State Supreme Court considers two challenges to tight election races (video only) Hawaii News Now.Native Hawaiian Contractor Chris Dawson Has Died While Under Investigation. Christopher Dawson, 62, a prominent Native Hawaiian defense contractor, was found dead Thursday on Oʻahu, according to the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office.  Dawson’s death, which the medical examiner determined to be a suicide, comes as he was under federal investigation for alleged financial crimes, including wire fraud and money laundering.  Civil Beat.OahuAnother Honolulu Rail Contractor Demands More Money, Citing Years Of Delays. In a $324 million lawsuit, a key contractor alleges the city hasn’t resolved its claim because it wants to avoid further public criticism. Civil Beat.Topa Financial Center property sale another sign of evolving downtown. Developer Christine Camp said her company’s acquisition Friday of Topa Financial Center is just a small part of a larger trend in reimagining “DOHO” — downtown Honolulu — with its many largely vacant office buildings. Star-Advertiser. KITV4. A new kauhale opens as the state tackles growing homelessness. The newest tiny-home village to reduce homelessness — with 43 units designed to house single adults, couples and their pets — was unveiled and blessed Monday in Iwilei. Star-Advertiser.Hawaii IslandKīlauea pauses after a brief eruption . Kilauea puts on ‘outstanding’ show.  It’s a “Pele Kalikimaka” in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, according to Jessica Ferracane, the park’s spokeswoman, referring to the eruption that started early Monday morning within Kilauea volcano’s Halema‘uma‘u crater. Tribune-Herald. Associated Press.  Hawaii Punlic Radio.  Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now. MauiMaui releases final Long-Term Recovery Plan for Lahaina. Maui Country officials have released the county’s final Long-Term Recovery Plan for Lahaina. The release follows a monthlong community engagement series on the draft plan that included feedback from hundreds of residents and local stakeholders. The Long-Term Recovery Plan.  Maui News. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.Lahaina immigrants who survived fire now wary of Trump’s deportation threats. Nearly one-third of Lahaina’s population before the August 2023 wildfire came from another country, and their recovery from the blaze has been hampered in some cases by language barriers, housing costs, the decline in work and the lack of access to services reserved for U.S. citizens. Maui Now.Report emphasizes recovery access needs for Filipino survivors of Maui wildfires. A group focusing on Filipinos in Lahaina recently released a report on the community’s experiences and needs following the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires. Hawaii Public Radio.Iwi kupuna unearthed after surf slams Maui’s North Shore. The waves uncovered iwi kupuna – or ancestral remains – from Hawaiian burials. Hawaii News Now.KauaiEfforts underway for permanent Hanapēpē Massacre memorial on Kauaʻi 100 years later. The state is looking to build a permanent memorial to honor the 1924 Hanapēpē Massacre, a tragic turning point in Hawai‘i’s labor movement that led to the deaths of 16 Filipino strikers and four police officers. Hawaii Public Radio.Contractors Association of Kauai wraps up 2024 with membership meeting. The Contractors Association of Kauai closed 2024 with its 67th Annual Meeting and Installation dinner on Dec. 5 at the Puakea Golf Course. Garden Island.