Business News

The economic impact of the Maui fires may linger for years. According to a third-quarter forecast from UHERO, the economic costs of the Maui fires will be felt on that island, and statewide, “well into the future.”

The one-year program aims to develop the next generation of technology innovators by providing intellectual property training and industry mentorship. It's tailored for Ph.D. candidates and post-doctoral scholars.

The existing price freeze that was implemented for Maui in August will now only continue for essential goods and services, according to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection.

Maui has seen a sharp economic decline in the immediate aftermath from deadly Aug. 8 fires, but UHERO's latest economic forecast does not see a significant spillover to the rest of the state.

Artificial intelligence is the technology behind facial recognition for unlocking your phone, the personalization of social media and much more. As it becomes more prevalent, Hawaiʻi businesses have started to consider the usefulness, or harmfulness, of AI. Ian Kitajima, the president of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research, shared his perspective.

Maui farmers are seeing devastating impacts from the fires, some direct and others indirect. Over the next several weeks, HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol will highlight affected farmers, starting with one in Kula who lost her business to the flames.

The money has been split between programs — including workforce development, health care, Native Hawaiian studies, arts, library, athletics, legal education and more.

Lawsuits related to the wildfires in West Maui continue to develop. One target is Hawaiian Electric and a local bank is addressing concerns about its connection to the utility. Pacific Business News editor-in-chief A. Kam Napier has more.

President Biden is back in Washington today, following a trip to the Indo-Pacific —including a stop in Vietnam. While the government delegation has moved on, the level of business relations between the two countries continues to deepen. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

THRIVE Hawaiʻi Agrifood Summit will take place Sept. 26 and 27. Jason Ueki works with the Hawaiʻi Island Business Plan Competition, also known as HIplan.