A 45-year-old motorcyclist is in critical condition after broadsiding a vehicle in Nanakuli Thursday Honolulu police said a woman in her 70s was driving eastbound on Farrington Highway and was attempting to make a left turn onto Lualualei Naval Road when the male motorcyclist who was traveling westbound on Farrington Highway at a high rate of speed The collision ejected the motorcyclist onto the roadway who was then transported to a hospital in critical condition The 70-year-old woman remained at the scene and was not injured police said the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision and speed appears to be a contributing factor of the accident Call 808-620-9500 to tell us which language you speak Sipwe angei emon chon chiaku ngonuk ese kamo Kokori 808-620-9500 omw kopwe ureni kich meni kapas ka ani Makemake `oe i kokua i pili kekahi `olelo o na `aina `e Makemake la maua i ki`i `oe mea unuhi manuahi E kelepona 808-620-9500`oe ia la kaua a e ha`ina `oe ia la maua mea `olelo o na `aina `e Masapulyo kadi ti tulong iti sabali a pagsasao Awaganyo ti 808-620-9500 tapno ibagayo kadakami no ania ti pagsasao nga ar-aramatenyo 私たちは、貴方のために、無料で 通訳を用意できます。電話番号の、808-620-9500 に、電話して、私たちに貴方の話されている言語を申し出てください Kim naj lewaj juon am dri ukok eo ejjelok wonen Kirtok 808-620-9500 im kwalok non kim kajin ta eo kwo melele im kenono kake E te mana'o mia se fesosoani i se isi gagana Matou te fesosoani e ave atu fua se faaliliu upu mo oe Vili mai i le numera lea 808-620-9500 pea e mana'o mia se fesosoani mo se faaliliu upu Nosotros le ayudaremos a conseguir un intérprete gratuito Llame al 808-620-9500 y diganos que idioma habla Kailangan ba ninyo ng tulong sa ibang lengguwahe Tumawag sa 808-620-9500 para sabihin kung anong lengguwahe ang nais ninyong gamitin Bạn có cần giúp đỡ bằng ngôn ngữ khác không Chúng tôi se yêu cầu một người thông dịch viên miễn phí cho bạn Gọi 808-620-9500 nói cho chúng tôi biết bạn dùng ngôn ngữ nào Gakinahanglan ka ba ug tabang sa imong pinulongan Amo kang mahatagan ug libre nga maghuhubad Tawag sa 808-620-9500 aron magpahibalo kung unsa ang imong sinulti-han The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) is upgrading the underground sanitary sewer system in Nānākuli for compliance with the City and County of Honolulu requirements and with the goal to provide a higher level of wastewater service to the homestead residents.  As a result fieldwork is required to gather the information for the engineering design and is determined to be essential by the DHHL and other government agencies The fieldwork includes surface and underground utility surveys which will be done within the public roadways as well as the properties with sewers easements.  The DHHL requests that homestead residents accommodate the work in the area and allow safe and unobstructed access to the public roadways so that the work may be conducted as safely as possible Fieldworkers will be wearing proper identification Minor and temporary traffic control during fieldwork hours will be required The DHHL highly appreciates the cooperation from homestead residents.  Below is the point-of-contact information for field engineering consultants: Investigative stories and local news updates Coverage of the Hawaiʻi State legislature in 2025 Award winning in-depth reports and featured on-going series Get the week’s news delivered straight to your inbox As the likelihood grows that the city dump will stay put for now community members in Nānākuli are looking to get something in return Westside residents have seen deadlines come and go for the removal of Oʻahu’s main landfill from their neighborhood the community is bracing for the possibility that the city may need to keep it in place With lawmakers poised Wednesday to approve a new law that would block current plans to move the dump the city is preparing to ask for an extension of the permit that is set to expire in March 2028 That’s not a surprise for many residents who have frequently been disappointed in the city’s efforts to move the Waimānalo Gulch landfill from Nānākuli “Take your dump out of my yard,” lifelong Nānākuli resident Mark Kong Kong is a member of Nānākuli’s neighborhood board which receives quarterly updates on the landfill’s status Landfill planners have struggled for years to find a new spot to dump the island’s trash as required by their operating permit Plan A was on pineapple land in Wahiawā which the mayor announced during a press conference at the end of 2024 But that prompted fierce backlash from residents and environmental groups because the proposed site would sit about 800 feet above an aquifer leading to fears it would threaten the island’s supply of drinking water legislation to ease other state restrictions and open up areas like Kapaʻa Quarry in Kailua was considered but ultimately rejected That left House Bill 969, which essentially bans the construction of landfills above sensitive sources of drinking water and would preclude the Wahiawā site It received reams of support from people concerned about possible contamination and lawmakers are widely expected to vote yes on Wednesday sending the measure to the governor to sign Assuming that happens, Honolulu Environmental Services Director Roger Babcock testified in late March that would force the city to consider extending Waimānalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill’s lifespan and even expanding its footprint to make room for more trash although Babcock said that would be “legally prohibited.” City spokesperson Ian Scheuring confirmed this in a written statement Tuesday Because the landfill is on land zoned for agriculture the city needs a special permit from the state Land Use Commission to operate it and would need to apply for an extension of that past 2028 The proposed legislation would limit further the choices for city officials on Hawaiʻi’s most populous island amid competing demands for sparse land and environmental concerns a volunteer-led Landfill Advisory Commission evaluated six proposed sites near the center of Oʻahu the island’s middle 80% or so lacks a protective layer of nonporous rock making it vulnerable to water contamination Commission members found this vulnerability compelling after a high-profile incident of jet fuel from the U.S. Navy contaminating military families’ drinking water, and they decided to reject all six sites.  The city has been unsuccessful at reopening negotiations with the military “The leadership at USINDOPACOM stands firm in the exhaustive due diligence they undertook between 2022 and 2024 and the military’s position has not changed,” Scheuring said in his statement A big challenge is that the state restricts landfills from going on conservation lands and within a half-mile of schools But this radius was based on forcing the island’s other landfill — the privately owned construction and demolition waste PVT Landfill Shortening the radius from a half-mile to a quarter-mile and allowing landfills to go on the least restrictive conservation lands would open two new options on the Windward Side who leads the city’s waste management department showed City Council members in a presentation last October.  In response, Kailua legislator Mike Lee introduced a bill that would have expanded buffer zones, saying Kailua had done its fair share of hosting landfills Other legislators anxious to protect their own districts helped the bill advance and though it died before crossing over to the Senate bills that would have shortened the buffer zones died too “Everyone knew that changing the landfill to another site on Oʻahu was going to be a dogfight,”  Waiʻanae Coast council member Andria Tupola said The Hawaiʻi Department of Health opposed HB 969 in written testimony saying the lack of landfill sites would lead to a significant increase in costs for waste management leading to an increase in illegal dumping “The impact of illegal dumping will create a greater environmental impact than what this measure is trying to prevent,” the department said Josh Green is waiting until he reviews the law’s passage and final form before making a decision on it and did not provide further comment on the issue, his spokesperson Makana McClellan said in a text some community members are discussing how to compensate Westside residents who have long hosted the island’s two landfills.  “What does my community get from this?” Nānākuli Rep “Any community that bears a landfill should have had community benefit packages.” Kila sponsored a bill that gives the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center $1 million to research social determinants of health on Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and Filipinos living close to Nānākuli’s landfills He agrees with protecting the island’s drinking water though Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Babcock have said they believe they can prevent contamination They point out that about 80% of the landfill’s input is actually ash from the city’s waste-to-energy plant H-Power They also planned to use a double-liner system to collect liquid waste at the bottom of the landfill and pump it to a wastewater treatment plant But Blangiardi and Babcock have failed to convince the public of that So while Blangiardi has promised not to place the next landfill on the Waiʻanae Coast he is likely to have to extend the current one that’s already there But rather than extending the current special permit former Land Use Commission chair Jonathan Scheuer said the city should just apply to permanently change the zoning from agriculture to the much more permissive urban designation Scheuer said this process would allow for more input on what the community gets back from the landfill’s impact the impact is the perception of the community the impact is how people feel about the community,” he said.  Benefits could include exempting nearby residents from property taxes and investing in infrastructure upgrades to improve quality of life. About $4.8 million of federal funding for a preliminary study of Bus Rapid Transit between Mākaha and the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu was cut Kila thinks the city should fund the whole thing to show its commitment to the Westside “That’s what I’m looking for,” he said Unfortunately, being named a finalist for a Pulitzer prize doesn’t make us immune to financial pressures. The fact is, our revenue hasn’t kept pace with our need to grow, and we need your help Civil Beat is a nonprofit, reader-supported newsroom based in Hawaiʻi. We’re looking to build a more resilient, diverse and deeply impactful media landscape, and we hope you’ll help by supporting our essential journalism Civil Beat has been named the best overall news site in Hawaii for the 14th year in a row by the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Power has been restored to over 4,000 Nanakuli customers Wednesday evening HECO officials say the outage began around 4 p.m 550p Nanakuli update: Power restored to all remaining customers. To report an #OahuOutage please call 1-855-304-1212 or go online to https://t.co/d0g835W6Xt This outage was NOT PSPS or Public Safety Power Shutoff Officials said around 4,360 customers were impacted 550p Nanakuli update: Power restored to all remaining customers. To report an #OahuOutage please call 1-855-304-1212 or go online to https://t.co/d0g835W6Xt The killing occurred amid efforts to stop rising violence in the area A patron stabbed a 22-year-old Wendy’s employee to death in Nanakuli after an altercation at the restaurant on Sunday morning The altercation began shortly before 9:45 a.m when the employee approached a 60-year-old male customer who was moving furniture around inside the restaurant and asked him to stop and the 60-year-old man called the employee a derogatory name The 22-year-old employee and another 44-year-old employee got the man to exit the store where the argument continued The second employee tried to stop the attack but was also stabbed The Honolulu Emergency Services Department said it was called to the Wendy’s at 9:47 a.m Police said both men were taken to Queen’s Medical Center West The 22-year-old victim died of his injures and the 44-year-old was treated and released The 60-year-old suspect was arrested at 9:55 a.m first-degree attempted murder and second-degree attempted murder Charges will be sought with the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office Police did not release his name, but an arrest log shows a 60-year-old man named Reynaldo Cheney was arrested at the restaurant’s address Sunday morning Court records show Cheney was issued a criminal citation in May for having a tent in a public park He remained in police custody as of 6:30 p.m the franchisee that owns and operates the Nanakuli Wendy’s said in a statement that it was working with law enforcement to assist with the investigation and providing counseling resources to its employees The restaurant will remain closed until further notice “The safety of our customers and employees is our highest priority and we are deeply shocked and saddened by this senseless and tragic incident,” the statement says Police spokeswoman Michelle Yu did not respond to a request for further information.  Police officials have been focusing on addressing violence on West Oahu after several shootings in August and September. That included one on Waianae Valley Road that left four people dead The bloodshed has drawn attention to longstanding community concerns such as crime homelessness and a need for better city services Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan said on Sept. 17 that dozens of reserve officers would be assigned to the district which stretches from Ewa Beach to Kaena Point the Waianae Boat Harbor and shopping centers.  The district is usually staffed with 19-23 full-time officers per shift But community leaders say an increased police presence isn’t enough and are calling for more resources to be invested in the area mental health services and upgrades to local parks the Honolulu Police Department has recorded nine murders and non-negligent manslaughters in the district so far this year Madeleine Valera is a reporter for Civil Beat. You can reach her by email at mlist@civilbeat.org and follow her on Twitter at @madeleine_list By Peter Boylan Crime in Hawaii A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree arson Friday after he allegedly started a brush fire that burned four acres in Nanakuli According to the Honolulu Police Department Aries Barroga was “observed setting a brush fire that burned approximately four acres” and was extinguished by the Honolulu Fire Department Barroga was arrested near Kaukama Road and Farrington Highway on suspicion of arson in the second degree and an outstanding warrant Barroga was taken for a mental health evaluation on March 1 2020 after he allegedly “attempted to start a brush fire” in Waianae to 87-1070 Farrington Highway and asked police for help to evacuate the Maili Pillbox Trail Atthe time of the fire, leeward sides of all Hawaiian islands were under a red flag warning low humidity and dry conditions raise the risk for wildland fires Traffic A collision involving multiple vehicles this morning on Farrington Highway in Nanakuli has sent four people to the hospital Honolulu Emergency Medical Services sent multiple ambulances to the scene at Farrington and Helelua Street at about 8:40 a.m Paramedics found five patients involved in the crashes A 4-year-old boy was taken to the hospital in stable condition Three adults — including two men and a woman all in their 30s — were taken to the hospital in serious condition A 73-year-old man was evaluated at the scene and declined transport Honolulu police closed Farrington Highway in both directions near Helelua Street according a post on X and Instgram from the department and said it was for an officer-involved traffic investigation No further information on the collision or what led to it was available Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu police arrested a 60-year-old man accused of stabbing and killing a fast food worker and seriously injuring another in Nanakuli on Sunday morning Police said it happened just before 10 a.m after a dispute at the Wendy’s on Farrington Highway HPD confirmed the two men were Wendy’s employees and the suspect was a customer approached the suspect and asked him to stop moving the furniture An argument ensued when the suspect called victim one a derogatory name.” the 22-year-old employee was joined by a 44-year old-coworker who escorted the man out of the restaurant “The argument continued and reportedly victim one punched the suspect who in turn stabbed victim one and two,” added Lt EMS treated and transported both employees to the hospital where the 22-year-old later died from his wounds Reynaldo Cheney was taken into custody just before 10 a.m While Cheney doesn’t appear to have a criminal history records show he’s been cited more than a dozen times in recent years for illegal camping and violating other park rules “The safety of our customers and employees is our highest priority and we are deeply shocked and saddened by this senseless and tragic incident We are focused on working with law enforcement on their investigation and providing support and counseling resources to our restaurant team members at this time” Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInNANAKULI (HawaiiNewsNow) - The man charged in the fatal stabbing of a Wendy’s employee in Nanakuli over the weekend made his first appearance in court on Wednesday is charged with murder and attempted murder for the stabbing death of 22-year-old Kashka Otto and injuring another Wendy’s employee in Nanakuli Sunday Witnesses said Cheney made a snide remark to Otto who then clocked out and challenged Cheney to a fight outside Otto allegedly punched Cheney before Cheney stabbed him with a knife and stabbed a Wendy’s manager who was trying to break up the fight city and neighborhood board officials gathered Saturday to celebrate the dedication of a new public art sculpture at Nānākuli Public Library The sculpture is titled Mānaiakalani and consists of stainless steel and cast glass a replica of the one belonging to Polynesian demigod Māui The story of Māui’s fishhook is a reminder of the folklore of when the demigod used it to pull the seafloor above the ocean The two flat sides of the sculpture have golden stars in the constellation of Mānaiakalani setting into the multi-hued blue waters that represent the Nānākuli coast The top of the hook has the constellation of Hina ia ‘Ele‘ele which represents the feminine counterpart to Māui Scott Norwood Fitzel is the sculpture's artist He’s of Hawaiian descent and was raised in Huntington Beach He studied glass blowing at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa The sculpture is part of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ "Art in Public Places" program which acquires work to be displayed at over 500 state-funded sites across Hawaiʻi For more information, click here. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More the City and County of Honolulu officially announced its selection for the site of Oahu’s next landfill: an area northwest of Wahiawā which sits above the island’s water supply The selected site is on agricultural land owned by Dole Food Company located to the west of Kamehameha Highway and north of Paʻalaʻa Uka Pūpūkea Road This decision comes after the Department of Environmental Services has been considering new landfill locations for over a decade a law passed in 2020 by the Hawaii State Legislature which excludes using conservation lands for a landfill and requires a half-mile buffer between a landfill and residential properties Other laws stipulate the site can’t be in tsunami inundation areas which are mostly owned by the military and would require approval to be used Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi promised that the new landfill would not be located on the Waianae Coast citing equity and operational impact.  Blangiardi put together a committee to once again evaluate and select potential landfill sites The location northwest of Wahiawā was one of six sites selected in the City’s Landfill Advisory Committee’s 2022 report the Honolulu Board of Water Supply testified in 2021 that they did not support any site in the interior of Oahu where the underlying groundwater aquifer is not protected from landfill contaminants by caprock.  Blangiardi noted that the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Nanakuli — in operation since 1989 — is also above the aquifer but has never leaked through its liner into subsurface soil and rocks.  “The City understands and acknowledges the public’s concerns and the absolute necessity to safeguard our island’s underground water supply aquifers against contamination,” said Roger Babcock the director of the City’s Department of Environmental Services “We will ensure aquifer protection by exceeding federal and state design standards for safe operations and regulations for monitoring solid waste landfills building instead to a higher level of protection that would typically only be required for the creation of a hazardous waste facility.” The City plans to use a multiple-barrier subsurface monitoring system to prevent the escape of pollutants from the landfill The design of the landfill will need approval from the state Department of Health.  “We are extremely confident that we can operate a landfill safely over the aquifer we are able to site our next landfill further away from where our residents live and where they receive medical care,” said Blangiardi sent a statement saying he was concerned about the selected site because it is above the island’s water supply.  “The City Administration's proposal to establish a landfill near Wahiawā presents a significant threat to the North Shore of Oahu's precious water supply,” said Quinlan “Landfills are known for leaking hazardous substances like PFAs which could permanently contaminate nearby wells and aquifers just minutes away in Waialua.” the mayor said he will have limited options for a new landfill site He said the City would be forced to ask the state legislature to amend Act 73 so that they could consider other sites that aren’t above the aquifer If the state legislature doesn’t amend the law then Blangiardi’s administration said it would be required to seek an extension of current landfill operations at Waimanalo Gulch A 2019 state Land Use Commission order requires the closure of the current landfill by March 2028 but the landfill could potentially be used until 2035 Blangiardi’s administration emphasized their opposition to extending operations at the current landfill.  released a statement Tuesday afternoon thanking the administration for selecting a new location signaling the upcoming closure of the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill that is located in his community.  "I understand that this announcement may not be welcomed by everyone let me be clear: the Leeward Coast has endured the burden of hosting this landfill for decades — a landfill named after another community but placed in our backyard we have carried more than our fair share of this responsibility," he said "No matter where the new location is designated the Administration has an obligation to follow through and shut down the Waimānalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill Today's announcement reflects an overdue acknowledgment of that responsibility." Oahu generates about 1.2 million tons of recyclables and residential and commercial waste where metals are recovered and the remainder is burned for electricity About 225,000 tons of municipal solid waste and other special waste materials are disposed of at the landfill annually The City plans to use the new landfill for 20 years accepting the above along with the disposal of all construction and demolition waste which currently goes to the PVT landfill.  the City will begin discussions with the Honolulu Board of Water Supply and Dole The City will also start the process to get an Environmental Impact Statement Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInNANAKULI (HawaiiNewsNow) - Prosecutors have charged Tuesday a 60-year-old man in the fatal stabbing of a Wendy’s employee in Nanakuli over the weekend Reynaldo Cheney is charged with murder and attempted murder for allegedly stabbing 22-year-old Kashka Otto to death and seriously injuring another Wendy’s employee The incident happened on Sunday just before 10 a.m Cheney was moving furniture in the fast-food restaurant when Otto asked him to stop An argument ensued when the Cheney called Otto a “derogatory name,” authorities said Otto and a 44-year-old male coworker tried to get Cheney out of the restaurant by walking outside but police said the argument escalated and Otto reportedly punched Cheney before getting stabbed Otto’s coworker tried to stop Cheney but was also stabbed in the process Otto was rushed to Queen’s Medical Center West Oahu but died from his injuries shortly after arriving The 44-year-old employee was taken to Queen’s Medical Center Punchbowl in serious condition Cheney remains in custody with bail set at $1 million Crime in HawaiiEditors' Picks Two Wendy’s restaurant employees were stabbed to the restaurant at 89-102 Farrington Highway approached the suspect and asked him to stop An argument ensued when the assailant called the victim a derogatory name The argument continued and reportedly the 22-year-old punched the assailant The older employee attempted to stop the assailant but also was stabbed The 22-year-old was transported to the Queen’s Medical Center West where he died from his injuries The other Wendy’s employee was transported to the Queen’s Medical Center Punchbowl in serious condition The assailant was arrested at the scene by the initial officers for attempted murder in the first degree murder in the second degree and attempted murder in the second degree Charges will be sought with the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney Privacy Policy | About Our Ads A new gem has found its home at Nānākuli Public Library—a sculpture that pays homage to the legendary fishhook of Polynesian culture figure Māui Crafted from stainless steel and cast glass “Mānaiakalani” tells a story that glimmers both day and night The sculptures flat surfaces showcase the golden stars in the constellation Mānaiakalani setting into the multi-hued blue waters of the coast of Nānakuli At the top of the hook is the constellation Hina ia ʻeleʻele representing the feminine counterpart to Māui and his perpetual pursuit of her through the sky allowing the glass to illuminate the story day and night the fishhook reminds us of the lore of the creation of the Hawaiian Islands Māui’s hook instead pulls up the seafloor above the ocean’s surface The line then breaks and leaves the islands exposed Māui’s hook can be seen in the sky as the constellation Mānaiakalani as it leads the Milky Way across the sky and sets each summer in the waters off the coast of Nānākuli The sculpture was created by Scott Norwood Fitzel an artist of Hawaiian descent raised in Huntington Beach He discovered glassblowing at a community college a positive and synergystic extension of his attraction to the ocean His love for surfing brought him to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Fitzel has been creating artwork ever since The “Mānaiakalani” sculpture by Fitzel was dedicated at Nānākuli Public Library in Waiʻanae on Saturday and City & County of Honolulu Neighborhood Board No Mayor Rick Blangiardi continues to engage with communities across Oahu in the third consecutive year of town hall meetings starting March 27 in Nanakuli Residents will get to engage directly with the mayor and his leadership team in an open dialogue on issues important to them and their families “These town halls have been an invaluable way to hear directly from our residents and to share the work we are doing to address their concerns,” said Blangiardi in a release “Transparency and accessibility are key pillars of our administration and we look forward to meaningful discussions that help shape the future of our city.” A few of the issues brought up by citizens last year included improving community parks and facilities This year’s town halls will be held in larger venues to ensure more participation and will be organized regionally for greater accessibility and engagement from residents together with the directors and deputy directors from over 25 city departments Residents are encouraged to participate in the meetings and voice their thoughts and concerns directly with the mayor and city officials More information about the town hall meetings will be available on the Office of the Mayor’s website as the first meeting date approaches Residents can sign up for updates regarding specific town hall meetings by filling out a Google form Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Power has been restored to customers in Nanakuli