City, state at odds over urban Honolulu land swap
State lawmakers want a posh downtown Honolulu office tower partly for their own use, but a bill they recently passed to achieve that goal faces challenges if enacted into law. Read more
Andrew Gomes
Andrew Gomes is a business reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Gomes is a longtime Hawaii journalist who for most of his career has concentrated on business subjects with a particular focus on real estate and land-use topics that include housing, development and agriculture.
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He is a fourth-generation kamaaina born on Oahu who earned a journalism degree from the University of Hawaii. Gomes has been a reporter for local newspapers since the mid-1990s. He regularly enjoys surfing, bodysurfing and skateboarding.
Latest Stories by Andrew Gomes
Hawaii Job Corps to close
Two unique job training centers in Hawaii are slated for closure in a Trump administration move to terminate the federal government’s 61-year-old Job Corps program. Read more
Slower growth with long-term stability expected for Hawaii’s economy
A state forecast for Hawaii’s economy anticipates weaker growth next year but is more optimistic than a recent University of Hawaii projection for a mild recession. Read more
Changeover coming for state’s chief economic expert
Vast data exists on conditions of Hawaii’s economy, but the state is about to lose a powerful human base of economic knowledge benefiting local consumers, businesses and government. Read more
Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument illegally opened to fishing, suit alleges
The monument covers about 490,000 square miles, making it nearly five times the size of all the U.S. national parks combined and nearly twice the size of Texas, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Read more
More downgrades forecast for Hawaii tax collections
A panel that forecasts state tax revenue that funds Hawaii government operations on Wednesday downgraded projections for the next three fiscal years amid swirling uncertainties over federal policy upheaval. Read more
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Hawaii high school surfing still a tough wave to catch
Learning to surf often includes a teacher gently pushing a rider’s board with the swell of a forming wave, which is kind of what Hawaii’s Legislature did this year to help expand surfing as a public high school sport. Read more
State agency’s preschool production pipeline bulges while other projects hit roadblocks
Riki Fujitani, executive director of the state School Facilities Authority, has made major strides in one lane of work a little over a year since the fledgling agency’s first leader resigned under fire at the Legislature, though struggles in other areas remain. Read more
Federal funding for Hawaiian Home Lands on chopping block
President Donald Trump is proposing to eliminate the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program as part of a rough budget plan for the next federal fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 Read more
Housing affordability continues to elude many in Hawaii
Housing affordability mainly eroded in Hawaii last year, according to a study that also revealed a sliver of improvement for one aspect of the state’s residential real estate market. Read more
It was crunch time again at the Legislature
Within a split-second of a Friday evening deadline about two weeks ago, state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole announced in a legislative conference room, “We have a bill. Gotta be the last one.” Read more
Hawaii DOT pushing speed cam expansion despite failed bill
State Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said speeding was a top contributing factor in motor vehicle fatalities over the past decade and that automated camera enforcement would deter speeders and reduce senseless deaths and injuries. Read more
Hawaiian Electric parent touts financial strength
Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. on Friday reported net income of $27 million for the January-March period, down from $42 million a year earlier. Read more
Mild recession forecast for Hawaii economy
University of Hawaii economists expect the state economy to begin gradually contracting later this year due to federal policy impacts hurting tourism, employment and personal income. Read more
Matson cargo business from China is broadsided by Trump trade tariffs
The U.S.-led trade war with China has delivered a hard initial blow to one of Hawaii’s largest companies, ocean cargo transportation firm Matson Inc. Read more
Hawaii Legislature pumps up nonprofit grant funding
Hawaii nonprofits stand to receive a lot more grant funding from the Legislature this year due to expectations of federal aid cuts by President Donald Trump. Read more
Hawaii lawmakers OK about 250 bills
The state Legislature gave final approval to about 250 bills Wednesday during several hours of voting that included a surprise defeat of a gun- control measure. Read more
Hawaii Legislature set to pay out $9.5 million for claims
Unwanted hugs from a judge, an infamous false missile alert and a mishap with a log splitter are among incidents for which the state is prepared to pay loss claims totaling $9.5 million this year. Read more
Hawaii lawmakers scurry to advance flurry of bills past key deadline
Legislative casualties Friday included a bill to legalize online sports betting in Hawaii and one to give the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands $600 million to develop homesteads for beneficiaries. Read more
Bill sets aside $807.5 million for Maui wildfire claims
Hawaii legislative leaders have agreed to fully fund the state’s share of Maui wildfire damage claims slated to be paid out over four years. Read more
Hawaii lawmakers reach deal on nearly $20B state budget
A compromise draft of the state’s biennium budget bill authorizes $19.9 billion in spending on government operations and capital improvement projects for the 2026 fiscal year that starts July 1, up 4% from the current fiscal year. Read more
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