AGP Executive Report

Gas Prices & Taxes: With crude still roiling after the Iran conflict, gas is up again in many states, and politicians are pushing gas-tax holidays or freezes—moves that may feel like relief but don’t fix the bigger supply-and-demand squeeze. Hurricane Season Prep: The National Hurricane Center will start issuing Atlantic tropical outlooks May 15, with the Eastern Pacific season also kicking off then, as forecasters watch an expected El Niño pattern. Shark Warning: Honolulu Ocean Safety posted signs after two non-aggressive 5–7 ft sharks were spotted at Kahe Point/Electric Beach. Local Recovery: Hawaii News Now’s ALOHA for HAWAII fundraiser is underway to keep Kona Low flood relief moving, even as some North Shore repairs slow down. Aviation Probe: The NTSB released the agenda for a public hearing into the deadly UPS 2976 crash near Louisville. Community & Culture: DLNR invites keiki and ʻohana to Kids to Parks Day at Lēʻahi May 16, and Spectrum is backing the Molokaʻi Homestead Farmers Alliance’s Molokaʻi Digital Hub.

NCAA Volleyball: Hawaii capped a historic season by beating UC Irvine 3-1 for the NCAA men’s title Monday night, with Kristian Titriyski’s 16 kills and Tread Rosenthal’s 44 assists helping the Rainbow Warriors rally after a slow start. Student Media Theft: UH Mānoa student outlets Ka Leo O Hawai‘i and MānoaNow reported more than $20,000 in stolen gear from Hemenway Hall, including new cameras, computers, and production drives; UH DPS and HPD are investigating. Public Safety Tech: Honolulu’s police chief search is down to three finalists—Scott Ebner, Mike Lambert, and David Lazar—who says he’d push modernization and transparency. Cost of Living: AAA Hawaii says gas is near record highs again, averaging $5.65 statewide as global oil tensions raise fears for electricity and shipping costs. Weather: Breezy trade winds and scattered showers are expected to keep favoring windward and mauka areas through the week. Local Crime Watch: Police are investigating a possible drowning in Hōnaunau Bay, while Hawaii Island also saw a fatal crash as a man was changing a tire on Kawaihae Road.

Tech & Power Prep: A new report says Mark Zuckerberg is building a $270 million Hawaii bunker with blast-resistant doors, self-sustaining supplies, and a secret escape hatch—while other AI titans reportedly plan their own “exit” routes as they keep pushing high-stakes AI development. Local Safety: Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating a fatal crash on Kawaihae Road where a man was killed while changing a tire; Honolulu police also report a serious Pearl City hit-and-run and a homemade firework explosion that injured a man at an Iwilei rest stop. State Watch: DLNR announced temporary morning closures of the Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail for maintenance through May. Community & Culture: The Lutheran Church of Honolulu unveiled a new mural featuring a rainbow, mountains, and a nēnē. Housing & Food Access: A bill headed to the governor would create a pre-release SNAP application process for inmates nearing release by 2028.

Honolulu Police leadership and public safety updates dominate the news cycle

In the last 12 hours, the Honolulu Police Commission moved the city’s chief-of-police search forward by naming three finalists: Mike Lambert (Hawaiʻi Department of Law Enforcement director), Scott Ebner (police chief in Georgia), and David Lazar (retired assistant chief from San Francisco). The commission said the finalists best match community needs and leadership qualities, following hours of deliberation and a process that included interviews with semi-finalists. The article also notes the stakes for the department amid hundreds of vacancies and retirements, with SHOPO emphasizing scrutiny of candidates’ ability to address officer staffing and readiness.

The same period also included a major public-safety legislative development: lawmakers passed a pedestrian safety bill honoring Tehya Mahelona, who was killed in a chain-reaction crash while crossing Farrington Highway. The bill (SB 3234) would provide $2 million for safer school-area crossings through the state’s Safe Routes to Schools program, with the measure now headed to the governor.

Monk seal harassment investigation draws federal attention after viral video

Another major thread in the last 12 hours is the investigation into alleged harassment of an endangered Hawaiian monk seal in Lahaina, Maui. Multiple reports describe a viral video showing a man throwing a large rock toward a monk seal while it was swimming offshore, sparking outrage and renewed calls for people to keep distance from protected animals. The state DLNR investigation is described as being turned over to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for further federal review under protections including the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. Officials also reiterated that monk seals are protected and that harassment can carry serious penalties.

Oʻahu weather and local community/business items fill out the day’s coverage

Routine but timely coverage also focused on weather and surf as trade winds return and a northwest swell affects north and west shores. Forecast reporting emphasized clearing skies, strengthening trade winds into Mother’s Day weekend, and surf ranges for different shore exposures.

Other last-12-hours items were more local and lighter in tone, including community event listings for the weekend and business openings such as Oakberry’s second Oʻahu location in Waikīkī (Park Shore), plus a Kauaʻi report about community cleanup after needles were found along a shoreline path.

Background continuity: broader policy and enforcement themes

Over the broader 7-day window, coverage shows continuity in themes of public safety, enforcement, and health policy. Alongside the chief-of-police selection process, the paper also ran stories about health-related legislation moving through the Hawaiʻi Legislature and other enforcement-related updates. However, the most concrete “what changed” developments in this rolling window are concentrated in the last 12 hours—especially the HPD chief finalists announcement and the federal monk seal harassment investigation.

In the past 12 hours, coverage in and around Hawaiʻi has been dominated by public-safety and environment items, alongside a mix of local community and national-interest stories. Hawaiʻi’s wildfire risk is being framed as a “risk after rain” problem: officials say a very wet season can boost vegetation growth that later dries out, potentially increasing fuel for fast-moving fires in June–August. Separately, the state Department of Health reported follow-up environmental sampling after the Kona Low storms shows a general decrease in storm-associated environmental pathogens, with several pathogens not detected in the second round (while noting Leptospira continued to be present). Wildlife updates also drew attention, including a Hawaiian monk seal pup born at Kaimana Beach on Oʻahu that prompted coordinated safety reminders to keep distance and avoid disturbing seals.

Other recent items include a policy reversal affecting military families: the Defense Commissary Agency said shoppers will no longer be charged for single-use plastic and paper bags at most commissaries worldwide, rescinding a fee that had been intended to encourage reusable bags. There was also continued attention to Kīlauea activity and related advisories (including references to Episode 46 lava fountaining and alert-level changes), plus a steady stream of non-breaking lifestyle and entertainment coverage (e.g., Mother’s Day events and local resort/hospitality updates such as Four Seasons Resort Oʻahu appointing a new general manager).

Beyond Hawaiʻi, the most prominent “big picture” thread in the last 12 hours is weather and risk forecasting. AccuWeather’s outlook predicts an above-average 2026 Pacific hurricane season, citing warm ocean waters and a developing El Niño, with elevated flood risk for parts of the Southwest and active conditions expected in the Central Pacific (including Hawaiʻi). The same period also included broader political and legal coverage—such as reporting that the White House office overseeing federal spending is withholding more than $2 billion for education grants—though the Hawaiʻi-specific connection is not established in the provided text.

Looking back 3–7 days, the pattern of coverage shows continuity in Hawaiʻi’s storm recovery and preparedness themes. Earlier reporting referenced storm damage already exceeding $100 million and ongoing “Rebuild Oʻahu” efforts, while other items in the week included community and infrastructure discussions (including sewer bill relief and transportation planning). The older material also reinforces that environmental and public-health monitoring after Kona Low remains an active beat, rather than a one-day update—though the most detailed pathogen findings appear in the most recent DOH release.