Hawaii Evening Briefing: Aug. 2 2024 (2024)

Good evening, Hawaii. Here are the main stories we've been following today:

Your Weather Planner

The weekend will begin with light to moderate trades that produce light showers favoring windward areas at night and interior and leeward regions during the afternoon. Trades will increase to moderate and breezy on Sunday and last through much of next week, with dry conditions expected on Sunday and Monday. More wet weather arrives for midweek.

Minor Coastal Flooding during high tide through Sunday afternoon. Higher-than-predicted water levels combined with near-peak monthly tides and a south swell moving through could lead to minor coastal flooding through the weekend. The best chance for coastal impacts will occur in the afternoon hours around the peak daily high tide cycle in the vulnerable locations. Along shorelines and low-lying coastal areas of all islands.

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Today's Big Stories

1.Biden, Harris welcome Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva back to U.S.

The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, along with dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza, in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free.

Gershkovich, Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist with dual U.S.-Russia citizenship, arrived on American soil shortly before midnight for a joyful reunion with their families. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also there to greet them and dispense hugs all around.

The trade unfolded despite relations between Washington and Moscow being at their lowest point since the Cold War after Russian President Vladimir Putin's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Biden trumpeted the exchange, by far the largest in a series of swaps with Russia, as a diplomatic feat while welcoming families of the returning Americans to the White House. But the deal, like others before it, reflected an innate imbalance: The U.S. and allies gave up Russians charged or convicted of serious crimes in exchange for Russia releasing journalists, dissidents and others imprisoned by the country's highly politicized legal system on charges seen by the West as trumped-up.

"Deals like this one come with tough calls," Biden said, adding, "There's nothing that matters more to me than protecting Americans at home and abroad."

Harris, now running for the Democratic nomination for president to succeed Biden, called the swap an "extraordinary testament" to the president's abilities to work with allies and having a leader who "understands the power of diplomacy."

"This is an example of the strength of American leadership in bringing nations together," she said.

2.Parties in lawsuits seeking damages for Maui fires reach $4B global settlement, court filings say

The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a$4 billion global settlement,a court filing said Friday, nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

The term sheet with details of the settlement is not publicly available, but the liaison attorneys filed a motion Friday saying the global settlement seeks to resolve all Maui fire claims for $4.037 billion. The motion asks the judge to order that insurers can’t separately go after the defendants to recoup money paid to policyholders.

“We’re under no illusions that this is going to make Maui whole,” Jake Lowenthal, a Maui attorney selected as one of four liaisons for the coordination of the cases, told The Associated Press. “We know for a fact that it’s not going to make up for what they lost.”

Green said the proposed settlement is an agreement in principle. He said it was subject to the resolution of insurance companies’ claims that have already been paid for property loss and other damages.

“My priority as governor was to expedite the agreement and to avoid protracted and painful lawsuits so as many resources as possible would go to those affected by the wildfires as quickly as possible,” he said in a statement.

3.Closing preschool gap has economic benefits

More than 8,000 eligible Hawaii children do not attend preschool due to high costs and limited availability of spots in desired programs, a situation that warrants policy intervention and greater overall support, according to new analysis by the University of Hawaii Research Organization.

As research economist Rachel Inaf*cku notes, only 55% of the 33,224 children ages 3 to 4 years in the state are currently enrolled in preschool programs. About 20% of eligible families choose to opt out of preschool, the remainder are unable to access programs due to system factors.

Based on research findings and recent data, children in low- to middle-income households who attend preschool can expect to earn an additional $2,400 to $4,700 (in 2023 dollars) in annual income at age 35.

“Aggregating these increases in income, each cohort of previously underserved children who gain access to a preschool education is projected to contribute an additional $19 million to $38 million (in 2023 dollars) to the state’s total personal income at age 35,” Inaf*cku wrote.

4.Carissa Moore loses as Olympic surfing competition resumes with tricky Tahiti swells

Defending Olympic women's surfing champion Carissa Moore of the United States was beaten in the Paris Games quarterfinals on Thursday as competition resumed in Tahiti aftertwo daysof unfavorable conditions had put the event on hold.

It was the end of the road for some of surfing's best athletes, including Moore, who won the first gold in the sport when surfing debuted at the 2020 Olympics and is a five-time world champion. She was eliminated by Johanne Defay of France.

“When are you come up short of a dream it sucks,” Moore tearfully said after her loss.

Moore took time away from surfing competitions this year, speaking openly about putting more time into her nonprofit organization which helps young women, and to start a family.

"I couldn’t have imagined a better place to finish off my career," Moore said. “I’m going to give myself some time to just take a break.”

Hawaii’s John John Florence — who, along with Moore surfs under the U.S. flag during Olympic competition instead of the customary Hawaii flag — was eliminated from the men’s competition on Monday.

5.DLNR orders hotels, vendors to stop presetting chairs on Waikiki Beach

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation issued cease-and-desist notices to four hotels and five commercial vendors for repeatedly violating the state prohibition against presetting commercial beach equipment on certain beaches under state jurisdiction.

The notices cite Act 227 (HRS Section 200-3.5), which explicitly prohibits presetting of equipment, such as beach chairs, without a customer being physically present. The law also requires that equipment be removed as soon as a customer is finished using it.

The statute applies to beaches under the jurisdiction of the DLNR, including private beaches for which the state has an easem*nt or other property interest. This jurisdiction includes the beach area in the Royal Hawaiian Sector where the state has an easem*nt for foot passage and sunbathing.

The notices were sent after personnel from DOBOR and the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement conducted site visits and observed continued presetting of commercial beach equipment.

“During the latest visit, rows upon rows of chairs were photographed and videotaped after being set up in the morning on lands under the management of DLNR specific to the area of WaikikiBeach fronting the Moana Surfrider Hotel, the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort,” DOBOR stated in a release issued on Friday.

In addition to the four hotels, orders were also sent to Waikiki Beach Beachboys at the Sheraton Waikiki LLC, Waikiki Beach Services at the Royal, LLC, Aqualani, Faith Hawaii Surf School LLC, and Aloha Beach Services.

Your Notes for the Weekend

Saturday, Aug. 3

• U.S. Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, and vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, deliver remarks at a campaign rally in Atlanta
• 5th anniversary of Patrick Crusius opening fire in an El Paso, TX, Walmart, killing 22 people and wounding several more. Among the dead were eight Mexican citizens, and most of the victims had Hispanic surnames
• Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony, with this year's inductees including Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Steve McMichael, Julius Peppers, and Patrick Willis
• Hip Hop International World Hip Hop Dance Championship, featuring dancers from over 50 countries competing for the world title
• Paris 2024 Olympic Games continues with day eight. In swimming, Katie Ledecky is expected to feature in the women's 800m freestyle final. U.S. athletes in the swimming heats include Simone Manuel (women's 50m freestyle) and Bobby Finke (men's 1500m freestyle). In gymnastics, Simone Biles could feature in the women's vault final. In track and field, sprinters Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman compete for the U.S. in the men's 100m first round. In tennis, American Skeet shooter Vincent Hanco*ck could become the first person to win the same individual event five times at the Olympics. In boxing, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek of the U.S. compete in the men's doubles final. In surfing, Caroline Marks faces Johanne Defay of France in the women's semifinal
  • U.S. teams in action today in the women's hockey against South Africa (1:15 PM CEST), men's water polo against Montenegro (4:35 PM CEST), men's basketball against Puerto Rico (5:15 PM CEST), and women's 3x3 basketball against China (7:05 PM CEST)
  • Paris 2024 Olympic Games medal awarded events today in archery (women's individual), artistic gymnastics (men's floor and pommel horse, women's vault), badminton (women's doubles), road cycling (men's road race), equestrian (dressage team), fencing (women's sabre), judo (mixed team), rowing (single sculls and eights), shooting (women's 25m pistol and men's skeet), swimming (men's 100m butterfly, women's 200m individual medley, women's 800m freestyle, mixed 4x100m medley relay), table tennis (women's singles), tennis (women's singles and men's doubles), and track and field (men's shot put, women's triple jump, mixed 4x400m relay, women's 100m, men's decathlon)

Sunday, Aug. 4

• 2024 Miss USA Pageant, 73rd annual beauty contest broadcast on The CW Network. Hosted by Garcelle Beauvais and Keltie Knight. Judges include Scheana Shay, Anastasia Soare, Carole Gist, Natasha Graziano and NJ Falk
• Miss Black USA competition, the first and largest scholarship pageant for women of color
• Pro Football Hall of Fame Concert for Legends, presented by Ford, headlined by singer Carrie Underwood
• Paris 2024 Olympic Games continues with day nine. In track and field, Noah Lyles aims to become the first American to win the men's 100m final since 2004. World champion Grant Holloway competes in the men's 110m hurdles first round for team U.S. The last night of the swimming competition could see U.S. teams compete for medals in the men's and women's 4x100m medley relays. Men's golf competition concludes, with the U.S. including defending champion Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa
  • U.S. teams in action today in the women's volleyball against France (1:00 PM CEST), women's basketball against Germany (5:15 PM CEST), and men's 3x3 basketball against the Netherlands (7:05 PM CEST)
  • Paris 2024 Olympic Games medal awarded events today in archery (men's individual), artistic gymnastics (men's rings and vault, women's uneven bars), badminton (men's doubles), equestrian (dressage individual), fencing (men's foil team), golf (men's), road cycling (women's road race), shooting (women's skeet), swimming (women's 50m freestyle, men's 1500m freestyle, men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relays), table tennis (men's singles), tennis (men's singles, women's doubles), and track and field (women's high jump, men's hammer throw, men's 100m)

Monday, Aug. 5

• Democratic National Committee roll call voting period to nominate the party's presidential candidate before the Democratic National Convention closes. Vice President Kamala Harris is the only candidate to have met the qualification requirements
• Jury trial for Nadine Menendez, wife of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent, and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery for a corruption scheme. Prosecutors have said Sen. Menendez allegedly provided sensitive U.S. Government information to aid Egyptian interests and conspiracy to commit bribery for a corruption scheme
• Fortune Magazine reveals annual Fortune Global 500 ranking of the world's largest corporations according to revenue
• Hearings resume in New Zealand for the first phase of the Christchurch Masjidain Attack Coronial Inquiry to complete evidence about the emergency exit door in the main prayer room at the Al Noor mosque
• First batch of G60 Starlink satellites reportedly launches today on board a Long March 6A rocket, on behalf of Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology's new megaconstellation for global internet access
• Paris 2024 Olympic Games continues with day 10. In gymnastics, Simone Biles is expected to compete in the beam and women's floor finals, facing competition from 16-year-old teammate Hezly Rivera, who won the event at trials. In track and field, the men's 400m hurdles first round features U.S. athlete Rai Benjamin against Tokyo 2020 champion Karsten Warholm of Norway. In diving, Delaney Schnell and Daryn Wright of the U.S. compete in the women's 10m platform prelims. The 3x3 basketball men's and women's finals are held today
  • Team U.S. plays Croatia in men's water polo (6:30 PM CEST). Sweden's Mondo Duplantis is expected in the men's pole vault final, and Ethiopia's Faith Kipyegon competes in the women's 5,000m final.
  • Paris 2024 Olympic Games gold medal events today in artistic gymnastics (men's parallel and horizontal bars, women's balance beam and floor), badminton (men's and women's singles), basketball 3x3 (men's and women's), canoe slalom (men's and women's kayak), shooting (men's 25m rapid fire pistol, mixed team skeet), track and field (men's pole vault, women's discus, women's 5000m, women's 800m), and track cycling (women's team sprint)