AGP Executive Report

Hurricane Lowell Disrupts Hawaii Business: As Lowell skims western islands, Oʻahu saw outages affecting thousands of Hawaiian Electric customers, while the city and state moved to close non-essential offices and schools Tuesday and activated storm response operations. Local Health & Development: A Hawaii County panel approved the $90M Keaau Benioff Health Center, clearing the way for a 40,000-square-foot outpatient clinic with groundbreaking expected in spring 2027. Local Food Supply Chain: Parker Ranch has begun monthly deliveries of about 4,000 pounds of locally raised ground beef to Hawaii Island public schools, boosting local agriculture ties. Short-Term Rental Rules: Hawaii County’s new TVR registration requirement took effect, with hosted and un-hosted rentals (180 days or less) required to register online starting Sept. 1, 2026, with a grace period through year-end. Business Registration System Under Fire: Hawaiʻi’s new $2.1M “Business Express” registration platform is drawing complaints over major processing delays as the state works to fix bugs from merging older systems. Travel & Hospitality: Southwest Airlines is building premium airport lounges, including Honolulu’s, with construction underway and openings planned starting late next year. Culture & Community: The Hawaii Concert Society unveiled its 65th season, with seven concerts across Hilo venues while UH Hilo’s performing arts center undergoes renovation.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: Hawaii is bracing for major weather impacts as Lowell nears Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, with a hurricane warning and high surf risk for the Big Island—officials are urging residents and visitors to prepare for flooding and mudslides. Local Business & Community Resilience: A Waiahōle family farm in Seguin Family Farms says it’s been hit for the third time this year after Waikāne Stream overflow damaged crops; a GoFundMe is underway for debris removal and replanting. Tourism & Travel: Alaska Airlines marks 40 years in San Diego with a new seasonal nonstop to Loreto, Mexico—its 50th nonstop destination from the market. Native Hawaiian Stewardship: Hawaiian Council appointed Christina M. Leos as general manager of Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi, signaling a new chapter under Native Hawaiian stewardship. Startup & Defense Tech: Voltage Vessels, a Hawaii-based company, submitted a 3D-printed RHIB prototype for U.S. maritime defense evaluation, aiming to advance practical large-scale composite printing for harsh marine use. Food & Local Opening: Grease Monkey Drive-In opened in Tamuning with limited hours while staffing and ordering tech are finalized.

Hurricane Lowell & Travel Disruptions: Hawaii is bracing for Lowell with a Flood Watch statewide and Tropical Storm Warnings for Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, plus high surf and heavy rain risks that could disrupt roads, harbors, and flights through the week. Hospitality & Infrastructure Costs: Hawaii County hotels are pushing back on a proposed council bill that would create a higher sewage customer class for hotels, arguing it stacks new costs on top of broader wastewater rate hikes. Healthcare Expansion: The Windward Planning Commission cleared the way for a $90M Keaau Benioff Health Center, a major outpatient project expected to break ground in spring 2027. Real Estate: Oʻahu condo prices fell in August as inventory rose and sales slowed, while single-family home prices jumped—signaling a split market for buyers. AI Skills for Local Workers: UH launched an open-access “AI for Hawaiʻi” program aimed at practical, ethical AI literacy for residents and small businesses. Tourism Demand Watch: GVB data shows South Korean arrivals to Guam down 37.3% in August, citing tighter seat capacity and travel costs—an important regional signal for Pacific travel markets. Energy & Consumer Pressure: Labor Day gas prices hit record highs nationwide, with Hawaii among the states above $5 a gallon, adding to cost pressures for households and businesses.

Hurricane Lowell Readiness: Category 3 Lowell turned north with tropical-storm conditions expected for Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau by late Monday, while a flood watch covers O‘ahu through Tuesday and high surf advisories extend—prompting closures and emergency prep across the islands. Local Food Resilience: On O‘ahu’s North Shore, Kahuku Seafood Boil’s garlic-butter seafood boil bags kept serving during storms, with set hours and a growing local following. Rural Hospital Funding Push: U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda introduced “REH 2.0” to make Rural Emergency Hospital conversions more financially workable, aiming to prevent rural closures—an issue especially acute in Hawai‘i’s geography. AI Literacy for Hawai‘i: UH launched a free, open-access “Artificial Intelligence for Hawai‘i” course with local examples and ethics, targeting broad workforce and education needs. Business Registration Bottleneck: A reader raises concerns that DCCA business registration expedited reviews have stalled for months after a modernization system launch, leaving new entities unable to bank, lease, or hire. Storm-Linked Safety Scrutiny: Maui firefighter Tre’ Evans-Dumaran’s 2023 death continues to drive debate over flood rescue training and equipment gaps, now tied to a pending lawsuit.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: Kauaʻi and Niʻihau are under a tropical storm watch as Lowell churns north as a major hurricane, with tropical-storm conditions possible late Monday and hurricane conditions possible Monday night in parts of Papahānaumokuākea; flood watches cover the state and Kauaʻi Marathon events were canceled as county permits are pulled back. Local Business Impact: Kauaʻi food trucks are bracing for lost sales and closures before and after the storm, prioritizing safety over revenue. State Tech & Business Climate: Hawaii County planners deferred action on a bill aimed at banning AI data centers, seeking clearer zoning definitions between “data centers” and smaller “data processing facilities.” AI Literacy Push: UH launched a free “Artificial Intelligence for Hawaiʻi” course through the UH OneAI Hub, using local examples across sectors like tourism and agriculture. Business Registration Bottleneck: A reader says DCCA’s business registration modernization has stalled approvals for months even with expedited fees, blocking bank accounts, leases, and hiring, with claims that a new system vendor is behind the delays. Consumer Costs: U.S. Labor Day gas prices are hitting record levels near or above $4 a gallon, driven by Middle East-related energy volatility.

Hurricane Lowell & telecom continuity: Verizon says it will waive Kauaʻi domestic call, text and data charges through Sept. 14 and has readied backup generators, satellite messaging and pre-staged equipment as Lowell turns toward the western islands. Disaster aid deadline: Hawaiʻi County earthquake victims have until Nov. 1 to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance after the Kona quake’s major disaster declaration. Energy costs hit consumers: Labor Day gas prices are pushing toward record highs, with Hawaii among the highest-priced states nationwide as Middle East conflict and fuel supply disruptions keep pressure on. Local real estate & preservation: Honolulu’s Chinatown Wo Fat Building sold for $2M; new owners plan renovations, residential units and ground-floor retail plus a museum. Federal policy fight over seabed mining: A House Rules Committee move blocks a bid to exclude seabed mining from FAST-41 expedited permitting, keeping deep-sea mining eligible for faster federal review. Community support: The Salvation Army is asking for donations to replenish Hawaiʻi Island food pantries amid rising demand tied to recent storms. Workforce & compliance: Maui Chamber sets an employment law seminar Sept. 11 covering wage rules, leave, contractors, AI, equal pay and EEO updates.

Disaster Preparedness: Kauai’s Esaki’s Produce is again gearing up to act as an emergency food hub for schools, hospitals, hotels and other essential services as Hurricane Lowell threatens, including offering fridges/freezers for residents who lose power. Hurricane Watch: Lowell has returned to Category 5 strength with 160 mph winds and is expected to turn north late Sunday, bringing the biggest risk to Kauai and Niihau; officials stress the storm’s path could still shift. Local Business Resilience: A historic Kaʻū family store, Wong-Yuen in Waiʻōhinu, is rebuilding after Hurricane Lala flooded and wrecked the nearly century-old shop. Public Safety & Courts: A Maui man pleaded guilty to robbing a First Hawaiian Bank branch in Kihei; separately, federal agents charged a Pearl City poke restaurant owner in a cocaine and weapons case. Housing & Affordability: Oahu’s young professionals toured new affordable housing developments and state agencies to understand how homes get built and bought. Health: Hawaii DOH is offering free breast and cervical cancer screenings for eligible women via its “Go and Know” campaign. Education: Sixteen Hawaii educators were named 2027 Teachers of the Year, with a statewide winner to be announced Sept. 21.

Hurricane Lowell Watch: Lowell has re-strengthened to a Category 4 storm, with forecasters warning of heavy rain (3–6 inches, locally higher) and life-threatening surf and rip currents as it tracks toward the western islands; officials urge residents to stay vigilant and prepare. Small-Business Relief: O‘ahu businesses still recovering from the March Kona Low can apply for one-time $5,000 or $10,000 grants starting Sept. 9 via the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii’s DBEDT-funded recovery program. Banking & Community: American Savings Bank marks 100 years in Hawai‘i, highlighting its ASB Charitable Foundation and decades of volunteer hours and neighborhood investment. Health Access: The Hawai‘i Department of Health is offering free breast and cervical cancer screenings for eligible uninsured women, with an online eligibility form and “Go and Know” mammogram push. Local Business & Legal: A Nelson restaurant owner, Chad Scott Hansen, faces assault charges in Honolulu; his partner says Hansen is relinquishing his ownership interest. Energy Costs: Diesel prices hit record highs nationally, with Hawaii among the highest, raising pressure on shipping and everyday goods.

Disaster Relief: Gov. Josh Green says President Trump approved a major disaster declaration for the May 22 Kona earthquake, making FEMA individual assistance available to eligible Hawaii County residents (FEMA-4936-DR), with an application deadline of Nov. 1. Native Hawaiian Education Funding: The U.S. Department of Education awarded $29.7M to Hawaii providers serving Native Hawaiian children and families, tied to a $46M extension negotiated by Sen. Brian Schatz, supporting early childhood sites, home visiting, workforce programs and language immersion. Agribusiness & Food Security: DBEDT deputy director Dane Wicker says the Agribusiness Development Corporation is shifting from talk to building assets—land, water, processing and infrastructure—to grow Hawaii’s agricultural economy. Local Food & Community Support: HPD’s “Fill a Police Cruiser” drive raised more than $48,879 and collected over 14 tons of food for The Food Basket’s Hurricane Lala relief. Energy Storage Push: Hawaii Energy Connection hit 1,000 residential battery installations as regulators consider a virtual power plant program to compensate homeowners. Planning & Business: Honolulu’s planning panel deferred Amazon’s West Oahu fulfillment center zoning change, delaying the company’s plan for a larger facility. Utilities Cost Pressure: Hawaii County is weighing a sewer rate hike after years of shortfalls, with a proposed jump that could raise monthly bills sharply by 2031. Hurricane Lowell Watch: Hawaii remains on alert as Lowell churns near major hurricane strength, with Kauai and Niihau facing the highest risk early next week.

Hurricane Lowell: The Central Pacific Hurricane Center says Lowell is staying a major hurricane as it moves over warm waters, with high surf and rip-current risk expected to spread across Hawaii early next week. Energy & housing resilience: Hawaii Energy Connection says it has topped 1,000 residential battery installations, as Oahu regulators consider a virtual power plant program that could pay homeowners for grid support. Local business/community: Ewa Beach’s Lloyd’s Silva Store has reopened as a revived neighborhood hub, bringing back a long-running mom-and-pop landmark. Payments & fintech growth: MessagePay says it has signed its 400th financial institution, highlighting momentum for credit unions and banks. Labor policy watch: The NLRB general counsel issued a roadmap aimed at reversing Biden-era labor decisions, signaling potential shifts for employers. Mail voting logistics: Election officials warn USPS mail-ballot rules are “virtually impossible” to implement on time, raising concerns about costs and delays. Aviation premium push: American Airlines is expanding premium seating on 777s while phasing out first class on those aircraft.

Hurricane Lowell fallout: Honolulu and the neighbor islands are bracing for strong winds and dangerous surf as Hurricane Lowell churns south of Hawaii, with outages and recovery still dragging on after Hurricane Lala. Local housing & infrastructure: A Honolulu high-rise’s broken elevators left residents effectively trapped for weeks, highlighting how aging buildings are failing during storms. Big Island recovery costs: Hawaii Island officials put preliminary Hurricane Lala damage near $50M, with housing the top priority as recovery centers continue operations. County land conservation: Hawaii County Council advanced a measure to require reassessing top-priority PONC properties every five years if not yet acquired, tightening how preservation targets are managed. Oahu development watch: Honolulu’s Planning Commission deferred action on Amazon’s $600M Project Savoy fulfillment center zoning request, delaying a decision on a major height increase in Kapolei. Tourism & hospitality: Quorum Hospitality took over management of the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay, adding programming and upgrades. Air travel perk shift: Southwest announced its first-ever airport lounges for AUS, BWI, HNL and BNA, opening in late 2027. Local business openings: Waikiki Market and ʻOlili reopened with expanded local food options, from poke and sushi to plate lunches. Disaster support: Hawaii Food Basket moved nearly 1M pounds of food and water across Hawaii Island to help communities hit by Hurricane Lala.

Medicaid Legal Fight: New York and 20 other states sued the Trump administration over a finalized HHS rule that would block federal Medicaid/CHIP reimbursement for gender-affirming care for youth, with an Oct. 13, 2026 effective date. Southwest Premium Push (Honolulu): Southwest Airlines will open its first airport lounges—Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu (Daniel K. Inouye), and Nashville—starting late 2027, with access tied to a new Chase premium Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card. HMSA Contract Fallout: A Hawaii insurer’s attribution clause is cutting roughly 450 patients off primary care panels and reducing about $162,000 a year in payments, raising alarms for local practices under claims-based attribution. Pacific Defense Contract: Three tribally owned firms won a $400M Air Force advisory deal covering bases across the Pacific, including Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Geothermal Power Deal: Fervo Energy and Google signed a record 396-MW geothermal PPA to support around-the-clock clean power for data centers, with expansion options up to nearly 1 GW. FAA Denies Helocast Restart: The FAA rejected a Hawaii helicopter operator’s bid to resume “helocast” snorkeling/scuba jumps over safety-equivalency concerns. Hurricane Watch: Two Category 4 hurricanes (Lowell, Karina) and a strengthening Tropical Storm Marie churn in the Pacific, with uncertainty about possible trade-wind and rainfall impacts on Hawaii.

Business Climate: Hawaii was ranked dead last for doing business in CNBC’s 2026 “America’s Top States for Business,” with a Hawaii Business Magazine BOSS Survey finding 57% of local executives say conditions are worse than five years ago. Legal & Civic Space: A new Hawaii law (Act 11) is drawing fire for limiting “artificial persons” like nonprofits and advocacy groups from ballot-issue and election activity, raising First Amendment concerns. Infrastructure & Safety: The state is taking ownership of the 120-year-old Wahiawa Reservoir to reduce overtopping and flooding risk for North Shore farms and communities. Aviation Regulation: The FAA denied an Oahu helicopter tour company’s request to keep offering “helocast” jumps, suspending the open-door ocean jump concept. Tourism Workforce: Hotel leaders and state officials marked National Hotel Employee Day in Waikiki, highlighting the industry’s role as a major jobs engine. Hurricane Watch: Hurricane Lowell has intensified to Category 4 south of Hawaii, with officials warning of strong trade winds and gusts and urging residents to stay prepared. Local Tech for Resilience: A Hawaii company, Hohonu, is deploying low-cost sensors to deliver real-time flood and water data to help communities respond faster. Elections: Honolulu admitted two ineligible voters cast ballots in a tied Makakilo primary, a dispute now before the Hawaii Supreme Court. Community & Aging Services: Hawaiʻi Meals on Wheels hit a record 100 delivery routes on Oʻahu and is asking for more volunteers as demand grows.

Hurricane Watch: Hurricane Lowell strengthened overnight and is expected to pass south of Hawaiʻi late Wednesday into Thursday, bringing stronger trade winds and more showers, plus life-threatening south-shore swells and rip currents even if hurricane-force winds stay limited. Local Business Growth: Sunspear Energy, a Hawaii solar and battery storage firm, earned No. 2 in Hawaii and No. 905 nationally on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list after 384% three-year revenue growth. Air Travel Shakeup: Delta will end its long-running Boston–Honolulu nonstop route, with the final flight set for Jan. 4, 2027. Consumer Protection & Tech: Attorneys general announced a landmark $17.1B multistate Meta settlement focused on youth safety, with new platform reforms pending court approval. Energy & Policy: A federal judge struck down New York’s $75B climate-damages law aimed at fossil-fuel producers, citing federal preemption. Cyber/Scams: FBI-linked reporting says cryptocurrency ATM fraud hit more than 10,000 Americans last year, costing nearly $400M. Infrastructure Oversight: A report alleges persistent soil dumping and industrial-toxin exposure tied to Honolulu’s Skyline construction, raising questions about state oversight and compliance.

Health Care & Costs: HMSA’s switch to a new payment model is pushing some Hawaii doctors to the brink, with clinics warning of major revenue hits and patients potentially being dropped from rosters. Disaster Readiness for Small Business: Honolulu launched “Stay Open Oahu,” a free program with workshops and tools to help small businesses prepare for disasters and recover faster. Energy & Resilience: After Hurricane Lala, Hawaiian Electric says it restored power to all customers it can safely reconnect, with remaining outages tied to customer property damage or access issues. Weather & Risk: Tropical Cyclone Lowell is forecast to pass south of the Big Island as a major hurricane, bringing gusty trade winds and possible wind advisories statewide. Local Housing: The Honuakaha senior apartments’ rent restrictions have ended, and residents say rising rents and maintenance issues are leaving disabled kupuna with nowhere to go. Consumer Protection: BBB reports show scam activity continues across Hawaii cities, with Honolulu leading statewide in July reports. Public Services: Hawaii’s vital records office is moving downtown, and the state is pointing customers to nearby parking options as the transition runs Sept. 21–Oct. 1.

Local Diplomacy & Tourism: Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s bid to bring pandas to the Honolulu Zoo is now tied to a China-facing diplomatic process, with the potential deal requiring sign-off from Xi Jinping and carrying an estimated $1M-plus annual fee. Federal Workforce: Federal unions are pushing back hard on a proposed 2027 pay freeze, warning it will hurt hiring and retention across the civilian workforce. Trade & Geopolitics: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed tensions with Canada in a CNBC interview, joking about Canada’s “defunct submarines” as tariffs strain relations. China-Linked Lobbying: A former Trump aide is registering to lobby for a Chinese tech client tied to data-center equipment after the Pentagon added the firm to a defense blacklist. Utility Rates (Big Island): Hawaii Water Service filed with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission seeking about $2.73M in annual revenue for Kukio-area water and sewer upgrades. Paid Leave Compliance: A new look at state paid family and medical leave laws highlights how coverage and eligibility rules vary widely from the federal FMLA—important for Hawaii employers with smaller workforces. Youth Online Safety: Sen. Brian Schatz and Sen. Ted Cruz weighed in on Meta’s multi-state settlement over kids’ social media access, urging Congress to pass broader protections. Hurricane Lala Recovery (Pahala): A Pahala family is rebuilding a home and coffee business after Hurricane Lala flooding, with community support helping them restart operations. Housing Permitting Tech: Cities are increasingly using AI to speed up housing permitting by catching incomplete applications, supported by new federal funding streams. Aviation Costs (Micronesia): Micronesian nations are exploring a regional airline to challenge United’s dominance on the Island Hopper route and target lower fares. NBA in Hawai‘i: The Clippers announced a return training camp in Honolulu in late September, with preseason games including a visit to Bankoh Arena.