial site. Picture: Getty The seller was the Mary Lucas Trust Estate, whose lands were previously leased to sugar plantations and later restored for cattle grazing. Zuckerberg's spokesman Brandi Hoffine Barr confirmed the purchase to WIRED but did not comment on the size or price. 'Mark and Priscilla continue to make a home for their family and grow their ranching, farming, and conservation efforts at Koʻolau Ranch,' said Hoffine Barr. 'The vast majority of the land is dedicated to agriculture — including cattle ranching, organic ginger, macadamia nut, and turmeric farming, native plant restoration, and endangered species protection. After purchasing the ranch, they cancelled the previous owner's plans for 80 luxury homes.' The couple's investment now exceeds the $311 million (AU$477m) fiscal year 2024 operating budget for the island of Kauai. A local islander who fished in the area contacted Zuckerberg's representatives around 10 years ago to inform them that part of the compound housed the remains of his great-grandmother and her brother, according to the report. Julian Ako negotiated with Zuckerberg's team for months before finally being able to gain access to the burial site and register the graves with Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources. The latest expansion includes 962 acres of ranchland purchased earlier this year. Picture: Getty According to WIRED, Ako tried unsuccessfully to locate the remains of other ancestor that may be buried on Zuckerberg's property. Hawaiian officials told WIRED that they confirmed 'the probability (based on oral testimony) of additional burial sites.' The burial site, first identified in 2015, was 'fenced off and maintained' after being discovered, Hoffine Barr told the publication. She added that workers are 'bound by regulations that require reporting of inadvertent discoveries of iwi' — or Hawaiian ancestral bones. But because workers on the project are bound by strict nondisclosure agreements, local residents fear that any future discovery of iwi could be concealed. 'If all of the workers have signed these nondisclosure agreements, then basically they're sworn to silence,' Ako told WIRED. 'If they uncover iwi — or bones — it's going to be a challenge for that to ever become public knowledge, because they're putting their jobs in jeopardy.' Zuckerberg began buying land on Kauai in 2014, acquiring 700 acres near the town of Kilauea for roughly $100 million (AU$153m). The purchase included parcels where hundreds of local residents held kuleana rights — traditional Hawaiian legal entitlements whereby descendants of original Native Hawaiian landowners can claim ancestral lands. In 2016, Zuckerberg filed 'quiet title and partition' lawsuits against those residents to clarify ownership. He later dropped the suits after public backlash, but the legal process continued under kuleana descendant Carlos Andrade, who eventually won sole ownership of the land at auction. Locals on the Hawaiian island of Kauai have expressed concern about Zuckerberg's aggressive purchase of land. Picture: Getty Images In a 2017 op-ed, Zuckerberg wrote that Andrade, who died in 2022, could 'continue his quiet title action and pass down the kuleana rights because he had lived on and cared for these lands for more than 40 years.' By spring 2021, Zuckerberg added more than 560 acres of ranchland, some of it abutting Larsen's Beach. Later that year, he purchased another 110 acres, including the Kaloko Dam, an earthen reservoir that collapsed in 2006, killing seven people. Zuckerberg's presence on the island has drawn both support and scepticism. He has donated millions to local non-profits, including a charter school and an affordable housing organisation near the compound. His projects have also created well-paying jobs. But many locals remain uneasy about the influence of billionaires on the island's future. 'If our island has any hope of remaining Hawaii, this kind of activity has got to stop,' Puali'i Rossi, a professor of Native Hawaiian studies at Kauai Community College, told WIRED. 'Eventually Hawaii isn't going to look like Hawaii anymore — it's going to be a resort community. Are we really thinking about 100 years from now, what this island is going to look like?' The Post has sought comment from Ako and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. This article originally appeared in New York Post and was reproduced with permission Originally published as Mark Zuckerberg expands on Hawaii compound, sparking concerns among locals
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Mark Zuckerberg expands on Hawaii compound, sparking concerns among locals
Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly expanded his sprawling $300 million (AU$460.2m) compound in Hawaii by nearly 1,000 acres — stoking yet more controversy with locals on the idyllic Pacific island chain, according to a report. The latest expansion on the Meta CEO's massive estate on the Hawaiian island of Kauai includes 962 acres of ranch land purchased earlier this year under an LLC, according to the tech news site WIRED. A person close to the sale estimated the purchase price at more than $65 million (AU$99.7m). The acquisition brings Zuckerberg's total holdings on Kauai to more than 2,300 acres. Property records place the land's market value at around $75 million (AU$115m). Inside the existing compound, Zuckerberg has constructed two mansions with a combined floor area comparable to a football field, a gym, a tennis court, several guesthouses, ranch buildings, saucer-shaped tree houses, a water system and a tunnel leading to an underground storm shelter about the size of an NBA basketball court, outfitted with blast-resistant doors and an escape hatch. Recent planning documents released through public records show plans for three more large buildings, ranging from 726 to 1036 square metres — nearly 10 times the size of the average home in Hawaii. Two of them include 16 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms between them, arranged in a motel-style layout, with a shared veranda spanning more than 120 square metres. Each building features cameras, keypad locks and motion detection devices. Hoffine Barr described the buildings as short-term guest housing for family, friends and staff. Satellite images show dozens of buildings on the property that have not yet appeared in public records. Based on bedroom counts in the documents WIRED reviewed, the compound could eventually accommodate more than 100 people. The seller was the Mary Lucas Trust Estate, whose lands were previously leased to sugar plantations and later restored for cattle grazing. Zuckerberg's spokesman Brandi Hoffine Barr confirmed the purchase to WIRED but did not comment on the size or price. 'Mark and Priscilla continue to make a home for their family and grow their ranching, farming, and conservation efforts at KoÊ»olau Ranch,' said Hoffine Barr. 'The vast majority of the land is dedicated to agriculture — including cattle ranching, organic ginger, macadamia nut, and turmeric farming, native plant restoration, and endangered species protection. After purchasing the ranch, they cancelled the previous owner's plans for 80 luxury homes.' The couple's investment now exceeds the $311 million (AU$477m) fiscal year 2024 operating budget for the island of Kauai. A local islander who fished in the area contacted Zuckerberg's representatives around 10 years ago to inform them that part of the compound housed the remains of his great-grandmother and her brother, according to the report. Julian Ako negotiated with Zuckerberg's team for months before finally being able to gain access to the burial site and register the graves with Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources. According to WIRED, Ako tried unsuccessfully to locate the remains of other ancestor that may be buried on Zuckerberg's property. Hawaiian officials told WIRED that they confirmed 'the probability (based on oral testimony) of additional burial sites.' The burial site, first identified in 2015, was 'fenced off and maintained' after being discovered, Hoffine Barr told the publication. She added that workers are 'bound by regulations that require reporting of inadvertent discoveries of iwi' — or Hawaiian ancestral bones. But because workers on the project are bound by strict nondisclosure agreements, local residents fear that any future discovery of iwi could be concealed. 'If all of the workers have signed these nondisclosure agreements, then basically they're sworn to silence,' Ako told WIRED. 'If they uncover iwi — or bones — it's going to be a challenge for that to ever become public knowledge, because they're putting their jobs in jeopardy.' Zuckerberg began buying land on Kauai in 2014, acquiring 700 acres near the town of Kilauea for roughly $100 million (AU$153m). The purchase included parcels where hundreds of local residents held kuleana rights — traditional Hawaiian legal entitlements whereby descendants of original Native Hawaiian landowners can claim ancestral lands. In 2016, Zuckerberg filed 'quiet title and partition' lawsuits against those residents to clarify ownership. He later dropped the suits after public backlash, but the legal process continued under kuleana descendant Carlos Andrade, who eventually won sole ownership of the land at auction. In a 2017 op-ed, Zuckerberg wrote that Andrade, who died in 2022, could 'continue his quiet title action and pass down the kuleana rights because he had lived on and cared for these lands for more than 40 years.' By spring 2021, Zuckerberg added more than 560 acres of ranchland, some of it abutting Larsen's Beach. Later that year, he purchased another 110 acres, including the Kaloko Dam, an earthen reservoir that collapsed in 2006, killing seven people. Zuckerberg's presence on the island has drawn both support and scepticism. He has donated millions to local non-profits, including a charter school and an affordable housing organisation near the compound. His projects have also created well-paying jobs. But many locals remain uneasy about the influence of billionaires on the island's future. 'If our island has any hope of remaining Hawaii, this kind of activity has got to stop,' Puali'i Rossi, a professor of Native Hawaiian studies at Kauai Community College, told WIRED. 'Eventually Hawaii isn't going to look like Hawaii anymore — it's going to be a resort community. Are we really thinking about 100 years from now, what this island is going to look like?'
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Investigation finds vote discrepancies in 2024 Kauai election
A Hawaiʻi State Elections Commission investigative panel tasked with examining the 2024 general election on Kauaʻi has found inconsistencies between state and county vote totals, among other concerns. The panel is recommending that the county and state conduct audits of the vote-counting process in order to figure out why the number of ballots cast differs substantially between the two elections offices. The July 13 report from the Elections Commission investigative group found that Kauaʻi County collected 26,414 mailed-in ballot envelopes for the Nov. 4 election but the state Office of Elections says it counted 27,075 mail ballots from Kauaʻi, a difference of 661 votes. Critics of the election process — including some commission members themselves — have been raising concerns about Hawaiʻi's election process and voter fraud for years. The Hawaiʻi Elections Commission is set to discuss the group's reports and its recommendations to ensure that local election results are conducted fairly and accurately at its next meeting July 30. It's unclear whether the discrepancies, if validated, could lead to altering the outcome of individual Kauaʻi races. The official deadline to challenge results has passed, and the results have been certified. While most of the races on the Kauaʻi ballot were not close, the winning margin for at least one Kauaʻi County Council race was just 106 votes. But the committee's report along with recommendations to ensure greater accountability when it comes to voting could significantly alter how the counties and the state conduct elections to ensure voting integrity. Those suggestions include keeping more accurate official daily counts of ballot collections and the presence of official observers for ballot collection and signature verification. Michael Curtis, the Elections Commission chair, declined to comment on the report. Scott Nago, the state's chief elections officer, also declined to comment. Peter Young, the elections commissioner who chaired the group, could not be reached for comment. But during the commission's meeting last week he said, 'I think that what you're going to see is something that can be debated, but should shed light on a situation that we've heard lots of commentary from both our citizens and commission members.' Young described the report as 'not one-sided' and 'actually quite neutral in many cases.' Ralph Cushnie, one of nine elections commissioners and one of the most outspoken critics of Hawaiʻi elections, called the report 'damning.' Cushnie, who like Curtis lives on Kauaʻi, has been speaking out for many months over his concerns about the voting process, especially regarding what's known as 'chain of custody' — that is, the way ballots make it from voters to the county and to state government for tabulating. Cushnie has done his own independent analysis of election results using material obtained through public records requests, and his numbers differ from the official reports for Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi County. Cushnie and his supporters, including dozens of members of the public who turn out in large numbers to testify at Elections Commission meetings, regularly raise their concerns at the meetings. But they have gotten little traction with the commission other than to form the permitted interaction group to look more closely at some of the issues they've raised. Cushnie also lost a case before the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court in December that challenged the Kauaʻi election. In that case Kushnie's group alleged there were 3,772 more ballots cast on Kauaʻi than the state's total. But the high court found no evidence of that. Election Complaints 'Valid' A permitted interaction group — or PIG under the Sunshine Law — allows a board to form a small group to work on specific issues and then report back in open session. The Elections Commission group was specifically charged with collecting information on complaints 'regarding chain of custody and election results discrepancies' on Kauai. The complaints, the group concluded, 'are valid.' Its report said there were no logs or records retained by Kauaʻi County that complied with Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules on the security of ballots — specifically, rules requiring the clerk to maintain a complete and current count of ballots issued, spoiled and received by the county. As well, a count of ballots based on scans of ballot envelopes into the state's voter registration system 'is not reconciled with any manual counts and is not verifiable.' Neither Nago nor the Kauaʻi county clerk, the report said, had a 'plausible explanation' for the discrepancy of 661 ballots between the county and the state. The group said it had several written exchanges with Nago, Kauaʻi County Clerk Jade Fountain-Tanigawa and Kauaʻi Deputy Clerk Lyndon Yoshioka. But their responses did not satisfy the group's concerns. 'Both offices have responded to our requests, furnished documents, and offered explanations,' it said. 'They have not, however, provided a clear understanding of how the checks and balances work, nor have they removed doubt about the integrity of the election procedures. The PIG did not receive documents that comply with the law cited above.' The report also suggests there is a different understanding between the Elections Commission group and election officials as to what exactly constitutes an official count. Yoshioka, in response to questions from the group, said that 'any perceived inconsistency or correction' within manual hand-counts or envelopes 'is irrelevant' to the official results, 'as they do not represent the official count.' The group's response: 'While this quote is true to fact, it does leave the PIG members trying to understand why there is a manual hand-count if it is 'irrelevant' and why this manual hand-count discrepancy is not noted throughout the County's documentation to address this confusion. The word 'irrelevant' is off-putting to the members of the PIG.' Ultimately, the group concluded, there appears to be 'no inventory control' of ballot envelopes, and the Statewide Voter Registration System logs are 'electronic and unverifiable' by the group. 'Although the law clearly makes the Counties responsible for this task and the State assures the people that there is a chain of custody in which every ballot envelope is accounted for, there remain questions,' the group wrote. The report also said there exists no reconciliation process to address differences between what the county and state respectively report. 'One would expect the number of signature-verified ballot envelopes in SVRS to equal the number delivered to the Counting Center, but neither of those numbers are provided in real time, nor are they official,' the report stated. 'Mr. Nago states that the official count begins when the ballot envelopes are scanned by the Counties and recorded in the SVRS. This, then, is where the chain of custody begins, but there are opportunities to remove or add ballot envelopes prior to scanning.' The group's report does not identify by district or precinct where the extra votes were cast. But only 3,491 people on Kauaʻi voted in person in 2024, compared with the 27,075 who voted by mail or dropped ballots off at a dropbox location. The state says total turnout on Kauaʻi was 30,566. The PIG's recommendations include requesting an audit of ballot envelopes collected by the county and transferred to a counting center. The group wants the state to do another audit to confirm the 27,075 mail-in paper ballots in the state's possession. The group also wants the Elections Commission to hold a hearing to find out more about what state and county elections officials know about the vote discrepancies. The commission has also formed a permitted interaction group to examine the results of the Hawaiʻi County general election, something that Cushnie has also raised concerns about. That PIG hasn't started work yet. ___ This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Travel Weekly
Waimea Canyon Lookout closed for safety improvements
The Waimea Canyon Lookout on the island of Kauai will be closed through December as it is undergoes construction for safety improvements, according to Hawaii's Division of State Parks. Additionally, visitors should expect traffic delays and limited parking at Waimea Canyon and Kokee state parks, as roadwork projects on Waimea Canyon Drive and Kokee Road are ongoing. "Visitors can drive as far as the Kalalau Lookout, where improvements will also be initiated on July 17, with limited parking available," the parks division said in a news release. "We urge patience and driving with care as these various improvements are ongoing. Local visitors are encouraged to enjoy these parks on weekends when most work will be suspended." CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report said the Waimea Canyon Lookout would remain open on some days during construction. It will not.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mark Zuckerberg expands $300M Hawaii compound by nearly 1,000 acres — stoking more controversy with locals: report
Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly expanded his sprawling $300 million compound in Hawaii by nearly 1,000 acres — stoking yet more controversy with locals on the idyllic Pacific island chain, according to a report. The latest expansion on the Meta CEO's massive estate on the Hawaiian island of Kauai includes 962 acres of ranch land purchased earlier this year under an LLC, according to the tech news site WIRED. A person close to the sale estimated the purchase price at more than $65 million. The acquisition brings Zuckerberg's total holdings on Kauai to more than 2,300 acres. Property records place the land's market value at around $75 million. Inside the existing compound, Zuckerberg has constructed two mansions with a combined floor area comparable to a football field, a gym, a tennis court, several guest houses, ranch buildings, saucer-shaped treehouses, a water system and a tunnel leading to an underground storm shelter about the size of an NBA basketball court, outfitted with blast-resistant doors and an escape hatch. Recent planning documents released through public records show plans for three more large buildings, ranging from 7,820 to 11,152 square feet — nearly 10 times the size of the average home in Hawaii. Two of them include 16 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms between them, arranged in a motel-style layout, with a shared lanai measuring more than 1,300 square feet. Each building features cameras, keypad locks and motion detection devices. Hoffine Barr described the buildings as short-term guest housing for family, friends and staff. Satellite images show dozens of buildings on the property that have not yet appeared in public records. Based on bedroom counts in the documents WIRED reviewed, the compound could eventually accommodate more than 100 people. The seller was the Mary Lucas Trust Estate, whose lands were previously leased to sugar plantations and later restored for cattle grazing. Zuckerberg's spokesperson Brandi Hoffine Barr confirmed the purchase to WIRED but did not comment on the size or price. 'Mark and Priscilla continue to make a home for their family and grow their ranching, farming, and conservation efforts at Koʻolau Ranch,' said Hoffine Barr. 'The vast majority of the land is dedicated to agriculture — including cattle ranching, organic ginger, macadamia nut, and turmeric farming, native plant restoration, and endangered species protection. After purchasing the ranch, they canceled the previous owner's plans for 80 luxury homes.' The couple's investment now exceeds the $311 million fiscal year 2024 operating budget for the island of Kauai. A local islander who fished in the area contacted Zuckerberg's representatives around 10 years ago to inform them that part of the compound housed the remains of his great-grandmother and her brother, according to the report. Julian Ako negotiated with Zuckerberg's team for months before finally being able to gain access to the burial site and register the graves with Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources. According to WIRED, Ako tried unsuccessfully to locate the remains of other ancestor that may be buried on Zuckerberg's property. Hawaiian officials told WIRED that they confirmed 'the probability (based on oral testimony) of additional burial sites.' The burial site, first identified in 2015, was 'fenced off and maintained' after being discovered, Hoffine Barr told the publication. She added that workers are 'bound by regulations that require reporting of inadvertent discoveries of iwi' — or Hawaiian ancestral bones. But because workers on the project are bound by strict nondisclosure agreements, local residents fear that any future discovery of iwi could be concealed. 'If all of the workers have signed these nondisclosure agreements, then basically they're sworn to silence,' Ako told WIRED. 'If they uncover iwi — or bones — it's going to be a challenge for that to ever become public knowledge, because they're putting their jobs in jeopardy.' Zuckerberg began buying land on Kauai in 2014, acquiring 700 acres near the town of Kilauea for roughly $100 million. The purchase included parcels where hundreds of local residents held kuleana rights — traditional Hawaiian legal entitlements whereby descendants of original Native Hawaiian landowners can claim ancestral lands. In 2016, Zuckerberg filed 'quiet title and partition' lawsuits against those residents to clarify ownership. He later dropped the suits after public backlash, but the legal process continued under kuleana descendant Carlos Andrade, who eventually won sole ownership of the land at auction. In a 2017 op-ed, Zuckerberg wrote that Andrade, who died in 2022, could 'continue his quiet title action and pass down the kuleana rights because he had lived on and cared for these lands for more than 40 years.' By spring 2021, Zuckerberg added more than 560 acres of ranchland, some of it abutting Larsen's Beach. Later that year, he purchased another 110 acres, including the Kaloko Dam, an earthen reservoir that collapsed in 2006, killing seven people. Zuckerberg's presence on the island has drawn both support and skepticism. He has donated millions to local nonprofits, including a charter school and an affordable housing organization near the compound. His projects have also created well-paying jobs. But many locals remain uneasy about the influence of billionaires on the island's future. 'If our island has any hope of remaining Hawaii, this kind of activity has got to stop,' Puali'i Rossi, a professor of Native Hawaiian studies at Kauai Community College, told WIRED. 'Eventually Hawaii isn't going to look like Hawaii anymore — it's going to be a resort community. Are we really thinking about 100 years from now, what this island is going to look like?' The Post has sought comment from Ako and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Solve the daily Crossword
