AGP Executive Report
Last update: 7 hours agoTourism & storms: Hawaii’s visitor market lost momentum in August as arrivals fell 5.6% to 772,039 and spending dropped 9.7% to $1.59 billion, with shorter stays and fewer visitor days blamed on storms and hurricane threats. Utility & cost pressure: Hawaiian Electric is seeking a $170 million rate increase, with public testimony in Kona and Maui strongly opposing the hike amid already-rising household bills. Disaster recovery on Kaua‘i: Kaua‘i community groups say federal disaster funds are still stuck in the Major Disaster Declaration process, with estimated damage around $112 million. Real ID snag: Hawaii officials say they don’t yet know when the REAL ID driver’s license scanning problem will be fully resolved; Thales says it learned of the issue in July and TSA testing is expected this week after Honolulu testing found scanner read errors. EV buildout: Hawaiian Electric reported higher EV charging activity in the first half of 2026, driven by more commercial charging access. Local business development: Foodland’s planned 27,000-square-foot Kapālama Kai store drew excitement—and traffic and pedestrian-safety questions—from Kalihi residents.
Note: AI summary from news headlines; neutral sources weighted more to help reduce bias in the result. Feedback is welcome. Please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions about the AGP Executive Report.
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