Local organization hosts World Bicycle Day celebration in Hawaii
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Gov. Josh Green has proclaimed that June 3 is World Bicycling Day in Hawaii. Here's a look at how it was being honored.
In recognition of a half-century of work to motivate more people to ride bicycles, WakeUp2Day's Chris Latronic went live on the Ala Moana pedestrian bridge to learn more and ride with Hawaii Bicycling League's Advocacy Director, Eduardo Hernandez.
In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day. The resolution for World Bicycle Day recognizes 'the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport.'
In April 2025, the office of Gov. Josh Green presented Hawai'i Bicycling League (HBL) with a proclamation declaring June 3, 2025, to be World Bicycle Day in Hawai'i in recognition of the organization's half-century of work to motivate more people to ride bicycles for recreation, health, and transportation.
In doing so, Hawai'i became the first state in the nation to recognize World Bicycle Day at the state level.
'At HBL, we celebrate bicycles every day, but officially being part of a global movement for sustainability helps us to elevate the public conversation about how bicycles are a solution to so many challenges facing individuals and communities across the islands and around the world,' said HBL advocacy director Eduardo Hernandez.
HBL's networks for promoting the economic, health and environmental benefits of bicycling include individuals and organizations on every island and at every level of Hawaiʻi government, from local to state to national.
For World Bicycle Day in Hawai'i, HBL will be celebrating with a potluck bicycle pa'aina gathering at Kolowalu Park Makai in Honolulu, with brief remarks from executive director Travis Counsell and other colleagues.
The organization will also be celebrating the day with a group ride in protected bicycle lanes to and over a newly opened bridge over Ala Moana Blvd. HBL said that type of infrastructure helps create safer experiences for all people, whether they walk, ride, roll, or drive a car.
Learn more about how HBL is celebrating World Bicycle Day .
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
11-06-2025
- Forbes
Hawaii Governor To Veto Medical Cannabis Expansion Bill
Lawmakers in Hawaii are shifting focus to refining the state's medical cannabis system, after efforts to legalize adult-use stalled. In a recent announcement, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green outlined 19 bills he intends to veto in the upcoming weeks, one of which would have allowed primary care physicians to recommend medical cannabis for any condition, regardless if it is included on the state's list of qualifying conditions. Originally, HB 302 sought to expand the state's medical cannabis program by allowing telehealth visits to qualify. However, the governor vetoed the bill, citing a 'grave violation of privacy' in a revision that could have compromised the confidentiality of medical cannabis patients. After revisions, the bill would have allowed the Hawaii Department of Health to inspect qualifying patients' medical records they received from a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or hospice provider. Last month, the Hawaii Senate and House of Representatives approved the bill, but Reps. Kim Coco Iwamoto and Della Au Belatti pointed out some concerns over privacy. In addition, amendments to the bill would limit recommendations for medical cannabis for conditions outside of the state's current list to only a patient's primary care physician, prompting opposition from advocacy groups. These amendments, they believe, would only complicate things. 'This administration remains committed to Hawai'i's existing medical cannabis program and supports efforts to expand access to medical cannabis for any medical condition," the governor's office said in a statement. "Although this bill's authorization of medical cannabis certifications via telehealth expands access to medical cannabis, provisions authorizing the inspection of patients' medical records without warrant constitute a grave violation of privacy. Given that the federal government classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance, patients' reasonable fears of repercussions based upon information gained from inspection of their personal medical records may deter patients from participating in the medical cannabis program.' Hawaii currently allows medical cannabis recommendations for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cancer, glaucoma, lupus, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, AIDS, and PTSD, many of which were added in subsequent revisions. The bill would have amended and added definitions for purposes of the medical use of cannabis law to any condition. It would have authorized provider-patient relationships via telehealth. It would have also set a limit on fees that can be assessed by providers and authorize the sale of hemp products and accessories for the medical use of cannabis at retail dispensing locations, except in waiting rooms. It would have also clarified transportation requirements for certain inter-dispensary sales of cannabis and manufactured cannabis products, established penalties for the unlicensed operation of a medical cannabis dispensary. Additionally, it would have authorized expenditures from the state's Medical Cannabis Registry and Regulation Special Fund to fund programs to help control illegal cannabis and hemp products. The themes of other bills Gov. Green will veto include bills for environmental stewardship, educational access, and public safety. 'Let me be clear: of the 320 bills passed by the Legislature this session, 19 are on our Intent-to-Veto list,' said Gov. Green. 'Our team has completed a review of every measure and the overwhelming majority of legislation will become law. Each bill on today's list is based on thorough legal and fiscal analysis, and as always, was guided by what will best serve the people of Hawai'i, protect our resources and strengthen our future.' Meanwhile, fewer Hawaii residents are using regulated medical cannabis dispensaries and lawmakers worry that they resorting to unlicensed CBD stores and the black market. For the time being, legislation is aimed at improving these flaws. Last February, two Hawaii House of Representatives committees approved a bill—HB 1246—that would legalize adult-use cannabis in the state, but the bill was killed in the Hawaii Senate in April.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Lawmakers pass sweeping new tax that will impact anyone visiting Hawai'i: 'The visitor industry will struggle if we do not take action now'
Your next trip to one of the United States' most popular tourist destinations may cost a few dollars more. But for conservationists, climate scientists, or others who care about our planet's future, that's excellent news. In late May, The Guardian reported that Hawai'i Gov. Josh Green signed Senate Bill 1396, which establishes the country's first "Green Fee." The proceeds will be used to combat changes happening across the state because of a shifting, warming climate. The fee is actually a 0.75% increase to the tax charge on hotel rooms and vacation rentals — about $3 extra on a $400 per night stay. The tax will also, for the first time, apply to cruise ships that dock in Hawai'i. Both changes take effect next year, and officials expect the fee to generate roughly $100 million per year. "As an island chain, Hawai'i cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action," Green said in a release. "We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future." Hawai'i made frequent headlines in 2023 for the deadly wildfires that devastated much of Maui, and less than a year later, another fire put hundreds of homes at risk in Kauai. Supporters of the new tax say the Green Fee will put Hawai'i in a better position to deal with any extreme weather events that happen in the future. But the money is also expected to be used toward projects such as protecting native plants, forests, and wildlife, replenishing sand on eroding beaches, and enhancing the state's climate resilience. As an example of the impact of climate inaction, University of Hawai'i researchers have said that the sea level in Honolulu's Waikiki neighborhood is expected to rise by nearly 6 feet by 2100 without mitigation efforts. Several hotel and tourism groups in Hawai'i supported the bill, saying these improvements will also make vacations better for the millions of tourists who visit each year. "The visitor industry will struggle if we do not take action now," said state Rep. Adrian Tam, D-Waikiki, the chair of the House tourism committee. "There will be nothing left for them to showcase to the rest of the world if our beaches are decimated, wildfires have taken over our towns, and hikes left unmanaged." Should the government be paying us to upgrade our homes? Definitely Depends on how much it costs Depends on what it's for No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Yahoo
Hawaiian Electric seeks approval for wildfire safety work
Typical residential customers of the state's largest utility could see their monthly bill rise between $1 and $5.50 to cover costs of an expanded three-year wildfire safety plan. Hawaiian Electric disclosed the cost estimates in a plan update filed with the state Public Utilities Commission on Friday. The safety plan for work through 2027 is subject to PUC approval, and the utility anticipates that bills won't likely increase for plan work until 2026. Ratepayer cost estimates vary by island where the cost and scope of planned improvements are different and add up to $350 million for Maui County, Oahu and Hawaii island. Kauai has an electric utility owned by ratepayers. The biggest Hawaiian Electric investments in wildfire safety are slated for Maui, where a wind-driven inferno determined to have originated from a downed company power line killed 102 people and destroyed most of Lahaina on Aug. 8, 2023. Hawaiian Electric said it plans to spend $181 million on wildfire safety work throughout Maui County, but mainly on Maui where the state's wildfire risk is highest. This work, the company said, should cost a typical residential customer $5.41 more per month. Work on Maui is to initially include putting underground about two miles of overhead power lines in critical safety areas in Lahaina determined with the help of a community working group providing area-specific knowledge and input. Hawaiian Electric said this initial work in Lahaina will be a pilot project that informs planning for future undergrounding of power lines in the West Maui town and other areas. On Oahu, safety plan work is expected to cost $68 million and result in a typical residential customer's monthly bill rising by $1.05. Work on Hawaii island is expected to cost $101 million and have a $2.86 monthly bill impact. A typical residential customer uses 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month. Not all of the cost for wildfire safety work under the plan will be borne by ratepayers. Hawaiian Electric said some of the expense is being covered by existing programs, including a $95 million federal grant for grid resilience received in 2024. Hawaiian Electric in a news release noted that bill impacts from the planned work may be reduced if the company can use a financing strategy that the Legislature approved in a bill passed April 30. Senate Bill 897 authorizes the PUC to let the company issue long-term bonds that finance safety infrastructure work and are repaid through customer billing. This form of financing, known as securitization, is less costly for Hawaiian Electric than other forms of available debt. Gov. Josh Green has yet to act on SB 897. His office in written testimony raised some concerns about various drafts of the bill that were different than what lawmakers passed. 'The Companies will take advantage of that option if /when it becomes available, ' Hawaiian Electric said in the filing, referring to its subsidiaries on different islands. Hawaiian Electric said about two-thirds of wildfire safety work will be capital investments in upgraded physical infrastructure, with the other third to be spent on operations and maintenance that includes enhanced equipment inspections and removal or trimming of thousands of hazardous trees. Other specific work to be done under the plan include :—Insulating wire power lines in highest risk areas to prevent sparking if a line touches another line or falls to the ground.—Replacing and strengthening poles.—Installing more weather stations and hazard-detection cameras.—Expanding AI-assisted video camera stations to enable 100 % coverage of all high and medium wildfire risk areas.—Creating a wildfire watch office that includes a meteorologist to monitor media reports, internal and external weather information and field reports to provide more situational awareness for operations.—Using a wildfire risk model to inform real-time decision-making and to refine the company's Public Safety Power Shutoff program so that shutoffs, if necessary, can be more precise and shorter. 'The (plan ) is designed to provide public safety, wildfire risk mitigation, reliability and resilience benefits for the Companies' customers and the State as a whole, ' Hawaiian Electric said in the filing. The plan filed with regulators Friday updates a less-detailed 'blueprint ' filed with the PUC in January that had a $450 million estimated cost and scope of work that Hawaiian Electric then said could change with refinements. Hawaiian Electric created its first wildfire mitigation plan in 2019, which did not include a power safety shutoff program. The plan was updated in the months after the Maui wildfire disaster, and many upgrades and operational changes have been implemented since then, including the shutoff program begun in July. The wildfire that struck Lahaina caused an estimated $5.5 billion in property damage. A $4 billion settlement of fire victim litigation is to be mostly paid for by the utility, the state and landowner Kamehameha Schools. Hawaiian Electric's share of the settlement is $2 billion. It is to be paid over four years and not add to customer bills. The parent of the utility, Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., raised capital for the first payment by selling new shares of stock. Additional payment funding is expected to be raised through issuing debt and equity in HEI. BY THE NUMBERS Hawaiian Electric 2025-2027 wildfire safety plan estimated costs :—Total : $350 million—Maui County : $181 million—Hawaii island : $101 million—Oahu : $68 million Monthly bill impacts ----Maui County : $5.41—Hawaii island : $2.86—Oahu : $1.05 —Residential customer using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity
